Identify This Guitar

[Name It And Win]

Hi, Good to find you folks.
Getting back into playing after family health issues.

I found a thread from 2010 with a similar guitar and thought I'd add some photos and pose the question again.

What is it? Why no markings?

Thanks for any information and I appreciate the forum and it's members

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=182821

[taylorgtr]

The headstock is interesting - either there's somebody out there with a logo that doesn't mean anything....or those are the exact same guitar.

I'd go with the assessment from the earlier thread - it's a kit-built guitar. The woods and craftsmanship look decent, but most builders would put some sort of identification on the guitar, either with a label, headstock or serial number.

The other possibility is that it had a manufacture logo at some point, but it was damaged/obscured/replaced as a factory second....but that's less likely than it being a one-off/kit built guitar.

But also from the other thread - the nut doesn't look that great, and those are the same crappy tuners that I had on my mid-70's Ventura (Japanese-built Martin copy).

If you own the guitar and it plays halfway decent, get a new (ideally) bone nut and saddle, or at least a Tusq nut/saddle combo installed by a decent luthier, and spend $50 on a good set of Grover/Gotoh/Schaller tuners. Play the heck out of it and be happy.

As far as 'value' - whatever value it is to you. It's not a rare/unique/high-dollar guitar, but that doesn't mean it's not a good instrument. Get it set up properly with a couple minor upgrades, and it'll be a good player.

[Name It And Win]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Definitely not the same guitar. This one has a dark finish on the back and sides and the other thread indicates there are more out there.

Picked it up a couple days ago for $40. I'll clean it up restring it and go from there. It does indeed play very well even with old dead strings.

I had a Tusq nut in mind mainly because I'd recently installed one on a Gibson SG and was pleased with the results. I may have a bone saddle in my stash here.

I figured $40 well spent even if it was just a spare to have handy if someone drops in. I'm actually very pleased with it.

[Earl49]

Looks to be nicely built, even if from an unknown source. The logo inlay looks kinda like a stylized "M" to me. Or maybe a nod to Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" prism.

Spend another $50 or so and put some nice basic Gotoh 16:1 tuners on it. Well worth the upgrade, assuming the existing cheapo tuners don't work well.
http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_...d3_Tuners.html

[Rmz76]

My guess would be 1970s Japanese built by Yasuma. They built a few different D28 copies and used the same tuners. They also used black headstock (although I've not seen one with binding). Is the triangle inlay at the top of headstock a decal?

[taylorgtr]

Originally Posted by Name It And Win

Thanks for the quick reply.

Definitely not the same guitar. This one has a dark finish on the back and sides and the other thread indicates there are more out there.

Picked it up a couple days ago for $40. I'll clean it up restring it and go from there. It does indeed play very well even with old dead strings.

I had a Tusq nut in mind mainly because I'd recently installed one on a Gibson SG and was pleased with the results. I may have a bone saddle in my stash here.

I figured $40 well spent even if it was just a spare to have handy if someone drops in. I'm actually very pleased with it.

If you got it for $40, spend $50 on some decent tuners, add a new nut and saddle and a good setup. The woods look good - for less than $150, you've got a guitar that would play well above your cost.....

[Athens]

The head stock inlay looks like a recycled Guild D55 fretboard inlay.

[zombywoof]

I was going to say that the wedge centered block on the headstock looks like an inverted fretboard inlay on an Epiphone Sheraton. But they can be purchased at pretty much any luthier shop. So I agree with others in that it is possibly a kit guitar.

[maxtheaxe]

My somewhat educated guess on that is a Japanese Epiphone; Matsumoku mfg. The headstock inlay is like fretboard inlays I've seen on some of those, although honestly, I've never seen it on the headstock like that.

[devellis]

Originally Posted by Athens

The head stock inlay looks like a recycled Guild D55 fretboard inlay.

Yeah, my thought, too. Or some other Guild with the G-shield inlay pattern. It is either replacing an original inlay or, possibly, the whole thing is a kit guitar of some sort and the builder just decided to us a an available inlay on the headstock. Seems to be reasonably nice, although that's hard to judge from pictures alone, obviously.

[taylorgtr]

If it's not a kit, my guess is that the original logo has been removed or defaced (as a factory second or something), and replaced by the inlay.

[Name It And Win]

Originally Posted by Rmz76

My guess would be 1970s Japanese built by Yasuma. They built a few different D28 copies and used the same tuners. They also used black headstock (although I've not seen one with binding). Is the triangle inlay at the top of headstock a decal?

The binding threw me off also.

No Decal. The inlay is Abalone.

Originally Posted by zombywoof

.

Tellin' you all the Zomby troof

Originally Posted by taylorgtr

If it's not a kit, my guess is that the original logo has been removed or defaced (as a factory second or something), and replaced by the inlay.

Factory second is an interesting take. There are some imperfections.
Most notably the binding on the headstock.


I'm glad I started a new thread. Appreciate all the input. Keep it Comin'!

Based on the original thread there are at least 5 or 6 out there.

[Name It And Win]

Thank you.
Can you post photos for comparison?
This guitar is all solid. No laminate. It also has a darker finish than the one on the other thread.
I'll post more interior photos when I change the strings.
Playing on the old strings I'm impressed by the sound.

[Mpix]

I picked up one of these from an auction...all solid, top is incredibly thin...projects very well...it came from Florida and was in tune right out of the case...cleaned it up will replace the plastic nut/bridge saddle with bone ASAP.

Exact same as one in pictures except the seam down the back is a little different inlay, has a few scratches but otherwise in great condition...tuners are actually pretty good...

I would say it was a kit but there are too many variables where it is identical to others like it online here...plays pretty easy...needs to be setup though.

[pdx]

Marlboro guitar or a variation of it. Had one briefly years ago. I think I paid $40 and sold it for $100/150.
Solid top, laminated body. IIRC, Korean made.