Tony, I know that among the Kasugas I saw in Japan and the Kasuga-made Kentucky mandolins from that period there were definitely different quality levels. Some were all plywood, some were solid topped with laminate backs and sides, and I know they made some all-solid mandolins. I presume the same is true of their guitar line, but don't know for certain.
Even the all-solid wood Kasuga mandolins that I'm aware of, though, were pressed into the arched shape, not carved. So they weren't top quality.
Anyway, it's likely that the ones that you saw in your area were from the lower end of Kasuga's quality levels. I heard and played a couple of good-sounding ones when I was at the Takarazuka Bluegrass Festival.
Wade Hampton Miller
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