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  • Gibson Marauder, 72308092

    Gibson Marauder, A bit of Gibson history < Back Gibson Marauder 72308092 1978 Gibson Marauder The Marauder links Massive Attack, Pete Shelley, Queens of the Stone Age and was the sacrificial instrument of choice for Paul Stanley to sledge hammer the stage floor during Kiss encores. Produced between 1974 and 1982 in small numbers, this was Gibson’s response to huge competition from Japanese imports, and an attempt to claim more of the residual market from Fender. Bolt-on necks from Gibson is a little similar to a straight 6 in a Mustang to many, but this should just add to the appeal. Let the debates rage on regarding that bridge pick-up – ‘Hot Bill’ claims they are humbuckers, not singles – Gibson certainly told us this in their catalogues. We can let our eyes deceive us. Many of the guitars we have here at Matsumoku are the reason this guitar exists – it is fabulous to have them together to compare them. This example has the blender function instead of the earlier 3 position toggle – a trade-off between simple but limited tone selection, and near infinite variety between the neck and bridge tones. Swings and roundabouts… There is no Tune-o-Matic bridge here – Hot Bill Lawrence believed in the high quality of Schaller units, and so the Marauder features a Schaller Harmonica. This is never going to compete with a Les Paul, but would happily sit alongside one. It’s ideal for folk who sit firmly in the Gibson camp even when they need a Tele Deluxe – everyone needs a Tele Deluxe at some point. It’s as heavy as you’d expect a mahogany body to be – Gibson folk will be well used to this – Fender types may need a sturdy strap. How it sounds is so subjective it needs your own ears to determine – but again, it’s mahogany so expect a darker mood and a little boost on the amp’s treble control even at the bridge. The important fact is that it all works and looks as it should. It has a tiny bit of pitting on the harmonica, a little belt buckle and wedding ring evidence. It’s in better nick than I was in at 44 years old. It’s here at the KettHall studio undergoing a sensitive re-commissioning and will reside here with us until someone decides they can give it a new home. There is a slightly tragic reason for sale, and will be sadly missed by its owner of 40 years. It has been lightly used, it’s obviously perfect for a collector who has a Marauder shaped gap in the collection. Despite being one of the underdogs of 1970’s Gibson range, it will (in this condition) unlikely ever be cheaper. As well as the re-commissioning, it will have the highest possible quality professional set-up from the hugely talented Matsumoku tech-team. It will be ready to play, or can be made ready to store if that is the plan. Book a slot to try it with our amps, or bring your own – spend some time with it acoustically – whatever you need. These don’t come through here very often; given its condition, it may not hang around here for long. Price ££££ Availability Sold Recommendation Perfect for the collector, investor or those that just need to scratch an itch Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1978 Pick-ups Bill Lawrence Selector Blend pot Bridge Schaller Harmonica Board Maple Weight 4.57kg; 10lbs 1oz Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27 Play Video Play Video 08:53 Play Video Play Video 03:26 Play Video Play Video 06:31 Play Video Play Video 05:36 Play Video Play Video 07:42

  • Taylor 150c 12 String, 2111274073

    Taylor 150c 12 String, No need to go up the range - this is the ideal workshorse 12 string. < Back Taylor 150c 12 String 2111274073 This Taylor 150c is a no-nonsense decent quality electro-acoustic that covers all bases from Wish You Were Here through to Love and Affection - the bass and treble controls covering just about all your glisten and shimmering needs. It's a lightly used example. Lots of acoustic volume, and when the 100 series is as good as they are, it seems unnecessary to venture up the range and spend a fortune unnecessarily. This one comes with a Taylor padded gig-bag. The video uses a Loudex Mini amp with gain at 3 out of 10 and a dab of reverb Price £695 Availability 1 at Ketteringham Hall Recommendation Enjoy as it is Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 2014 Pick-ups Expression 2 Selector N/A Bridge Pin Board Ebony Weight TBC Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27 Play Video Play Video 08:53 Play Video Play Video 03:26 Play Video Play Video 06:31 Play Video Play Video 05:36 Play Video Play Video 07:42

  • 1977 Greco SE-600, F772471

    1977 Greco SE-600, Sweet-spot of the range during MIJ's best ever period < Back 1977 Greco SE-600 F772471 By 1977, Grecos were being produced at Fujigen and by this time Fender had made up their minds not to beat them, but join them. Norikatsu Harayama had spent a few years at Fujigen developing their craftsmen to produce guitars to standards that would impress the Americans sufficiently to allow them to cater for the very hungry local market without the crippling import duties at the time. Early and mid-70s Greco Strats have their own individual character - by the late 1970s they were proper rivals for the USA products - a few years later these guitars had the famous decal on the headstock. This guitar was produced in the days when Japanese culture and discipline ruled the production lines - no interference or input from USA at all. This is why they are still so playable, and so capable of being excellent instruments for another 45 years. SE-600s changed in style from year to year - this one is a true 1970's character. Big headstock, pretty heavy, and very faithful sounds from the PU-100 pick-ups, and rosewood being a costly option over the standard maple. This is a nice thick slab too. The 600 had a 3-way switch (nice DM30 units - will last forever) and the parallel positions can be found with a bit of practice. The MH-80 tuners are great quality and continue to provide excellent service, as does the vintage style tremolo; which comes with its original arm. The white finish has faded gracefully to a creamy shade, and there are a few marks that remind you it is 47 years old. A no-nonsense vintage guitar that is easily as good to play as it looks. When an equivalent Fender is reaching £5,000, this makes a great deal of sense. Whilst obviously a very subjective matter, there are plenty of folk out there who would say there is every chance that a 1977 Fujigen product would be a superior instrument to the real thing. Controversial, but the late 70s saw the very best of the Japanese production quality, we can't say the same for USA. Price £895 Availability Sold Recommendation Enjoy as is or upgrade Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1977 Pick-ups Maxon PU-100 Selector 3 way Bridge Vintage tremolo Board Rosewood Weight 4.5kg; 9lbs 14 oz Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27 Play Video Play Video 08:53 Play Video Play Video 03:26 Play Video Play Video 06:31 Play Video Play Video 05:36 Play Video Play Video 07:42

  • 1979 Greco Esquire, A793402

    1979 Greco Esquire, Timeless simplicity < Back 1979 Greco Esquire A793402 Most guitars that we find and ship over from Japan put healthy smiles on our faces and provide immense satisfaction whether we upgrade them to stellar specifications or leave them as they were when they were first built. Occasionally, a guitar can be unboxed and stun the room to silence. This is one of them. Simplicity as its finest, and a timeless aesthetic that will still appeal in precisely the same way in 45 years time. Even though in 1979, anyone could have walked into Ishibashi Music Store and asked the staff for a Custom Order form; sit in the corner and fill it in; pay a deposit and wait impatiently for a few weeks. As soon as the balance is settled, a canvas sack would be handed to you with your ideal guitar in it, and you would spend a few more Yen on a hard case instead of the canvas sack, which whilst being a nice-looking thing, was not the best way of getting your pride and joy back home. Greco did not formally offer an Esquire as part of their range. It would have to be a Custom order. A quick look under the control plate reveals contemporary components and wiring which seems to verify the Custom Order status. A close inspection of the lovely body reveals evidence that someone has removed a polyester finish – having done this myself with varying degrees of success, I know the signs. I doubt the guitar left Fujigen without paint, although we still haven’t found any clues to an original colour. Teles were available in Lacquered Natural, Blonde or Black. I suspect this guitar was a Natural guitar and someone has decided to remove the clearcoat. The Spacey Sounds Decal indicates this Esquire started life as a TL500 – these guitars are still very highly regarded today. If we manage to get one here, it tends to find a new owner before we even advertise it. This is a true Esquire spec – front position on the selector providing a jazzy boomy tone, the middle position brings in the tone control knob, and the rear position just allows volume control. The chances are that this (and most Esquires!) will stay in the rear position but it is nice to have – it is traditional. We can’t bring ourselves to mess with this guitar. We know its limitations tone-wise, and also that the Maxon pick-up is great for ice-pick punk; but not maybe as accomplished and suitable for any other styles of playing without a serious pedal board and an unaffordable amp. The idea of an Esquire is simplicity and obtainability. Maybe it is enough to look as good as this – everything else will be forgiven. If so, marvellous. If not, then we can make changes and bring this glorious guitar up to date. We really want to keep the single pick-up philosophy (there is routing for a Brad Paisley thing) and would look to upgrading the pick-up and building in versatility with the controls that already exist, or add an S-1 switch or push pulls. Either a carefully designed tapped Tele pick-up (we recommend Evil Sheep, Creamery, or Tony can wind one) with the two outputs either governed by the 3-way switch, or we ditch the switch and change gears with an S-1. If the budget can withstand, Harry can wind us an amazing dual rail Tele sized humbucker which we can offer in split, parallel and series modes either with the switch or push-pulls. We have to set limits to how far to go before we simply suggest producing a new body – therefore if we can’t manage to install a pick-up either into the original bridge plate, or a new Gotoh equivalent, we draw the line. P-90s, TV Jones, regular humbuckers we wouldn’t undertake. We can get the tones with appropriately sized pick-ups. We can offer this one as it is, or we can put it in the DreamBuild schedule. Or, as so often happens, offer it as it is, then see it again in 6 months for a DreamBuild upgrade. Price £795 Availability Sold Recommendation Enjoy as is or sensitive appropriate upgrade Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1979 Pick-ups Maxon Selector 3 Way Bridge Original Board Maple Weight 3.67 kg; 8lbs 2oz Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27 Play Video Play Video 08:53 Play Video Play Video 03:26 Play Video Play Video 06:31 Play Video Play Video 05:36 Play Video Play Video 07:42

  • 1995 American Standard Strat | Full Electrics Upgrade

    Our signature Sao Paolo Solution < Back 1995 American Standard Strat Free Consultation Book Now Full Electrics Upgrade In walks a chap with a beaten-up case and a conundrum. Always a good sign of an exciting project. This was a case of someone having a guitar they adore, have owned for years but as the musical tastes and styles evolved, the guitar couldn’t keep up. This is a frequent story. And as usual, single coil pick-ups can’t achieve the sonic brief of humbuckers. I lent him a couple of humbucker-equipped guitars to take away to explore and drew up a list of options for his beloved US Strat. A second meeting soon followed with his own DAW and set-up, and a line of guitars with different styles of pick-up to play through ready for him to explore the realities of the options. Many types and designs of single coil, P-90 and humbuckers fed his tracks and the nearest we could get to what he needed was a pair of VH-7 Fernandes dual blade single coil sized humbuckers. High powered ceramic pick-ups such as the VH-7 are ideal for the heavy distortion sounds but lose their advantage with softer clean tones, where the original Fender AmStd coils delivered that perfectly. What this chap really wanted was everything and all in between! A few conversations with some of the industry’s finest brains later and we draw up a plan that takes a few risks, but we think will deliver. A set of custom wound AlNiCo 8 blade single coil sized humbuckers was ordered from Harry Häussel – Germany’s finest pick-up winder. I will set them low in the plate and find that pick-up height that gets the “sweetness”, yet has all the power and definition expected from a hot ceramic. The pick-ups would be 4-conductor so he can obtain true single coil tones from all 3 – this guy uses all 5 positions on the selector but left the TBX control alone, keeping it just on the bright side. The upper tone knob had nearly seized up through lack of use. This gave me ample room to develop a wiring and control philosophy to really unlock the available tones from these pick-ups. A criticism of all the single coil guitars in the DAW experiment was the buzz – especially with saturated signal paths. A criticism of master coil split functions is the usual volume drop and essentially changing the whole guitar from one set of tones to another. A limitation of the traditional coil split function is a coil removed completely from the palette. A criticism of traditional designs to overcome all of this is a guitar full of switches and knobs – usually hard to identify in the dark, and a messy looking guitar. My control philosophy would therefore attempt to unlock as much of the tonal palette from 3 humbuckers as possible without changing the fundamental look of the guitar. The neck and bridge humbuckers are controlled by the lower tone control. At zero setting, the pick-up is a single coil with 15% of the adjoining coil in the circuit. Turning the knob increases the percentage of the adjoining coil until a true humbucker is reached at 10. This is a push-pull pot and the position of this determines which coil is permanently in the circuit. Pulling up the knob selects the coil nearest the bridge as the permanent coil; pushing it down swaps this to the adjoining coil. This does a decent job of migrating the humbucker tone towards a Tele or a Strat tone – not exactly emulating a Tele obviously, but the brightness of that coil gives it an extra treble edge. The middle humbucker is split in half by an S-1 switch on the master volume, and the upper tone knob is a master tone control with a Centralab PIO 0.022μf capacitor. The range of tones is vast, while still behaving, feeling and playing like a Stratocaster. As with all upgrades that take a departure from the original control philosophy, this takes a few hours to get used to, and probably a few months to discover what the guitar can deliver for you, but this achieved and exceeded the initial brief. A few raised eyebrows expected with the AlNiCo8 spec, but set them at the right height from the strings and you will be rewarded by the best of all worlds. This particular specification suited this project – but the fundamental design would be applicable to many others with different types of pick-ups and budgets. This was not a cheap project, but when the inspiration and thinking is taken to this level, this investment has saved the customer money in that he doesn’t need to buy another guitar. Gallery ← Previous Next→

  • Photo Albums | Matsumoku.Rocks

    Guitar Photography We partner with Hippo Creation™ on photography and aesthetic presentations. Start Now Capture the moments. Explore Our Services Immerse yourself in our guitar photography gallery, showcasing the beauty of our instruments. Capture the essence of your music with our professional photography service, tailored for musicians. Customize Personalize your instrument with our customization service. From unique finishes to custom setups, we bring your vision to life, ensuring your guitar reflects your style and sound. Repair & Maintenance Trust our experts for top-notch repair and maintenance services. Whether it's a simple tune-up or a major repair, we handle your instrument with care, keeping it in perfect playing condition. Lessons Available Enhance your skills with our professional guitar lessons. Our experienced instructors cater to all levels, from beginners to advanced players, helping you master techniques and unleash your musical potential. Vases Tableware Furniture Glassware Guitar Portraits Learn More For every event Learn More Complete your space Learn More Sip in style Learn More ABOUT US I’m a paragraph. Use this space to tell people more about what you do and the services you offer. Double click here or click Edit Text to get started. READ MORE

  • 1976 Westminster TE-300, C760978

    1976 Westminster TE-300, Fun fun fun < Back 1976 Westminster TE-300 C760978 In the mid 70s the demand for guitars was going crazy and importers were putting more and more price demands on exporters - a range of starter (or entry-level) guitars was badly needed. Previously, Teisco, Guyatone, and similar instruments were all that were on offer to beginners with smaller budgets. Matsumoku and Fujigen responded with a range of full scale "grown-up" guitars with less pretty woods and less pretty hardware. Where they didn't cut costs were neck construction and pick-ups. Other Japanese plants were offering a budget offering - Chushin were supplying guitars with the Maya brand, and whilst hitting the High Streets at the same price point, the Matsumoku produced guitars were vastly superior. Compare a Columbus Strat copy to a Kimbara copy and this difference (especially 50 years later) will be obvious. UK got Columbus from Chushin, Kimbara from Matsumoku and CSL from Fujigen - the latter 2 will be superior quality. Westminster was the equivalent of Kimbara and most were exported to Australia and New Zealand - Westminsters were also sold on the domestic market which is where we source ours from. Producers would always ensure the home market got the best. This Westminster Tele feels every bit as good as the Grecos that are so popular here. It makes do with the entry level pick-ups - tall bobbin underwound neck Maxon without cover, and a tall bobbin overwound bridge Maxon at the bridge. All the classic creamy and bitey Maxon tones are there. The Alder body appears to provide even more bite than the ash bodied Grecos further up the range. Light as a feather, this tips the scales at 3.4kg (7lbs 8oz) A little amp, some decent gain or an OD-3, and this is just pure fun, and easy-playing fun. It is a grown-up guitar with a top-loader bridge and the most 'cost-effective' tuners Matsumoku had in the parts bin. Imagine the price of a 75 Fender Tele, notice that the Grecos are heading towards 4 figures now that folk are waking up to them; and grab a bit of vintage Tele fun for a bargain - I'm not suggesting this is a blue-chip investment, but I do suspect they will never be cheaper. This would make a very decent donor guitar to upgrade - we can work plenty of magic with these Westminsters. Price £475 Availability Sold Recommendation Enjoy as it is Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1976 Pick-ups Maxon Selector 3-Way Bridge Top loader Board Maple Weight 3.4kg; 7lbs 8oz Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27 Play Video Play Video 08:53 Play Video Play Video 03:26 Play Video Play Video 06:31 Play Video Play Video 05:36 Play Video Play Video 07:42

  • Martin Custom Shop 0018, Private Collection

    Martin Custom Shop 0018, < Back Martin Custom Shop 0018 Private Collection This is one of 16 XII models ever produced - grab a piece of history that happens to be a mind-bendingly good guitar as well. Price ££££ Availability Sold Recommendation Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 2015 Pick-ups N/A Selector N/A Bridge Birdseye Maple Board Birdseye Maple Weight TBC Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27 Play Video Play Video 08:53 Play Video Play Video 03:26 Play Video Play Video 06:31 Play Video Play Video 05:36 Play Video Play Video 07:42

  • Our Story | Matsumoku.Rocks

    The journey of putting the name of Matsumoku legitimately and deservedly on a guitar headstock. Our Story Matsumoku as its original iteration likely needs no introduction to many - it is an iconic subject for the history of Japanese Guitar production. If it's a new subject and of interest, Google Frank Meyer for some informative pages covering the rise and sudden fall of the plant. As this project develops, we may uncover more information and anecdotes - they will be appropriately recorded here. We think it is time that the name appeared legitimately on a guitar headstock, not confined to the neck-plate. Many of the celebrated brands produced at Matsumoku are still alive and kicking; some retaining their original brief, others heading in new directions. Some previous employees and creators are still producing guitars - they are very special indeed. We are developing some exciting prototypes to be produced in Japan for limited commercial runs. Matsumoku Guitar and Bass Ltd was established to celebrate the guitars, restore the guitars, create evolutions of the models , and try out configurations that open up their potential yet retain the soul that make these guitars so special, cherished and respected. The primary focus is on Matsumoku produced models, but we have many other models from other contemporary manufacturers. The collection is constantly changing, but always interesting. We are based at Ketteringham Hall , just south of Norwich, and easily accessible from the A11. We are not a guitar store - not a shop at all, but we are open to visitors, and have a small showroom where our ever evolving collection of guitars is displayed; and a small studio where they can be played and explored. Some are for sale, some will always stay with us. If, as sometimes happens, a visitor falls so spectacularly in love with an instrument that isn't for sale, a case may be made for us to bid farewell to it and frantically search for an appropriate replacement. We can chat about guitars, have a look at yours (regardless of brand), find examples you may be looking for, serve decent coffee and tea. Matsumoku Guitar and Bass Ltd is driven by Tom and Steffie . We have a healthy stock of Matsumoku and other Nagano products that could form the basis of exciting projects - we have our own ideas on what they could become; your ideas might be better so if this concept interests you, pay us a visit either in person or virtually. We have a remarkable team of luthiers and recording artists who all contribute their amazing skills to these guitars and we can offer restoration and recommissioning of your favourite guitars too. We have one of our workshops open to visitors to discuss projects, or to drop off and collect. This workshop is close to Snetterton Racetrack - happy to give directions by appointment. Find Us ADDRESS Matsumoku Guitar and Bass Ltd Ketteringham Hall, Church Road, Wymondham NR18 9RS FOR INQUIRIES 01953 686861 tom@matsumoku.rocks

  • Cool Z ZLC-1 2015, A150516

    Cool Z ZLC-1 2015, A rare sight outside Japan < Back Cool Z ZLC-1 2015 A150516 A CoolZ is a very rare sight outside Japan but it has a very good heritage. Ensenada caused Fujigen to rethink the business plan as a Made in Mexico gave Fender a logistical and economic advantage over Japanese production. Fujigen were really in their stride and were producing some very high quality guitars for Fender and in the mid 1980s most of Fenders sold were produced in Japan. Mexico opened in 87 and despite some teething issues and catastrophes, Mexico had replaced Japan in the plan. Fender Japan evolved back into Greco - produced for the domestic market only. Following this, Fujigen established several new brands. CoolZ is one such brand and was released to great critical acclaim. The long tenon construction won it many fans - even amongst Gibson fans. This delicious Snow White ZLC-1 is one of the last made before the model evolved into the ZLC-10. This guitar is factory fresh - not a mark on it. The guitar can be purchased in its current specification from this advert, or alternatively we can upgrade the pick-ups to Clausen A5 custom wound PAFs (Gold covers) which provide an enhanced set of tones. We can offer an even higher spec with a full Jimmy Page wiring solution with coil splitting, series and reverse phase options to unlock the full potential of this guitar. If either of these options appeal, please contact us via the website and we can discuss the options. Price £1,295 Availability Sold Recommendation Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 2015 Pick-ups BH-1 x 2 Gold Covers Selector 3 way Toggle Bridge ToM Board Rosewood Weight 4kg; 8lbs 13oz Modifications None ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27 Play Video Play Video 08:53 Play Video Play Video 03:26 Play Video Play Video 06:31 Play Video Play Video 05:36 Play Video Play Video 07:42

  • Hofner Colorama II 1960, 184

    Hofner Colorama II 1960, < Back Hofner Colorama II 1960 184 The serial number of this wonderful old Colorama dates it to 1960, and it remains with its Selmer branded snakeskin effect hard case. It is a twin pick-up, tremolo model that has had a refinish in an accurate colour, and done to a very decent standard. The original control panel still exists but the slider switches have perished. Instead of buying the normal aftermarket replacement, we decided to give this one a slightly more modern look, cut our own plate and ditch the rhythm/solo circuits for a series/parallel option. These 1960s guitars are obviously a different prospect to a regular Strat or Les Paul – they are just as useable and give a very distinct stage presence. They have a very distinct sound too and happily keep up with modern traffic when wired up appropriately. The lead pick-up is a particularly raunchy unit, and together in series will have you taken very seriously! This is more than Beatles/Undertakers covers, although it will handle that easily; and it will not be the ideal guitar for drop C metal riffing, but for any other style, it will ply its trade with pride. Does it keep tune? Yes. Is the neck bent like a banana? Not exactly, but it isn’t and will never be rod straight. Does it intonate? Yes! There is ample adjustment on the saddles and stick to 009 and 010 gauge, and your ‘up the neck’ stuff will be fine. Is it slide action? No, but let’s be realistic, it is a 1960s guitar. It is perfectly playable, rhythm and lead. Are the frets worn? Yes, but not to the point of needing remedial work for a while. There is no buzz, and bending is fine. Are they humbuckers? No, they are single coils with double magnets. They have a sound of their own. Are they microphonic? Of course they are - that is part of the charm. You could probably lay down some interesting vocals with them! A reproduction tremolo arm is now fitted as are two shiny new strap pins (after photos were taken). Have a listen to the demo which I am feeding the guitar into the Blackstar and trying it through all the channels. Also, it will be in its original snakeskin Selmer case. Price £££ Availability Sold Recommendation Enjoy as it is, or consider Curtis Novak Goldfoils… Buy as Is Buy to Upgrade Specifications Year 1960 Pick-ups Hofner Diamond Selector 3 x sliders Bridge Hofner Tremolo Board Rosewood Weight 3.55kg; 7lbs 13oz Modifications Refinish, new console with on/off and either phase or parallel/series ← Previous Next→ Latest Videos Play Video Play Video 07:40 Play Video Play Video 01:46 Play Video Play Video 07:27 Play Video Play Video 08:53 Play Video Play Video 03:26 Play Video Play Video 06:31 Play Video Play Video 05:36 Play Video Play Video 07:42

  • Matsumoku Paisley

    Versatility to the max, classy and very special < Back Matsumoku Paisley Price £1,899 | SOLD Add to Cart Chat with Us Missed out on this model? Talk to us for a rebuild! This is another superb example of a pre-serial number Matsumoku built Strat clone - it features the slightly more substantial neck profile than the later Fujigen and Aria products. This is a 1973, so has that sublime Harayama laminate construction neck. This one arrived in decent condition but had worn its frets beyond the absolute limit. It has now been re-fretted with Jescar 55090 (similar to a vintage Gibson feel), and so favoured by guitarists in the 1970s who had worn their skinny vintage Fender frets down. The body has been sensitively modified to accept a modern pick-up, and now has a set of custom wound Clausens fitted with a new 5-way switch and potentiometers. The neck and bridge pick-ups are tapped units have 2 outputs selected by an S-1 switch on the master volume control. This offers everything from Gilmour to Trout and more beyond. Keeping the pick-ups in lower output mode calms the tone down if a super clean sound is desired, and switching to the higher output gets the very best out of a valve amp. It's all there, but most importantly we think, there is enough aggression and power in that bridge pick-up to get a nod of respect from the guy with the Les Paul. The in between settings are very wide and scooped - Knopfler to funk catered for. Engaging the higher output mode will give you more presence in the parallel settings. In the middle you can slip on a bottleneck and be Bonnie Raitt. A Master Tone control tames the higher frequencies with a SoZo PIO capacitor. The lower Tone control is a blender function to fade in the neck pick-up when the bridge pick-up, or middle and bridge pick-ups in parallel are in play; and which fades in the bridge pick-up when in the neck pick-up, or middle and neck pick-ups in parallel are in play. When in the higher output mode, the tone of the neck and bridge pick-ups together reminds us of the middle position on a Tele Deluxe. There are so many tones to get hold of with this configuration, and while the controls will require a little familiarization to seasoned Strat players, we wouldn’t change anything unless it offered an improvement. Once you are familiar with this control layout, this guitar adopts the character of a Swiss Army Knife. And all with the traditional look. A very classy scratchplate completes the look of this guitar. It tips the scales at 3.74kg (8lbs 4oz). Details The Look You'll need a shirt to match this one Headstock The infamous Gneco logo to mark you out as an early adopter. Brand new Gotoh SD-91 tuners Neck Oval C - slightly more substantial than a MIJ Fender. New 55090 frets on a Harayama neck. Best of all worlds Pick-ups 3 x Clausen Custom (neck and bridge tapped). Bridge A brand new Gotoh NS510T - our very favourite tremolo bridge for these old Grecos. Controls Master volume (S-1 for output selector), Master Tone and Blender. 5-way CRL selector Gallery ← Previous Next→

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