Another Mystery Japanese Precision Copy

[1bassleft]

Originally Posted by Warhawk

Saw your bass logo and had to do a search. Found this:

http://www.guitarsite.com/hotlicks/about228.html

You can just see the bottom of the logo on the acoustic guitars headstock.

Hello, I'm a moderator on Guitarsite an apologize if making a reference to another site is a rule-breaker but just trying to help out. I started a thread on CMI guitars that's a long read but useful info for IDing Japanese guitars:

http://www.guitarsite.com/hotlicks/v...=asc&start=140

I agree with RSB that this might not be Matsumoko without the "Steel Adjustable Neck" script and Fuji Gen-Gakki tended to use brass nuts. I'm thinking Moridaira but one of the contributors to my thread, "Yeagermeister", was much more knowledgeable than I on these things.

[Snakeman1066]

for what it is worth....I recently purchased an old japanese copy which was manufactured in the (Hoshino Gakki) a.k.a (Ibanez) factory and this neckplate was on the bass...



so it's probable that Japanese manufacturers of the period used more than 1 plate

also mine is two very nice caps sandwiching what appears to be a piece of NATO

[Musky]

Originally Posted by Snakeman1066

for what it is worth....I recently purchased an old japanese copy which was manufactured in the (Hoshino Gakki) a.k.a (Ibanez) factory and this neckplate was on the bass...



so it's probable that Japanese manufacturers of the period used more than 1 plate

also mine is two very nice caps sandwiching what appears to be a piece of NATO

Hoshino Gakki stopped making guitars in the mid sixties, when the Japanese weren't making accurate looking copies of Fenders. What people usually refer to as the Ibanez factory was actually Fuji Gen Gakki, where Ibanez sourced most of their instruments from during the 70's.

Fuji Gen didn't use plates like that, nor that type of serialization, but Matsumoku did. I don't know of any other manufacturer that used the format seen on your neck plate, but perhaps someone else on here does.

[Snakeman1066]

Originally Posted by Musky

Hoshino Gakki stopped making guitars in the mid sixties, when the Japanese weren't making accurate looking copies of Fenders. What people usually refer to as the Ibanez factory was actually Fuji Gen Gakki, where Ibanez sourced most of their instruments from during the 70's.

Fuji Gen didn't use plates like that, nor that type of serialization, but Matsumoku did. I don't know of any other manufacturer that used the format seen on your neck plate, but perhaps someone else on here does.

Penco was a brand of guitars manufactured circa 1974 to 1978 in the same factory (Hoshino Gakki) in Japan as the Ibanez guitars and was distributed by the Philadelphia Music Company on the east coast in the U.S.

Mine still had the brand name on the headstock

Hoshino Gakki stopped making guitars at the Tama Seisakusho factory in 1966 this is true

Hoshino Gakki was still manufacturing Gibson and Fenders copies until 78 according to their website

[Musky]

Originally Posted by Snakeman1066

Penco was a brand of guitars manufactured circa 1974 to 1978 in the same factory (Hoshino Gakki) in Japan as the Ibanez guitars and was distributed by the Philadelphia Music Company on the east coast in the U.S.

Mine still had the brand name on the headstock

Hoshino Gakki was still manufacturing Gibson and Fenders copies until 78 according to their website

Hoshino were still distributing copies of US guitars until 1978, but they weren't manufacturing them themselves. If you look at Ibanez catalogues of the time you'll spot a reference to Fuji Gen buried away in the small print somewhere. Or just do a quick google.

Your bass has all the hallmarks of a Matsumoku made bass - the wavy tuners, the odd jazz like bridge pickup and the neck plate. If you take off the truss rod cover I'm certain you'll find dual truss rods. Hoshino (Ibanez) rick copies never had any of these features.

Owning a Mat made bass is a very good thing.

[Snakeman1066]

Originally Posted by Musky

Hoshino were still distributing copies of US guitars until 1978, but they weren't manufacturing them themselves. If you look at Ibanez catalogues of the time you'll spot a reference to Fuji Gen buried away in the small print somewhere. Or just do a quick google.

Your bass has all the hallmarks of a Matsumoku made bass - the wavy tuners, the odd jazz like bridge pickup and the neck plate. If you take off the truss rod cover I'm certain you'll find dual truss rods. Hoshino (Ibanez) rick copies never had any of these features.

Owning a Mat made bass is a very good thing.

Single Truss Rod!

It is off being repaired or i would post a pic...

1908: The Hoshino Shoten bookstore company is founded by Matsujiro Hoshino. Originally selling books and sheet music they gradually start to import musical instruments.

1929: The Hoshino company starts Hoshino Gakki Ten Inc. and starts to import Salvador Ibáñez acoustic guitars from Spain.

1935: Hoshino Gakki Ten begins their own production of "Ibanez Salvador" branded Spanish guitars.

1945: The Hoshino Gakki Ten factory was destroyed by World War II bombing.

1955: Hoshino Gakki Ten builds new headquarters in Nagoya Japan and becomes an export only business.

1957: Hoshino Gakki Ten starts making the first modern era Ibanez branded guitars.

1962: Hoshino Gakki Ten opens the Tama Seisakusho factory.

1966: Hoshino Gakki Ten starts to use outside manufacturers for guitars and amplifiers but continues to manufacture drums themselves.

1969: Hoshino Gakki Ten starts to use the FujiGen Gakki guitar factory to make most of the Ibanez branded guitars. The headstock logo on Ibanez guitars is changed from a metal logo to a more modern decal logo.

1971: Hoshino Gakki Ten starts a U.S. distribution channel named Elger, in Bensalem, PA (right above Philadelphia, PA)

1972: Hoshino Gakki Ten launches its own line of Ibanez effect pedals. The Ibanez effect pedals were licensed from the Nisshin Onpa Company who own the Maxon brand.

1974: The Tama brand name is used for the drums produced by Hoshino Gakki Ten.

1975: The Ibanez Iceman an original guitar design by Hoshino Gakki Ten (Ibanez), Kanda Shokai (Greco) and FujiGen Gakki is launched.

1980: The Elgar name is changed to Hoshino USA Inc.

1981: Hoshino changes company name from Hoshino Gakki Ten to Hoshino Gakki and starts Hoshino Gakki Mfg (based on TAMA Seisakusho).

1982: Hoshino Gakki starts Hoshino Gakki Hanbai for the Japanese domestic market.

1987: Hoshino Gakki starts Hoshino Los Angeles office.
Late 1980s: Hoshino Gakki starts using Korean guitar manufactures as well as Japanese guitar manufactures and in later years also uses Chinese and Indonesian guitar manufacturers.

1990: Hoshino Gakki starts Hoshino (U.S.A.) Los Angeles Branch.

2005: Hoshino Gakki starts Qingdao Representative Office in China.

Original Neck plate indicates my bass was made in 1974 by Hoshino Gakki right along side the Greco copies and the Ibanez copies and was distributed by the Philadelphia Music Company on the east coast...apparently in the FujiGen Gakki factory..

[Snakeman1066]

Originally Posted by RSBBass

Sorry but I doubt its a Matsumoku product. They made P basses with one piece necks and three piece necks as well as ones with three piece and two veneers. I have not encountered a two piece neck. Also, Matt used neck plates that read "Steel Adjustable Neck, Made in Japan" and usually a serial number.

Many Matt made lines included an option to have DiMarzio pups in the late 70's through their closing in '87. I don't recall that option being available in the earlier copies but rather in their original designs. Early Matt's sourced pups from a number of Japanese makers until they started making their own.

That said it looks like a nice bass made by one of the other quality Japanese makers.

didn't want to turn this into a fight..lol

simply stating that i found a plate on my bass which was described as a Matsumoku plate when in fact it was on a bass manufactured by a different builder...Hoshino Gakki

sorry for the derail

[RSBBass]

I didn't say that Matsumoku were the only ones to use that plate, just that they did. If you go to the Matsumoku forum there is a discussion of nek plates and other factories that used the same ones.

[Avalon]

A tad more information on the importer out in California. Apparently they are still there, but I doubt that they still import guitars under their house brand.

Pulled the information below from another guitar forum post that was made in 2011.....



Crown City Imports Catalog Cover - 1960's

No kidding. These guys are still in the same place - check the photo, same phone number even.

Crown City Loan & Jewelry
65 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91105-1901
Phone: (626)793-5404

http://crowncityloan.com/

Actually stopped in the shop to speak with the proprietors, but was told they were busy. Clerk told me his father used to work there when he was a kid. If I remember correctly, he said it was two brothers that would fly to Japan with a pocket full of cash and order the guitars. Don't know if they were ready to go and just needed to be "badged" and taken with, or were made to order and shipped later.