Daion Washburn Matsumoku HELP!!

[Bugeyed Earl]

Lots of interesting info, but I hope we can keep the tone civil. They're just guitars.

 

[MEKer]

First of all, do your self a favor. Google my name. After you have done that, you will find out that I HAVE done the research. This is NOT mis-information. This is the CORRECT and proven info.

But since I am guessing you wont bother googling my name, I will just tell you how I know. I am a part of a 3 man team that have done research into Daion/Yamaki/Washburn for the last 10 years. Doing that research we have actually found several extremely good contacts. The main contact from that? The guy that designed the Washburn Wings series himself - Mr Hirotsuga Teradaira. He is the son of the Daion founder, and the nephew of the Yamaki founder. He is the one that designed the Washburn wings, Washburn Stage, Washburn Force and several of the Washburn acoustics.
But to be fair, we didnt know if that meant that Matsumoku build other Washburns. So we managed to find a contact that worked at Matsumoku. This guy designed and build the whole Westone series. He is the one that confirmed that Matsumoku NEVER build ANY Washburns.

As for Chushin. I think you need to look at the Chushin build instruments from 84-86. Not just Washburns, but all PROVEN Chushin instruments. Once you have done that, we can talk again about the socalled "correct info" that Chushin did not building Washburns. Chushin was a distributor to ALL factories in Japan. All through the 70s they were distributing 90% of all the parts to the guitar industry in Japan. So you are correct. They did supply Matsumoku with a "few" parts. They were in fact, the sole parts distributor for Matsumoku... They continued to have distribution as their main focus, until they went to Kasuga to help convert into a fully functional factory as well. That happened in 1975-76. Before that Chushin did build a few instruments but nothing major. From 78-84 they were also building a lot of instruments together with Yamaki. There is a bit of history between them - from Zenon - but I wont go into that here. You can do the research on that if you want.

Last but not least, since 1973 there has been a law in Japan that have meant that all instruments leaving the factory all complete, than they have had to have a unique ID so they could track the warranty and safety issues. That in short meant, that they had to have a serial number. When the law was passed they implemented a 3-4 year grace periode, but by 1978 all instruments leaving the factory had to have a serial number. This also meant that since these numbers were approved by the govenment, you could not change it like every single day. Now Matsumoku did change it a lot. Like every single year. But there are some key details that makes this important.
Fx, the font on the Matsumoku instruments are 6-7mm high. The ones on fx Chushin and Yamaki are 4mm high. Thats a big difference.
Now, if you look at the Washburn serial numbers. There is only 1 factory that has the same serial number style, position and font. That one is Yamaki.

Thats 3 strikes to Matsumoku. Do I need to go on? I can you know. This is not even half the info we have on Daions/Yamaki/Washburn.

Then I guess we have conflicting creditable sources (including a Washburn managerial employee of those years, including the guy -Dave_ who was involved in destroying the Washburn records because the hassle of conversion to digital info was too much. He had a duplicate set which he had himself but were ruined in a basement flooding years ago--too bad for sure) of info. Whereas my likewise years of investigation (10+ years) conflict with yours dramatically, including the serial numbers issue which I also have followed. So we both will continue adamant in our versions of Washburn history and have happy lives anyhow. I, like you I am sure, will continue this interesting investigation, and I will also follow up on some your own sources as well, as I know we have not hit bedrock on this maze.

 

[cj1973]

Here is a fretless one with newer pickups.

 

[Gsnorgathon]

That's darn near the bass that Bakithi Kumalo played.

 

[cj1973]

Great thread and great discussion. Here is a fun video I threw up. However I am wondering where the B40s were made, Yamaki or Matusomoku ? Hope we can revive this thread thanks all!
https://youtube.com/shorts/RJuBhGl12NQ?si=PkMV9brADyLa1BTz

 

[cj1973]

Hello
I hope you can check out my last post and provide some comments or thoughts / info. Basically I’m trying to find out where the so called B-40 guitars were made, especially the Fretless that Bakithi played. Thank you!

Then I guess we have conflicting creditable sources (including a Washburn managerial employee of those years, including the guy -Dave_ who was involved in destroying the Washburn records because the hassle of conversion to digital info was too much. He had a duplicate set which he had himself but were ruined in a basement flooding years ago--too bad for sure) of info. Whereas my likewise years of investigation (10+ years) conflict with yours dramatically, including the serial numbers issue which I also have followed. So we both will continue adamant in our versions of Washburn history and have happy lives anyhow. I, like you I am sure, will continue this interesting investigation, and I will also follow up on some your own sources as well, as I know we have not hit bedrock on this maze.