History of japanese electric guitars book

There are a lot of guitars falsely credited to japanese manufacturers that were actually made in china and korea. An electric guitar is a guitar that uses one or more pickups to convert the vibration of its strings into electrical signals. We define japanese vintage guitars as those from 20 to 36 years old. Book two, a technical reference is an exploration of sizes, shapes, styles, evolving specifications, varied brands, production totals, artist signature models, limited and special editions, historical pricing, model dimensions, nomenclature, serial. But, they tend to be great, highquality instruments. These replica guitars were called lawsuit guitars in the united states. By limiting to 36 years old, we believe this vintage era began in the 70s when many japanese guitars manufacturers started producing replicas of gibson, fender and other famous brands. The 1970s japanese copy guitars boom guitar collecting.

Mar 01, 2015 a very concise history of japanese guitar production during the sixties boom in rock music. History of japanese electric guitars book my book is now out and ready for your reading consumption. History of japanese electric guitars book drowning in guitars. If you love guitars you need this book history of japanese electric guitars. Therefore, this book is a documentation of different topics in physics, music and engineering, all connected by that one bass guitar. Electric guitar history takes us to 1930, where after being fired by national string instrument company, george beauchamp began looking for new ways to increase the volume of the guitar. Tombo only manufactured guitars from 1965 to 1967 during the height of the first electric guitar boom. They advised greco to develop a better guitar than the les. Millions of guitars later, and celebrating its 30th anniversary, squier is almost as important to the company as the main fender brand.

For the first time in this illustrated history, author frank meyers will examine the japanese electric guitars and factorie. The history described on this book is widely referred ex. History of japanese electric guitars by frank meyers, paperback. Im going to always have a few copies here if you want to buy an autographed copy. Im going to always have a few copies here if you want to. For the first time in this illustrated history, author frank meyers will examine the japanese electric guitars and factories that were active during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, identifying the various people, companies, and guitars. During the 1970s and the 1980s, japanese guitar companies using brand names such as ibanez, tokai, burny, and greco were making highquality copies of fender and gibson guitars. They stopped using it abruptly in 1990, the same time epiphone did, suggesting gibson became aware at that time, and didnt even want epiphones use to encourage or imply to. Theres a chapter on fresher in history of electric guitars player corporation, japan, ca.

History of matsumoku told by frank meyer vantage guitars mij. Meyers worked very hard to accumulate facts for the book, but does it satiate the collector of this overlooked niche of culture collision in interpretation of design and execution of craftwork to an unknown market of western teenage consumers. Jul 10, 2018 asturias guitars are produced in a small fukuoka shop with around 15 people. A very concise history of japanese guitar production during the sixties boom in rock music. Products manufactured under the orville by gibson name were electric guitars and basses. Pdf download history of japanese electric guitars free.

That explains the beautiful sparkle red wrap finish. In 1982, fender revived an old guitarstring name for its new line of japanesemade electric guitars. Please go to their site and donate, so they can keep up their good work. Oct 29, 20 alvino rey was the artist who brought the electric guitar in front of big orchestras, and who later developed the pedal steel guitar. This way of thinking has helped the author to learn many topics in engineering in practise by making a concrete reference to the technology of music. Instruments manufactured with the name greco are electric and acoustic guitars.

This page was created for collectors and enthusiasts. Gureko is a japanese guitar brand owned by the kanda shokai corporation in japanese. Located in matsumoto, the factory name came from the combination of the words matsumoto mokkoujo woodworking plant. After that im joined by frank meyers on skype, the author of history of japanese electric guitars. The first electric guitars, dating to the early 1930s, were lap steels from companies like rickenbacker, national and gibson, once they designed a lap steel pickup, it didnt take long for gibson to stick one on their es150 in 1936. These solid body guitars were generally entry level to intermediate quality. Fender guitars have long been the instruments of choice for artists such as jeff beck eric clapton jimi hendrix and stevie ray vaughan. The open book headstock was used occasionally on samick brand guitars through the 80s, and from 19881989 and early 1990, was used in their usinternational lineup. The timbers used to make these guitars were sourced from every corner of south east asia.

Mar 21, 2017 english language reference book for japanese guitars of the 1960s. History of japanese electric guitars by frank meyers 2015. My book is now out and ready for your reading consumption. Guyatone in blue book of electric guitars, blue book publications, inc. The history described on this book is widely referred for example, teisco catalog 197405. The guitars above represent instruments built in japan for the japanese domestic market only. See more history of japanese electric guitars by frank.

Vintage in the guitar world can have a broad definition, but guitars from as far back as the early 1900s can fall into this category. Many guitar players, famous and not so famous, began playing on japanese electric guitars, yet the history of the people and factories that. Want to learn more than you ever thought you could about kool japanese guitars. Tombo only manufactured guitars from 1965 to 1967 during the height of the first electric guitar boom in japan.

Similarly, theres a perception that japanese guitarsof all typeswere produced in enormous quantities. For the first time in this illustrated history, author frank meyers will examine the japanese electric guitars and factories that were active during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Since the guitar was first electrified in the 1930s, it has become an american icon and has transformed the soundtrack of our lives with its wide range of soundsfrom seductive twang to howling distortion. Onyx instruments previously built in korea during the 1980s. History of japanese electric guitars hal leonard online. History of japanese electric guitars, book by frank meyers. They are no longer being made or distributed, which makes them rare. Kanda shokai was established in 1948 and the greco brand. The number one source of guitar and amplifier pricing and information so you can find the price and value of your used guitars and amplifier. The science of electric guitars and guitar electronics. Includes hundreds of fantastic color photographs, a chapter on pickups, and a chapter on collecting vintage japanese guitars. Book one, a history is an indepth and vividly photographed view of c. Book two, a technical reference is an exploration of sizes, shapes, styles, evolving specifications, varied brands, production totals, artist signature models, limited and special editions, historical pricing, model dimensions, nomenclature, serial numbers, and.

Some brands were sold only on the japanese market, but other brands. Washburn guitars contracted matsumoku to build some of its electric guitars and basses from 1979 through 1984 though yamaki was the manufacturer for the early wing series. The ibanez electric guitar book a complete history of. History of japanese electric guitars reference book new. For the first time in this illustrated history, author frank meyers will examine the japanese electric guitars and factories that were active during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, identifying the various people, companies, and guitars that contributed to the huge guitar boom of the 1960s. They supplied guitars to montgomery wards and others. This book tells the complete story of fender guitars detailing classics such as the telecaster stratocaster. History of japanese electric guitars acoustic music shop. My first electric guitar was a lindell vn4 pictured in this book. The pickup generally uses electromagnetic induction to create this signal, which being relatively weak is fed into a guitar amplifier before being sent to the speakers.

Matsumoku industrial was a japanese manufacturing company once existed in matsumoto city, japan, between 1951 1987. The author goes through the history of each japanese factory, then shows the various names and models they produced, as well as old advertising. It was only when engineers utilized a more direct pickup system, in which the electromagnet registered string vibration from the strings themselves, that the modern electric guitar became a reality. The invention of the electric guitar today i found out. Guitarists and collectors realized during the era of mass production there was a certain timeless quality handcrafted into preworld war ii acoustic and electric guitars, and the vintage guitar market was born. History of japanese electric guitars book by frank meyers reverb. Relatively inexpensive, easy to learn, and fun to play, the electric guitar is a truly democratic instrument.

One of the finest wood factories in japan, matsumoku played a major role in japanese electric guitar production. Written by richard johnston and dick boak, the longawaited revision of the martin history book, is completely updated and redesigned. Norma imported guitars from various japanese guitar manufacturers, but this guitar came from a manufacturer that was actually better known for its accordions. Buy his book at and read about many more japanese brands. Established in 1951 as a woodworking manufacturer of various items but is best known as a manufacturer of high. Tama guitars were made in a little corner of the fujigen electric guitar factory, itself not a very big facility. Though the names above reflect matsumokus involvement, many of the names were later sold to other companies, which made completely different guitars in quality and sound. History of japanese electric guitars by frank meyers. Here we will share a lot of the lost information regarding vintage guitars of the 1960s, that were made in japan. The onyx trademark was the brand name of an australian importer. The research and text is fascinating,and the photographs of some of the most bizarre and beautiful guitars ever are amazing. The wonders of vintage japanese guitars the guitar repairers. Their attention to detail was nad still is meticulous, especially when it came to copying and replicating american guitar design. Frank shares his experiences of writing the book and talks about his own guitar addiction.

Many guitar players, famous and not so famous, began playing on japanese electric guitars, yet the history of the people and factories that produced these instruments has remained largely ignored. The true story behind japanese lawsuit guitars soundfly. The goal of these early innovators was to amplify the natural sound of the guitar, but the signal was too weak. For the first time in this illustrated history, author frank meyers will examine the japanese electric guitars and factories that were active during the. We will attempt to cover the history of the selected brands and provide the information needed to. If you are into wierd, japaneese guitars, this book is for you. Hidesato shiino formally worked for yamaha and consulted elk, guyatone, fernandes, kasuga and others as a consultant. Guyatone in blue book of guitar amplifiers, blue book publications, inc. If you are ready to my gold foil pickups for sale, click the reverb link below. Im used to guitar books with one glossy, high res pic of a single guitar per page and a brief couple of paragraphs. The history of the electric guitar smithsonian magazine. Ibanez is the most important japanese guitar brand, and this new book tells the story of its electric guitars, tracking the fortunes of this impressive brand.

History of japanese electric guitars by frank meyers 2015, paperback. Find the current blue book value and worth of your new and used guitars, both acoustic, electric and amplifier. The vibration occurs when a guitar player strums, plucks, fingerpicks, slaps or taps the strings. The first commercially successful model, the socalled frying pan. Nov 29, 2015 after that im joined by frank meyers on skype, the author of history of japanese electric guitars. The japanese fender guitars are not lawsuit guitars. Smith performs the history of the electric guitar, from steel to squeal, in just one song. It may not be a definitive history of japanese electric guitars, but it is the only history of japanese electric guitars written in english. The japanese were for many years the masters of replicating everything from cars to guitars. Meyers, frank 2015 history of japanese electric guitars, centerstream publications isbn. Some of the earliest manufacturers of electric guitars, excluding rickenbacker of course, were the dobro company in 1933, audiovox, volutone in 1934, vega, epiphone electrophone and electar, and gibson in 1935. Teisco twangers paradise, a site for teisco collectors. From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia updatet 20171009. Responding to the markets desire for lower priced instruments, fender opened its own japanese plant in 1982.