Product Details

Custom HAND MADE IN JAPAN 1976 RYOJI MATSUOKA M20 GREAT RAMIREZ STYLE CLASSICAL GUITAR

Brand Name Acoustic Guitars,Classical,Ryoji Matsuoka,
Model Number Custom HAND MADE IN JAPAN 1976 RYOJI MATSUOKA M20 GREAT RAMIREZ STYLE CLASSICAL GUITAR
Min.Order Quantity one set
Price 889USD
Packaging Details Hardshell Case of Custom HAND MADE IN JAPAN 1976 RYOJI MATSUOKA M20 GREAT RAMIREZ STYLE CLASSICAL GU
Delivery Time Within 3days after payment
Payment Terms paypal,UnionPay, Visa/MasterCard, Amex, Discover,T/T
Supply Ability 80

Product Features

If you'd like to see pictures of over 500 classical & flamenco guitars that I've sold in the past, please visit "Victor's Guitar Gallery" on Facebook 

Cost of shipping to Australia via USPS International Priority Mail is $150, but packages can't be taller than 42 inches and their overall size is very restricted. Most guitar cases are simply too large to meet this requirement. If package is taller than 42 inches and exceeds IPM size restrictions, it has to be shipped via USPS Global Express Guaranteed at the cost of $350. If you want to pay less for shipping, you have to accept my choice of the case I will ship the guitar in.  



  R.Matsuoka M20 in excellent condition

Since 1986 Matsuoka Co. was managed by Ryoji's son and also great luthier Toshiaki Matsuoka. Soon after Ryoji's death in September of 2014, his workshop's website disappeared from internet and production of "made in Japan" Matsuoka guitars ended. As of today all brand new Matsuoka guitars available on Japanese market are made in China. Available models are: M70(MH70) through M180(MH180). This lineup doesn't include flamenco guitars.

 

This guitar was handmade and signed at Master Luthier Ryoji Matsuoka workshop in 1976. It has survived 40 years in excellent cosmetic and perfect working condition. It has only few very small dents on its top (the only visible at first glance is located near thebottom - see picture 11) and some fine signs of “regular ware”.

Its price in 1976 was 20 000 yen at it was the basic model made by Matsuoka workshop. In 1977 the same grade guitar was labelled as M25 and priced 25 000 yen, by 1978 it was M30, by 1980 it was M40 and so on. In 1980 model M20 had solid spruce top and laminated mahogany b/s.

The guitar has very unique & sweet sound, with clear trebles and deep basses, with great sustain and very good volume.

It is definitely comparable with many guitar models available on US market in price range $2000 - $3000.

 

Description

* Ryoji Matsuoka M30

* For serious musicians and collectors

* Immaculate sound

* Solid Spruce Top

When looking at the edge of the soundboard through the sound hole what you see is "a sandwich of 2 layers of wood". I bet that to all "self-proclaimed experts" it would mean that soundboard is laminated. In fact it high grade solid wood with a reinforcing ring of wood glued underneath the sound hole. It is very unfortunate that after such "inspection" so many "geniuses" would disregard this great guitar.

As the matter of fact Ryoji Matsuoka has never been making guitars with laminated tops.

* Indian Rosewood Doubleplate Back and Sides

Calling this construction "laminates" would actually be very incorrect and quite misleading. This genuine Japanese invention has really nothing in common with modern era cheap particle-board laminates. This construction is nothing but 2 solid wood plates glued together, hence in fact nothing but reinforced solid woods. Such plates perform no different from solid woods, while don't crack as easily, are much easier to work with, and allow for much lower prices of these instruments. Such guitars have always been and still are a true blessing for all guitar enthusiasts with limited funds.

* Mahogany neck

* Dark Indian Rosewood fretboard

* Fine wood mosaic inlay around sound hole

* Hand Polished Nickel Silver Frets

* Rosewood Bridge

* Slotted Ramirez Style Headstock

* Bone nut and saddles

* Nut width: 52mm

* Scale:650 mm

New strings (D’Addario ProArte EJ45 Normal tension)have been installed and its action has been adjusted to 3.50 mm under E6 and 3.00 mm under E1 with still extra room on the saddle.


This guitar will be shipped in used case of minimal value. You don’t pay for the case. You only pay for the guitar. Please consider this case as a free bonus and don’t expect too much. I will not accept any complaints regarding the condition of the case.  

In order to ship a package with guitar to Australia at affordable rate +/- $150.00 (USPS International Priority Mail), length of such package can’t exceed 42” and its girth (2 x times width + 2 x height) + length can’t exceed total of 97”. If you want original or non-original hard shell case, the size of the package will qualify it only for USPS/Fedex Global Express Guaranteed  at $400.00 price.

Real Value of Japanese Vintage Guitars

The key to understand value of vintage Japanese guitars is to acknowledge galloping devaluation of Japanese yen in 1960s & 1970s. This devaluation was somewhat slower in 1980s. The best measure of this devaluation is Starting Yearly Salary of Japanese College Graduate (SYSJCG).

SYSJCG in in 1965 was 19 600 yen, in 1969 – 34 600 yen, in 1970 39 200 yen, in 1972 – 62 300 yen, in 1975 79 200 yen, in 1977 121 200 yen and in 1980 - 163 000 yen.

During 1960s and most of 1970s model numbers of Japanese guitars were strictly interconnected with their prices in Japanese yen. In late 1970s and during following decades model numbers were no longer strictly associated with their prices. Many Japanese guitar makers introduced model names instead of model numbers. Others were still using model numbers with addition of letter abbreviations or other symbols.  

The best and only logical approach while evaluating real value (real grade) of vintage Japanese guitar is to compare its price in Japanese yen with SYSJCG during the year guitar was made.

Any guitar priced 100 000 in 1970 (labelled usually as No10) would be priced 200 000 yen in 1975 (relabeled to No20 or 2000), 300 000 yen in 1977 (labelled as No3, No30 or 3000). Starting in 1977 Masaru Kohno introduced his model No50 priced at 500 000 (skipping theoretical model 40). Soon other famous Japanese luthiers did the same. By 1983 Kohno started using model names instead numbers and was raising their prices as he was pleased. Naturally soon other Master luthiers did the same.

Knowing all of that, you can bet on that Masaru Kohno No50 made in 1982 is practically the same quality as Kohno No15 made in 1972, or Kohno no20 made in 1975 or Kohno No30 made in 1977. I know it for a fact.

The lowest grade models currently made by Matsuoka workshop are M75 and MH75. They are commonly considered as “beginner guitars”. Matsuoka model M30 made in 1973 is simply far, far better instrument. It is naturally better than model M50 made in 1977, model 80 made in 1982 or model M100 made in 1990. At present, the highest grade Matsuoka models are M300 and MH300. They absolutely stand no chance in competition with model M150 made in 1975… or model M200 made in 1977.

It is very important to mention that if modern era luthiers are using 40 years old woods to make a classical guitar, its price is at least $8000.

Product Specs

Condition:Excellent Make:Ryoji Matsuoka Model:M20 Finish:Natural Categories:Classical Year:1976 Made In:Japan

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