NGD: Unusual old Japanese content

Flanging_Fred

ive been looking for one of these for a couple of years now and finally one came up for sale last week. An El Maya EM 1300 probably from around 1979 - 1980 kinda period.  It’s been modded/butchered by a previous owner and I’m intending to try and reverse some of the more, err, creative mods.  The build quality on this thing is insane, easily a match for my Gibson R8.  It plays really well, sustains for ages and sounds rather good.  So I’m a pretty happy bunny this evening.

Flanging_Fred

Some more piccies

Flanging_Fred

longjaw

Lovin' that binding!

JD50

Looks ace. Never heard of this guitar before.

Flanging_Fred

longjaw said:

Lovin' that binding!

Pretty isn’t it?  And in damn good nick considering it’s knocking on 40 years old.

Flanging_Fred

It came with a (non original) pick guard, which I whipped off straight away.  The bridge isn’t original, the 3 way switch does nowt, and it has a SD Invader in the bridge (which is actually rather fun). Oh, and a big ‘ole in the middle of the knobs with a rubber plug in it! It needs some tic for sure.

simonhpieman

Maya stuff seems really cool. Passed on a lovely looking 335 copy for peanuts which I regret.

Love these late 70s string-thrus. Big fan of the natural look. Enjoy!

Iamnobody

Pleasantly surprised - was expecting to see Yoko Ono...

Having abandoned my birth year guitar idea a while back because ‘78 is either a really shit or really expensive year I might reconsider and look at the Japanese options from that era.

Adey

They are high quality instruments those Japanese guitars from late 70's / early 80's. The Matsumoku name gets banded about too much about them, but there were others too.

I think yours is Chushin made. Is that right?

I have a couple of Chushin instruments, and they are better than the Mats ones I have, in my opinion.

Flanging_Fred

Adey said:

They are high quality instruments those Japanese guitars from late 70's / early 80's. The Matsumoku name gets banded about too much about them, but there were others too.

I think yours is Chushin made. Is that right?

I have a couple of Chushin instruments, and they are better than the Mats ones I have, in my opinion.

I’m not sure exactly where it was made. Info on the web seems fairly sparse; some mention Cushin Gakki, others that it came from a factory in Kobe which was destroyed in the big earthquake there.  So I don’t really know for sure.

Adey

I think that they are likely the same place, Chushin is in Kobe I think.

I've got a Bambu from same period. TRC says made by Maya Musical Instrument Company in Kobe, and Bridge has CHUSHIN cast into it.

Have fun giving it some TLC!

Flanging_Fred

Adey said:

I think that they are likely the same place, Chushin is in Kobe I think.

I've got a Bambu from same period. TRC says made by Maya Musical Instrument Company in Kobe, and Bridge has CHUSHIN cast into it.

Have fun giving it some TLC!

Oh ok, that might be it then. Trying to find accurate info can be a bit hit and miss.

munckee

Bringing it to water rats?

Flanging_Fred

munckee said:

Bringing it to water rats?

Quite possibly 

dogload

Oh I remember seeing those hanging on walls when I first started playing. Loved the design and have looked for one (half-heartedly) over the years. Very nice.

Well done @Flanging_Fred!

Flanging_Fred

dogload said:

Oh I remember seeing those hanging on walls when I first started playing. Loved the design and have looked for one (half-heartedly) over the years. Very nice.

Well done @Flanging_Fred!

They’re pretty scarce as far as I can work out. I’ve been looking for one for over a couple of years.  I made a post about them when I first saw one and fell head over heels.

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/85221/el-maya-guitars#latest

HarrySeven

Lovely

Lovely

Lovely

Lovely

Things.

Flanging_Fred

HarrySeven said:

Lovely

Lovely

Lovely

Lovely

Things.

I had a feeling you may approve! Don’t know where I could find an original bridge for one of these do you?  The replacement on there actually feels quite nice, but if I can find an original, I’d be tempted to put it back.

Flanging_Fred

One of these jobbies...

JezWynd

What a fabulous guitar. Looks craftsman made. Esp like the dual strap buttons at butt end for safe propping up against the wall.