NGD - but what the f*** is it???

robwright

Bought this from a Gumtree seller today - very happy with it but have no idea what it is! Looks like an 80’s Matsumoku but the headstock lettering doesn’t look at all familiar! Could it be from a long lost ‘hobby‘ luthier? Schaller tuners and a very nice bridge - also, an interesting little ‘knob’ on the heel and at the headstock ...

Any ideas on a postcard to  .....

https://i.imgur.com/78XaoV3.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0S5ncrm.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/M6cF0ky.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Oi5hoAK.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/oVlko8I.jpg

Adey

Looks more Chushin that Mats to me.

Body shape is reminiscent of the El Maya EM range.

Looks well made.

Adey

I did wonder if the headstock had been modded, but the tuners are obviously spaced to suit.

Horns are also reminiscent of the Azumi Nanyo.

Chushin is still my bet

WezV

Home build?

ICBM

Looks like a home build or very small scale unknown luthier job to me. Some of it isn’t accurate enough to be a Japanese factory build, eg the bridge location.

robwright

ICBM said:

Looks like a home build or very small scale unknown luthier job to me. Some of it isn’t accurate enough to be a Japanese factory build, eg the bridge location.

I think so too - scoured the inter web and can’t find anything close! It’s a beauty though! 

Is the bridge way off? Is that likely to be a problem? 

Lewy

robwright said:

Is the bridge way off? Is that likely to be a problem? 

How's the intonation?

ICBM

robwright said:

Is the bridge way off? Is that likely to be a problem? 

The bass side post is too far forward and the whole thing is too far to the bass side so the strings aren’t aligned properly on the neck - although it’s not as bad as it looks from the stripes in the body, so the neck joint must be very slightly off too.

You can fix the first thing with the adjustment screw at the back - slacken the strings right off first - but you can’t fix the alignment problem easily. Filing down the saddles and re-cutting the grooves off-centre would work, but it would be a shame to hack that bridge. Ideally you need to plug the holes and re-drill. If it plays OK I’d leave it - the issue will be the low E falling off the side of the board higher up the neck, but you probably don’t play it that far up very often...

I would move the bridge screws in by about 2mm on the treble side and 5mm on the bass side first, that will give you a much better range of adjustment on the individual saddles.

My personal OCD thing is to shorten the screws by the right amount to make the heads sit tight against the back of the bridge once you’ve got it in the right position overall, but I admit that’s unnecessary... it just looks nice .

robwright

@ICBM you are right about the bottom E! It does slip off the board! I will give it a setup and see how much it frustrates me before undertaking the fix - but if I do try and realign the bridge, can I ask you for advice on the process?? 

ICBM

robwright said:

@ICBM you are right about the bottom E! It does slip off the board! I will give it a setup and see how much it frustrates me before undertaking the fix - but if I do try and realign the bridge, can I ask you for advice on the process?? 

Yes, of course - one of the others like @WezV may have some good insights too.

Actually, ignore what I said about moving the treble side of the bridge 2mm back - if you just do the bass side by 5 or 6mm it will very slightly move the strings towards the centre - probably not by enough to fix the alignment unfortunately, but it's worth doing first.

WezV

i would plug and redrill the bridge if its causing you issues.    it won't need moving much at all, but will be much better for doing it.

I cut plugs from grain matched wood... don't use dowels as the grain goes the wrong way.  Plugs will give a much stronger repair that blends in better too... althoguh with this bridge it will all be hidden.

after levelling off the plugs its simply a case of re-drilling in the correct position and redrilling a ground wire hole from stud to cavity

This bridge (Schaller 455 - think its discontinued, the 456 with fine tuenrs has been) has loads of adjustment. you have two big screws for overall angle of the bridge, and still have loads of individual adjustment on each saddle.    It works fine with the posts an even distance from the nut (straight bridge) because you have so much adjustment on each saddle, so that is how i would re-drill the new post holes.   If you get it bang on you don't even need the two outer screws (see pic below)



also, the string anchor is removable.... i think its installed backwards on yours.   not too much of an issue, but those wraps are quite close to the saddles

robwright

Thanks @WezV ;

Its definitely worth doing I think, as it’s a great guitar and there seems to be real attention to detail in the build (except for the bridge position!). The neck is perfect for me! 

I will be asking you guys for further advice as I undertake the challenge! 

robwright

I have a further question chaps! 

Had the pickups out and the bridge is a Schaller but there are no markings on the neck bucker, just a sticker with MF-333 on it. It’s totally sealed with a kind of red plastic underneath and two adjustment screws on one side. Any ideas what it is? 

The bridge, tuners and bridge pickup are all Schaller but I can’t find anything online that looks like the neck pickup. 

https://i.imgur.com/plMGdSy.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/HTlpgbc.jpg

ICBM

I seem to vaguely remember something like that in a 1980s Washburn I once had - a horrible thing in black with red binding and inlays - although I don’t recognise it for sure.

But seeing the pickup cavity confirms the hand-made origin of the guitar - that’s definitely not a factory rout.

Flanging_Fred

That neck pickup looks exactly the same as the one in my El Maya EM1300. My understanding is that it is a Maxon pickup. I’m not 100% sure on that though.

Adey

I take back my "probably Chushin" statement !!! Not with that cut out for the pickup ...!