Thus began a lifelong interest in electronics, and his subsequent experience with guitars eventually landed him a job at the ill-fated Renaissance guitars. So he set about making his own replacements. “Dana” is Dana Sutcliffe, who at age 13 got a guitar with four of the worst pickups ever made. During this period, SLM began moving some production to Cort, in Korea. With it went the Westone brand, and SLM’s electric line became Alvarez.

It’s not entirely clear, but Matsumoku may have continued making guitars until 1990. Matsumoku had started as a builder of sewing machine cabinets, and in ’87, the company was purchased by Singer Sewing Machines. In ’83, SLM entered into a joint venture with Matsumoku, and in ’84 transitioned the Alvarez brand to Westone, which had previously been used by the Japanese manufacturer. Many were made by the legendary Matsumoku Moto plant. Beginning around 1970 – maybe slightly earlier – SLM began importing electric guitars from Japan bearing the Electra brand. Louis Music (SLM) for its Japanese-made acoustic guitars beginning in 1966 Alvarez-Yairi models were built in Kazuo Yairi’s workshop, while Alvarez models were built elsewhere. An example of a happy accident is the invention of the Alvarez Dana Scoop.Īs a brand, Alvarez was a name originally used by St. Bad ones are when you bend over, your rear-end knocks over your axe, and suddenly you’ve “created” a headless guitar. A park now exists on these sites and a marble sculpture in the shape of a guitar marks the place where the entrance of the factory stood (see picture below).The Alvarez Dana Scoop by Michael Wright, The Different Strummer There are bad accidents and there are good, or “happy” accidents. The factory closed in 1987 and was demolished a few years later.

Matsumoku was responsible for production in the ’70s and’ 80s for many brands of electric guitars such as Aria, Electra, Epiphone, Fantom, Greco, Ibanez, Skylark, Vantage, Washburn, Westone and Univox. He learned the art of carpentry with Harayama and he was the one who projected most of Matsumoto Mokkou / Matsumoku’s electric guitars in the 60s and 70s. At first, he was hired as a guitar designer. Another key Matsumoto Mokkou / Matsumoku employee was Mr. Harayama also made and distributed guitar necks under his own brand called Jaramer. He was a master craftsman also known for having been responsible for producing guitar bodies and necks for the ESP, Kramer, Schecter and Moon brands. One of them was Norikatsu Harayama, chief engineer in the 1960s. Matsumoto Mokkou has employed excellent engineers, designers and craftsmen. Matsumoto Mokkou also started making his own guitars for export. In 1965, Matsumoto Mokkou started making guitars for various brands like Arai, Colombia and Victor. This commercial relationship between Fujigen and Matsumoto Mokkou, both based in Matsumoto, will last for a few years.

All conditions were in place for Matsumoto Mokkou to start making guitars, and in 1962, Fujigen’s founder, Yuichiro Yokouchi, set up a partnership with Matsumoto Mokkou to make electric guitars. But Matsumoto Mokkou was a modern factory with good financial management, a real commercial vision and it had excellent wood drying facilities. In the early 1960s, Matsumoto Mokkou lost competitiveness in foreign markets and Singer Company decided to end their collaboration. As a subsidiary of Singer Sewing Machine Company, Matsumoto Mokkou’s core business was the manufacture of wooden cabinets, tables and accessories for sewing machines. This company specialized in carpentry and was working in its early days for Singer Japan.īeing one of the best carpentry companies in Japan, Matsumoto Mokkou / Matsumoku will soon have an important role in the history of Japanese guitars. Located in Matsumoto, the name of the factory comes indeed from the combination of the words “Matsumoto Mokkou-jo” (carpentry). Tsukada, in the city of Matsumoto, Japan, and his name was at the time Matsumoto Mokkou until 1971.

Westone guitar pickups