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M.Kohno 1969 No.5 Model Info please


mc5nrg

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I can tell you I never see them used for less than $1500.oo here, there was one locally that was about $1700.oo and it sold. I`d wager it`s all solid wood and he has more than a bit of a name in Japan, he`s highly respected and one of his from `69 might fetch at least a couple of thousand dollars in this country depending on condition. Personally I`d have it fixed and keep it forever they are fine instruments, you`ll be hard pressed to find a better one...especially in the trash...you cheeky bugger.

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I had a '69 Model No. 5 Kohno for a short while, the cedar top guitar on the left. The spruce top guitar on the right is a 1964 Model No. 4.

 

6469Kohnosmall.jpg

 

In 1964, he was using "Kono" as the English spelling of his name. He changed it to "Kohno" a year or two later, and the label changed to a new design which is the one used to the present day (Masaru Kohno passed away in 1998, his nephew Masaki Sakarai, a prominent Japanese luthier in his own right, now builds "Konho-Sakurai" guitars).

 

64Konolabel.jpg

 

3011_07.jpg

 

 

Masaru Kohno won 1st place in a prominent European Luthier's Competition in 1967, so he was near the top of his game at that time. Model No. 5 was not top of the line (Indian rosewood back/sides) but all of the Kohnos in the late 60's were very well made.

 

In 1970, the design of his guitars changed (different rosette & tie block inlays, different bracing, twin ebony reinforcement strips in the neck). So the guitars from ~1966-1969 are kind of unique and rare and are the ones that won Kohno prominence around the world because of his guitar taking 1st place in a European luthier's competition in 1967.

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Thanks. The rosewood back is cracked with some separation of the binding and back from the bottom bout. Finish appears to be gone from the top. I imagine some regluing of the back braces goes along with the damage. However the top and bridge are whole and if it wasn't for a broken low E tuner I could restring and play it. The top 3 strings are on and in tune with themselves. Big pile of stuff in front of a house that I drove by last night including TVs and furniture...

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sounds like what used to happen in japan...twice a year folks were permitted to put anything in the trash and have it picked up...and since there are no basements in houses and very few if any attics people threw out some really good stuff...I mean all the foreign teachers at one place I worked would come in the next day and talk about the stuff they " found "...I still have a pair of speakers that work great I just repainted them...people found PCs, TVs, all manner of electronic goods, even guitars...but alas, that no longer happens and people have to pay the city to come by and pick up big items so now folks bring those goods to the chain pawn shop type places. Good times though.

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mc5nrg wrote:

 

Thanks. The rosewood back is cracked with some separation of the binding and back from the bottom bout. Finish appears to be gone from the top. I imagine some regluing of the back braces goes along with the damage. However the top and bridge are whole and if it wasn't for a broken low E tuner I could restring and play it. The top 3 strings are on and in tune with themselves. Big pile of stuff in front of a house that I drove by last night including TVs and furniture...

 

 

Sweet score!

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