Interesting classic Jap. acoustic

[greystoke 2]

For perusal-A "F. Hashimoto" Martin clone from the 'Golden Age' of

quality Jap. production. To-wit: A wierd hybrid of a D-41/D-35 that has quality woods-[ Spruce top,Rosewood sides and two of the three piece back inlay/construction elements] middle wood could be palo ferro?-Abalone inlay-fret markers,logo top/soundhole binding,ebony bridge[bone saddle and nut] and the reason I'm displaying this inst....is the strange fact that it has a rosewood fretboard, the ornateness of Abalone inlay...with the generally known D-35 "budget" 3 piece back - HOWEVER with that cool contrasting wood...AND it sounds fabulous! - Which in a 'nutshell', really sums up the Oriental mindset[and I'm not condescending at all, there's a reason for those lawsuits after all] Anybody have/heard 'bout these particular inst.s?

Greystoke

[greystoke 2]

Heres a shot of aforementioned Hashimoto's top if interested...and - Oh yeah

It's a 'Boomer'...not quite Martin, and not quite Gibson - but tone-wise, equal of both...dare I say Gurian??!

Greystoke:cool:

[solitaire]

You've got a really nice guitar there, Greystoke! Doesn't it actually got 4 back panels? I can see the grain of the mid portion is going two ways.

[deevee]

That's a great-looking guitar! And I have always admired Japanese-built guitars. I don't quite understand it, but I never bothered with humidity and for twenty-odd years, my Suzuki guitar never had troubles of the kind I've had with newer guitars ... Played and sounded great, tho the action was high ...

[Terry Allan Hall]

Nice!

[guitarcapo]

I've never seen a D-35 where the center piece was bookmatched like that. Kinda neat. My guess is that the back and sides are laminate since the inside rosewood center piece is a totally different color than viewed from the outside. I'm thinking the center is Indian rosewood trying to mimic some Martin D-35s that were made that way. Nice guitar though. Looks a lot nicer than some of the JApanese copies. Does it sound good?

[greystoke 2]

Solitaire-Good call! Ya know...I never noticed that book matched obvious center piece/2? fact 'cause there's no obvious distinguishing border that shows - Duh! - Eh? And guitar capo, I'm pretty sure wer'e talking solid

woods all-around, but now you guys have me gunshy and I don't know if I could handle discovering different! It doe's sound great and I was gonna keep it as my main acoustic till I scored a "GAD" Guild D40C that was 700.00$

Can. in mint shape with HSC[Tweed] that floored me[inst.]! Whoever makes Guild cases do it right! I don't have to tell you who makes the GAD series do I? That's right! - China! This Inst. is incredably well made and finished

beyond what I expected a Chinese effort would show. And the sound?

In a word...Boggling! Maybe I got a "Oner", but interested players should give these a look; While my Hashimoto is 'boomy' and clear, the Guild takes it to another level in the mid-range projection clearness of tone with medium strings that suggest You "could have it all" with simple string selection/technique etc. I'll post a shot of the Guild in another post and thanx for the insightfull comments from all.

Greystoke:cool:

[guitarcapo]

Compare the grain and color inside the guitar to the outside. If they match you have solid wood.

[greystoke 2]

Yeah I know g.c., I'm gonna wait till I take it down to local music store to put it on consignment, and then investigate....Oh H*ll! I'll just take a look see right now! As I thought [although I believe I checked it out when acquired]

It definitely is solid rosewood sides/back and spruce top. It even has the D35 type bracing for 3-piece back [i know 'cause I had one once] But interestingly,

the middle wood of back[inside] is'nt light colored like back - in fact I think it's actually rosewood too, only bleached or chemically lightened somehow on back surface to give it that contrast! And also the bookmatching join of middle wood[if so] inside is as hard to discern as the outside! So HMMMM...

Greystoke

P.S. Here's a shot that might be self explainitory...

[Andrewrg]

Nice guitar greystoke,and you are right about the Chinese.They are starting to build some very nice stuff,eg Blueridge.I dont know how they do it for the money,cheap labour I would guess.

[greystoke 2]

I'm wondering also...'bout your comment[andrewg]. Now,I think Gibson, Guild ,Gretsch are tied up in some kind of loathsome company that has the

buying public's concern as - suprise! - Not their responsibility - Just brand recognition; AND, That somehow, A lucky/savvy few might take advantage

of a possible quality loophole - WHERE...The 'powers that be'- Market - quality inst.s the 1st,2nd year to alliveate/calm suspicions...And Then - Whammo!

I know...paranoia, but this ain't Kansas,Dallas,Manassas or Nasa.

Greystoke

[Laserpuls]

Hi,

thank you,

your information encouraged me to go ahead and buy a 1976 Hashimoto W350 ( 2-piece rosewood back) for a mere 85 dollars ( 70 euro) in Antwerp. See my review and comments in the review section. Lucky me! I guess I can lay back and cure from the GAS now... All it took was a basic setup. It is a pleasure to play on.

I use Elixir strings normally, but I wonder if I wouldn't change that habbit for this one. The light Elixirs tend to sound a little thin on the Hashimoto. What brand and gauge of strings do you use on it?

Have fun,

[greystoke 2]

I'm happy that you acquired one maybe 'cause of my posts Laser![& flattered] I know you won't regret it if your's is as well made as mine. Congrats on the price also! I paid close to 600 Can. for mine!

As for the strng ga....I've been happy with

med.[G-wound] bronze phosphor efforts that,

to tell the truth, are low budget. I don't think

that light ga. strings are gonna get the volume

and tone these can put out. Mine, and I suppose your's are Dreadnaughts after all, & can handle the stress of more skookum strng ga.s. And by the way....Try some "open" tunings; since I replaced brdg. saddle with a bone compensated effort to match the nut,[strangely it was plastic while nut is bone],

It really does sound sweet. I would'nt really

use mine as a 'finger' style inst. [Even IF I was that good] but more as a rhythm inst. 'cause of its huge volume.

Also...How did you discover it's age? Just going by sellers history?

Greystoke 2

[Laserpuls]

Hi,

yes, I admit the good references lured me into investigating the Hashimoto further and the money out of my pocket... I confess!!

 

String gauge: I use to put light gauge strings on any second hand guitar I start to play on... since I don't know what the guitar has been through before (like the Sovereign 1203). I observe, hear and feel, and once I find the guitar is structurally sound I can go further, put on medium strings.

 

I replaced the broken plastic saddle by an adapted plastic one, and I am making a bone saddle myself now.

 

Played it in DADGAD and standard tuning, and it holds intonation well; amazing. Unlike the cedar Seagull, it takes abit more attack to get make the bells ring, but once you get them chiming... it's heaven. Beautiful harmonics... and it's got the looks too.

 

It has a stamp on the neck block inside the body : 761226; which I think means: made december 26 1976. The owner bought is 23 years ago from a shop owner who played it himself... I figured the dating made sence; what does the inside stamp look like in your Hashimoto?

 

I'll try to post some pics, didn't succeed. I'll try again.

 

Have fun!

[Laserpuls]

Tadaaaa! Since the picture got loaded, I go for another one: mrs Headstock!

[Laserpuls]

Ahhhhh.. I am getting the hang of it.... now for the back: beautiful abalone bindings everywhere, even on sides: top and bottom of sides with abalone inlay!

[Laserpuls]

okok, I'll lay low for a while... last one for today: the label.

Nice drawing on the label, F. Hashimoto, Model No W350, Maruha Gakki MFG Co LTD, Japan.

mm, I like it...

[kwakatak]

I've never heard of that particular brand but it seems that the Japanese were really good at making bootleg Martins back in the day. Yamahas and Takamine from the 1970s were really good guitars.

 

BTW, looking inside the soundhole may not be a good indicator. I own a 1973 Takamine that has laminated rosewood back/sides and by looking inside the soundhole you can't really tell. They seem to have matched the veneered layers perfectly. I didn't even know the back was laminated until the binding started to come off a couple of years ago and you could actually see the cross-section. The outer plys were about 1/32" thick with a thicker, lighter-colored center layer made of some material that I assume to be spruce.

[greystoke 2]

1st! - Laser puls....I really did'nt get much from your posted pics 'cause of image repro result...But I DID see that hdstk logo was completely different.

While your's has a 'C F M Martin' 'high end' type vertical logo, mine has script across with no 'M G' addtn. Lozenge[abalone] frtmrkrs seem same....but through the image processing, I saw what looked like herringbone top and sndhle binding and no bound neck on 1st. pic. I saw after viewing 2nd. or 3rd. pic the bound neck...but also saw your back, which looks rather mahogany

and is not close to the flair mine displays. Not a criticism, even though I'm rather more 'smug' feeling. I don't have inst. to give S.# at hand-[in consignment shop at moment], but info is interesting and how is that obtainable, when more to the point- history info is sadly lacking?

And kwakatak...Nahhh! this is SOLID wood construction per my previous postings and replies to suggestions etc. Even if I could 'buy' a builder fussing

enough to 'Match' inside veneers, considering the quality appointments shown in ornateness,tuners AND construction....It just is'nt logical-[Even for the Japanese!] Check out a further Pic...

Greystoke

PS-Notice the bracing for the 3 pce. bk. and lack of S.# as well as mod.#[W340] and tight grain spruce top.

[Laserpuls]

Hi, thank you all for the input.

I want to apologise for the low quality of the pictures, since they seem to leave you in doubt.

Greystoke, thx for the quality picture - that leaves no room for interpretation or false reading.

I haven't figured out yet how to convert the high - quality pics in to feasable pics under 100.000 Bites yet - have to work on that.

 

Bindings:

Greystoke, all bindings are in abalone: top rim, back midline, top and low end off the sides, and sound hole. Abalone sits next to white - black-white striping.

 

Wood:

I compared the sides and back to the mahogany Sovereign 1203 - and IMO there is no doubt that this is rosewood: striping and contrast, color ( though that may be altered by the finish used...).

Serial number:

your label looks exactly like mine, same factory name, except yours says W340, mine says W350.

I have to take a picture of the serial number on the inside neck block ( blackish ink on the wood of the block); I'll have to wait untill I loosen the strings in order to be able to slip the camera inside.

Full wood or ply?

From what I can tell the inside and outside on back and sides match. This may be mileading indeed. But I don't worry about that, as long as the sound is right...

 

Happy music,

be back soon.

[Laserpuls]

How does this look?

Does the abalone come through in this picture?

[YEMandy]

Did you say you bought this guitar for $85?

[Laserpuls]

Hi,

yes, I did indeed, 70 euro or 85 US dollars.

I feel verrry lucky, and the seller was happy to sell to me cause I made him sing playing that guitar, he had quit singing for more than 18 years.

That made both of us happy!

Why are you so amazed?

 

Happy music!

[Laserpuls]

Here's a picture of the back. I think it is rosewood indeed.

[Laserpuls]

The soundhole - pickguard area