BriFi

I read that article regarding the beloved Nagoyas. They were the D.C. area's answer to the Wards Recording King and Sears' Silvertone products during the post Beatles instrument boom. Good cheap guitars. I had to laugh at the mental picture of Calcutta like working conditions while apply finish coats of polyurethane In 70% humidity. Face it. The Veneman folks have been sworn to secrecy. With the Gibson legal team looking for a percentage of their lawsuit winnings... better to leave everyone speculating for another generation. 3 things I'd like to add would be that: in 1975 a D18 Martin could be had at Venemans for around $425 & a D28 for at maybe $485, not $600 as the article noted. Perhaps a D45. I played those 2 models and I wasn't impressed. They played poorly and sounded pretty nice, but I bought the top of the line NS35 Nagoya. Still have it. I own a couple Martin's and a Gibson. Other note is in 1975 the house brand of electrics at that chain was Bradley and they seemed to be a great value as well. Thirdly... the lore of brazilian bodied guitars in Japan is fiction. 99% of acoustics were laminated and a top layer of Brazilian rosewood would add to the price and offer no improvement in tone from the Jacaranda that was used. The name "Jacaranda" had been used on shipping documents as a cover for the illegal transporting of rosewood. It looks nice... but has never been coveted as a tonewood. I would wager that Suzuki was cranking out those Nagoyas.