Kasuga mandolin

[lars81]

First of all, Hi

I'm new to the message board and have a little question.

A while ago I bought a 1978 handmade f-5 m 70 mandolin made bij the Kasuga co. And now I wonder if there's anyone who could tell me more about the brand.

[lars81]

Another pic.

[lars81]

And finaly:

[Givson]

Looks a lot like the Washburns, Epiphones, Arias, and Kentuckys of that era. I would guess that it was made in Japan by the same factory that made one (or more) of the above brands.

[Steve Cantrell]

It's a great-looking mandolin, without a doubt.

[lars81]

Indeed, it's a Japanese made mandolin.

I'll try to make some better pictures of it. These aren't the best quality.

After I bought this mandolin I found out that this one was probable owned first by a certain mr. David Grisman, but that isn't confirmed by him yet (still waiting on a e-mail from him)

Lars

[weymann1]

I bought a Kasuga around that time only it had different inlays. I was told that it was a prototype for Alverez.

[Bill Snyder]

It is hard to tell from your pictures but it appears that the scroll is flat, ie no ridge. Is that correct? If so I would suspect that it has a laminate top and back.

[cooper4205]

that Kasuga is the same as an Alvarez A700. the ones with the block inlays usually have a solid spruce top (not sure if it was carved or pressed) and laminate back and sides. There was one high-end Ibanez with block inlays, but it had a carved scroll and was all solid wood.

[Willie Poole]

I still own a Kusga guitar that is patterned after the Martins and I shaved the tone bars and it sounds as good as any guitar that I have played, it sounds so good that I have kept it for over 25 years and have sold my Martin....Of course I don`t play guitar much any more so I don`t need a "name" brand either....Willie

[Desert Rose]

Kasuga was the primary Japanese oem supplyer for acoustic instruments until their closure in about 1992

They made the Kentuckys below the Sumi level, Alvarez and most all other Japanese mandolins with the exception of Bluebell and Ibanez which were made at the Fujigen factory

Scott

[olwaylon]

Hi i have a lot interest about 70's Japan mandolins and flat tops
i have a 1978-1980 Japanane big black custom dreadnaught that sounds as a big guild or similar as a big bass from a enormous D-28 ..but my 96's Epihone made in Korrea sounds a little bit..so i'd like to sell it and maybe bought a Washburn, a rover, a loar or a beautiful mid 70's..but where to find a 1973 Ibanez?

so i recently discovered that in Paris (ville that i detest) we have a very very expensive well-known luthier sois disant all around the world...
who sells this japanese beauty at 1200 euros ! Gee! isn't a price of a good American 'Kentucky' fm the 90's or anything similar made in the states ?..

http://www.rfcharle.com/HTML/PhotosI...sugaF5.78.html

if you have good connections that 'where to find a ice F-5' for 400-500 dollars please tell more.. i sell my Epiphone in a excellent shape that i bought from a seller in N.Y i changed the mecanics and my luthier did for me a bone head-nut.

steph

Kasuga was the primary Japanese oem supplyer for acoustic instruments until their closure in about 1992

They made the Kentuckys below the Sumi level, Alvarez and most all other Japanese mandolins with the exception of Bluebell and Ibanez which were made at the Fujigen factory

Scott

[pheffernan]

if you have good connections that 'where to find a ice F-5' for 400-500 dollars please tell more.

Hi Steph,

A nice F5 for $400-500 is a mythical beast rarely spotted in the U.S. and pretty much unheard of in the E.U. A models are more affordable as they don't involve the additional labor required for the scrollwork which is purely aesthetic. However, if you absolutely have to have an F model, then The Loar is usually the brand recommended in that price range, and there's a used one on the classifieds in Holland for a bit above your price range (500 Euro) here: http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/71605.

[olwaylon]

i'd like to thank you so m uch for all infos given ! i'm goig to check this Loar model
if you have in the futur some great second hands,please drop me a email,
see you soon
steph

Hi Steph,

A nice F5 for $400-500 is a mythical beast rarely spotted in the U.S. and pretty much unheard of in the E.U. A models are more affordable as they don't involve the additional labor required for the scrollwork which is purely aesthetic. However, if you absolutely have to have an F model, then The Loar is usually the brand recommended in that price range, and there's a used one on the classifieds in Holland for a bit above your price range (500 Euro) here: http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/71605.

[pheffernan]

You might find this recent thread from another poster in France useful: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...23#post1270223.

[Wastafair]

olwaylon, I've got a "The Loar" LM 600 VS for sale at the moment. I live in France.
Please send me a PM.