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.
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.
Another pic.
And finaly:
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.
When 'good enough' is more than adequate.
It's a great-looking mandolin, without a doubt.
Steven E. Cantrell
Campanella A
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
I bought a Kasuga around that time only it had different inlays. I was told that it was a prototype for Alverez.
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.
Bill Snyder
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.
Wes
"i gotta fever...and the only prescription is more cowbell!!"
'87 Flatiron A5-JR/'25 Gibson A-JR
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
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
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
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.
1924 Gibson A Snakehead
2005 National RM-1
2007 Hester A5
2009 Passernig A5
2015 Black A2-z
2010 Black GBOM
2017 Poe Scout
2014 Smart F-Style Mandola
2018 Vessel TM5
2019 Hogan F5
You might find this recent thread from another poster in France useful: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...23#post1270223.
1924 Gibson A Snakehead
2005 National RM-1
2007 Hester A5
2009 Passernig A5
2015 Black A2-z
2010 Black GBOM
2017 Poe Scout
2014 Smart F-Style Mandola
2018 Vessel TM5
2019 Hogan F5
olwaylon, I've got a "The Loar" LM 600 VS for sale at the moment. I live in France.
Please send me a PM.
Rattlesnake F5
Lebeda master model F5
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