Kasuga m30

[merbert]

Hi

I've been looking for a mandolin for a while, and have been offered a kasuga m30 mandolin (from what I can find - from the 1970s)

It plays ok, but has a small buckle in the fretboard where the neck meets the body. #The binding has small filled gaps where the neck meets the body as well.

What might this be worth (here in Melbourne Australia).

Thanks

M

[merbert]

OK

Obviously not even worth a reply.

Might be best to leave the mandolin alone then...

M.

[Mandobar]

personally, i have never heard of this maker. so, i'd be hard pressed to even guess what it is worth.

[fatt-dad]

Having googled and clicked around for Kasuga, here is a clip of a newsgroup post pertaining to various instruments manufactured by Ibanez:

___

It also seemed that some of these instruments were constructed with laminated woods and modeled after the more famous American counterparts (part of the Japanese lawsuit era).

For my money, I would assess whether it is a laminated wood model or a solid wood model. If it is made from solid wood, I would not hesitate to pick it up. Many of the Japanese made solid wood mandolins (Ibanez, Alvarez, Yasuma, Aria, etc.) are pretty nice instruments. Some (most) need some setup.

f-d

[fatt-dad]

Seems that this didn't post. . . . . . (text is supposed to follow).

Hello Peter
I have some info about Ibanezes related trademarks:
RELATED TRADEMARKS - IBANEZ (Hoshino Co.Japan)
Isonez, Kasuga, Luxor, Halifax, Cimar, Maya, Morris, Global, Sekova, Polaris for European Market

Antoria (CSI) England Distributor

Greco for Japanese Market
MANN for Canadian Market
Jason for the Australian Market
Penco, Elger, Univox for the US Market

Aria and Electra are from Matsumoku, not affiliated with Hoshino...

[merbert]

Many Thanks to all those who replied.

I need to have another look at the instrument before I can tell if it is laminated or solid.

I also googled, and saw a price for this type and brand of instrument (in Japan) of around A$1000 - about US$770 in an on line advert.

Could be that it is a worthwhile instrument, but the poor repairs are still an issue.

I'll let you know what I find

[fatt-dad]

Well, I would expect an "off-brand" A-model mandolin (even in solid wood) would be under $300.00, in good to great condition and with the original case (or a reasonable hard shell case). There are exceptions (like if it sounds/plays great and if you'r tired of playing every mandolin that you see), but $700.00 sounds rich.

f-d

[KevinM]

No way to $770 - keep looking.

[DPrager]

I'm pretty sure I had a Kusuga mandolin during my student days the early 1980's. I hoped it would replace a 30's era Martin that I was learning on. The Kusuga was very much a laminated instrument that would never stay in tune. Several luthiers looked at it for me, hoping that setup work might solve the problems. No one was able to make this mando right.

I used to call it the Meshugana.

[Desert Rose]

Uh, I would imagine that a large number of people here HAVE played mandolins made at the Kasuga factory.

Anybody ever hear of the brand

KENTUCKY

Sumi and his team made the high end models and Kasuga made the rest

They are not bad instruments. Kasuga was the last acoustic manufacturing maker in Japan when they went under all Japanese brands moved to Korea.

Scott

[fatt-dad]

Desert Rose,

I'm not sure there is such a thing as "the Kasuga Factory" and from what I find on the WWW, it appears there is a closer relationship between Ibanez and Kasuga then there is between Kentucky and Kasuga. Go about 80 percent down at this WEB ADDRESS. Kasuga is referenced in light of their guitar making. Whether they used the same factor for mandolin construction is not clear.

I am interested in the conclusion that Kentucky and Kasuga are related, however. Do you have any citations?

f-d

[Desert Rose]

Hello Fatt dad

I can assure you there was a Kasuga factory and all the other data I posted. I live here in Japan and have worked for all the people Ive mentioned.

Mr. Sumi of Kentucky is my best friend in Japan.I live thirty five kilometers from him.

Kasuga went bankrupt about ten years ago. Ive been in the factory a few times prior to that and indeed bought some parts and wood when they went under.

Kasuga was the last great acoustic Japanese factory, it outlived the rest. Of course the Takamine guitars are still built here but no mandolins or banjos except by private craftsmen.

Im a consultant and engineer as well as a craftsman and specialize in the Asian instrument industry.

Best wishes

Scott

www.desertrosebanjo.com

[fatt-dad]

And hello Scott - greetings from the other side of the world!

So now I'm interested in whether Kasuga is the maker of the Japanese Ibanez (as suggested by my earlier post) as well as some of the other popular (and not so popular) lines of mandolins - like: Yasuma, Aria, Alvarez, Vega, and Washburn? Any ideas?

f-d

[Desert Rose]

The Ibanez mandolins were all made at the Fujigen factory famous as the maker of Fender Japan guitars and ALL Ibanez products. I live a thirty minute walk from the Fujigen factory

Fujigen was my employer for eleven years and Between myself and Sumi we own ALL the old tooling and left over parts of the Ibanez mandolins. Most all being worthless in todays world.

My first mandolin was a great A model Ibanez from Fujigen from 1974 and I actually worked with the old man who made it a decade and a half later

Scott