Made in Japan by Ryoji Matsuoka Workshop - Model M65 - Great Classical Guitar in Excellent Condition

If you are thinking about a purchase of a used vintage guitar you need to accept the fact that such guitars may have cosmetic flaws solely associated with their age, but not related to any particular damage. For example their finishes change their look over the years and are not glossy and cristal clear like on brand new guitar. I see guitars as musical instruments, not a furniture. When I describe guitar as being in excellent condtion I don't talk only about its cosmetics but mostly about its structural & functional condition, sound and playbility. If you are seeking a perfect looking guitar you should abandon a thought about buying a used vintage one, especially from me.     

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              R.Matsuoka M65 in near mint condition

All Matsuoka models starting from M70 (MH70) to M180(MH180) are currently made in China.

Model M65 from 1995 is of equal quality to currently made model M130 (also made in China).

This guitar was handmade Master Luthier Ryoji Matsuoka. According to the data that I was able to gather on the internet, this guitar has been made sometimes between 1990 and 1995. It is cosmetically in still excellent cosmetic condition. It has 2 very shallow rubbing marks on lower right of the top, so shallow that practically invisible in everyday use and could be certainly repolished. Guitar is in absolutely perfect functional condition. Hard Shell Case has minimal rusting on the hardware, but is in overall excellent working condition.

This guitar is very competitive to much more expensive instruments, made by much more famous guitar makers. Light but truly hard case is also in mint condition.

This guitar has very unique & sweet sound, with clear trebles and deep basses, with great sustain and decent volume. It is definitely comparable with many guitar models available on US market in price range $2000 - $3000.

Description

* Ryoji Matsuoka M65 Artist Series

* For serious musicians and collectors

* Immaculate sound

* Solid Cedar Top with quite original bracing (When looking at guitar standing upright, there are 2 horizontal main thick braces above the sound hole and below the sound hole. Below the latter one there is another one horizontal medium size brace, next is horizontal bridge supporting strip and finally diagonal thinner brace close to the very bottom. These horizontal braces are crossed by 6 vertical and parallel thinner braces extending all the way to the bottom)

* High Grade Indian Rosewood Laminates Back and Sides

Only a total novice into the world of classical guitars can question greatness of these Japanese laminates. They perform no different from solid woods, while don't crack as easily, are much easier to work with and allow for much lower prices of instruments. These laminates are nothing else but 2 solid wood plates glued together. They are not laminated cardboard, fibreboard or chipboard used on modern era cheap guitars. These Japanese guitars are true blessing for guitar enthusiasts with limited funds.

* Mahogany neck

* Ebonized Rosewood fret board

* Fine wood mosaic inlay around sound hole

* Hand Polished Nickel Silver Frets

* Rosewood Bridge

* Slotted Ramirez Style Headstock

* Bone nut and saddles

* Nut width: 52mm

* Scale:650 mm

* Gold hardware

Its action has been adjusted to 3.5mm under E6 and 3.0 mm under E1. 

As already very (too) experienced seller I have to add this official statement:

For some “heavy handed” players such action maybe too low to avoid any buzzes. In such case the solution a higher saddle. Final set up is your responsibility. If you don’t know how to do it, you will have to visit your local luthier and pay for it.  

It will be shipped in used case.

Message to Australian buyers !!!!!

In order to ship a package with guitar to Australia at affordable rate +/- $100 (USPS International Priority Mail), height of such package can’t exceed 42” and its girth+ length can’t exceed 97”. Therefore I will pack the guitar into a case that is short enough to meet this requirement.

Below is some additional info you might find interesting:

Kaitunes .com

“Ryoji Matsuoka is an artist ...a luthier. He designs his classical guitars for concert performances and handcrafts them with meticulous care. To create a tone and brighter sound, he uses exquisite woods and seasons them naturally. No artificial ageing here. The solid spruce or cedar tops specially braced to increase treble projection, matching jacaranda backs and sides aid in tonal development and enhance the beauty. Ebony fingerboards with nickel silver frets assure perfect intonation. If you're ready for a superior classical guitar, experience the Signature Series.”

Guitarsalon .com

Ryoji Matsuoka is well known Japanese guitar maker who has been producing guitars in Nagoya, Japan since the 1960s. Nagoya is Japan’s 4th largest city and a major industrial port city located on the main island of Honshu in Aichi prefecture.
The Nagoya/Aichi/Kani area (Kani is the prefecture next to Aichee) is one of Japan’s major musical instrument making centers. The city and the outlying areas have a long classical guitar making history with many small shops producing guitars. Major guitar and violin makers include Matsumoku Industrial, Suzuki, Takaharu, Sada Yairi, Kazuo Yairi (Kani), Daion, Yamaki, Ibanez/Hoshino, and Ryoji Matsuoka. Additionally, there are numerous small guitar shops and factories that contract to larger firms, such as Yamaha in Hamamatsu.
The Ryoji Matsuoka guitar works was a small scale guitar manufacturer with under 15 employees. For a few years during the 1960s and early 1970s , Matsuoka produced the higher end Aria guitar models for Shiro Arai, founder of Aria . These Aria models either have Ryoji Matsuoka's name on the label or are marked RM with a red stamp on the neck block. Matsuoka also made some models for Ibanez, including a few steel string flatop and archtop models.
During the early 1970s, Matsuoka produced Fleta, Hauser, Kohno and Rubio. From 1975 to 1980 the company produced their own line of guitars: the concert, artist and artisan series.
The Concert series includes the M20 (lam spruce top, nato neck), M30 (solid spruce top, mahogany neck), M40 (solid spruce top, mahogany neck). All 3 models have laminated rosewood back and sides and rosewood fingerboards.
The Artist Series includes the M50 and M60. These guitars have better quality spruce tops, laminated Jacaranda back and sides, and ebony fingerboards 
The Old World Artisan Series includes the M70 and M80, which had a one-piece classic guitar neck and I believe laminated rosewood back and sides.
During the 1980s and early 1990s, Matsuoka models included the M300, MH200, M150, M100, M80 and M60. I know that the M300, and MH 200 had solid rosewood back and sides. I believe (but I am not sure) that the M150 had solid rosewood back and sides. The M80, and M60 had laminated rosewood back and sides
Matsuoka currently produces guitars for Aranjuez (Orozco) and sells a low priced cosmetic copy of a Mathias Dammann classical guitar (does not follow actual Dammann construction) for about $1000 USD.