Kawai Moonsault MS-700 1982 - White Blue Sunburst (WBS)

Here is your opportunity to own an ultra-rare Japanese art guitar, The Kawai Moonsault in the most rarest of finishes, the "WBS" or white blue sunburst finish. It was manufactured in 1982.  These guitars are beyond rare; they are more like extinct!! To find one in this magnificent near mint condition AND in the WBS finish, would take you decades to find.  It features a beautiful rosewood fretboard with the phases of the moon inlay markers. The only noteworthy cosmetic issues with it is some cloudiness on the face of the headstock and some discoloration of the binding; otherwise it is in near-mint condition as shown in the pics. A generic hardshell case will be included.

This Kawai Moonsault MS-700 model was manufactured for an extremely brief 5 month period of December 1982 to April 1983 (see archival Japanese Kawai Moonsault production data in pics). How many were made during this brief time is unknown; however it is safe to say that this is truly an ultra rare and unique guitar.

The MS-700 model featured a three-position pickup selector switch and a separate tone knob for the front and rear pickups. Each tone control knob is a push-pull pot that allows each pickup to be used as either a single coil or as a humbucking pickup.

History & Background:

Among other artists, the Kawai Monsault was played by Ric Ocasek of The CARS (RIP) on the 1980 Panorama album and tour and can been seen in their MTV music video of "Touch and Go" (starting at the 1:57 mark).

The Kawai Moonsault was featured at the "Dangerous Curves" guitars as art exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts.  Of all the guitars on display, the Kawai Moonsault stood out as the marquee of the exhibit.  The Kawai Moonsault is also featured in the Museum of Musical Instruments (MoMI.org).

Fuelled by trends like the “folk revival” and the “British Invasion,” Japanese guitar making took off during the Swinging ’60s. But, in fact, Japan has a much longer relationship to the guitar and its ancestors, and in many ways guitars like the Kawai MoonSault were the culmination of that tradition.

By the early ’70s, the Japanese had established themselves as cracker-jack guitar makers. Some of the top guitar people in Japan, including Joe Hoshino (Ibanez), Fritz Katoh (Fuji Gen Gakki), and others, wanted to flex their muscles and create uniquely Japanese guitar designs that weren’t beholden to American Les Pauls and Strats for their appeal. In the close world of Japanese guitar making, the idea caught on. In ’75, a bunch of guitar designs were introduced, including what would become the Ibanez (and Greco) Iceman. Another was a “Lucky Cat” guitar, a popular “good luck” icon shaped like a chubby cat, almost never seen in the U.S. Several other candidates were put forward; the Iceman made it here and became the most successful export of this exercise in Japanese pride. The MoonSault became one of the most popular models in Japan, marketed by Kawai.

As far as is known, no significant attempt was ever made to market MoonSaults in the U.S.  How many MoonSaults were made is unknown. Because they weren’t marketed in the U.S., export numbers would be small to nil.

Just how the celestial lunar iconography fits with Japanese culture remains to be illuminated, but the obvious success of this model means it struck a chord. Whatever the associated meaning, it’s one of the more unique guitar shapes ever created!