RARITY - THE AUTHENTIC RYOJI MATSUOKA 1976 - DAVID JOSE RUBIO COPY - CLASSICAL CONCERT GUITAR

Ryoji Matsuoka MR model 1976

If you were deeply interested in Ryoji Matsuoka guitars and perhaps have seen 1000 of his guitars and the labels, it is highly unlikely that you have seen his real handwritten signature. Labels on hundreds of thousands of his guitars sold all around the world had his signature stamped, not really handwritten. Over 13 years of research, I have personally seen photos of several thousands of his guitars and have found only one from 1964 with his original signature on the label. The guitar you are looking at is the second one. 

https://reverb.com/item/1271724-rarity-ryoji-matsuoka-no20-1964-hauser-class-classical-concert-guitar

We may then be sure that this guitar was personally made by Master Luthier Ryoji Matsuoka in 1976. It certainly was one of his first ever made Jose David Rubio “copies”. While all his regular line (mass produced) MR models sold since 1978 had Spruce tops, this guitar has Cedar top and different finish (looks and feels “buttery” like French Polish).

For unclear reasons there is an ink stain on the original label, perhaps to cover the intended model number or maybe there was no model number on this label at all. The original owner of this guitar will not be able answer this question because he “no longer worries about any Earthly Matters”. He had another Ryoji Matsuoka guitar with a similar stain on the label. It was Matsuoka’s 1977 “copy” of Herman Hauser guitar, the predecessor of the soon released MH line. Both these guitars represent much higher class than regular line models sold in later years.

https://reverb.com/item/82161835-rarity-the-original-ryoji-matsuoka-hermann-hauser-model-1977-classical-concert-guitar

In 1978 Matsuoka's top-of-the line models were No150 (Ramirez style headstock, Matsuoka’s bracing), (Hauser style) MH150, (Jose David Rubio style) MR150, and (Fleta style) MF150, all priced 150 000 yen. The second from the top models were No100, MH100, MR100 and MF100, being priced 100 000 yen. The lower models were No80, MH80, MR80 and MF80. 

All these Matsuoka guitars were greatly underpriced if compared with instruments made by most prominent Japanese luthiers of that era.

In terms of tonality these Rubio models are far superior to all other Matsuoka models. 

This MR guitar can easily challenge much higher priced Japanese guitars of that era. During the 1980s Ryoji Matsuoka was correcting his pricing and by 1990 his top models were priced 300 000 yen. Yet they were no match to those 150 000 yen models from 1970s.

Hauser, Jose Rubio, and Fleta models were introduced by Matsuoka in the mid/late 1970s. While his workshop continued making Hauser style models until its closure in 2014, Jose Rubio and Fleta style models were made only until early 1980s, and always in rather limited numbers.

Currently similar class guitars made in Japan using 50 years old woods with Indian Rosewood b/s are priced at $10000 level. The same class guitars “made in Spain” using such long aged woods are priced at $15000 level. Brazilian Rosewood b/s double the price.  

The guitar offers impressive volume, great response and depth combined with warm, very sweet, and lyrical rich tonality with great level of transparency. The bases are deep yet relatively clean. Trebles are sweet and glassy, with their own overtones. Individual notes are clear and well separated, all magnified by very extended sustain. 

The overall condition of this guitar can be described as “very good for its age”. Although there are just a few very minor imperfections visible on its back (several very light rubbing marks) the guitar looks like it has been played very little. The excellent condition of the soundboard, fingerboard and frets suggest the same. Original Gotoh tuning machines work fine. 

While finish cloudiness it is very common on Matsuoka guitars from that era, this guitar doesn’t have it.

The only “serious damage” is crack in the finish at the seam that connects side plates at the bottom of the guitar. It leaves the edge of one plate slightly exposed. There are also few tiny cracks in the finish at both ends of that center strip. However, there is no movement there because both sides are still held in place by center block and kerf wood strips on the inside. I don’t think that there is a need for any immediate repair, but you should be prepared for it in your budget calculations.

Specifications:

Top: Very Fine Solid Cedar/Rubio style bracing/shellac

Back & Sides: Solid Indian Rosewood/shellac

Neck: Mahogany

Fingerboard: Ebony

Scale: 650 mm

Nut width: 52.50 mm

Strings: D’Addario Pro Arte Low Tension

The action is currently set to 4.00 mm under E6 and 3.50 mm under E1 with some extra room on the saddle.

This guitar will be shipped in a used Hard Shell Case.  

THE ONLY PURPOSE OF THIS CASE IS TO PROTECT THE GUITAR DURING SHIPMENT. I WILL NOT PROVIDE ITS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OR MAKE ADDITIONAL PICTURES, NOR I WILL ACCEPT ANY COMPLAINTS. IF YOU DON’T LIKE THIS CASE YOU WILL NEED TO BUY A DIFFERENT ONE.     

WHEN YOU BUY ANY GUITAR, YOU MUST ANTICIPATE TAKING IT TO YOUR LOCAL GUITAR SHOP FOR FINAL ADJUSTMENTS CALLED “SETUP”. DEPENIDNG ON YOUR PLAYING TECHNIQUE, THIS SETUP ON USED GUITARS MAY INCLUDE NEW CUSTOM-MADE NUT AND SADDLE. IF YOU HEAR STRING BUZZ IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT GUITAR IS DEFECTIVE. IF YOU PLAY HARD ENOUGH ALL BASS STRINGS WILL BUZZ OVER THE FRETS, UNLESS THEY ARE SUSPENDED VERY FAR FROM THE FINGERBOARD. UNLESS YOU PLAY QUITE GENTLY, YOU CAN’T HAVE LOW ACTION AND NO BUZZES. KEEP IN MIND THAT CELLO-LIKE BASSES ON HIGH GRADE CLASSICAL GUITARS HAVE THEIR NATURAL “BUZZ”. 

Real Value of Japanese Vintage Guitars

The key to understand value of vintage Japanese guitars is to acknowledge galloping price inflation throughout the late 1960s and 1970s with its peak of 25% in 1974.

During 1960s and most of 1970s model numbers of Japanese guitars were strictly connected with their prices in Japanese yen.

The same class guitar sold in 1970 for 100 000 yen (labelled as model 10), would be sold for 150 000 yen in 1972 (labelled as model 15), 200 000 yen in 1974 (labelled as model 20) and 300 000 yen in 1978 (labelled as model 30). Therefore, you shouldn’t be surprised that two Yamaha GC10 guitars made 10 years apart are two instruments of totally different class. The same rule applies to all guitar models made by all other Japanese makers.

Japanese inflation slowed down in the 1980s. By the early 1980s and during following decades model numbers were no longer strictly associated with their prices. Some Japanese guitar makers introduced model names instead of model numbers. For several economic reasons, since 1980s Japanese made guitars were becoming more and more expensive, while their exports slowing down. Today (2025) Japanese highest end classical guitar models are priced at $20000USD level.