Antoria Folk 698 (J-200) 1973-1975

This is a vintage Antoria jumbo acoustic from the mid 1970s, made during the Japanese “lawsuit-era” period. Based off of research, and other examples, I’d place it circa 1973-1975. Most people know these as the “Wonderwall” guitar, but they’re so much more than that. These came out of the Fujigen Gakki factory, and they‘re absolutely incredible instruments. This is one of the best examples. Tone wise, this thing really shines. It’s got that big, warm, full-bodied jumbo sound with strong low end and clear highs. This is honestly the kind of guitar you pick up and don’t want to put back down. It rivals any Gibson J-200 I’ve owned, or played.

I’ve done some thoughtful upgrades to bring out the best in it. It now has a hand-carved compensated bone saddle and a fresh set of bone bridge pins, along with a new set of D’Addario 13s. The guitar has been fully set up to my preference with the action at 2.4mm at the 12th fret. The neck is straight, the truss rod works as it should, and there’s no need for a neck reset.

Cosmetically, it’s in very nice shape for its age. One of the bridge inlays has been repaired, and there was previously an internal pickup installed that has since been removed. The strap button jack is still in place, so it’s ready to accept electronics again if you want to go that route. There was also a strap button installed on the neck near the heel, and has since been filled, and two dings on the back of the neck have been drop-filled with glue, sanded smooth and polished.

Includes a brand new J-200 gig bag.

Edit: As of late May ‘26, I lowered the action to 2.1mm for more comfortability