Who is the manufacturer?

[precchio]

Hi all,

I recently purchased a 1970 era Japanese mandolin but there are no markings on the head or label inside to indicate the maker. There is what appears to be a logo on the tail piece cover - see photo.

Does anyone know who manufactured this mandolin?

[sunburst]

I'm afraid the best we can do is guess, going by that picture. Someone might know the tailpiece manufacturer, but that may not be the same maker as the mandolin itself, or the tailpiece could have been changed.
If you have pictures of the whole instrument, someone might be able to identify it.

[MML]

Could it be Suzuki?

[precchio]

Thanks for the suggestion. Here is a picture of the mandolin.

[jim simpson]

My guess is Hondo.

[Davetnova]

identical one on eb*yUK just now <a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Solid-top-A-style-mandolin-Made-in-Japan_W0QQitemZ170193757934QQihZ007QQcategoryZ1017 9QQss
PageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Solid-t....iewItem</a>
if that helps.

[acousticphd]

That is a suzuki tailpiece. I have one.
I would be willing to bet this is an Ibanez or a Suzuki - or both, though this has been discussed before and at least one informed member here has said a couple of times that there was never any relationship or connection between Suzuki and Ibanez. But I have seen this identical tailpiece logo on mandolins bearing both the Ibanez and Suzuki name on the headstock. There are other construction and styling details that are identical between some Ibanez and Suzuki models.

Another sign this one shows, that you see on both Ibanez and Suzuki mandolins, is the nut slot cut through the fingerboard, like on a Fender electric guitar.

[Desert Rose]

I can guarantee its not made by the maker of Ibanez mandolins,

Ibanez and Bluebell were made by Fujigen, Fujigen made only these brands and never oem made for anyone else

Suziki name was always oem, and the parts do show up on other makers stuff sometimes

But Id guess its a Suzuki made by some nameless oem factory back then

Scott

[BillW]

Unbelievable. Just joined this forum yesterday and was preparing to post the subject "Where is the national mando tailpiece registry :-)" because I have a no-name instrument. But just in case, I did a search on "tailpiece AND ident*" and found this thread... which has exactly the same tailpiece cover!

Precchio, some time ago my sister-in-law gave me a mando she'd purchased as a teenager in the '70s, and then never played at all... the strap was still in the shrinkwrap. It was at the time a brand-new twenty-plus year-old instrument! She said she paid in the neighborhood of $120 for it at the time. No label, no id anywhere on it except for that tailpiece. Have a look at http://www.beaverfolkdance.org/ifs/picnic.htm . #It's the same type of tailpiece (slightly different shape to the top of it.)

Thanks to all who responded to Precchio's original post; at least it gives us a clue, and I think mine's probably a Suzuki, similar to Precchio's.



Thanks,

Bill

[tumblewead]

I purchased a very similar mando in the early 80's with "Hohner" on the peghead. Very similar peghead shape, f-hole shape and solid (very thick) spruce top.

[BillW]

Based on this discussion, I sent the following to the Suzuki company in Japan:

"I believe I have a Suzuki mandolin made in the 1970's. Would you please look at the photo of the tailpiece in the following website, and tell me if this is a logo for Suzuki that would have been used at that time?"

I received this reply:

Thank you for your inquiry through our website.

It is not made by us or Suzuki Violin company in Nagoya.
According to Suzuki Violin co. in Nagoya, they think the logo is the product of Kiso Suzuki Violin
which is a completely different company from them and does not exist any more.

Best regards,
Waichiro Tachikawa
SUZUKI CORP (JAPAN)

I believe this supports Scott's post about an oem from that period.

[trevor]

Fantastic that you got a response from Suzuki.
I've got that tailpiece on my old Jethro 2 point A5, says Suzuki & Co, Est 1951 on the headstock, Kiso-Suzuki Violin Co. Ltd inside.