View Full Version : Morris Mandolin
Tell me about Morris mandos made in Japan. #I seem to have won one on ebay. Looks from the 70's or 80's. #Already have one of Howards, #who is this # # #one? (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3708912803&category=10179&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWA%3AIT&rd=1)
Fatt-dad, you stayed out of this one, that has me worried....
I can feel Dale roll his eyes.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
This is truly an unknown mandolin. I'll post a review when I get it.
Jim M.
Mar-12-2004, 11:50pm
I think I've heard of these but can't track anything down but this Japanese website that has a Morris guitar and mando for sale:
More Morris (http://www.hf.rim.or.jp/~iwasaki/music/guitars.html)
iampeterfonda
Mar-13-2004, 12:45am
I started with a Morris similar to the one Jim M. linked to. It has a laminate top that has sunk to the point of unplayabilty and a fiberglass back. Judging from the script on the peghead it looks like it's the same company as the one Neal is asking about.
Hmm, encouraging.......Jim, I saw that site, too, can't seem to find anything on Morris except that stuff. #Peterfonda, you're right, a lot of the ones I've seen look like they might cave, I just hope that its like the old ibanez. #
Still no knowledgeable folks out there? Well, about this one anyway...
I feel like I'm beating a dead horse here, but I got the Morris MF-600 on St. Paddy's day(also my anniversary to a lovley Irish lass named Nancy) #And on first inspection, it was in almost pristine condition for a 20 or so year old mandolin. #Some oxidation around the wheels on the bridge and the pickguard post, but otherwise beautiful. #The carving is, in my eye very well done, as evidenced by the scroll pic above.
Strings were old, setup needed to be done, so I just finished that aspect a few hours ago, put new J74's on it and raised the bridge some, intonated the little beast, and have been playing untill just now. #
Tonewise, it's different than my Morris F4, which is what I wanted. #I am at a loss for superlatives to describe the tone except to say it's loud without the sustain of my other Morris. #It plays like buttah. #Rounded neck as opposed to the v neck on the Howard Morris. #
In all, it's different, but in a great way. #I did try to take the pickguard off, but the screw on the rim post is a bit corroded, so I put it back on. #
Workmanship is excellent, probably comparable to the 80's Kentuckys. #I'll post pics soon, and would appreciate any comments, negative or positive that you all have.
This ain't the Morris Iampeterfonda had, that's fer sure.
Some info from the guys that made 'em as follows from an email exchange:
Hello Neal,
I got the information about the MF600 from Morris factory. The following is a detail;
Model: MF-600
Top: Solid Spruce
Body: Solid Maple
Neck: Maple
Machine Head: GOTOH
It was the hand crafted mandolin and about 120,000 yen (=$1,100.00) for retail value at that time.
I hope this may be helpful for you.
Regards,
Masa
Morris Guitars
cornelia
Sep-14-2009, 5:40pm
Morris Guitars Japan opened in 1972 (March).
Located in Matsumoto City in Nagano Prefecture.
telephone:
within Japan: 0263-25-0793 from outside Japan: +81-263-25-0793
Japanese web site is: http://www.morris-guitar.com/
US distributor is: http://www.morrisguitars.com/
They seem to have stopped making mandolins.
Japan Wiki site link:
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%A2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AA%E3%82%B9%E6%A5%BD%E5%9 9%A8%E8%A3%BD%E9%80%A0
I used: モーリスのフラットマンドリン
to search for Morris Mandolin, but it did not work so well, since they are now no longer associated with making Mandolins!
I had better luck when I looked for Morris Guitars !
This all came up because my daughter wants a mandolin and there was a Morris on auction on the Japanese Yahoo auction site. So in the process of doing quick research I realized that there is also a "Morris" maker of mandolins in Oregon as well as a Japanese "Morris".
barney 59
Sep-15-2009, 4:16am
I got a call from my son the other day about a Morris guitar and he wanted to know if I knew anything about the builder. I said that as far as I knew a Morris is manufactured in Japan. He was surprised because he thought that the guitar he was looking at was handmade... and then out of the blue someone does a posting and mentions a luthier in Oregon named Morris. I haven't been able to find anything about this Oregon Morris. If I could be directed there I'd appreciate that.
Morris guitars disappeared for a decade or so. They started showing up again maybe 5-6 years ago and are making some pretty nice guitars in the 3 to 5k range. I don't know if it is the same people running it but the guitars I saw were a whole cut above what they were doing during the 70's Japanese guitar invasion.