Re: Martin Copy--Rokkomann
Some info about Ryohei Tahara, the "Rokkomann" brand, etc., in a 2008 thread on Harmony Central about Maya guitars, another label associated with Rokkomann:
I have found some information - scattered and incomprehensible probably - about "Maya"... I have been in touch with some really helpful people at Saga Musical Instruments, who have told me a bit about the man who built my mandolin. I think it would be safest to apply what I am going to say to just my earlier post here, but it may lead you to be able to research your own instruments. As I understand things, "Maya" was basically a distributor, that bought from various independent (Japanese) luthiers, who made everything from soup to nuts - electric, acoustical, etc... Regarding my mandolin, on the inside bracing is stamped: "MADE BY MR TAHARA", who turns out to be a man by the name of Ryohei Tahara, later known, with respect, as Tahara-sah. I will upload an article on him, from Frets Magazine, 1984. Where it gets cloudy is that, because I am researching my "new" mandolin, I am only drawn to anything I can find on this Mr. Tahara, who was a luthier that concentrated, I believe, mostly on acoustical guitars and instruments. From Saga Musical Instruments:
You are indeed on the right track. "Maya" was a brand named used by a
Japanese Trading Company from Kobe called Rokkoman. In the early 1970s
Tahara-san had a factory in Matsumoto Japan that was engaged primarily in
the production of lower-mid range acoustic guitars, but they also made some
mandolins. Mandolins were a minor portion of their total output. Mr
Tahara's factory in Matsumoto went into bankruptcy in the mid to late 1970s
after which he moved to Tateshina outside of Maruko-machi in Nagano
Prefecture where he focused exclusively on Mandolin production. Shortly
after that move Saga Musical Instruments began a relationship with
Tahara-san that started with specificational input and then with a majority
financial interest in operation. Maybe this is more information than you
need but I think that it fills in a few blanks!
Best regards,
Saga Musical Instruments
David Gartland
Marketing
The correspondence from Mr. Gartland has most certainly filled in a LOT of blanks for me - more than he probably realizes, and I am still in touch with him, asking other questions. With what he has given me, I think the Rokkoman reference is very certainly very important to our overall search of the Maya name.
The "Rokkomann" label gets a lot of Google hits relating to acoustic and electric guitars, most clearly patterned on US-made models.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
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