NMC looking for info on a "Wilson" guitar

[Charles E.]

I have a friend who's husband got this guitar in Jacksonville Fl in the late 80s. As a teenager he was helping an elderly neighbor clean out a garage and bought it from him.
It has a few interesting details like the volute on the headstock, the shape of the heel, ebony pickguard with inlay and unusual soundhole rosette that lead me to believe it was made by an individual craftsman rather then a company. But then it has the Gibson style bridge and headstock inlay. Has anyone ran across one of these before? There is no label.
Thanks in advance.

[Charles E.]

Any body recognize those tuners? Japanese?

[Nevin]

The stamp on the brace makes me think it is a factory guitar.

[sunburst]

..

[sunburst]

The head stock, the pick guard, and the bridge look like Guild (other than perhaps the pick guard inlay). The peghead inlay is two of those funny looking Gibson inlays that showed up in various Gibson pegheads, one "right side up" and one "upside down". Those are and have been available to purchase. Looks like perhaps somebody either refinished a Guild guitar and inlaid "Wilson"; made the guitar from a collection of parts; acquired a "second" and re-did it... Who knows...

[Charles E.]

Any chance it could have been made by Yairi in Japan........

https://jedistar.com/wilson-2/

The tuners look Japanese, the truss rod cover does too. The inlay looks it might be Mother of Toilet Seat rather than real pearl.

[sunburst]

The only similarity I see between the linked picture and the OP picture is the general shape of the truss rod cover.
The linked Wilson is a different font/script, the peghead shape is different, the tuners are different, it has a zero fret while the OP guitar has a proper nut.
I just don't see any resemblance other than the TRC, and that doesn't seem like enough to attribute it to Yairi, especially when everything else looks like Guild.

[Charles E.]

Thanks John, it looks like H. Yairi made mostly classical guitars. The few steel strings I found are quite different from this.

[Sam Barrett]

I am new to the forum, but am looking for information on the Wilson guitars as well. I bought this guitar new in '71, but have lost the paper work over the years. It is identical in the look as the one Charles is askin g about. Mine still has the label inside with a 6 67 date and a NO 525. There is no Luthier signature but in searching the basic shape of the headstock is the same as the Wilson Classical with different tuners of course. Please see the pictures and if you have obtained any additional information please let me know. I agree that the basic Guitar looks like a Guild, however the label says it is a dated hand made Wilson Guitar.

[Sam Barrett]

I did find one other bit of information that stated "These guitars were all hand made by committee in farmed out shops"

[Denis Kearns]

I’m a long time Guild player and I agree with the folks above; these Wilson guitars share many features with Guilds. It made me wonder if someone in the Guild factory did a little business on the side; however, I found this old listing for a Wilson 12 string that stated, “Japanese made 12-string acoustic guitar with glossy natural finish. It features beautiful pearl inlay on the pickguard, fretboard, and headstock. A split can be seen under the bridge on the front of the body with some wear throughout the rest of the guitar. The original manufacturer's label remains on the inside of the body and offers the model number of 668 and serial number of 527”.

Unfortunately, there was no photo of the label. Link for those interested: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-l...-c-33b4d0e855#

[Sam Barrett]

The 668 is probably the date of build and the other is serial number. Interesting mine is 667 and #525.

[Tinnitus]

I've been a member of "AGF" (Acoustic Guitar Forum) for some time now and found some very knowledgeable guitar aficionados there (much like the multitude of helpful mandolin experts here). Probably worth signing up and exploring a bit.
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/

[jaycat]

If there's any Guild connection, Hans Moust would no doubt know about it.

[Sam Barrett]

Do you have any information regarding the owner you refer too in this post? I would be interested in the guitar.
I own a 1967 000 that was purchased in '71 which is shown below. It plays really well and I would be interested in a dreadnaught.
Thank you.

[sgosnell]

I would be surprised if there was any association with Guild. There is a history of Japanese guitar companies in that era copying American guitar looks and designs. Remember the Ibanez lawsuit guitars, so called because of the lawsuit Gibson brought against the company for making guitars with the identical headstock design of Gibsons. Fender brought some similar lawsuits as well, IIRC.

[jim simpson]

Here's some info on Wilson guitars:

Wilson 1968-1970s

Wilson brand: Most of these were made in Japan, by Hiroshi Yairi under the supervision of his father Sadao Yairi.

https://jedistar.com/wilson-2/