Kasuga Barney Kessel for sale

[Catweazle42]

Just listed a Kasuga hollowbody on Ebay UK - its a late 60s/early 70s copy of a Gibson Barney Kessel. Bit of a project but will be a lovely guitar with excellent build quality and impressive tone if someone has got a bit of time on their hands:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280661435747&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Check it out if you're interested.

 

[marcusnieman]

Just listed a Kasuga hollowbody on Ebay UK - its a late 60s/early 70s copy of a Gibson Barney Kessel. Bit of a project but will be a lovely guitar with excellent build quality and impressive tone if someone has got a bit of time on their hands:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280661435747&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Check it out if you're interested.

Nice. Matsumoku made I assume

 

[Catweazle42]

Not as far as I know (but I'm no great expert). They had their own plant at Nagoya so presume it came from there.

 

[marcusnieman]

Not as far as I know (but I'm no great expert). They had their own plant at Nagoya so presume it came from there.

You're right.... found this on them:

"Kasuga was established in 1935 in Nagoya by Miki Bukichi. Kasuga made guitars, banjos, mandolins, violins and ukeleles. Kasuga started their own brand of guitars in the 1960's and in the 1970's made the Heerby and Ganson brands and partnered with Roland on a guitar synth. Kasuga and Tokai made Conrad guitars in the 1970s.

In the 1980's/1990's they made guitars for Yamaha, Burny/Fernandes and the early Navigators.

Kasuga apparently made some Washburn models around 1988 or so with a serial number starting with a K and they might have also made some Jackson and BC Rich guitars.

They also did BC Rich type copies for the Japanese market with a K on the headstock instead of a B.

Kasuga went out of business in the mid 1990's."


Matsumoku made a nice Barney Kessel guitar for Univox - complete with the Barney Kessel tailpiece with the wood insert. Check it out:

http://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/13378/

 

[Catweazle42]

The Univox looks nice - very similar to mine apart from the tailpiece. Thanks for the additional info - very useful to know.