Re: Suzuki guitars

That previous reply is not mine, I forgot to delete the last guys message before typing in mine!

OK, that said, let me fill you in a bit on Suzuki guitars.

To begin with they "are" an "entry-to-mid" range instrument built to compete with the other nipponese offerings of similar price range, ie fender, yamaha, alvarez, and yes the over priced takamines. The quality is as expected from most modern era Japanese manufactured articles, very good to excellent. They are for the most part unremarkable in their voice and playability, which does not mean they are not good enough for most players, they are well built and rather accurate in the hands of a good musician.

They did not gain the notoriety of the other japanese instruments for whatever reasons such things happen, (similar to the VHS victory over the superior BETA video format) or the failure of the mini-disc audio system, etc. etc. ad infinitum.

I earn my living as a guitarist both in the studio and on the stage, and I also collect and sell guitars, and have done both for almost thirty years. I have in my collection single instruments valued in excess of $15,000, and I also still have my own "first" guitar which was given me as a christmas gift and probably sold for less than $30, and while there are no doubt many professional folks who are more knowledgable on the subject than me, I am fairly aware of the "guitar culture".

The Suzuki brand is not well known among casual players, but those few who have used them tend to place them at about the same level as they would a Peavey or Hagstrom.

There is a single standout exception however and it's in the "acoustic" line of Suzuki's, and that's the model 300 dreadnought. This particular guitar was specifically designed to mimic the D-28 Martin which is legendary in bluegrass and folk (and other) music. The caveat is that only a certain era of those (mod. 300) are the "collectable" crem-de-la-crem, and are actually "better" in voice quality than the Martin, and that seems to be the ones that were imported around the mid 70's with serial numbers in the 770,000 - 772,000 range. I have owned and sold two or three model 300's, but the only one I currently own is one that I actually bought "off the stage" from a band in Nashville, and I will vouch for the fact that it is very solidly in the Martin-Guild-Taylor league (all of which I have and love). Only the "insider" types are aware of this guitar and it may never be worth a great deal of money, on the other hand it could be like the gibson arch-tops of the twenties and thirties which could be bought for $35 and which today in mint condition could easily fetch $10,000 or more. But if you are into the sparkle and definition of steel string acoustics this would be perhaps the present "best-for-the-money" deal going.

I too have a Suzuki Guitar. The Label on the inside says Model# W-140, Original. It was brought over from Japan about 10 years ago. It's in really good shape. It has sea shell lining around the body and sound hole. It's a nice looking guitar. Anybody have any ideas as to much it's worth?