Maya Guitars

: Hi.

: Does anyone have any information on Maya Guitars. What I know so far is they were/are a Japanese maker and were apparently based in Kobe from the early 70's until the earthquake in the 90's. They made high-quality knock-offs of major brand instruments in the lates 70's and 80's at least as good as the Ibanez Lawsuit models of the same era. Not quite up to Gibson yet, but learning fast.

: I have a really nice copy of a late 70's early 80's Gibson ES 175. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Email me if you want to see pictures.

I'll inlcude my comments since I also own a Maya and would like to find out something about it myself.

I own a Strat copy that I bought about 18-19 years ago. I was taking a guitar class at night at our local jr. college. We had this guy in our 3 person (4 counting the teacher) class playing this guitar. A few months later I found that exact guitar in our local music store and I bought it.

To go through the entire history of my Maya would take too long. But it's gone from a typical Fender Strat setup, 3 single coils and a 5 way; to a 3 humbucker (1 Dimarzio, 1 Seymour JB, 1 Seymour JB Jr) with the two Seymours split with one volume knob and two tone knobs that can be pulled out to split the Seymours. I wanted the Dimarzio to be able to be split, but it wasn't capable of being so. Some day when money isn't a factor, I'm going to have the Dimarzio taken out and something else put in that can be split so I can have a close equivilant of a 3 single coil setup.

I've changed everything on my Maya except the body, neck and the neck plate on the back. Other than that it's mostly been a good guitar. I say mostly because back in the mid 80's I had the Fender style tremlo it came with switched out for a cheap Kahler. If I had spent the extra money and got a higher $$$ Kahler, it might have been alright, but I didn't.

My intonnation has been out since the day that Kahler was put it and there seems to be no way to fix it. The body had to be bored to put the Kahler in, so it's not like I can switch it out with a simpler tremlo system. Given my "druthers", I'd like to have a stop piece put in.

One thing I've noticed about my Maya Strat is that it weighs about a TON more than a Fender Strat. I wish I knew what kind of wood it was made of. I'd like to wish it was mahogany, but I could't be that lucky.

I'm sure I'll have another guitar someday, but I see no reason to part with the Maya. I might give it to a nephew someday, but I don't think I'll ever sell it. I paid around 150-175.00 for it and I've put about 700-750.00 in it.

The man who owns the music store I trade with (and did the work on the Maya) says it's "the best playing guitar you've never heard of". ;-)

: Hi.

i have read your messages,, after a very long searches about MAYA ARTIST
GUITAR. Your description of the Guitar is the same by me, bat the
Mecahanik is not from Schaller.
The only different is the machanik. I think my Guitar is equipmend with
Noname Produkt.
In the body you can read a Label with follwing Text:
"We made this guitar for the people who love guitar music. F344R
Japan"
I purchased my Insrtument on a musik street market in 1999 and payed
250,- DM = 125 Euro.
It sounds very well and looks (abilone Inlays) very nice.
I'm playing Jazz and Boss Nova on the Instrument.
I never found samthing about MAYA GUITAR FACTORYS in the Internet.
Maybe you can help me?
I whish you every time very nice cords and scales.
I'm sorry for my broken-english.
Regard Wolfgang from Berlin, Germany

see more by:
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Maya/Artist-Acoustic-01.html

hi, i'm from chile, and i'm about to buy a ibanez es 175 copy, could you send me some pictures of yours please?, this way i may get a better idea from what i ' m getting . SOME COMMENTS PURHAPS WOULD BE HELPFULL. BYE AND THANKS.
: Hi.

: Does anyone have any information on Maya Guitars. What I know so far is they were/are a Japanese maker and were apparently based in Kobe from the early 70's until the earthquake in the 90's. They made high-quality knock-offs of major brand instruments in the lates 70's and 80's at least as good as the Ibanez Lawsuit models of the same era. Not quite up to Gibson yet, but learning fast.

: I have a really nice copy of a late 70's early 80's Gibson ES 175. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Email me if you want to see pictures.

My grandfather gave me one of his numerous guitars and it is a Maya F385. Weird thing is , is that it's a twelve string acoustic. Sorry if I sound dumb, I'm new with the whole guitar thing. I don't know where my grandpa got it. I know it was my mom's when she was a kid, so he must have picked it up in the mid-70's. I really enjoy it although I am just learning how to play. Just thought I tell you all that.

: Hi. I also would like to know some information about maya, particularly their value. I own a Telecaster copy

: Does anyone have any information on Maya Guitars. What I know so far is they were/are a Japanese maker and were apparently based in Kobe from the early 70's until the earthquake in the 90's. They made high-quality knock-offs of major brand instruments in the lates 70's and 80's at least as good as the Ibanez Lawsuit models of the same era. Not quite up to Gibson yet, but learning fast.

: I have a really nice copy of a late 70's early 80's Gibson ES 175. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Email me if you want to see pictures.

Hi, for 20 minutes up to now spended in internet in a search for any information I found only forum posts about Maya guitars. I own Maya SG replicant made in the '70s I think. I have this by all means Japanese masterpiece since 1999 and I wonder how I had never made any search about it 'till now. But you know "The truth is out there" :)

I own a Maya Artist model 12-string guitar, Model Number F7485. It was purchased new in 1991. I would accept any reasonable offer to buy it. Pictures available by email.

: Hi.

: Does anyone have any information on Maya Guitars. What I know so far is they were/are a Japanese maker and were apparently based in Kobe from the early 70's until the earthquake in the 90's. They made high-quality knock-offs of major brand instruments in the lates 70's and 80's at least as good as the Ibanez Lawsuit models of the same era. Not quite up to Gibson yet, but learning fast.

: I have a really nice copy of a late 70's early 80's Gibson ES 175. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Email me if you want to see pictures.

Get some info here.I tried and dug really hard, including obvious bothering of certain people, to put those up there.
hope you find some of it valuable. Enjoy Maya!

http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/index.php/topic,20346.0.html

http://torchsvintageguitarresearchblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/maya-guitar-mystery.html

Very brief addition to last comment!!.Can't attest to the veracity of this one,but I did hear once from a UK music shop owner that Stentor had had a falling out with Maya's makers along the lines of 'you assured us that no other products from yourselves would enter the UK market[presumably under a different name?]and,in our view,you've reneged on the deal'.I feel that the 25.5'' scale Maya N45J Artist[with a fair degree of solid wood in its construction and thus putting it somewhere near the top of the Maya range]will always resemble[playing characteristics-wise]the US Epiphone/Gibson/Martin/Guild square-shouldered dreadnoughts and the super jumbos that all share its scale length.To me all of these exhibit a tauter stiffer feel when played[with technically more volume]than the looser noticeably more resonant[IMO]24.75''scale round-shouldered Gibsons.

I have a Maya ecoustic guitar model FK-338-D and i have had it since 1983 and i wanted to know if this is a good guitar or what. it has a humingbird on the pick guard like a gibson but i am finding the tuning keys are just about worn out. does anyone know if this is a good guitar. i like it but i have no sense of what its worth. maybe someone out there knows. thankyou all in advance

I have a maya jsh me85 and was so wondering if anyone could help me in giving me a little more information on it please :)