Rarely do I think that I have the best story on any particular subject ever. But in the case of the Suzuki 3S series guitar my story is notable at least. When I began dating my second wife Karen in the mid 90s she told me she had and old guitar. She showed it to me after pulling it out of a closet it had been in for years. It was a F-200 dreadnought with about 3 strings on it and little to no playing wear whatsoever. The story she told me was that her brother got with S&H Green Stamps and had given it to her. Could be true, and since no one in the family played, it became my go to. As it has aged it’s tone and projection has strengthened as you would expect from any great American guitar which it certainly is not. I have a Martin HD-28, that I love, which it has no trouble keeping up with without breaking a sweat.

Fast forward to the early 2000s and my daughter says to me “Dad, I want a twelve string guitar”. So I took her down to the local music store where apparently as a middle aged gentleman I was invisible to the store help. They had one twelve string in the place that was on top of a ten foot cabinet and the price tag was 875 bucks. No one around to help us so I sez (Missouri speak) letz see what we kin find online.

Lo and Behold there is a 12 string Suzuki 3S on Ebay and I bought it for 185 bucks including shipping. It arrived in a throwaway soft shell case in perfect playing condition after a set of strings. A new part of our family, to be sure.

So, i figured I was the satisfied sole owner of a complete (more or less) collection of Suzuki 3S guitars believing no one in the world would care except me. Pretty sure I was right.

Happy ending so you’d think. But my daughter got married, had kids, an’ friends with kids, and and after a children’s birthday party old dad comes over and sits down to tune the ole thing up and somethin’ just ain’t right. Cursory inspection revealed that the slotted head stock had been broken off. i walked out in the yard and gathered myself without making too big of a scene.

Several months passed and I decided i might look for a replacement Suzuki 12 string online . None to be found at the time but what I did find was amazing. What I did find was on Old Stock Suzuki 12 string neck…in Germany, masking tape on the mating surfaces and all. I bought it. It was sent to Missouri and I had Keith George of Lawson, Missouri put it on, and he warned me that the mating surfaces weren’t a perfect match. What else to do.

It’s been over ten years and so far so good.

I challenge anyone to top that tale.

JJ, satisfied owner, and I’ll buy em all if I get the chance

I bought my F200 after a dinner time drinking session in the Irish Bar in Doha 1978. there was a music store next door and like all guitarists I decided to go in and have a go without any intention of purchase.

There were three in there, 2 six string and one 12 string. I tried them all and one of the six strings sounded so good and kind of felt like a comfortable pair of shoes. So without thinking I took it to the counter and said I’ll take it without knowing what the price would be.

The store assistant said fine that will be $600! Not having that much cash available at the time I impulsively took out the credit card and said bugger it I’ll have it.

best impulse buy I have ever made. I would not trade this guitar in for anything and I have lost count of the amount of people who ask what it is and comment on it’s sound.

I have also managed to obtain a K Suzuki, D35 which I got for the princely sum of £57 on eBay a year and a half ago. which is also another guitar possessing a beautiful tone.

I bought mine a month or two short of forty years ago. It’s been played almost daily since and spent a good few years in pubs when I used to perform in folk clubs. I once left it in its case on a table in a pub where everyone else had placed their instruments. Someone had apparently lifted the lid and someone else had placed the remains of a pint on the soundboard; needless to say, the drink had been spilt onto my precious guitar whilst I was in the loo. It dried out and still played beautifully after the trauma.
I have used medium weight strings up until the last month (within two months of my 70th birthday as the hands occasionally remind me) when I switched to D’Addario lights (coated). I had toyed with the idea of reducing my collection down to a resonator, an Ovation and the Ortega Jade NY that I’m awaiting. Dropping the string weight has given the lovely old Three s anew lease of life, can’t bring myself to part with it, it’s a valuable friend so it’s staying. However if anyone fancies buying an Ibanez Amber – I’ve got one for sale!

Theirs one on e-bay tonight these come up very rarely i just hope i secure it but wonder what my top offer should be? £300?

I have one hadi it for 7 years, and have contributed to the virtual fret obliteration, I just cant be without it
so its in the local guitar workshop being re-fretted, new head nut, and strings, a little tweak on the neck, should be ready in a fortnight. I couldnt believe my luck when I found it. Ive got plenty guitars, some good names like fender tele, Ibanez, and my good old faithfull Applause, made by makers of Ovation. Nothing comes close to the sound. of the 3S I had a fishman pick-up fitted, and it sounds fabulous, deep tones and warm colourfull bright tones. I dont care what its monetary value is . to me its my guitar. I gig and jam in the highlands, The Quality of sound has all my musical mates asking to have a go on it. Thats not happening when it comes back. Old saying “a bad workman always blames his tools” believe me the better the tool , the better the job, Get one if you get the chance

I have two FE200B Suzuki ThreeS guitars. In 47 yrs of playing,
they are the absolute best I have ever played, especially after
adding a Matrix pickup & Acoustic amp. Love the wide neck.
Plays n sounds better than 30 yr old Martins.

After reading all the info I could possibly find on the internet, I am buying one from ebay hopefully tonight (the auction goes out then). Very little info on the Three S. One site I did find was Japanese. It shows the 1970 catalog (four pages) for the Three-S. Here is the website: http://www.t-shiga.com/sub7-5-1-40.htm Keep in mind that the Japanese yen is about 100 times our dollar (US). So if the guitar is 30,000 it sold for about $300 here. The site also features catalog pages for the F series too.

Sorry – that was your question! I have a Suzuki Three-s which is a millimetre for millimetre copy of a Martin Dreadnaught. It has a solid top and a ‘triangular’ neck shape. I bought it new in 1976 for £70 and is the only thing I own that I would not be parted with (I have a Gretsch as well).I have used in on hundreds of gigs and just love it. I expect it’s worth virtually nothing! I have played Martin D45s and they don’t sound 10 or 20 times as good! Hang on to it! Cheers – Roger