Fenix D92RX Western Dreadnought made in the 1990s

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We looked at Fenix guitars back in January with the Fenix XL30 which was a very sober looking jumbo built in the Fender Japan factory in the late 1980s.
This Fenix D92RX Western is perhaps a little more ornate with blue tortoise-esque inlays in the binding, rosette, and soundboard. It was apparently made in Korea unlike the XL30 but sports a solid spruce top and rosewood back and sides.

It's really not to my taste to be honest, but I've always felt that dreadnoughts generally don't wear the "bling" as well as other guitars.

R.W. Haller

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Rare Carved Shiraki Acoustic made in Japan 1981

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I'd never heard of Shiraki Guitars. They were apparently part of the Matsumoku fold in the early 1980s, so you know that it is likely a quality instrument. It also seems that they did some level of collaboration with Alvarez as well.

Though it's really not my taste with the intricate carving and lack of a sound hole ( I wonder if projection through the carved area is any good ), I'd gamble that this cedar top dreadnought from 1981 plays and sounds quite nice. Note the neck joint. Is it glued in, bolted on the inside, or a different kind of joint?

I'm reminded of Blueberry Guitars and wonder if there was some influence from these Japanese rarities.

R.W. Haller


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Takamine GB-7C Garth Brooks Signature Guitar.

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Here we have a signature Takamine for Garth Brooks. I'm not a Garth fan but there is no denying the stranglehold he had on the genre for a majority of the 90s. And, honestly with all the insipid "bro-country" dominating the charts lately something like Garth would be a breath of semi-fresh air.

I am, however, a fan of Takamine. This is a great example of one of their mid-high range acoustics of the 1990s. The pinless bridge is likely as good as that on any high quality guitar, the cedar top is a great choice for strumming and fingerpicking, and I believe these also had the Takamine Palathetic pickup. They are monster pickups and a big part of how Takamine survived as a company in the early years.

All that said, I hate this guitar.

Yes, I hate it. And for only one reason.

That sound hole.

That bloody goofy guitar shaped sound hole.

It looks like an idea that a child had in art class, or worse yet, it looks like a logo. I'm sure somebody thought it was clever.

They were wrong.

Am I alone in this hatred?

Currently listed at $1200 Canadian.

R.W. Haller








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1980s Yamato Model 120. An excellent looking, previously unheard of Japanese Dreadnought

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I've seen and worked on a lot of 1970 and newer Japanese acoustics. They are often one of my favourite guitars to work on as a good repair can virtually resurrect a guitar an owner would have deemed unusable.

That said, I've never seen or heard of Yamato. This is a great looking dreadnought with a cedar top and lovely looking rosewood back and sides.

At $250 Canadian this would likely make a great guitar for years to come.

With a good setup, that is.

R.W. Haller







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Massive 1960s Ibanez Nashville 690-F dreadnought acoustic guitar

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Never mind that this 1960s Ibanez Nashville 690-F dreadnought acoustic guitar has a 6-in-a-line headstock as more commonly associated with electric guitars, just check out the size of it! It's huge! See the more regularly-sized dreadnought guitar pictured next to it on the right hand side of the above photo montage. Soundwise the seller claims that it has a "deep, big, profound tone" that is "Morricone 'Once upon a time in the West' through and though"!

Currently being offered for sale on eBay UK with a Buy It Now price of £275.

G L Wilson

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