Beebird BW-401

This is an interesting one, as this is a model i know relatively little about. I have yet to come across any Beebird catalogs, or many models over the past year to gather much more information about them. From the little there have been, i understand Beebird guitars were a higher end model from Terada guitar factories, who made guitars for many different brands, including Thomson, Tomson, Jagard, Vesta Graham, Morales, the occasional Morris, the occasional Suzuki, and Thumb - i have probably still missed a few. It does say on the inside label that it is part of the Nabish guitar group, but i can find nothing about them sadly. I bought this one still quite early on in the collection a little blind and wasn't too sure what it was going to be like.

It's an unusual guitar - not by looks, but by sound. It is quite different from the others i had collected or had before, and i would confess i was initially disappointed. Perhaps at that moment i was expecting full rich tones from it, not the woody tones i got instead. It did look beautiful; its spruce top striped amber grain, the sides some wild rosewood with the faint hint of red in its grain, the back a darker indian rosewood, the smooth gotoh tuners and the wood bound neck with beautifully filed frets. I put some phosphor-bronze strings on and adjusted the neck to give it more forward bow as it had some buzz on the first few frets. Over time and playing some more traditional scottish/irish style folk songs, i found its niche. The sustain and woody resonance lends itself so specifically to that style that none of the others have its character when i go to them to play that style of song. It's harmonics ring deep and long and quite barren. I wouldn't call the sound warm or lush, but more dry, quite haunting, and moody. It is hard to tell if this is a solid top guitar or not, but i think it is. It's sustain and tone would make me believe so, but its grain is hard to make out from the side profile at the soundhole. I have found this the best way to judge in most cases, but there are exceptions where the grain is hard to find even on solid tops.

Some photos:















and you can find additional photos here


as ever, video/audio footage is still a work in progress. one of these days!

Morris MV702-SP

Another Morris model to discuss is the MV702-SP, which is part of the Vanguard series released in the late 70's until the early 90's. Unlike the MD range, which was a re-invention of the old W (Western) range of the late-60s on to the late 70's, the Vanguard series was a new design for the Morris line, designed to be a premium level guitar without the copy guitar status of the others. No laminate soundboard models were offered, with entry-level guitars already having solid Sitka spruce tops, and all models continuing to be made in Japan rather than to Korea, which Morris had expanded into for making the lower end models around the early 80's. Happily, the internal labeling keeps you informed as to where each model was crafted.

The MV702-SP here is a later 80's model, which entered the market at 40,000 Yen at the time. It was an extra model slipped in between the original MV701 and MV705 models; oddly it doesn't feature the sculpted headstock normally seen on the Vanguard series, but instead the Martin style headstock is present - i have yet to suss out why, apart from knowing this is a Special model as noted by the SP suffix. About the guitar itself; it is a dreadnought body, with a very lovely tobacco sunburst top, which is quite rare for a Morris guitar. As mentioned before, the top is solid Sitka spruce, and the back and sides are coral rosewood - this is a lighter coloured rosewood to indian, with quite an open flowing pattern in its grain - i feel it does compliment the tobacco shades on the top well. The body is bound in cream, with cream purfling that has aged a vintage yellowed white, and a white/black mosaic design down the central back joint. The soundhole is adorned with yellow/black rings, and a flecked tortoise-shell pickguard. The body itself has been subjected to quite a few dings and scrapes - nothing serious, but they are present and worth noting all the same. It is hard to spot these because of the finish however.

The Vanguard range featured a slightly narrower neck profile, more akin with Fender style necks on their acoustic range. On this model there is a rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot position markers, whilst the neck is constructed of mahogany. The headstock is of Martin design, with a rosewood veneer. The pearloid buttons on the Morris gold tuners are a nice touch and compliment the finish well. These tuners were exceptionally smooth last time i restrung, and hold tuning well.

The sound of this guitar is nicely balanced, with even tones from bass to treble. I took it out with some friends in the summer where a group of guitarists were, and they gave it a turn and were impressed with it; i had to go through the story of Morris guitars with them too at the time, and was left with the impression they were going to try and find one online.

Here are some photos:














You can find additional photos here

Aria G300

Next of the Aria's to talk about is the G300. This is designed on the Gallagher guitar that american songbook folk legend Doc Watson used. The story of that guitar is quite a charming one;





1968, Doc Watson was picking under a tree at a music festival with Merle Watson. J.W. Gallagher and son, Don walked over and offered for Doc to play the guitar that was in the case they were carrying. Doc did, liked the sound and when he went to hand it back, they struck a deal. “Keep it, for as long as you play it.”

That guitar became Ol Hoss and it was the first Gallagher guitar that year. The last that year was bought by the late, great, Grandpa Jones.

Today, the Gallagher family keeps doing what they do like nobody else…they make guitars that ring like a bell.

J.W. Gallagher first began woodworking as a cabinetmaker in Wartrace, Tennessee in 1939. He made fine quality furniture. However, by the 1960’s, J.W. Gallagher was making quality guitars exclusively..





I believe he has played one ever since.

Gallagher guitars have never aimed to be a huge manufacturer and has stayed humble and professional all its days. The wave headstock and the distinct pickguard really gives them their own image, which i think is hard; to craft a unique and recognisable design. Being so small, it is quite unusual to find them as a copied design in the Japanese market, but perhaps Doc was popular there, or perhaps they just looked at all the North American made guitars and wanted to replicate them. Whilst it never grew to be a hugely popular style in comparison to the Martin and Gibson copies, quite a few manufacturers used the style for a few models, and used different bracing designs for them.

The Aria is a really well preserved guitar for its age (made around 1975 as far as catalogs guide me), with a lot of special features that set it off very nicely. It is a dreadnought body shape with herringbone purfling around the soundhole and body binding, and has that distinct pickguard in tortoise shell. It features a solid spruce top, which often occurred around the 30,000 Yen price mark of the time, which was this guitars release price of the time. Over age this has dried out, which along with being quite a thin sound board, has developed into a fine round sound that lingers; quite bright and treble-some, which works well in folk playing and as a harmonising guitar up the fret board, where it sings clear of the chord strumming of the other. Having never played an original Gallagher guitar, i don't know how close the sound is to it's idol, but it is pleasingly distinct from the others Martin and Gibson styled guitars i have. The sides and back are indian rosewood, with cream binding, and a central intricate mosaic-design purfling between the two pieces that make the back. The neck is on the chunky side, with a strong C profile, and is a 3-piece, with a volute neck joint. The fingerboard is in rosewood with pearloid snowflake position markers, and is again set with cream binding that has aged a vintage amber. The headstock features that distinct wave design, faced with a jacaranda (Brazilian rosewood) veneer. Aria have altered the ornate G headstock logo into an A. The tuners are quite special and unique, with a gotoh style design but with ornate A inlays to match the headstock logo. I assume these are Japanese made, and work excellently. It is all very thorough and detailed; no less than i have come to expect of these Aria guitars, but it is pleasing to have so many of the original features. Interally it is stamped with the model number and "made in japan",and is clean and tidy.

Here are some photos:












As ever, please fine additional photos here

Thanks for looking.