Madeira 12-string?

Wes

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Ok guys, after a night of frustrating dead end searching, I feel I have exhausted Google in my search for information on Madeira guitars. I did find that they were imported by Guild to compete with other companies imports at the time, and that in the beginning the quality was very good. However, most Madeiras I found do not have the same pickguard, nor upside-down Chesterfield logo that mine has. Also, as far as I can tell, most Guilds and Madeiras had a round sticker inside the body. Most Madeiras make mention of Guild in some way on this sticker. Mine does not. It is square, and the only information on it is "Madeira Model A-10:12 Assembled in Korea" with the serial number haphazardly stamped in the upper left corner. The serial number is 08909163. The boarder around the square sticker seems the same as other Madeiras, but the shape is getting to me. I did find one 6 string that has the same headstock logo and square sticker, but no more. Does anyone know if these are like a lawsuit edition, or did Guild pull their support, or what happened? Does anyone know what time period this particular instrument is from? I've had the guitar for about 6 years now, and from time to time, I try to dig up info, but I haven't managed to get anywhere. Any information is appreciated.

Oh, and for my formal introduction, my name is Wes, I am 22 years old, from Kentucky. I've been a musician for around 13 years now, and play bass, guitar, and piano.
 

killdeer43

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Wes, let me be the first to say WELCOME TO LTG!

You'll get a discussion going to answer all your questions about Madeiras, but until then, enjoy the show. You've only just begun! :wink:

Joe
 

Wes

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Thanks! I think I'll like it here. From what I have read, everyone seems cool. Sorry I jumped right off the deep end. lol I've been pulling my hair out about this thing since I got it. haha
 

SFIV1967

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Hi Wes, welcome to LTG! What would be really cool is if you could post a few pictures of that Madeira and it's details like label, headstock and so on. You need to have your jpg pictures on a photo hosting webpage somewhere and post the http:// link to the picture within the IMG bottons in your message.
Some of us (not me unfortunately) have old Madeira catalogs, so we could probably check about some of your questions.
As far as I found, a A-10/12 model was produced around 1990-1992, but that date sounds late to me.
Ralf
 

chazmo

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Welcome to LTG, Wes.

In all honesty, there is very little discussion about Madeira-branded guitars here. Your information about them being an import line is accurate, although I had no idea that some of them were MIK. I thought the whole line was MIJ.

Indeed, please take some pictures and maybe some folks can chime in.
 

chazmo

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SFIV1967 said:
I think only the early Madeira's were MIJ and later on MIK.
Ralf
Definitely. And, if you're right about the '90s timeframe, Ralf, I had no idea the brand was still being sold at that point. I thought this was late-'70s / early-'80s only. MIK by the '90s would definitely make sense though.
 

SFIV1967

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Chazmo said:
And, if you're right about the '90s timeframe, Ralf, I had no idea the brand was still being sold at that point. I thought this was late-'70s / early-'80s only. MIK by the '90s would definitely make sense though.
Well, I am really not sure, I am still searching. 90ties sounds to late to me, but who knows. That's why pictures would help to see the label and details.
One source said the factory in Korea was Samick (which also made Sigma for Martin, Epiphone for Gibson, and Squire for Fender).
The material was supposed to be coming from the US, that's why the label said "assembled in Korea", not "made in Korea".
Ralf
 

SFIV1967

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I found in "Guitar Stories Vol. 2 by Michael Wrigh" on page 66: "In 1989 Guild was purchased by the Faas Corporation of New Berlin, Wisconsin, later called U.S.Musical Corporation...the new owners...did revive the Madeira name in about 1990 or so with a series of imported electric and acoustic guitars....These had the old Chesterfield inlay..."

The following picture (guitar owned by Ted Hechtman here) was discussed previously on LTG, it seems to be such a early 90ties guitar, in this case a A-5 model with S/N 89091760. (with a D or 0 sign before) Maybe the 89 in the serial number even means it was produced in 1989?
Madeira_2.JPG

Madeira_1.JPG


Ralf
 

chazmo

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There you go, Ralf. I never knew that. Indeed, the truncated Chesterfield and Guild-shaped pickguard definitely drive the point home.

Unless Hans writes about it, it never happened. ;)
 

SFIV1967

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Chazmo said:
Unless Hans writes about it, it never happened. ;)
I am not sure Hans will write about it, I think he mentioned before that he is not tracking all the import lines. Volume 1 also did not include the 70ties Japanese Madeiras.
Ralf
 

hansmoust

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Chazmo said:
Unless Hans writes about it, it never happened.

Have no plans to write about it, but I can tell you that the A-10/12 was part of the Madeira line during the late '80s /early '90s.
It retailed for Can. $ 349.00 during 1989, so the price in U.S. dollars would have been a little less than that.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

Wes

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SFIV1967 said:
I found in "Guitar Stories Vol. 2 by Michael Wrigh" on page 66: "In 1989 Guild was purchased by the Faas Corporation of New Berlin, Wisconsin, later called U.S.Musical Corporation...the new owners...did revive the Madeira name in about 1990 or so with a series of imported electric and acoustic guitars....These had the old Chesterfield inlay..."

The following picture (guitar owned by Ted Hechtman here) was discussed previously on LTG, it seems to be such a early 90ties guitar, in this case a A-5 model with S/N 89091760. (with a D or 0 sign before)
Madeira_2.JPG

Madeira_1.JPG


Ralf

If that was a 12 string, it would be identical. I'm in the process of adding some pictures right now. Thanks everyone for the help. I though 90ish was a bit too recent too, but the sticker, headstock logos, everything is spot on.
 

Wes

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hansmoust said:
Chazmo said:
Unless Hans writes about it, it never happened.

Have no plans to write about it, but I can tell you that the A-10/12 was part of the Madeira line during the late '80s /early '90s.
It retailed for Can. $ 349.00 during 1989, so the price in U.S. dollars would have been a little less than that.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
Thank you sir. I've been trying to find this info since the guitar came into my possesion.
 

Wes

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It's a bit worse for wear, but in my defense, it was like this when my uncle gave it to me 6+ years ago. lol But here she is....


253.jpg


260.jpg


257.jpg


259.jpg
 
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Madeira A-12AS 567355

I just received a Madeira A-12AS S/N 567355 as a gift....I was wondering if anyone here might be able to help me learn about this guitar
 

hansmoust

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I just received a Madeira A-12AS S/N 567355 as a gift....I was wondering if anyone here might be able to help me learn about this guitar

Hello Dslack,

Welcome! The Madeira model A-12AS was offered (roughly) between 1981 and 1985. It had mahogany back & sides and it was one of the very few Madeira models that had a solid spruce top. The list price at that time was $ 369.50.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
 
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