Guyatone EH-80B, EH-80H /Star EG-80H

Guyatone EH-80B, EH-80H /Star EG-80H

In 1958 the first Japanese electric solid body guitar to be imported to Australia was the Guyatone EH-80B, also branded as a Star EG-80B (shown above). 

The model shown has non-original white 1950's knobs (neck pickup volume, bridge pickup volume, master tone, pickup selector). There's a missing neck pickup surround and neck pickup but these guitars are as rare as hen's teeth.

Guyatone was also the first known Japanese guitar manufacturer to directly offer their product line to the American public. The first ad for Guyatone Guitars appears in 1959 and depicted the Australian EH 80B/EH-80H guitars as the Guyatone EG-80B and the Guyatone EG-80H. Whether it's badged as a Guyatone or a Star, they are identical, apart from variations in the headstock! Above is pictured the Star EG-80H.

So, hang on! What's the differences and it's already getting confusing.

Well, the Guyatone EG-80B was made of selected solid wood, finished in ebony black, hand rubbed and hand polished. The Guyatone EG-8OH had a solid maple body, left natural and hand polished.

Here in Britain, the guitars were not so readily available and when they were found, guess what? They changed their model name to something else; the Guyatone LG-60B and Guyatone LG-60H. 

The guitar in the photo above is the Guyatone LG-60B, the guitar owned by blues guitarist, Rory Gallagher. The headstock on early models, with three tuning pegs per side, was changed to the more Fender-esque six-in-a-line tuners for the export market.

The guitars were manufactured by Maruha Musical Instruments in Kyushu and assembled at  the Guyatone factory in Tokyo.
Below is the Guyatone LG-60H, a fine looking instrument!

The distributor of these early Guyatone guitars in Britain isn't clear but it's likely to have been J.& I. Arbiter. In the meantime, the late 1950s saw the importation and distribution of Ibanez guitars from the Horshino Gakki company and it's interesting to note that the Ibanez catalogues of this period, show Guyatone manufactured guitars and Star branded Guyatones also!