banjonz - Posted - 11/08/2013:  11:56:25

I have heard that these were around but have never seen one until now

Obviously both the Fender and the Morris were contemporary; how did Fender deal with this at the time? This turned up on an auction site here in NZ!

Edited by - banjonz on 11/08/2013 11:57:31

beegee - Posted - 11/08/2013:  13:37:44

Well, the pot is nothing like a Fender. It's only the inlay pattern and peghead shape and if this was built after the California Fender ceased production, I don't know what they would have done about it. Scott Zimmerman may know something.

banjonz - Posted - 11/08/2013:  14:10:20

quote:

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Originally posted by beegee

 

Well, the pot is nothing like a Fender. It's only the inlay pattern and peghead shape and if this was built after the California Fender ceased production, I don't know what they would have done about it. Scott Zimmerman may know something.

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You're right Bob, I totally missed the flange design etc.

desert rose - Posted - 11/08/2013:  17:11:26

These were without a doubt done with TOTAL knowlege of Fender. Moridaira ie Morris was the maker of the Leo Fender line as well as the really good entire line of Fender acoustic guitars at the time. Moridaira had a VERY close relationship with Fender. There are even a couple hybrid banjos Ive seen pictures that are a strange combination of American Artist and Japanese Morris, WITH the Fender or Leo name on them, obviously prototype instruments made by Moridaira for Fender

Scott

oriver63 - Posted - 11/09/2013:  01:46:17

It is Morris F-150
It was made in the mid-1970s

Here's　morris catalog.
There is also the clone of vega,V-120, in an interesting thing.
I think "F-" means ”Fender", "V-" means "Vega"

Didn't the copy of a registered trademark or a design become a problem?
In the 1970s, the United States was far from Japan.

morriscatalog

desert rose - Posted - 11/09/2013:  03:20:04

No Fender didnt register banjo inlays. ( they never registered the Strat or Tele headstocks even! ) the Moridaia and Fender relationship was extremely close

Scott

Edited by - desert rose on 11/09/2013 03:21:34

oriver63 - Posted - 11/09/2013:  04:17:01

banjonz, you may be more surprised.
This is Morris banjo, fender-artist inlay, open back, long neck.
Japanese owner said, This was made in 80's

morris openback-longneck

oriver63 - Posted - 11/11/2013:  04:49:54

inside of Morris long neck open-back.
Gruhn Guitar ordered this Banjo.
And the Iida musical instrument made this Banjo.

morris dacal

lazlototh - Posted - 11/11/2013:  12:10:04

I have one for sale. PM me if interested.

tom in maine

banjonz - Posted - 11/11/2013:  15:49:41

quote:

---

Originally posted by oriver63

 

banjonz, you may be more surprised.

This is Morris banjo, fender-artist inlay, open back, long neck.

Japanese owner said, This was made in 80's

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Whkle I have never seen one like it, nothing surprises me in the banjo world.

oriver63 - Posted - 12/03/2013:  04:39:58

Morris is guitar brand of Moridaira.
But, Moridaira is not a musical instrument manufacturer.
It is a trading company.
So, Iida musical instruments made "Morris Banjos"

desert rose - Posted - 12/03/2013:  19:16:46

No that is not correct. Moridaira has one of the oldest string musical instrument FACTORY is Matsumoto, Japan. This is where the Morris acoustic guitars, Morris banjos Fender Leo banjos, some Fender electric guitars, Charvel electric guitars and more were made. They currently still make high end acoustic guitars there. I personally worked daily in the factory in the late eightys. I was good friends with Mr. Moridaira and am still friends with the original factory manager Mr. Tsuchiya. I just saw him two weeks ago.

As with many Japanese brands of the time, work was and is often subcontracted to other factories. Usually the determining factor is price. One factory specialized in making instruments in one price range and instruments cheaper or more expensive will often be subcontracted to someone else specializing in efficiently supplying that range of instruments. In this case Morris didnt have the tooling to make the long neck and because of the small number of potential sales didnt want to invest in the tooling, so they subcontracted to Iida to make this model since they could make it already

I was involved in a small way when Morris sold all the machines and tooling used to make the Fender Leo and Morris banjos in Matsumoto. After they stopped making the banjos the tooling sat unused in the factory taking up space. About 2000 ALL the tooling and machines were bought by a Taiwan company

Scott

Edited by - desert rose on 12/03/2013 19:23:22

lazlototh - Posted - 12/04/2013:  05:03:12

Have one in the classified. Very nice.

oriver63 - Posted - 12/05/2013:  06:09:22

Hi Scott,

You are talking about Morris musical instrument manufacture incorporated company.
Sure, Moridaira Toshio is the Representative director of the Morris musical instrument manufacture incorporated company.
morris-guitar.com/


I'm talking about Moridaira musical instrument.
moridaira.jp/
Is this a manufacture?