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Hello everyone,

I'm trying to learn more about an old Japanese acoustic guitar that I've owned since it was new.
It is labeled:
Luxor JC-2
Made in Japan
I bought it new in Germany around 1980/1981 for about 380 DM.

Over the years I've owned and played many high-quality acoustic guitars (Taylor, Lakewood, Yamaha, etc.), and after recently restoring this guitar I was surprised by how responsive and lively it is. I'm therefore curious whether anyone recognizes its construction or has an idea which Japanese factory might have built it. It is very responsive, lightweight, unusually lively

Some details:
- Jumbo with cutaway
- Solid spruce top (as far as I can determine)
- Probably laminated rosewood back and sides
- Scale length: 650 mm
- Weight: approx. 2.27 kg (including an LR Baggs-style endpin jack installed later)
- Very light construction
- Extremely quick response and long sustain
- Label reads "Luxor JC-2 – Made in Japan“

I've attached photos of:
- front and back
- headstock
- label
- neck joint
- bridge
- bracing
- kerfing

My questions are:
1.) Does anyone recognize the factory or builder from the construction details?
2.) Does the bracing, kerfing, neck block or other internal work resemble Kasuga, Matsumoku, Terada or another Japanese manufacturer?
3.) Has anyone ever seen another Luxor JC-2?

I'm not trying to determine its value. I'm only interested in identifying the manufacturer or factory behind the Luxor brand.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

Looks a bit like a Washburn.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Don't want to derail the inquiry, but what in the heck are those stubby things in the third to last photo? They look like dowel ends under the pickguard.

Got lucky with a search.

https://www.guitar-list.com/brands/luxor-guitars

_________________
Brian R, Wood Mechanic
N8ZED

Yeah, I was wondering about that too.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I checked over on the Ibanez Collector's World forum and confirmed - Luxor is an Ibanez produced brand.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Hello doncaparker,

I appreciate, that you looked at the photos thoroughly.
When I was a teenager I installed a magnetic pickup in the soundhole and drilled two holes in the pickguard for a volume and a tone knob. Shame on me! But I was young and found this very cool at the time. A few years later I removed the pickup and I filled the holes up with two wooden sticks (dowels) which I just pressed into the holes very ragged. Because the wooden dowels were ca 20 mm long you can see them from inside.
Of course I regret this whole amateurish repair job today.
I removed the dowels recently and replaced the pickguard with an exact copy to cover the remaining holes when I discovered how nice this instrument is and is worth to give it a more adequate repair job and also some improvements (bone sadlle and nut, bone pridge pins) and some adjustements recently.

Some of the photos show the instrument before the „restauration", some after, so there are some minor differences.

Thanks for this link. But I found this already before.
Unfortunately, my model is not listed.