Morris guitars hold a revered place in the history of Japanese filmmaking—not cinema, but the absolute artistry of acoustic luthiery. Founded in 1967 by Toshio Moridaira, the Moridaira Manufacturing Company produced some of the finest acoustic and acoustic-electric guitars of the "Lawsuit Era" and beyond.
Modern fingerstyle guitars introduced in the late 1990s and 2000s, featuring grand auditorium body shapes and cedar or spruce tops.
Count the digits. If it is a 6-digit number starting with 7 or 8, try reading it as a Year/Month/Day format (e.g., 791102 = November 2, 1979).
If you want to pin down the exact year of your guitar, let me know: What is the and any letters? What is the model number listed on the label? What color or shape is the internal paper label? Share public link
Early models often used a 6-digit sequential number (e.g., 271105) that doesn't directly encode a date. These were simply tracked in order of production. morris guitar serial numbers
On a Morris guitar, the serial number is rarely a simple "higher number = newer guitar."
Format: (e.g., M 860123 )
: Visible through the soundhole, often containing the model name (e.g., W-40, TF-50) and a numeric sequence. The Neck Block
This public link is valid for 7 days and shares a thread, including any personal information you added. This link or copies made by others cannot be deleted. If you share with third parties, their policies apply. Can’t copy the link right now. Try again later. Morris guitars hold a revered place in the
Highly organized, often utilizing leading digits to signify the exact year or decade. Step 2: Decoding the Serial Number Formats
Pre-1975 Morris guitars often used laminate woods for budget models, transitioning to solid tops on models numbered 40 or 50 and above (e.g., W-50).
Morris serial numbers alone don’t tell the model, but (e.g., S-90, W-50, F-35) you can pinpoint the year.
During the 1970s and early 1980s, Morris produced high-quality copies of dreadnought and small jumbo acoustic guitars based on Martin and Gibson designs. They also manufactured electric guitars, including Les Paul-style instruments and Telecaster-inspired models. The Moridaira factory in Matsumoto became famous for producing many of these so-called “lawsuit era” guitars, with brands such as all emerging from the same facility. Count the digits
Before diving into serial numbers, it is important to understand the company’s evolution—the context often provides as many clues as the digits themselves.
Even with a letter, the next two digits usually follow the year format. For example, 83 after a letter often confirms a 1983 build date. 3. Labels and Logos: The Non-Serial Clues
Note the letter before the model number. "W" stands for Western (Dreadnought), "F" stands for Folk (000/OM style), and "B" stands for 12-String models.