Morris

OVERVIEW

What to know quickly

Morris is both a vintage-search problem and a current manufacturer. Do not treat every old W-series dreadnought as equivalent to a modern Japanese Hand Made Premium fingerstyle model—or vice versa.

IDENTIFY YOUR GUITAR

Which Morris do you have?

Start with the exact model code and label. Morris has produced large numbers of historical model families, and the company’s discontinued-product archive is unusually helpful for checking old specifications.

1. W-series: common vintage dreadnought-era search anchor; exact number and label matter.
2. S-series: launched in 2001 around fingerstyle requirements, with wider nut and specialized body/bracing ideas.
3. Hand Made Premium: current Japan-built higher tier, with M, F, S, SE and signature families.
4. Performers Edition: current cost-conscious range that still receives inspection/adjustment at the Matsumoto factory.

USED VALUE GUIDE

Start with the exact model

Vintage Morris prices can vary dramatically with model, era, originality and local knowledge. The brand’s large historical output makes exact model research more useful than broad “Japanese vintage acoustic” assumptions.

1. Photograph the full internal label and serial/model markings.
2. Inspect bridge, top, neck angle and previous resets or repairs.
3. Do not assume a vintage Japanese acoustic is all-solid from appearance alone.
4. For current S-series, verify exact generation and electronics because suffixes/specs evolve.

CURRENT USED MARKET

See what the market is doing now

“Morris guitar” can be noisy because Morris is also a common surname. Add Japan, Matsumoto or the exact model such as W-40, S-101 III or M-80.

COMPARE

What else lives in this neighborhood?

Vintage Morris often sits in the same research neighborhood as Yamaha, Tokai, Greco, Aria and other Japanese acoustics depending on era. Current Hand Made Premium instruments deserve comparison with serious Japanese and boutique acoustic lines rather than generic import pricing.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Before you buy—or price—one

1. Morris is a current manufacturer, not just a defunct vintage label.
2. Model numbers can repeat or evolve across decades; use period-specific documentation.
3. Do not infer solid-wood construction without checking the exact specification.
4. Older U.S. market familiarity may be lower than Japanese domestic familiarity.

HISTORY & COMMENTARY

From Yoshino Guitar to a Matsumoto acoustic specialist

Morris’s company chronology says acoustic-guitar manufacturing began in Matsumoto in March 1967 under Yoshino Guitar. The company adopted the Morris Guitar name and began mass production in 1972, then expanded its Matsumoto factory. The S Series launched in 2001 after Morris studied fingerstyle requirements and developed both Luthier Made and Hand Made production concepts. The company remains active with current Japan-built premium and performer-oriented lines.

WHAT PLAYERS LIKE

Why this brand earns a closer look

Morris is a particularly good “across the pond—and across the Pacific” addition because a guitar that looks obscure in a U.S. estate can belong to a deep, well-documented Japanese production history. The brand’s current focus on fingerstyle also means it never stopped evolving.

REFERENCE

Useful places to keep digging

Research checked October 17, 2026. Product lines, prices and distributor relationships can change; confirm the exact model before valuing an individual instrument.