I started this thread with the following post. I still don't know very much about them but you are right about these guitars being well worth the money. I know there are Martin devotees who will not agree but my 12 outplays anything I've tried with the M-word on it.

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May 25, 2002

Well, I've been a bad boy. I made an early trip to the dump this morning and stopped at a yard sale. In the garage I found a T. Haruo 12 String guitar for $70. The neck seems nice and straight, the action seems good and when I played it hard (as hard as I ever play) I heard no buzzing of strings. I saw no cracks in the body.

The label inside has the maker's name, T. Haruo, and a serial number and the model number, T-20-12. there are 20 frets and between the 19th and the 20th is a mother of pearl inlay with T. HARUO engraved on it.

So I bought it.

Now I'd like to know something about the guitar. My internet search located two old bulleting board messages one of which indicated the T. Haruo used to work for Yamaha but left to build guitars on his own. The guitars mentioned in the messages were both purchased in the 70's.

The family I bought the guitar from is apparently a Navy family. I believe they might have purchased the guitar while in Japan.

So, what do we know about this?