Years ago, I was searching for information about Mansfield guitars.
Below is the mail exchange I finally had with the distributor and a contact from Hoshino Gakki in 2004 (The names are hidden, but this is the exact mail exchange). I then posted this information and it went a long way amongst the Mansfield guitar fans.

I hope you will find it interesting, and also that you all realize that there is no way to date or value exactly every Mansfield guitars, unless you have an identical model number that Ibanez also produced in the mid 70.

Based on this mail exchange, Mansfield were made by Hoshino from approximately 1974 until approximately 1979. Then Peate had their Mansfield guitars build by other guitar manufacturers.

I recently acquired a vintage Mansfield that has the same unusual tuning pegs as a vintage Sigma DM3 (also difficult to precisely date). So I think my Mansfield may have been produced by another manufacturer who was also making Sigma guitars for Martin.
Still, I am wondering if my Mansfield is a clone of a Yamaha Fxxx, because the model number is similar. Unfortunately, I was not able to find any pictures of a Yamaha Fxxx with the same unusual tuning machines.

This guitar is fabulous considering it is a laminated top! Strangely, it looks like it has solid sides because the wood grain is identical inside and outside (I really doubt that they used to bookmatch the laminated sides...). So it may be a manufacturing mistake recycled into an OEM serie.

Hope you enjoy this information and the mails exchanges below!

Regards,

BigBadBear

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxxxx xxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, December 5, 2004 10:57 PM
To: xxxxxxx
Cc: xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Mansfield Guitars

Dear Mr. xxxxxxx,

Thank you for your inquiry.

The only thing we can confirm is Hoshino used to make and sell Mansfield
guitars in 70's as OEM production. Unfortunately we don't have any
record of what kind of guitars we used to make under its name with us
such as pictures, spec charts and photos, so I really can't tell any
further.

But if that guitar was made by us Hoshino, then that guitar should be
exactly same as we made and sold as Ibanez brand name in that era.

Thank you and best regards,

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx
Hoshino Gakki Co., Ltd.



xxxxxxx wrote:

> Dear M. xxxxxxx,
>
> I have a Mansifled guitar model x-xxx (made in Japan, 6 strings
> Dreadnought acoustic). I have owned it for 22 years and I have been
> told that it was acquired before 1975 by the seller. I recently
> purchased another Mansfield guitar model xxx-x (made in Japan, 6 strings
> Gibson hummingbird copy with Gibson headstock replica) but I can't say
> when this one was originally purchased. Both are great guitars and I
> love them.
>
> I contacted the Mansfield guitar distributor looking for the history of
> Mansfield guitars, and I was told that Mansfield guitars were once
> manufactured by your company (around 30 years ago).
>
> Is there a way to confirm that these models were builded by your
> company?   I have also read that at that time, the Hoshino would build
> Ibanez guitars and also brand them as other brands, but they were all
> the exact same guitars. Is this true? I would be really interested in
> knowing whether my Mandfields are "Hoshino/Ibanez made". If they are,
> then I would be a priviledged and proud owner of 2 rare pieces of
> Hoshino Gakki guitar making history.
>
> Thank you for reading and best regards,
>
> xxxxxx xxxxxx
> Laval, Quebec
> Canada
>
>    ----- Original Message -----
>    From: xxxxxxxx
>    To: xxxxxxxx
>    Cc: xxxxxxxx, xxxxxxxx
>    Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 2:10 PM
>    Subject: Mansfield Guitars
>
>    Dear xxxxxx,
>
>      
>
>    The interesting story behind Mansfield is that years ago, before
>    Ibanez became such a strong guitar line, the manufacturer of Ibanez
>    in Japan used to make OEM guitars for musical distributors
>    throughout the world.
>
>      
>
>    They were approached by Peate Musical Instrument Distributors about
>    30 years ago to make guitars for them. At that time the Peate
>    warehouse was located in Montreal on Mansfield street. Now you know
>    how the guitars came to be called Mansfield. Subsequently, Peate
>    Music went to other guitar manufacturers for their "Mansfield"
>    guitars up until about 10 years ago and the association with Ibanez
>    manufacturing was discontinued about 25 years ago, so whether your
>    guitar was made by the Ibanez factory in Japan or elsewhere is still
>    an open question.
>
>      
>
>    Best regards,
>
>      
>
>    xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx
>
>      
>
>    ----- Original Message -----
>    From: xxxxxxxx
>    To: xxxxxxxx
>    Cc: xxxxxxxx
>    Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2004 7:46 PM
>    Subject: Quest for mansfiend guitar
>
>    Hi,
>      
>    I saw on the internet that you are a distributor for mansfield
>    guitars.
>      
>    I have an old mansfield guitar and I have been trying to get
>    information about those guitars without success. I own an old
>    x-xxx, probably builded in the mid 70, and I am interested in the
>    history of this guitar and the mansfield guitar company. I have
>    played this guitar for more than 20 years and have never seen
>    another mansfield guitar.
>      
>    Is it possible to get in tough with the manufacturer and contact
>    them to have this kind of information?
>      
>    Thank you and best regards,
>      
>    xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx
>    Laval, Qc.