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Topic: Is Canopus Steel Guitar company still in business? |
Butch Pytko
From:
Orlando, Florida, USA
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Posted 15 Sep 2011 4:22 pm |
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I got the email address here on the forum some time ago that was supposed to be for Canopus:
canopus@din.or.jp (corrected email address)
I sent them a couple of emails, but got no response. I'm wondering if they only speak, read, type Japanese? Also, are they still in business? Anyone have any info on how to contact them? Thanks.
Last edited by Butch Pytko on 16 Sep 2011 8:40 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Toma Masaoka
From:
Yokohama, Japan
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Posted 15 Sep 2011 5:05 pm Canopus Steel Guitar
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Dear Butch
Yes, Canopus is still in business. Your mentioned
address is not correct.Use small capital as below:
canopus@din.or.jp
Please send e-mail to Mr.Kamiya, owner of ths business.
Toma Masaoka |
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 16 Sep 2011 7:27 am
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Toma, I notice that some of my favorite Hawaiian players - Alan Akaka and Bobby Ingano to name two - play Canopus. Is there actually a dealership in Hawaii?
thanks and regards,
Mike. |
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Butch Pytko
From:
Orlando, Florida, USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2011 8:15 am
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Dear Toma,
Thanks so much for your reply. Very glad to hear that it was a typo error on my part.
Will send an email to Mr. Kamiya.
Butch Pytko |
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Derrick Mau
From:
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2011 9:57 am
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| Quote: |
| Bobby Ingano to name two - play Canopus |
Bobby does not play Canopus.
His main axe is a Rickenbacker Frypan. |
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David Soreff
From:
North Las Vegas, NV
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Posted 16 Sep 2011 12:35 pm
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| Derrick is more tuned into this then I am but as far as Canopus goes, I know Alan Akaka, Greg Sardinha and Casey Olsen "endorse" Canopus...although recently, I have seen Greg playing a Chandler and Casey, Billy Hew Lenʻs old Rick frypan. Many people have a very high opinion of them....including Keoki Lake, whose opinion definitely counts for something |
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 16 Sep 2011 12:46 pm
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Sorry Derrick - I didn't mean to imply he played them exclusively, but I have "Steel Reflections" and he names a Canopus 7-string among the instruments used. Maybe it was a loaner for all I know.
Still wondering if there's a dealership, tho...or maybe they're only made to order?
cheers,
Mike. |
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Jack Aldrich
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2011 3:41 pm
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| Mike Anderson wrote: |
Sorry Derrick - I didn't mean to imply he played them exclusively, but I have "Steel Reflections" and he names a Canopus 7-string among the instruments used. Maybe it was a loaner for all I know.
Still wondering if there's a dealership, tho...or maybe they're only made to order?
cheers,
Mike. |
As far as I know, there is no Canopus dealer in Hawaii. Alan Akaka, I know gets his directly form Canopus when he's in Japan, which is often. He also speaks Japanese, which is VERY helpful in dealing with them. - Jack |
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 16 Sep 2011 3:55 pm
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| Thanks Jack! |
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Toma Masaoka
From:
Yokohama, Japan
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Posted 16 Sep 2011 9:42 pm Is Canopus Steel Guitar still in business?
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Dear Mike
I do not know if there is a dealer in Hawai, but I don't think so.
Mr.Y.Kamiya makes a steel guitar ,but only on order. |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 16 Sep 2011 9:59 pm
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| Mahalo for your kind words David. Yes, I do like the Canopus very much. I have a Fender T-8 Custom, National D-8, Rick D-8 all of them excellent guitars. However I do feel Yasu builds a superior instrument in Canopus. I have two students who have purchased the "Buckie" model...Wow, such a great sound ! |
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 17 Sep 2011 8:46 am
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Thank you Toma. Keoki, hope your gig on the 9th went well. I was really hoping to travel to Edmonton for it, but unfortunately had to travel to Calgary for a funeral instead.  |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 18 Sep 2011 8:11 am
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Hi Mike....
Sorry you were unable to attend. I would have enjoyed meeting you. The gig was held at a cosy little night
club called the BLUE CHAIR which was sold out that evening...small stage, just enough space for 3 musicians and two hula dancers, one being my wife Mary. I played my D-8 Canopus with my National tricone on my lap...almost a 3 neck configuration ! We did a lot of acoustic stuff. Gary Myers sings authentic Hawaiian and plays a great slack key Taylor guitar, having studied from Pahinui in Hawaii. Jamie Philps is a very fine guitarist, rhythm and solo. It was a neat evening !
Incidently, if anyone is looking for a small amp that sounds like a huge amp...check out the AER (made in Germany). It's truly amazing. Feather weight and comes either in 40w or 60w .. You can find it on the Net. Packs a great sound !! |
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Butch Pytko
From:
Orlando, Florida, USA
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Posted 18 Sep 2011 10:08 am
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George--just wondering if you have the newer Canopus D-8 or the older one that Yasu no longer builds. This is a picture of the one he currently builds. In my email to Yasu, I noted the Canopus D-8 that Barney Isaacs is playing on a You Tube video. Yasu said it had single coils, one pick-up per neck & 24" scale. The newer version has humbuckers, two pick-ups per neck & 22 1/2" scale. Yasu claims the tone is the same between the two guitars.
I'd like to get some performance reviews on this newer Canopus D-8. Thanks.
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 18 Sep 2011 12:39 pm
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| Thanks George, hoping to meet you too. Will keep an eye on the HSGA website to watch for future gigs, hope they'll continue to be posted there. |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 18 Sep 2011 2:53 pm
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Hi Butch and Mike....
I have the exact model which you posted Butch, and love it !!!
I feel the p/u's are "hotter", (is that a correct description?) than my 1954 Fender T-8 Custom...of course I bought the Canopus in 2009...a 55 year gap from 1954...
I'm betting others who have an old Fender and the newer Canopus will agree...helluva difference !
Yasu has added the "Buckie" model which is also great ! It is available in single and duo. As mentioned, 2 of my students have "Buckies" which I am privilaged to play most anytime. Butch, you might want to think about the "Buckie" model if you're interested. However, the model I have is absolutely excellent...no complaints whatsoever.
Mike...I'm hoping we will do a repeat of that gig in the very near future. We received many compliments from folks in the audience who were totally unaware of what Hawaiian music was all about. Also of interest, there's a big popularity boom going on in the ukulele world...Ukulele clubs sre springing up. Many of the members of one such club here in Edmonton took in our performance. It was nice to see them at a table enjoying our gig. |
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 18 Sep 2011 5:35 pm
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Good news George; I would seriously plan my trip timing to be there for the gig.  |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 18 Sep 2011 11:12 pm
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Bobby had a single neck Canopus for a while, then gave it away, to a relative I believe.
He truly is a frypan guy. I just sent him some bridge inserts for an early Rick 7-string, a fairly rare guitar, that he recently acquired.
I've never had the chance to play a Canopus. |
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 19 Sep 2011 7:52 am
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Every picture of Bobby Ingano I've seen, he's smiling like a little boy let loose in a candy store.
Can't imagine why.  |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 21 Sep 2011 10:36 pm
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Bobby is probably the only guy I know who always has a BIG smile on his face while blowing the audience away with his awesome steel playing.
JB was asked after he also wowed the audience, "Why don't you smile when you play ?" His quick response, "I'm playing music, not selling toothpaste" ... (or words similar ... but you get the drift.) |
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 22 Sep 2011 8:36 am
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Ha, I've read that one in Jerry's bio book.
Check out this awesome photo I found doing a Google search on Casey Olsen; wish it was bigger but that's the web for ya:
 |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 22 Sep 2011 2:30 pm
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Mike, that came from our 'lulu daily and was bigger, you might get a better shot by contacting them. But it's always nice to see that grouping from about a year ago for one of Alan's new steel annuals, especially including Ron Kanahele in one of his last public performances.
The Rick Jeff holds is one of Pua Almeida's pair that he used together onstage and is still seeing action weekly in Waikiki. |
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 22 Sep 2011 3:18 pm
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| Mahalo Ron, I'll give them a shout and see if they can do it. |
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 10 Oct 2011 10:07 am
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| Thought maybe readers might be interested to know that the Hawaiian name for Canopus is Ke aliʻi o kona i ka lewa: “The chief of the southern heavens”; this bright blue-white star is the second brightest in the sky. |
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Dana Blodgett
From:
California, USA
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Posted 10 Oct 2011 10:50 am is Canopus steel guitar Co. still in business?
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Wow, what an Awesome "lineup" of usual suspects!
_________________
Dana Blodgett
From Los Osos,Ca.
'74 ShoBud 6140 3+4, Martins HD28,D-12-28, D-15,'65 Gibson LG-1, '77 Gibson Les Paul special dbl cut p-90's, Les Paul Special p-100's,Les paul Special Hybrid(maple top) hbkr's,'68 Fender Strat reissue, Fender Squire Jazz bass,Epi mandolin,Epi Wilshire '66 reissue, Kamaka Concert uke, 70's Kamaka Soprano Uke, Fender Super amp, Ampeg ba112 bass amp,60's harmony banjo,'00 Gibson SG Supreme |
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