Tx and I have a brief discussion about these and older Japanese guitars in general.
Most of the parts were reputably made in RI and shipped to Japan for assembly. The flat headstock versions are the oldest with an oval label, These are considered the "best" relatively speaking.
Back in 1977/78 I had more talent than money. The opposite holds true today. I really wanted the Guild F-30 in the store but couldn't swing it. Money being no object I would have had the F-30 but the A-2 was a close second and I put it on a 4 week "lay a way to play" program.
The little Madeira A-2 in my sig came home with me about two days later!! Couldn't get it out of my mind.
I'll never sell my A-2, and a lot of folks who've have played it tend to look up and give me that knowing smile after a few seconds. Going on over 40 years now.
Madeira kind of went the way of AMC cars. I'd consider my A-2 the AMX or Javelin of the bunch while the latter versions were the Gremlins and Pacers. Later weird headstock shaped and square label versions fell off sharply. They even had the audacity to put an ugly chesterfield logo on some of them.
Mine looks exactly like this one. Adjustable saddle and all.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-1...433874?hash=item2a90f26fd2:g:Qu4AAOSw-9xZ3I55
I guess I was lucky enough to get the only good one they made.
Speaking of Sigmas, there is a Sigma 12 string at TGC in Syracuse that is a pretty fine sounding guitar in spite of what look and feel like original strings.