"1977 It was apparently one of the last batch to enter our shores from Japan"


Are you sure? I was told by someone in the trade they were still being imported in small quantities well into the 80's. Demand for the Ace back then was so low that less than 200 were imported in the final year apparently. I believe the founder of Sharp fell of the twig around this time and that led to the company demise.
Sharp Ace stocks were made from a species of mahogany, possibly meranti, and stained.