HAND MADE IN JAPAN 1974 TERRIFIC TARREGA No1 CLASSICAL GUITAR IN MINTy CONDITION

Country/Region of Manufacture: Japan

HAND MADE IN JAPAN 1974 TERRIFIC TARREGA No1 CLASSICAL GUITAR IN MINTy CONDITION

Please read my 7 days return policy at the bottom of the page.

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If you are thinking about a purchase of a used vintage guitar you need to accept the fact that such guitars may have cosmetic flaws solely associated with their age, but not related to any particular damage. For example their finishes change their look over the years and are not glossy and crystal clear like on brand new guitar. In addition, such guitars may require fret dressing, new tuners, string action adjustment or a simple repair before they can be fully enjoyed. I see guitars as musical instruments, not as furniture. When I describe guitar as being in excellent condition I don't talk only about its cosmetics but mostly about its structural & functional condition, sound and playability. If you are seeking a perfect looking, low maintenance guitar you should abandon a thought about buying used vintage one, especially from me.  

I don't offer "sound samples" because they never reflect true sound of a guitar as we hear it playing in our own room. You can greatly change tonality of any guitar by using different strings.   

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                        Tarrega Model #1 classical guitar  

This guitar was made in 1974 by Zen-On factory under supervision of famous Japanese luthier Saburo Nogami. Saburo Nogami was the first ever apprentice at Masaru Kohno workshop. Saburo Nogami's level of craftsmanship was at least equal to Kohno's. Saburo Nogami during his carrer besides making regular classical guitars was making alto, bass & contrabass guitars. He has also made many truly unique oriental instruments decorated with very original handmade carvings and ornaments. 

The price of this guitar in 1974 was 50 000 yen = 75% of yearly salary of Japanese college graduate.

These old Japanese “guitar factories” (Gakkis) were nothing but a traditional workshops employing teams of highly skilled luthiers who were making high grade instruments mostly by hand without use any sophisticated machinery. Each of these luthiers was capable of making a guitar all by him/her self. However while working as a team they were helping and supporting each other, as well as double checking the quality of produced instruments. Such Gakkis in the Western World were (are) called “custom shops”.   

This guitar remains in practically mint condition. It doesn’t have any visible scratches or dents.  

This guitar sounds very Spanish, producing sweet, clear but with a good bit of overtones, well balanced and well separated notes, with great resonance and sustain and at quite high volume.

It also plays easy. Its current action is set to 3.5 mm under E6 and 3.00 mm under E1, with plenty of room on the saddle for experiments with lower action.

Real Value of Japanese Vintage Guitars

The key to understand value of vintage Japanese guitars is to acknowledge galloping devaluation of Japanese yen in 1960s & 1970s. This devaluation was somewhat slower in 1980s. The best measure of this devaluation is Starting Yearly Salary of Japanese College Graduate (SYSJCG).

SYSJCG in in 1965 was 19 600 yen, in 1969 – 34 600 yen, in 1970 39 200 yen, in 1972 – 62 300 yen, in 1975 79 200 yen, in 1977 121 200 yen and in 1980 - 163 000 yen.

During 1960s and most of 1970s model numbers of Japanese guitars were strictly interconnected with their prices in Japanese yen. In late 1970s and during following decades model numbers were no longer strictly associated with their prices. Many Japanese guitar makers introduced model names instead of model numbers. Others were still using model numbers with addition of letter abbreviations or other symbols.  

The best and only logical approach while evaluating real value (real grade) of vintage Japanese guitar is to compare its price in Japanese yen with SYSJCG during the year guitar was made.

Any guitar priced 100 000 in 1970 (labelled usually as No10) would be priced 200 000 yen in 1975 (relabeled to No20 or 2000), 300 000 yen in 1977 (labelled as No3, No30 or 3000). Starting in 1977 Masaru Kohno introduced his model No50 priced at 500 000 (skipping theoretical model 40). Soon other famous Japanese luthiers did the same. By 1983 Kohno started using model names instead numbers and was raising their prices as he was pleased. Naturally soon other Master luthiers did the same.

Knowing all of that, you can bet on that Masaru Kohno No50 made in 1982 is practically the same quality as Kohno No15 made in 1972, or Kohno no20 made in 1975 or Kohno No30 made in 1977. I know it for a fact.

The lowest grade models currently made by Matsuoka workshop are M75 and MH75. They are commonly considered as “beginner guitars”. Matsuoka model M30 made in 1973 is simply far, far better instrument. It is naturally better than model M50 made in 1977, model 80 made in 1982 or model M100 made in 1990. At present, the highest grade Matsuoka models are M300 and MH300. They absolutely stand no chance in competition with model M150 made in 1975… or model M200 made in 1977.

It is very important to mention that if modern era luthiers are using 40 years old woods to make a classical guitar, its price is at least $8000.

The top, back and sides of this guitar have been coated with very thin layer of lacquer, which over time cured and produced tiny crystals on its very surface. On this particular guitar these crystals shine and make an impression of a surface being between matte than gloss. If checked with a fingertip, this finish feels a little rough.

No matter what you’d do you will not find on US market a brand new guitar that produces similar sound for less than $2000. Period.

Specifications:

Top: Solid Spruce

Back & Sides: Latin America Rosewood Doubleplate

Calling this construction "laminates" would actually be very incorrect and quite misleading. This genuine Japanese invention has really nothing in common with modern era cheap particle-board laminates. This construction is nothing but 2 solid wood plates glued together, hence in fact nothing but reinforced solid woods. Such plates perform no different from solid woods, while don't crack as easily, are much easier to work with, and allow for much lower prices of these instruments. Such guitars have always been and still are a true blessing for all guitar enthusiasts with limited funds.

Neck: Mahogany

Fingerboard: Ebonized Rosewood

Scale: 650 mm

String spacing at the saddle 60 mm

Nut width: 52 mm

This guitar will be shipped in new hard polyfoam case. 

Message to Australian buyers !!!!!

In order to ship a package with guitar to Australia at affordable rate +/- $100 (USPS International Priority Mail), height of such package can’t exceed 42” and its girth+ length can’t exceed 97”. Therefore I will pack the guitar into a case that is short enough to meet this requirement. 

Returns

If you are not happy with your purchase you may return the guitar for a refund of a purchase price of a guitar.  The cost of shipping both ways will not be refunded.

All you need to do is to:

1.    Notify me within 5 days after delivery   

2.    Pack guitar the same way I do it, using the same box and materials

3.    Ship it back to me within next 2 days

Another words I expect this “trail” period to occur within +/- 7 days. Naturally guitar has to be returned in the same condition as I ship it to you. This is simply honest offer for honest buyers. My goal is to make your purchase as risk free as possible. I know very well that spending $1000 of hard earned money is not emotionally easy undertaking for majority of guitar lovers. I am sure that reading my feedback can ease a bit your “purchase anxiety” but it still will be there no matter how hard I try.

Victor                                                              

P.s. If you'd like to check my other posted on E-bay guitars click on the links below:

http://youtu.be/T8bkPi4jhss

http://youtu.be/W1FaCjodgZM

http://youtu.be/_3tJW9ljjdM

http://youtu.be/ExVwfhLy1gQ

http://youtu.be/XNdeSWxb2nU

http://youtu.be/mecVgriaKJ0

http://youtu.be/O9ErnhZhDxw

http://youtu.be/ceVTybPnq7c

http://youtu.be/Zyz8eZeTSRQ

HAND MADE IN JAPAN 1974 TERRIFIC TARREGA No1 CLASSICAL GUITAR IN MINTy CONDITION

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