HAND MADE IN JAPAN AT ZEN-ON FACTORY SUPER SOUNDING ALBENIZ C30 CLASSICAL GUITAR

Country/Region of Manufacture: Japan

HAND MADE IN JAPAN AT ZEN-ON FACTORY SUPER SOUNDING ALBENIZ C30 CLASSICAL GUITAR

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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ALBENIZ C30 Classical Guitar

This guitar was made in mid 1970s at Zen-On factory. This factory run my Master Luthier Toshihiko Tokugawa over many years of its existance was making many guitar models within at least few different series. "Abe guitars" line was a indorsed by famous Jaopanese player Yasuto Abe. Another series "Koga guitars" was indorsed by another famous Japanese player Masao Koga.

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”.   

Yet another guitar series made at Zen-On factory was ZG guitars which included 5 models, from ZG100 to ZG500. Production of these guitars was supervised by legendary Japanese luthier Saburo Nogami. Saburo Nogami was also supervising production of Tarrega and Albeniz guitars. Top Albeniz model was C500. 

Saburo Nogami was first ever apprentice hired by Masaru Kohno. Saburo Nogami as individual luthier was not only making regular size classical guitars, but also alto, requinto, bass, contrabass guitars, 7,8,9,10,11 string guitars, lutes and many other stringed instruments. All these instruments are rather hard to find and iffound in excellent condition are very highly priced. 

Saburo Nogami was also a very good friend with Kazuo Yairi and frequently worked as Master Luthier at Yairi's factory in Gifu, Japan. Several Yairi models have Saburo Nogami stamp on their labels.

This guitar produces clear and ringing treble notes, very rich and resonating basses, all well balance with great sustain and at great volume. It can easily compete with $3000 guitars currently sold on the US market. It sounds great and plays easy.

This guitar remains in overall excellent condition for its age. It does have many small dents and rather tiny marks on its top. Depending on what angle you are looking at them they are more or less conspicuous. There is also a minimal wear on fingerboard, but it doesn't affect playbility of this guitar.

Every sane guitar player will admit that this guitar purchased at its current price is a nothing but a SUPER BARGAIN!!! 

Specifications:

Top: High Grade Solid Cedar

Back & Sides: 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

Nut width: 52 mm

The action is set to 3.5 mm under E6 and 3.00 mm under E1.

To all destinations (except Australia), this guitar will be shipped in used chip board case of minimal value. You don’t pay for the case. You only pay for the guitar. Please consider this case as a free bonus and don’t expect too much. I will not accept any complaints regarding the condition of the case. 

In order to ship a package with guitar to Australia at affordable rate +/- $150.00 (USPS International Priority Mail), length of such package can’t exceed 42” and its girth (2 x times width + 2 x height) + length can’t exceed total of 97”. If you want original or non-original hard shell case, the size of the package will qualify it only for USPS/Fedex Global Express Guaranteed  at $400.00 price.

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.

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 AT ZEN-ON FACTORY SUPER SOUNDING ALBENIZ C30 CLASSICAL GUITAR

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