MADE IN 1998 GREAT ASTURIAS STANDARD C CLASSICAL GUITAR IN EXCELLENT CONDITION

Brand: Asturias
;Country/Region of Manufacture: Japan

MADE IN 1998 GREAT ASTURIAS STANDARD C CLASSICAL GUITAR IN EXCELLENT 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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Asturias Standard C in excellent condition

 This guitar (s# 26448) was made in 1998, which is a great advantage if you are interested in Asturias guitars. The older they are the higher is their quality.

Asturias guitars are highly regarded in Europe, Australia and Asia. They are sold there at high prices and usually need to be pre-odered. If they were available in USA they would be priced at the same high level. Currently in EU countries model Standard is priced on average 2500 Euro (2800USD). It is not the same quality guitar as guitars made in earlier decades. In addition, specification of this model has recently changed. Back and sides are made from high grade laminates instead of solid woods.  

Its price was 170 000 yen in 1998, and its retail price in US at least $3000. 

Currently Asturias classical & flamenco guitar lineup begins with model Comfort (630 mm scale) priced 180 000 yen and Prelude priced 214 000 yen. Both models back & sides made from high grade laminates. Until 2014 model Prelude was made with solid b/s.

The least expensive Asturias guitar currently available on US market is model Comfort sold by Guitar Salon International for $3500. 

Very close inspection confirmed that this guitar has been played before. Despite being used this guitar cosmetically survived in excellent condition. There is only one very light scratch on the top (below string E1, located half way between the bridge and sound hole) which is rather hard to see unless guitar is held at the proper angle. In addition there are several microscopic size marks in the same area and behind the bridge. All of them are hardly visible from a distance greater than 6” and there is practically no way to show them on the pictures.

One the main reasons for lack of deeper scratches and marks, is much better quality lacquer used for the finish. This one is thin, but harder and more resistant to scratches, dents and chips than lacquer used on the newer models made after year 2000. This guitar also sounds noticeably better.

Specifications:

Solid Cedar Top,

Back & Sides Solid Indian Rosewood,

Fretboard Rosewood,

Neck Mahogany,

Finish Natural High Polish,

Tuners gold plated,

Scale 650 mm,

Nut width 52 mm,

incl. Case

It will be shipped in new hard polyfoam 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.

If this guitar can be sold in Europe (where Spanish made guitars are available at every store) for more than $3000, there must be a reason for it. This reason is exceptional volume and sound quality for the price.

 Asturias has a great reputation for tone and built quality. They are made at small workshop that employs about 15 craftsmen, in Kurume, Japan. Asturias began making guitars in 1962, and their production of classical guitars has always been in limited numbers. However the labels with the name Asturias appeared for the first time in 1980. Initially these labels had no serial numbers on them. Serial numbers were introduced in 1981 and only since that time we can easily date these guitars.

Prior to 1980 this Kurume workshop belonged to Masaru Matano and his “Meiko Gakki” co. One of his known associates was Hiromi Yamaguchi, who since early 1970’ was the maker of “Cervantes” guitars. After Hiromi Yamaguchi joined Asturias team for good, “Cervantes“ guitars were still being made  along other Asturias labeled guitars at least until 1982. At some point in time, Hiromi Yamaguchi left Asturias and started making guitars under his own name.

Another Matano’s associate was highly regarded luthier Eichi Kodaira, who within the Asturias team was responsible for making all AST models. At some point in time, Eichi and a group of his closest associates moved to another workshop located in Suwa (Nagano Prefecture) and started making Asturias Kodaira guitars, identical with AST models earlier made at Kurume workshop.

Both workshops were working for the same trading company Rokkoman Inc. (first of all a serious Japanese lumber importer).

Sometime in 1981 Masaru Matano had left the team, which stayed at his Kurume shop. Details of Matano’s departure are unknown and most likely will remain a mystery forever. After Matano left, another (earlier rather unknown) luthier, Wataru Tsuji took over Asturias team and is holding on to this post until today.

Also around 1980, Rokkoman Inc. took over another prestigious Japanese workshop, “Ecole” Guitars and incorporated its crew into Eichi Kodaira’s workshop. “Ecole” guitars were always considered by Japanese players as luxurious and very high grade guitars. They truly are fantastic guitars.

All these guitars made by Asturias luthiers are very high grade, well regarded by a lot of international players who consider them as the best mid-price range classical guitars. 

No matter which guitar made by these incredible luthiers you might choose (with Masaru Matano, Eichi Kodaira, Asturias, Asturias Kodaira, Cervantes or Ecole labels), it will beat any Spanish made guitar that is priced twice that much.

Some other important info:

Classicalguitardelcamp.com

Asturias Distributers regard Asturias Guitars

"The Asturias Workshop is located on the island of Kyushu in the southern part of Japan. Seventeen people are employed there, most of whom have worked at Asturias all their lives or have a family connection. 

Throughout the guitar making process, the parts of the guitar are carefully selected and thicknessed to ensure optimum balance and then glued by hand. 

Great care is taken in choosing and storing materials. For example, tonewoods for the top are naturally dried for 3 to 4 years, then kiln dried before making up and fitting of rosette. The partially completed top is then stored for a further year. Similar methods are used for necks and other parts. From this stage each instrument is individually built and takes between 2 and 4 months to complete. 

Each Asturias guitar receives seven coats of varnish; each coat is carefully rubbed down to ensure an even thickness and purity of sound."

Asturias has a much bigger following in Japan, and a number of models on these sites might not be available in your country. 

Asturias and Kodaira Guitars

Kodaira is a secondary or discount model that is manufactured by Asturias in Kobe, Japan. 

Kodaira guitars are of the same quality as regular Asturias guitars, but they do not have the frills, adornments, and higher grade woods of Asturias guitars. 

The Kodaira model number system is similar to the model numbers used by Asturias in the 1980s. The label does say Kodaira or Kodaira by Asturias. The current Kodaira line up starts with the AST 60 and ends with the AST 100. 

During the 1970s & 1980s Kodaira models included the AST 40, 50, 60, 70, & 80. During that time Kodaira model numbers were tied to the Yen with the AST40 costing 40K Yen, AST50 costing 50K Yen, etc. 
Asturias and Kodaira are great student workhorse guitars. These guitars were sold in a variety of scales: 650, 640, 630, 590, 550 and 530. There was also a 700mm bass model.

Asturias & Kodaira has separated for many years ago (more than 10 years, maybe more than 20). 
Both are under marketed under the same umbrella, maybe owned by that corporation too, also
the rumor (may not be true) is that Kohno Manufacturing might own that corporation. We just
don't know the web of Japanese business system.

Anyway, in the last 10 years (or more) Kodaira isn't the same as Asturias anymore (except that
outside JP, they might still use Asturias AST brand.) 

The build & quality of both brands in the last 10 years for the same price in JP Yen have 
dropped in order to maintain the price point. However they both are still very reliable and
very durable. I always recommend them for my students and friends who are on budget.

A few years ago Asturias introduced several newer models called "Traditional Works" in the style of Romanillos and Torres. Very beautiful in appearance.

The English guitarist John Mills owned and performed a spruce top Asturias model AST 3456 built by Masaru Matano (similar to JM15) for his Asian tour in late 70s. He later switched to his Masaru Kohno 20 circa 1978 (which was later sold to another friend). For his world tour, John Mills was then playing his David Rubio.

Asturias collaboration with John Mills apparently broke off in the late 80's, and that for marketing purposes, the John Mills models were replaced with 'Renaissance' for JM 20 and Custom for JM15. The difference of the two is only purflings: the Renaissance has tie-block purflings, and the Custom has 3 layer plain purflings. Tonally the two models are as good. In fact I think Asturias belonged to John Mills was the best despite its lower model compared to my Asturias JM20 which I bought from Eli Kassner (Toronto Guitar Society) in 1984.

Asturias, under chief luthier Wataru Tsuji, then made another high-end model with Brazilian rosewood called Grand Suprema which was sold at about US$5,000 in 1987. The Grand Suprema has more clarity whereas my JM20 has a sweeter tone with excellent response, except the bass (6th) was poor. 

Why Asturias Guitars are not well known in the USA

During the 1980s, the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA),conducted a series of double blind research tests on a variety of classical guitars and rated Asturias guitars at the upper end for sound quality and playability. 

As a result of the GFA’s high rating and through word of mouth by other satisfied musicians, Asturias guitars started to gain a following in the US. But the popularity was short lived, because the guitars were extremely difficult to get in America . While Asturias guitars have a strong following in in Japan, & in other parts of Asia and Europe, many Amercan guitarists haven’t heard of Asturias classical guitars. 

The problem was that Asturias’s long time US distributer, JTG of Nashville, did little to no advertising nor did they provide much information about the available models. Only one or two catalogs were produced in English during the last 30 years and that was just for Asturias classical models (Asturias also produces a number of high end steel string guitars). 

Up until recently, it was very hard to get any sales info regarding Asturias guitars in the US. No distribution system was in place and you had to make purchasing arrangements directly from the distributer. Plus, a number of the models produced by Asturias had six month + waiting lists for US buyers. 

About 8 years ago, I tried to purchase an Asturias A7CP Sp/solid rosewood classical cutaway from JTG Associates and after several phone calls, I was told that the model could only be purchased on special order with prices ranging from $1800 to $3000. 

JTG Associates had very little information regarding Asturias models and they did not seem interested in obtaining any further information. Plus the information that they had was incorrect: the A7CP was not a special order model. Frustrated with their apathy, I ended up purchasing the guitar directly from Japan for $1400 and got the guitar in less than 2 weeks. 

Luckily JTG is no longer the US distributer. The new distributer, GSI of Santa Monica, CA seems to be much more responsive to buyers needs and freer with information regarding Asturias models. The major European distributer, Casa Bennelly, is also a great source of information.                                           

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

MADE IN 1998 GREAT ASTURIAS STANDARD C CLASSICAL GUITAR IN EXCELLENT CONDITION

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