Please read my 3 days return policy at the bottom of the page.

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  F. Himenes modelle 400 in excellent condition.

This guitar was made in early 1970's. It is great copy of guitars made by famous Argentinian luthier Jose Yacopi. It is signed by Tsunesavuro Kurosawa, a great Japanese luthier (uncle and teacher of famous Sumio Kurosawa), who became even greater businessman. Tsunesavuro started to create his own chain of music stores in 1967, which today is one of the largest in Japan (a Japanese Guitar Center).  This chain of stores was mainly supplied with guitars made at Tsunesavuro’s Hitachi Guitar Factory. This guitar could have been made before 1967, but that is hard to verify. It is also possible that Tsunesaburo was making some guitars “just for fun” after 1967.

This guitar was priced 40 000 yen in 1972 = 65% of Yearly Salary of Japanese College Graduate

It is quite powerful instrument, producing sweet, clear and well separated notes, with great resonance and sustain. It is also quite light and responsive to a touch. It survived in excellent cosmetic condition showing only few tiny marks on its top and 2 small dents on the back of the headstock.

Specifications:

Top: Solid High Grade Spruce/ lacquer

Back and Sides: Indian Rosewood Doubleplate/lacquer (also painted with lacquer inside)

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: 51 mm

Action is set to 3.5 mm under E6 and 3.0 mm under E1, with enough room on the

saddle to go 0.5 mm lower.

This guitar will be shipped in used 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. 

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.

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.

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:

1.    Notify me within 48 hours days after delivery

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

3.    Ship it back to me no later than 72 hours after delivery.

Another words I expect this “trail” period to occur within +/- 3 days. Naturally if you expect to receive a full refund, guitar has to be returned in the same condition as I ship it to you. 

Victor