Up for sale, a 2016 Masaki Sakurai PC classical guitar in near-mint condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original case and hangtags. Sakurai is the nephew and student of venerable Japanese master luthier Masaru Kohno, who studied with Arcángel Fernández in Spain and is widely considered the finest Japanese luthier of all time. His nephew Sakurai has received his own fair share of accolades; early in his career, in 1988, he won first prize at the prestigious International Guitar-Making Competition in Paris, France. Today, Sakurai is one of Japan’s premiere luthiers, still operating out of his uncle’s workshop, and this guitar demonstrates the masterful craftsmanship and attention to detail that has earned him his own legions of admirers independent of his uncle.

This particular Sakurai, built at the Kohno Workshop, is his PC (Paris Competition) model, which is the same design as his prize-winning 1988 guitar, featuring a spruce top, CSA rosewood back and sides, a mahogany neck reinforced by two strips of ebony, and an ebony fingerboard. Tonally, this guitar captures the exceptional balance, articulation and projection that have made Kohno and Sakurai’s guitars so internationally beloved. The guitar offers both warmth and detail, with a broad midrange, deep-yet-immediate bass and cutting trebles. It’s a full and robust sound, with more than enough power for any concert situation including ensemble playing. This Sakurai weighs 3lbs 8oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with normal tension D’Addario strings and comfortable action.

The mahogany neck is reinforced with two strips of ebony for optimal stability, and the substantial D-shaped profile carve has full shoulders and faintly rolled fretboard edges, measuring .890” deep at the 1st fret and .980” at the 9th. The ebony fingerboard has flawless slender fretwire, and this guitar plays cleanly in all registers with a straight neck. Action at the 12th fret measuring 10/64” on the bass side and 7/64” on the treble side. In line with the specifications of his 1988 guitar, the scale length is 650mm, the lower bout body width is 14 5/8“, and the body depth is a hair over 3 7/8“. String spacing at the bridge is 57mm, and the nut measures 52mm in width. The headstock has a rosewood veneer and inlaid star, with stock tuning machines that have particularly ornate pearloid buttons.

On the body, the rosewood bridge sits flush with the spruce top on all edges, and the saddle has ample height for future adjustment. The body is framed by multi-ply maple binding, and the soundhole has an ornate rosette. The label is visible through the soundhole, dating this guitar to 2016 and bearing Sakurai’s signature. This is an exceptionally well-kept and crack-free example, with barely a mark on the gloss lacquer finish. The smooth gloss finish on the neck profile is similarly flawless.

The original padded zippered hardshell case is included, along with the paperwork and tags.