Several hundred guitars I have sold in the past are presented at Facebook.com/Victors.Guitar.Library.
Tetsuo Kurosawa “Especial” 2007 Classical Concert Guitar
This wonderful instrument was
handcrafted by Tetsuo Kurosawa, a son or famous Sumio Kurosawa.
Sumio Kurosawa studied guitar making under his uncle,
Tsunesaburo Kurosawa from 1958 and moved to Spain in 1963. There he studied
with Victoriano Aguado for a couple years and returned to Japan. He
established his own workshop in the early 1970s and a decade later he became
one of most regarded luthiers in Japan. By early 1990s he was already a
permanent member of Japanese Luthier’s Elite and could price his guitars at the
same level as other most prominent Japanese classical guitar makers of that
era: Masaru Kohno, Sakazo Nakade & Toshihiko Nakade, and Yamaha’s Custom Shop. Sumio doesn't make guitars anymore.
Tetsuo Kurosawa was born in 1976 in Ibaraki Prefecture. His
father was a highly reputable guitar maker, and from an early age he breathed
the atmosphere of the workshop and dreamed of becoming a guitar maker himself. He
started playing piano at the age of 7 and the guitar at the age of 13, meeting
and receiving advice from many guitarists. After graduating from the arts and
crafts department of craft high school, he studied under his father, Sumio, and
while learning firsthand the basics and the instruments of master craftsmen, he
was especially impressed by the tonality of guitars made by Antonio de Torres and
Santos Hernandes. In 1997 he moved to Spain and entered the workshop of Mariano
Tezanos & Teodoro Perez in Madrid, where he learned a lot just by observing
the work of these master craftsmen. The following year he moved to Granada,
where he studied the art of finishing (French Polishing) guitars at Antonio
Marin’s workshop. He puts all this experience into his current work, making
fantastic instruments played by many artists. He is on the straight path to
become an Elite luthier, just like his father was. Being 48 years old Tetsuo is
still very young among Japanese luthiers most of whom retire no earlier than at
the age of 80.
Tetsuo’s model Especial, currently
made with Madagascar Rosewood b/s would cost you minimum $8000. His model Granvia
also made with Madagascar rosewood b/s would cost you $9500 and his model
Dinastia made with Latin America Rosewood would cost you around $11000. His
lowest model Concierto made with Indian Rosewood b/s would cost you “only” $6000.
All these models are made with either Spruce or Cedar tops. The same class
guitars made by Spanish luthiers would cost you twice that much.
Back in 2000s model Especial
was still being made with one of Latin America Rosewoods b/s and this unit no.41
from 2007 was made with Honduran Rosewood b/s and Cedar top. In terms of volume
and tonality it represnts the same class as Yamaha GC82C (currently priced $10000USD) and can easily outcompete many Spanish made guitars sold in USA for
$15000. I am sure that players with deeper experience with “high end” guitars, will
agree with my statement, after just a few minutes of playing this guitar.
This
guitar absolutely deserves to be called a “Grand Concert Guitar”. It offers immense
volume and superb response combined with warm, sweet, and mellow lyrical
tonality, great level of transparency and high level of note clarity and
separation, all greatly enhanced by great deal of overtones and great sustain. It
is quite likely that some very tone sensitive players may develop serious addiction
towards this fine instrument.
Even
though it comes with some imperfections the overall condition of this guitar can
still be described as “excellent for its age”.
While
its French Polished top bears multiple very light scratches and tiny dents all
over it (with the small dent at the edge of the rosette being the largest one),
the most “eye soring” is a damage located in the area normally covered by
player’s underarm. It seems that there were some cracks and deeper dents in
that area, later repaired an amateur way (some glue applied, than sanded a
little, and coated with darker than original shellac). Because this area sits
on the kerf wood strip glued underneath, it is hard to know if these were the
cracks all the way through the wood. I strongly believe that all this damage
was caused by improper installation or improper use of an armrest. And another
armrest may be a great “out of sight - out of mind” solution for the new owner
of this guitar.
Despite all these imperfections, this guitar doesn’t seem to have been played a lot. All other surfaces are very clean, its straight neck, fingerboard and leveled frets all remain in excellent+ condition. Original tuners look and work like new.
Specification:
Top:
Fine Solid Cedar/shellac (French Polish)
Back&
Sides: Solid Honduran Rosewood/shellac (French Polish)
Neck: Honduran Cedar
Fingerboard:
Ebony
Nut
width: 52mm
Scale:
650 mm
Tuning
machines: Alessi Hauser style (sold for at least $1200 brand new).
Strings:
Magma Nylon Crystal medium tension
The
action is set to 4.00 mm under E6 and 3.50 mm under E1, with very little extra
room on the saddle.
This original
saddle was lowered by the previous owner to the bare minimum setting the action
at about 3.70mm E6 and 3.20mm. I decided to put a paper shim underneath it. You
will set it your way.
This guitar will be shipped in an original used Gewa Prestige hard-shell
case in still very good condition (sold for at least $350 brand new).
P.s. If you'd like to check my "modest" playing skills click on the links below: