Description: Up for sale, a 1975 Masaru Kohno No.15 vintage classical guitar, complete with the original hardshell case. One of the most prominent and influential figures in Japanese guitar manufacturing, Masaru Kohno began his tutelage in Madrid in 1959 at the workshop of revered Flamenco and classical luthier Arcangel Fernandez. After returning to Japan to refine his craft, Kohno received first prize at the Liege Concours National de Guitares a few short years later in 1967. The chairman of the adjudicators at that competition was the “Stradivarius of the classical guitar” Ignacio Fleta, who remarked that Kohno’s guitar was “very much like his own.” The No. 15 features a ladder-braced bearclaw spruce top with Indian rosewood back and sides and an ebony reinforced Spanish cedar neck capped by an ebony fingerboard. The body measures 14 1/2" wide across the lower bout, and body depth is fractionally shy of 4" at both the upper and lower bouts. Tonally, this guitar is warm and sweet, with a dark, airy bass presence and pristine singing trebles. There’s a rich expressiveness to the tone akin to “Spanish sound” guitars produced by legendary luthiers like Fleta and Torres. This Kohno weighs 3lbs 12oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar bar with normal tension D'addario EJ45 strings and easy-playing action. Neck Specs: -Wood: Spanish cedar, ebony reinforcement -Shape: Substantial D, full shoulders, measuring .930” 1st fret, 1.020” 9th fret -Fretboard: Ebony -Frets: Slender, virtually no wear -Scale Length: 660mm -Nut: 53mm, bone -Headstock: Fleta-style shape, rosewood veneer -Tuners: Gold-plated strips, pearloid buttons -Action: 10/64” on bass side at 12th fret, 8/64” on treble side Body Specs: -Wood: Spruce, Indian rosewood -Bracing: Ladder -Bridge: Indian rosewood, bone saddle -String spacing: 57mm at bridge -Marquetry: Tri-tone purfling, rosewood binding, ornate rosette -Serialization: Dated label, serial stamp on neck block The ambered gloss finish highlights bearclaw figuring in the bookmatched spruce top, and this is a crack-free example, with cosmetic marks including playwear on both sides of the soundhole, some additional small nicks on top, and one scratch on the edge of the top behind the bridge. Wear on the back and sides is more restrained, with only a few additional minor marks and finish scratches. The neck profile retains its smooth gloss, with a few shallow nicks along the profile length that have no impact on playability. The original hardshell case is included.
Price: 3299.99 USD
Location: Seattle, Washington
End Time: 2024-09-19T08:44:18.000Z
Shipping Cost: 150 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Brand: Masaru Kohno
Country/Region of Manufacture: Japan
Model: No. 15
Model Year: 1975
Type: Classical Guitar
