MADE IN 1966 BY TADANAO KITAORI - WORLD CLASS CLASSICAL GRAND CONCERT GUITAR

Description: Tadanao Kitaori classical guitar This terrific guitar was made by Tadanao Kitaori in 1966. The label says "Heine" Kitaori, with Kitaori being his family name. It is remembered in Japan that Tadanao was running a small manufacture located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan and his main products were acoustic guitars and arched top guitars. Classical guitars were usually sold under the name “Tadanao Kitaori” and most of them were made in the 1960s. Because “Heine” can be translated to “embryo sound” or “core sound” it was possibly used as a nickname, while his original name was Tadanao. According to its previous owner this guitar was purchased by his father in 1966. The original nickel-plated tuners (last picture) were used in Japan only in mid 1960s. Because these tuners are very hard to turn, they were replaced by modern era Gotoh tuners. The headstock on this guitar is Kodama’s own design and the red stamp on the label bears his name. I don’t know why the label is installed at an angle (not in perfect horizontal position) but it certainly is an original one. The fret position dots visible on the side of the fingerboard seem to be original as well. The overall impression that you will have with this guitar in your hands is that it is “practically unused” instrument. Its body shines (like new) and it’s free from any scratches or dents. Its straight neck, fingerboard and frets don’t show signs of use. The only imperfections I have found are light attrition on back of the headstock, light attritions on the binding finish near “butt area” and cracks in the finish running over the sections of the back plate binding. These cracks are not associated with any cracks in the wood below nor any separation between the parts. They are running right over the binding and are hard to spot in regular light. They don’t require any repairs unless you chose to do so for “personal” reasons. When you inspect it, you will realize that this guitar is built “to last forever”. Its side and back plates are relatively thick and very well preserved by the finish, while its top is stabilized by fan of 11 braces. Its body feels heavier than average and certainly feels sturdier than average. This guitar certainly deserves the title of Grand Concert instrument. This truly magnificent guitar offers immense volume and super response combined with moderately bright romantic tonality, with deep cello-like basses, strong piano-like round trebles, with high level of note clarity and separation and very extended sustain. SPECIFICATIONS:Top: High Grade Solid Spruce/original symmetrical bracing system based on 11 braces fan/cashew lacquerBack & sides: Solid Brazilian Rosewood/urethaneNeck: Honduras MahoganyFingerboard: EbonyString Length: 650mmNut width: 52 mmStrings: Savarez Cristal Normal TensionThe guitar’s action is set to 3.50mm under E6 and 3.00 with still some extra room on the saddle. The guitar will be shipped in brand new Yamaha soft shell case. WHEN YOU BUY ANY GUITAR, YOU MUST ANTICIPATE TAKING IT TO YOUR LOCAL GUITAR SHOP FOR FINAL ADJUSTMENTS CALLED “SETUP”. DEPENIDNG ON YOUR PLAYING TECHNIQUE, THIS SETUP ON USED GUITARS MAY INCLUDE NEW CUSTOM-MADE NUT AND SADDLE. IF YOU HEAR STRING BUZZ IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT GUITAR IS DEFECTIVE. IF YOU PLAY HARD ENOUGH ALL BASS STRINGS WILL BUZZ OVER THE FRETS, UNLESS THEY ARE SUSPENDED VERY FAR FROM THE FINGERBOARD. UNLESS YOU PLAY QUITE GENTLY, YOU CAN’T HAVE LOW ACTION AND NO BUZZES. KEEP IN MIND THAT CELLO-LIKE BASSES ON HIGH GRADE CLASSICAL GUITARS HAVE THEIR NATURAL “BUZZ”. When contemporary Japanese luthiers are using 40+ years old soundboards to make “all solid woods” guitar it is priced at least $5000USD. Guitars with artificially aged (“baked”) soundboards are priced at least $4500USD. Solid top models with 40+ years old soundboards are priced at least $3500USD. American, Australian, and European luthiers usually charge 50% more.It is a matter of basic education (not beliefs) to realize that 50+ years old soundboard of this guitar alone is worth $2500USD. Real Value of Japanese Vintage GuitarsThe key to understand value of vintage Japanese guitars is to acknowledge galloping price inflation (devaluation of Japanese yen) during 1960s & 1970s. This inflation slowed down in 1980s.During 1960s and most of 1970s model numbers of Japanese guitars were strictly interconnected with their prices in Japanese yen. By the early 1980s and during following decades model numbers were no longer strictly associated with their prices. Some Japanese guitar makers introduced model names instead of model numbers. Others were still using model numbers with the addition of letters and/or other symbols. It is then important to understand that two Yamaha GC10 guitars made 10 years apart are two instruments of totally different class. The same applies to any other Japanese maker/brand. The logical way to estimate the true class of any given Japanese made instrument is to compare its price with the average annual salary of wage workers in Japanese private sectors. This salary was: 450 600 yen in 1965 - 825 900 yen in 1970 - 1 868 300 yen in 1975 - 2 689 000 yen in 1980 - 3 163 000 yen in 1985 - 3 761 000 yen in 1990 - 4 107 000 yen in 1995 - 4 082 000 yen in 2000. Any guitar priced 100 000 yen in 1970 (labelled as No10 or No100) would be priced 200 000 yen in 1975 (relabeled to No20, No200 or 2000), 300 000 yen in 1977 (labelled as No3, No30 or 3000) and 500 000 yen by 1985 (labelled as No50 or 5000).Starting in 1977 Masaru Kohno introduced his new models No40 priced 400 000 yen and No50 priced 500 000 yen. By early 1980s Kohno started using model names instead of numbers and was steadily raising their prices without changing model labeling. His very top model 50 became model “Special”, and a decade later it became model “Maestro”. Naturally, all other Japanese guitar makers were doing similar pricing (labelling) upgrades.Knowing all of that, you can bet on that Masaru Kohno No50 made in 1982 is practically the same grade instrument as Kohno No20 made in 1972, or Kohno no 30 made in 1975.In the early 1970s the lowest Ryoji Matsuoka (all plywood) model was 10, followed by (solid top) models 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80 and (all solid woods) models 100 and 150. Models 50, 60 and 80 were made with non-solid figured Brazilian Rosewood (double) back and sides and top model 150 was the only one made with solid figured Brazilian Rosewood b/s.In 1980 the lowest Matsuoka model was (all plywood) 20, followed by (solid top) models 30,40,50, 60 and all solid woods models 80,100,150 and 200. By 1990 the lowest Matsuoka model was M40 and the highest was M300. By 2010 the lowest Matsuoka model was M50 and the top model was M270. You can bet that Ryoji Matsuoka model 50 from 1980 is of the same grade as model M100 from 2000, model 100 from 1980 is of the same grade as model M150 from 2000, model 150 from 1980 is of the same grade as M200 from 2000 and model 200 from 1980 is of the same grade as model M300 from 2000.It is important to mention that if modern era luthiers are using 40+ years old woods to make an “all solid” wood classical guitar, its price is minimum $8000.All vintage guitars made with Brazilian Rosewood are especially precious, including those made straight grain varieties and those with non-solid b/s.Because response and tonal properties of Spruce soundboards are improving over time, long seasoned Spruces are far more precious than long seasoned Cedars. It is not very difficult to find out what are current prices of such guitars made by the world’s leading luthiers.Return Policy Buyer has the right to return purchased guitar within 2 days from receipt. General TermsItems must be returned in original, as-shipped condition with all original packaging and no signs of use. Buyer assumes responsibility for all return shipping costs unless the item was not received as described.Fees and ChargesBuyer receives full refund in their original payment method, less any shipping costs.Special conditionsYou have 48 hours of trial after receiving the guitar. 48 hours is enough time to inspect the guitar. 1 hour is usually enough to evaluate the guitar’s tonality and if you don’t like it right away you won’t like it a week later. If you realize that you don’t like the guitar enough to keep it, you have the right to return it. If you find a real problem not disclosed in my description, you are covered by eBay’s Money Back Guarantee. If that problem is damage that likely occurred during the shipment I will file an insurance claim with eBay’s Ship Cover Program. If you decide to return the guitar you must notify me within 48 hours after delivery, pack it and ship it back within 24 hours after "return notification". If you expect to receive a full refund, the guitar must be returned in the same condition as I have shipped it to you. If it arrives back to me damaged, I will not issue any refund but cooperate with you on your insurance claim. It is therefore very important that you ship the guitar fully insured. Victor K.

Price: 3000 USD

Location: Alpharetta, Georgia

End Time: 2024-11-30T13:20:36.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD