HAND MADE IN JAPAN 1971 KAWAI G200 ABSOLUTELY AMAZING VINTAGE CLASSICAL GUITAR

Brand: Kawai
;Country/Region of Manufacture: Japan

HAND MADE IN JAPAN 1971 KAWAI G200 ABSOLUTELY AMAZING VINTAGE CLASSICAL GUITAR

Please read my 7 days return policy at the bottom of the page.

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Kawai G200 Classical Guitar

Kawai Musical Instruments Co. established in 1886 in Hamamatsu, Japan is known around the world for their pianos, grand pianos and electronic keyboards. This company however during many years of its existence was making other instruments. Classical and steel string acoustic guitars were made during 1950, 1960s and early 1970s. Great majority of used Kawai guitars, available on Japanese second hand market, are of low to medium grade and look non-impressive at all. Kawai workshop was also making some high end luxurious models. Like in case of many other less popular guitar makers competing with “giants” like Yamaha Corp, Kawai guitars had to offer great value for the money in order to be sold at certain prices. This particular guitar offers far greater “musical feasts” than many other guitars sold at similar prices but made by more famous luthiers or “Gakkis”.   Since late 1970s Kawai co. focused solely on making pianos, grand pianos and keyboards.    

This guitar was made in very early 1970s and remains in perfect working and excellent cosmetic condition. It has only a few very minor marks on its body and practically none of them can be described as conspicuous.  

This guitar is loud and very responsive, offers great note clarity and separation, beautiful tonality and great sustain. It really represents much higher level than you could expect just by looking at this great instrument.  

Specifications:

Torres style body, a bit smaller than typical classical guitar. 

Top: Thin Plate of Very High Grade Solid Cedar

Back & Sides: Rosewood Doubleplate

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: 51,50 mm

Its current action is set to 3.50 mm under E6 and 3.00 mm under E1 whith plenty of extra room on the saddle. 

This guitar will be shipped in new soft gigbag, bubble-wrapped and boxed. 

Message to Australian buyers !!!!!

In order to ship a package with guitar to Australia at affordable rate +/- $100 (USPS International Priority Mail), height of such package can’t exceed 42” and its girth+ length can’t exceed 97”. Therefore I will pack the guitar into a case that is short enough to meet this requirement. 

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.

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.

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 to:

1.    Notify me within 5 days after delivery   

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

3.    Ship it back to me within next 2 days

Another words I expect this “trail” period to occur within +/- 7 days. Naturally guitar has to be returned in the same condition as I ship it to you. This is simply honest offer for honest buyers. My goal is to make your purchase as risk free as possible. I know very well that spending $1000 of hard earned money is not emotionally easy undertaking for majority of guitar lovers. I am sure that reading my feedback can ease a bit your “purchase anxiety” but it still will be there no matter how hard I try.

Victor                                                              

P.s. If you'd like to check my other posted on E-bay guitars click on the links below:

http://youtu.be/T8bkPi4jhss

http://youtu.be/W1FaCjodgZM

http://youtu.be/_3tJW9ljjdM

http://youtu.be/ExVwfhLy1gQ

http://youtu.be/XNdeSWxb2nU

http://youtu.be/mecVgriaKJ0

http://youtu.be/O9ErnhZhDxw

http://youtu.be/ceVTybPnq7c

http://youtu.be/Zyz8eZeTSRQ

HAND MADE IN JAPAN 1971 KAWAI G200 ABSOLUTELY AMAZING VINTAGE CLASSICAL GUITAR

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