BARGAIN - YUKINOBU CHAI No30 1981 - HERMANN HAUSER CLASS - CLASSICAL CONCERT GUITAR - SPRUCE/BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD

YOU ARE LOOKING AT A WORLD CLASS INSTRUMENT PRICED AT THE BARGAIN LEVEL. CURRENTLY MADE IN JAPAN BRAND NEW GUITARS OF THIS CLASS MADE WITH OLD GROWTH BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD ARE PRICED MINIMUM $15000USD.  

This guitar was made in 1981 by Master Luthier Yukinobu Chai.

Although he was originally a violin maker, Yukinobu Chai started making guitars in late 1960s and over the years he became one of the highest respected luthiers in Japan. Most likely the major reason for that was very moderate prices for his truly wonderful instruments.

Yukinobu never apprenticed at any other workshop. In the 1950s he learned violin making based on books and the real violins. He was also making other string instruments, before in the early 1960s he became seriously interested in making guitars. He naturally was looking at guitars made by many famous European luthiers, but was especially inspired by Antonio de Torres, Herman Hauser and Santos Hernandez. While he was constantly adding his own innovations, his guitars made from the late 1960s through early 1980s were mostly inspired by Santos Hernadez’s blueprints, which (on the outside) was manifested by Santos’s headstock design. Because I have already sold several Yukinobu’s guitars from that era, I dare to say that they are of equal class with those made Santos Hernandez.          

In the early 1980s Yukinobu became the major supplier for Niibori School of Guitar Ensemble, making not only whole range of prime (regular size and scale) models but also many alto, soprano, bass, and contrabass guitars. Since Yukinobu's passing in 2011, his workshop is managed by his son Yukihiro, who is a great luthier on his own. Yukinobu's most famous pupils are Ichizo Kobayashi, Tatsuro Kobayashi, Sakae Ishi and Kuniyoshi Matsui.    

To my ears, Yukinobu Chai was one of the best Japanese luthiers ever and remains my favorite Japanese luthier since I encountered his guitars made in 1970s. I am totally not bothered by discolorations of finishes on his guitars from that era. After selling several of his guitars I know that truly experienced guitarists looking for a “truly special” instrument are not bothered by these cosmetic imperfections either. I deeply understand why Hiroki Niibori has decided to offer Yukinobu such a lucrative contract. 

In the early/mid 1970's Yukinobu was still a relatively unknown luthier and his prices were lower than those proposed by Tamura brothers for similar grade guitars. Until 1974 Yukinobu's model 10 was made with solid figured Brazilian Rosewood b/s. Until early 1976 his model 10 was made with straight-grain Brazilian Rosewood b/s.

Made with figured Brazilian Rosewood b/s model 30 was Yukinobu’s top of the line until mid1981 and only his custom-made guitars were priced higher. Since late 1981 the same class guitar was sold as No 50, being the only model made with figured Brazilian Rosewood b/s until 1995. Since late 1981 model 30 was made with straight grain Brazilian Rosewood b/s and later with one of other Latin America Rosewoods b/s.       

This guitar was priced 300 000 yen in 1981. During that year all Japanese made classical guitars priced 300 000 yen, were made with solid (figured or straight grain) Brazilian Rosewood b/s. For most makers these were the top of the line models (like Yamaha GC30A). If ordered today, the same class instrument made by Japanese elite luthiers using long seasoned woods and Latin America Rosewood for b/s are priced at $15000USD level.

Here you have 3 other guitars from the same era sold at the same price:

https://reverb.com/item/88051613-made-in-1982-hiroshi-komori-no30-world-highest-class-classical-concert-guitar-spruce-brazilian-rosewood

https://reverb.com/item/77672994-made-in-1981-yukinobu-chai-no30-santos-hernandez-class-classical-concert-guitar-spruce-brazilian-rosewood

https://reverb.com/item/44740184-made-in-1983-shunsuke-yokoo-no30-masaru-kohno-class-classical-concert-guitar-brazilian-rosewood

The headstock and the construction of this guitar were inspired by Hermann Hauser’s blueprints. This guitar can easily compete with the originals.

It offers immense volume and super response, combined with simply breathtaking tonality: sweet, colorful, ringing, and glassy (piano like) trebles, deep somewhat metallic and full of overtones (cello like or piano-like) basses, all well balanced, with superb note clarity and separation, and all with very impressive sustain. When chords are played this guitar behaves like a Symphony Orchestra, when individual notes are played, they closely resemble grand piano keys. It is simply a gorgeous instrument to play.

While it shows several imperfections, the overall condition of this guitar can be described as "very good for its age".  

The soundboard bears several light scratches and/or fingernail marks, a couple deeper linear scratches, one small (repaired) crack in the “arm rest” area.

There are also fine linear cracks visible near the fingerboard on the E1 string side. It is hard to be sure whether these cracks penetrate the wood all the way. Nevertheless, these have no chance to expand because these are sitting on the special (crack preventing) blocks of wood installed by the maker on the opposite side. Other than for cosmetic reasons, there is no need for any repair in this area.

There are few light scratches visible on the back and side plates.

There are several dents and abrasions visible along the edges.

There are a few light attritions on the headstock.

There are traces of very mild finish cloudiness on the back and sides.

There is visible wear on the fingerboard and frets (the section between 1st and 5th frets). There is, however, no immediate need for re-fretting or smoothing the surface of the fingerboard

Original tuning machines work somewhat tight, yet they don’t get stuck and will not be an obstacle for devoted players. Because these tuning machines have 39mm roller peg spacing there will be no problem replacing them with new ones. I, however, don’t consider their replacement necessary.        

French polishing is the application of shellac with the use of shellac pads. Shellac finish on guitars is always applied by “French Polishing”. On other wooden items and furniture shellac is usually applied by a paint brush.

The great majority of Japanese luthiers while finishing their high-end models, were using very thin coat of cashew lacquer as the last layer over the shellac usually only on the back and sides. Some luthiers (like Masaru Kohno, Ryoji Matsuoka, Hiroshi Tamura) were using this approach also on the soundboards. Cashew lacquer is more durable and resistant to wear and scratches etc. and that is why Japanese were using this method. Therefore, when there is Cashew lacquer on the surface, it is very likely there is a shellac underneath.  

Specifications:

Top: Tight Grain Solid “Bear Claw” Spruce/ Cashew lacquer (over shellac)

Back & Sides: Highest Grade Solid Straight Grain Brazilian Rosewood/Cashew lacquer (over shellac)

Neck: Mahogany

Fingerboard: Ebony

Scale: 650 mm

Nut width: 51.00 mm

Its action is currently set to 3.80 mm under E6 and 3.30 mm under E1, with very little extra room on the saddle.

Strings: Savarez Cantiga Premium Alliance Tension Forte

This guitar will be shipped in a used hard-shell case in still very good condition. 

THE ONLY PURPOSE OF THIS CASE IS TO PROTECT THE GUITAR DURING SHIPMENT. I WILL NOT PROVIDE ITS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OR MAKE ADDITIONAL PICTURES, NOR I WILL ACCEPT ANY COMPLAINTS. IF YOU DON’T LIKE THIS CASE YOU WILL NEED TO BUY A DIFFERENT ONE.

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”. 

Real Value of Japanese Vintage Guitars

The key to understand value of vintage Japanese guitars is to acknowledge galloping price inflation throughout the late 1960s and 1970s with its peak of 25% in 1974.

During 1960s and most of 1970s model numbers of Japanese guitars were strictly connected with their prices in Japanese yen.

The same class guitar sold in 1970 for 100 000 yen (labelled as model 10), would be sold for 150 000 yen in 1972 (labelled as model 15), 200 000 yen in 1974 (labelled as model 20) and 300 000 yen in 1978 (labelled as model 30). Therefore, you shouldn’t be surprised that two Yamaha GC10 guitars made 10 years apart are two instruments of totally different class. The same rule applies to all guitar models made by all other Japanese makers.

Japanese inflation slowed down in the 1980s. 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. For several economic reasons, since 1980s Japanese made guitars were becoming more and more expensive, while their exports slowing down. Today (2025) Japanese high end classical guitar models are priced at $20000USD level.