MADE IN JAPAN 1980 - CAT'S EYES CE1000D - WONDERFUL - MARTIN D41 CLASS - ACOUSTIC GUITAR

Cat’s Eyes CE1000D 1980 by Tokai

Most acoustic guitar players around the world know that since late 1960s Japanese makers were creating wonderful “copies” of Martin, Gibson and Guild guitars. Many experienced players know that many of these “copies” sound better than the “originals”. This fame especially applies to Sigma guitars made by Martin’s Japanese partner, Tokai Co. In fact, some of these Sigmas were also made by Yasuma Gakki, Terada Gakki and perhaps other workshops.

In 1975 Tokai launched their own line of acoustic guitars branding them as “Cat’s Eyes” and advertising them as “made in partnership with Martin”. Made basing on Martin’s blueprints and enhanced by Japanese ingenuity and highest level of craftsmanship, these guitars quickly became very popular and recognized by majority of international players as “Martins made in Japan”. Back then they were sold at very favorable to international importers prices. Due to changes in World and Japanese economies (hence currency exchange rates), by the end of 1970s cost of “made in Japan” guitar was much higher that just 5 years earlier. Higher grade instruments became more and more expensive, while lower priced ones were made for less and less. That led to decisively declining exports and meant the end of Golden Era for Japanese guitar makers. Some makers were gone for good, some incorporated into larger entities, while others seriously restructured. Tokai kept making their first generation of Cat’s Eyes guitar until mid1980s. After over a decade long break, by late 1990s, Tokai re-started making Cat’s Eyes with lineup of new models, however ending it around mid2000s. The fame of “Cat’s Eyes” lives on.

The guitar you are looking at was made in 1980 and was a higher end model within Cat’s Eyes lineup of that era. It was bettered only by models CE1200, CE1500, CE2000 and CE2500. There were 3 equally priced "1000" models: CE1000 and CE1000S (made with solid Indian Rosewood b/s but in style of old Martin D28 with snowflake fingerboard inlays) and CE1000D made in the style of Martin D41 with hexagon fingerboard inlays yet with non-solid Rosewood b/s. All these guitars sold for the same 100 000 yen price are of equal class and offered the same "musical feasts".  

As of today, Japanese factory made solid top guitars of similar construction and looks are priced at $3000 level. However, in terms of volume and tonality they stand no chance against a 45 year old vintage guitar. Only guitars made with 45 years old woods could do that (after being frequently played for at least a couple of years). This will be rather difficult to order such a guitar, because woods seasoned for so long are very hard to find. Guitars made in Japan with (only) 20 years old tops are priced at $4500 level. A similar class solid top guitar made by a well-established individual American luthier, can easily cost you 50% more. If you'd like to add solid back and sides made with 20 years old Indian Rosewood the price may very well double. If, however, you wanted to go "all the way" and have old growth Brazilian Rosewood b/s you need to be prepared for the price at $25000 level. 

NONE OF THESE GUITARS WILL SOUND MUCH BETTER (IF BETTER AT ALL) THAN THE ONE YOU ARE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW!     

In terms of volume and tonality it certainly is a professional level instrument, that can easily beat modern era Martin D45 guitars. It offers immense volume, combined with very deep ("full of iron") yet clean basses and very strong brilliant trebles. With its very extended sustain it is very easy to enjoy. With its current action it plays very easily.

This guitar comes with crack repair history. Ebony bridge developed a partial surface crack in between bridge pins. This has been stabilized by the glue applied from the top.

Visible in the pictures very mild cloudiness of its finishes is hardly noticeable in regular light. In addition, there are a few very minor marks on the top, back and sides. There are brownish discolorations on sections of originally creamy white bindings. Original tuning keys have lost some of their original luster.

Despite all its imperfections, the overall condition of this guitar can be described as “at least very good for its age”.

Very importantly its neck is straight, fingerboard and frets in excellent shape. With its quite low action it plays super easy.

Specification:

Top: Solid Spruce/Martin style X bracing with not scalloped braces /lacquer

Back & Sides: non-solid Indian Rosewood/urethane

Neck: Mahogany with 2-way truss rod

Fingerboard: Ebony

Nut width: 43mm

Scale: 645 mm

The action is set to 2.50 mm under E6 and 2.00 mm under E1, with still some extra room on the saddle.

This guitar will be shipped in a used hard shell case.

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.      

IF YOU BUY A GUITAR, YOU MUST ANTICIPATE TAKING IT TO YOUR LOCAL GUITAR SHOP FOR FINAL ADJUSTMENTS CALLED “SETUP”. STRING BUZZ DOESN’T MEAN THAT GUITAR IS DEFECTIVE.

My posted for sale guitars are stored in climate-controlled vault already packed into shipping boxes, with loosen strings. Because the strings are loosened, they don’t pull the neck or soundboard, and the neck may relax (straighten more) and the soundboard flatten a bit, which may result with the string action being lower than my it was with my original settings and lead to buzzes and/or dead notes after guitar arrives to you. Such a change in neck curvature can also happen just because of vibrations during the shipment and/or temperature fluctuations. Therefore, you must be ready to make final action adjustment yourself and or have it done by professional. All that really needs to be done is the simple neck adjustment by using the truss rod (turning the truss rod counterclockwise will relief the neck and strings will move away from the frets).

THAT IS WHY TRUSS RODS ARE INSTALLED IN THE NECKS OF ACOUSTIC GUITARS!!!     

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.