Rare Vintage Kawai Sazanami 1960s - Made in Japan

Brand: Kawai

Model: Sazanami

Top: Solid Spruce

B/S: Mahogany

Condition

Overall, it has dings, scratches, and some faded areas. I tried to show everything clearly in the photos.

The tonewoods have fully matured and opened up, giving it a unique, somewhat mellow and lively sound that modern guitars rarely achieve.

The tuners are in bad condition, I cleaned it up but I think it should be replaced especially the treble side. It has cracks on the plastic part and I have replaced the original screws because it has deteriorated badly to the point that it was no longer functional.

As a result It is hard to maintain tuning on the treble side especially the 1st string, but the bass strings are okay and stays in tune. I was going to replace them but maybe someone knows how to restore tuners and wants to preserve the ”authenticity“ of this rare guitar. Needless to say replacing them would be easy and cheap. I would have rated it good if not for the tuners.

• Frets: Approximately 60-70% life remaining (subjective estimate)
• Neck: seems straight
• Action:
• • ~3.0 mm on the 6th string
  • ~2.5 mm on the 1st string
    (may change slightly with humidity, as with all acoustic guitars)

The guitar is structurally solid and, with proper care, should easily last another lifetime.

Description

Beautiful vintage Kawai Sazanami classical guitar made in Japan during the golden era of Japanese guitar craftsmanship. Features a spruce top with mahogany back and sides and traditional fan bracing for a warm, balanced nylon-string tone. The guitar has a comfortable classical neck and produces a clear, sweet sound ideal for fingerstyle and classical repertoire.

Inside label shows original handwritten Japanese markings and inspection stamp, adding to its vintage character. Built during a time when Japanese makers were heavily influenced by Spanish classical designs.

A great player-grade vintage classical guitar with authentic MIJ build quality and charming workshop history. This guitar is really hard to find as its production time was very limited.

Important Note

This guitar was in storage for a long time before I acquired it, and I have not had it checked by a luthier. I own and play many vintage guitars, but I strongly recommend having this instrument professionally inspected and set up after purchase.

Although these Made in Japan guitars are built like tanks, this is still a roughly 50-year-old instrument, so I want to set realistic expectations to ensure a great experience for the buyer.

The specifications listed are based on online sources and may vary slightly from the actual guitar. Due to the rarity of the models I sell, reliable information can be difficult to find, so I encourage buyers to cross-check details if needed.

I can confidently say that this guitar sounds great, and I am happy to provide a playing and sound demo video to serious buyers upon request. I plan to upload demo videos to YouTube in the future, but due to a busy schedule, I currently provide videos directly to interested buyers.

My goal is for you to receive the guitar with no surprises. I would rather not sell a guitar at all than risk a bad experience for a buyer — integrity is very important to me.

Please feel free to:

• Ask any questions before purchasing
• Examine the photos carefully (taken with a professional-grade camera to show as much detail as possible)
• Request additional photos from specific angles if needed

I will respond as quickly as possible.

I am open to reasonable offers, so feel free to ask.

Shipping

I ship using EMS Japan Post, which I consider the most reliable option. It does cost more, but peace of mind is worth it.

• Flat rate shipping: ¥27,000 (for most regions)
• Shipping to the USA has been challenging recently, but past buyers have been satisfied with the transactions.
  If you are located in the US, please message me first with any questions.

I take great care in packing guitars securely using sturdy, specialized guitar shipping boxes, which contributes to the shipping cost.

A FULL REFUND is guaranteed in accordance with Reverb’s shipping policies if:

• The guitar does not arrive, or
• It is damaged during delivery

Please review Reverb’s shipping policy for full details.

Handling time:

Ships within 3–7 business days.

Payments made on weekends will ship on the following Monday.