Vintage Jumbo by Tahara – New Yorker / Parlor Folk Guitar – Japanese Workshop – Original Case

A beautiful vintage Jumbo folk guitar made by the workshop of Tahara-san in Japan, carrying the Jumbo brand used for his own workshop instruments.

This is a particularly elegant and unusual model, built in a compact New Yorker / parlor-style body shape. Its construction combines the proportions and portability of an early small-bodied steel-string guitar with distinctly Japanese detailing.

The guitar has a spruce top, rosewood back and sides, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, a slotted headstock and attractive engraved open-gear tuning machines. The back is especially beautiful, with strongly figured rosewood and an elaborate decorative centre strip.

The workmanship is very characteristic of the better Japanese acoustic production of the period: extensive body binding, multiple soundhole purfling, neatly executed back decoration and a carefully finished neck and headstock.

An interesting detail can also be seen internally through the soundhole: an original workshop marking/stamp remains visible on one of the braces.

The guitar presents very nicely for its age. Naturally, as a genuine vintage instrument, it shows some signs of use and age, which are visible in the photographs. These are part of its history rather than being hidden in the listing.

It comes with its original fitted hard case. The case itself has seen considerable use and its cosmetic condition is rather worn, but its presence is a nice addition to an instrument of this age.

Main specifications

• Brand: Jumbo
• Maker/workshop: Tahara, Japan
• Type: steel-string acoustic folk guitar
• Body: New Yorker / parlor style
• Top: spruce
• Back & sides: rosewood
• Fingerboard: rosewood
• Bridge: rosewood
• Slotted headstock
• Decorative open-gear tuners
• Multi-ring rosette
• Bound body
• Decorative back centre strip
• Internal workshop marking
• Original fitted hard case included
• Case shows significant age/use