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An important message for Australian buyers is located at very bottom of this page.

Teruaki Nakade C20 1980

Guitar you are looking at was made in 1980 by Teruaki Nakade, an eldest son of Sakazo Nakade (by many experts considered The Father of Modern Japanese Lutherie).

Besides being trained by his father, Teruaki went to Spain in 1964 and spent 2 years working for famous Hernandez Y Aguado shop in Madrid, and after his return to Japan he opened his own independent workshop in 1966. His guitars are made based on Hernandez Y Aguado blueprints yet have his own personal touch.      

Although never as famous as his father, Teruaki was a very accomplished luthier himself and could price his guitars at the same level as his younger brother Toshihiko, although not at Masaru Kohno level. Briefly saying, he had to deliver “more for less”.

There is a video on Youtube entitled "Masakazu Okano plays premium guitars, Herman Hauser, Paulino Bernabe, Paul Fischer, Teruaki Nakade" in which the Japanese professional classical guitarist Masakaru Okano compares a T. Nakade with a Hauser, Paulino Bernabe, and Paul Fisher.

Guitar you are looking at was priced 200 000 yen in 1980. If exactly the same grade guitar was made by more famous Japanese luthier it would be priced at least 300 000 yen. This guitar easily challenges Kohno N0 30 from the same year. 

In 1980 great majority of 200 000 yen Japanese made classical guitars were made with solid figured Brazilian Rosewood b/s. Some were made solid straight grain BR. There have been some 200 000 yen models made with non-solid (figured or straight grain) Brazilian Rosewood (usually double backs and/or double sides). The use of other Latin America rosewoods was quite uncommon among Japanese makers of that era.  

For many makers 200 000 yen models were the top of the line, while some makers were selling their very top models for 150 000 yen (e.g. Ryoji Mastuoka No150, MH150, MR150, Kazuo Yairi YC150 or Takamine 15). Yamaha’s top models were GC30A, GC30B (priced 300 000 yen). Masaru Kohno’s top model was No50 and Sakazo Nakade’s No.5000 (priced 500 000 yen). 

Less prominent luthiers had to accept far lower prices for their equally great instruments. In 1980 it was not very difficult to find in Japan a very high grade instrument made with solid figured BR b/s priced 150 000 yen (e.g. Takeo Koba No15, Hakusui Imai No15). However, in just few years prices of most of these guitars had gone up by 50% on average. By 1982 very few 200 000 yen models (Ryoji Matsuoka M200, Takamine 20 or Yamaha GC20) were still made with solid figured Brazilian Rosewood b/s. Kazuo Yairi was the only “crazy” manufacturer to sell similar guitars for 150 000 yen (models YC150, H15, T15). However, his “custom shop” models were priced no less than 200 00 yen.

As of today, French polished classical guitars made by Japanese elite luthiers with solid Latin America or African Rosewood b/s are priced minimum 800 000 yen. If they are made from long seasoned woods the price is surely higher. Priced $9,999USD, Yamaha GC82 is a great example. Yamaha GC82 or similarly priced Kohno Maestro guitars are not the highest priced Japanese models at all. Yamaha GC70 is priced $16000USD. Some custom-made instruments are being priced up to $20000USD, which is still below of what leading European luthiers charge for their very top models.  

This guitar absolutely deserves to be called a “Grand Concert Guitar”. It offers great volume, super response combined with sweet and somewhat dark tonality, high level of note clarity and separation, all greatly enhanced by great deal of overtones and great sustain. Even though it is made with Spruce top, this guitar offers some warmth and is not as bright as most other guitars from that group. It truly is a beautiful instrument.

This guitar remains in “excellent for its age” condition. Its body doesn't bear any visible dents or scratches. Guitar is structurally sound, its neck is straight, fingerboard and leveled frets in "barely used" condition. Original tuners work smoothly. 

Specification:

Top: Solid Spruce/Shellac

Back& Sides: Solid Latin America Rosewood/ Shellac

This is most likely very tight straight grain Brazilian Rosewood

Neck: Mahogany

Fingerboard: Ebony

Nut width: 52mm

Scale: 658 mm

The action is set to 4.00 mm under E6 and 3.2 mm under E1, with plenty of extra room on the saddle. 

This guitar will be shipped in original used hard shell case in still good condition. 

When contemporary Japanese luthiers are using 40+ years old soundboards to make “all solid woods” guitar it is priced at least $5000USD. Guitars with artificially aged (“baked”) soundboards are priced at least $4500USD. Solid top models with 40+ years old soundboards are priced at least $3500USD. American, Australian and European luthiers usually charge 50% more.

It is a matter of basic education (not beliefs) to realize that 50+ years old soundboard of this guitar alone is worth $2500USD. 

Nakade Family Luthiers

Sakazo Nakade together with his older brother Rokutaro apprenticed under Japanese Master Violin Luthier Mr. Kinpachi Miyamoto in 1930’s.

Miyamoto had a chance to examine and measure Andres Segovia's performance guitar while he performed in Tokyo in 1929. Their master never ventured into guitar making, but the apprentices Nakade brothers did. They also went to Spain to study guitar making from the Spanish masters. Nakade guitars are high quality instruments and have a big following in Japan. They were famous in early 60's before Masaru Kohno got famous in the late 60's.

During 1960s both brothers were famous and their guitars equally highly regarded in Japan. Both brothers were selling their guitars at the same price level as Masaru Kohno. I believe that Rokutaro passed away in early 1970’s. Sakazo continued his work until his death in 1993 (at the age of 87). In late 1960’s/early 1970’s he was joined by his 2 sons Teruaki, Toshihiko and later on by his youngest son Yukio. Rokutaro's son Osamu Nakade, also travelled to Spain in early 1960's and started his own workshop after his return to Japan in 1970. Sometime in 1990s Osamu Nakade designed a guitar model with top, back and sides made from bamboo, sold at very high prices.

Besides being trained by their father, Toshihiko and Teruaki went to Spain in mid 1960s, and studied at famous Hernandez y Aguado workshop for few years before opening their own workshops. Toshihiko started his independednt career in 1968. 

All Nakade luthiers were making very high grade guitars and successfully competed with Masaru Kohno on Japanese market. Their workshops were never as huge undertakings as Kohno’s workshop hence their guitars were sold outside Japan in quite limited numbers. In fact their guitars in many cases were of much higher grade than Kohno models sold for the same price.

 

Real Value of Japanese Vintage Guitars

The key to understand value of vintage Japanese guitars is to acknowledge galloping price inflation (devaluation of Japanese yen) during 1960s & 1970s. This inflation slowed down in 1980s.

During 1960s and most of 1970s model numbers of Japanese guitars were strictly interconnected with their prices in Japanese yen. By 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. Others were still using model numbers with addition of letters and/or other symbols. 

It is then important to understand that two Yamaha GC10 guitars made 10 years apart are two instruments of totally different class. The same applies to any other Japanese maker/brand.   

The logical way to estimate the true class of any given Japanese made instrument is to compare its price with the average annual salary of wage workers in Japanese private sectors. This salary was: 450 600 yen in 1965 - 825 900 yen in 1970 - 1 868 300 yen in 1975 - 2 689 000 yen in 1980 - 3 163 000 yen in 1985 - 3 761 000 yen in 1990 - 4 107 000 yen in 1995 - 4 082 000 yen in 2000. 

Any guitar priced 100 000 yen in 1970 (labelled as No10 or No100) would be priced 200 000 yen in 1975 (relabeled to No20, No200 or 2000), 300 000 yen in 1977 (labelled as No3, No30 or 3000) and 500 000 yen by 1985 (labelled as No50 or 5000).

Starting in 1977 Masaru Kohno introduced his new models No40 priced 400 000 yen and No50 priced 500 000 yen. By early 1980s Kohno started using model names instead of numbers and was steadily raising their prices without changing model labeling. His very top model 50 became model “Special”, and a decade later it became model “Maestro”. Naturally, all other Japanese guitar makers were doing similar pricing (labelling) upgrades.

Knowing all of that, you can bet on that Masaru Kohno No50 made in 1982 is practically the same grade instrument as Kohno No20 made in 1972, or Kohno no 30 made in 1975.

In early 1970s the lowest Ryoji Matsuoka (all plywood) model was 10, followed by (solid top) models 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80 and (all solid woods) models 100 and 150. Models 50, 60 and 80 were made with non-solid figured Brazilian Rosewood (double) back and sides and top model 150 was the only one made with solid figured Brazilian Rosewood b/s.

In 1980 the lowest Matsuoka model was (all plywood) 20, followed by (solid top) models 30,40,50, 60 and all solid woods models 80,100,150 and 200. By 1990 the lowest Matsuoka model was M40 and the highest was M300. By 2010 the lowest Matsuoka model was M50 and the top model was M270. 

You can bet that Ryoji Matsuoka model 50 from 1980 is of the same grade as model M100 from 2000, model 100 from 1980 is of the same grade as model M150 from 2000, model 150 from 1980 is of the same grade as M200 from 2000 and model 200 from 1980 is of the same grade as model M300 from 2000.

It is important to mention that if modern era luthiers are using 40+ years old woods to make an “all solid” wood classical guitar, its price is minimum $8000.

All vintage guitars made with Brazilian Rosewood are especially precious, including those made straight grain varieties and those with non-solid b/s.

Because response and tonal properties of Spruce soundboards are improving over time, long seasoned Spruces are far more precious than long seasoned Cedars. 


It is not very difficult to find out what are current prices of such guitars made by world’s leading luthiers.  

Important message for Australian buyers:

USPS International Priority Mail packages destined for Australia have quite restricted size (max. length is 42” and max. length + girth is 97”). For these reasons I must use the case that is no longer than 41” and therefore it may be different than the one you see on the pictures. You should ask me for any other details prior to making a purchase.  

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Listed2 years ago
ConditionExcellent (Used)
Excellent items are almost entirely free from blemishes and other visual defects and have been played or used with the utmost care.Learn more
Brand
Model
  • C20
Finish
  • Shellac
Categories
Year
  • 1980
Made In
  • Japan
Body Shape
  • Concert

Victor's Guitar Gallery

Milton, GA, United States
Sales:381
Joined Reverb:2015

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