BARGAIN - YUKIO CHAI No15 1980 - HERMANN HAUSER COPY - CLASSICAL CONCERT GUITAR

YOU ARE LOOKING AT A WORLD CLASS INSTRUMENT PRICED AT THE BARGAIN LEVEL. CURRENTLY MADE IN JAPAN BRAND NEW GUITARS OF THIS CLASS ARE PRICED MINIMUM $10000USD.

The guitar you are looking at was made in 1980 by Yukio Chai, a younger brother of Yukinobu Chai. While it has modified headstock design, it is nothing but a great “copy” of Hermann Hauser guitars. It certainly can challenge “the originals”. 

Both Chai brothers started their independent careers in mid 1960s. While Yukio was highly regarded by Japanese players, it was Yukinobu who became somewhat more prominent and who in early 1980s became a major supplier of guitars for Niibori School of Guitar Ensemble, hence was running a shop with several apprentices. Yukio remained independent running a small shop making rather limited number of guitars each year. Most of his fine instruments were great “copies” of guitars made by world famous makers.

Just like many others less affluent Japanese luthiers, Yukio Chai couldn’t price his great guitars at the same level as Masaru Kohno or Yamaha. While his model No15 was priced the same 150 000 yen, it sounds far better than Kohno No15 or Yamaha GC15 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).

Here you have a guitar that was sold at the same price:

https://reverb.com/item/80754578-takamine-s-all-time-best-no15-1980-robert-bouchet-class-classical-concert-guitar-spruce-brazilian-rosewood

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 using 40+ years old woods are priced minimum $10000USD. If they are made by Spanish elite luthiers, they are priced minimum $15000USD. Brazilian Rosewood b/s double the price.  

This guitar absolutely deserves to be called a “Grand Concert Guitar”. It offers immense volume, superb response combined with sweet and very lyrical tonality, with rich basses and piano like trebles, high level of note clarity and separation, high level of transparency and very extended sustain. Even though it is made with Spruce top, this guitar offers a bit of warmth. It truly is a beautiful instrument.

Even though its body bears several minor cosmetic flaws the overall condition of this guitar can still be described as “excellent for its age”. Its French Polished top bears several very light scratches that are visible only if looked at from certain angles, hence rather difficult to photograph. There is also one pea size blemish within the finish on its side, while other surfaces are free from any conspicuous dents or scratches. On the back of the headstock there is sticker and traces of clear tape, which can be removed if necessary. Visible in the pictures finish cloudiness is very mild in regular light.

Most importantly this guitar is structurally sound, its neck is straight, fingerboard and frets in excellent condition. Defective original tuners were replaced with brand new Gotoh set.  

 Specification:

Top: High Grade Solid Spruce/Hauser bracing/Shellac

Back& Sides: Solid Indian Rosewood/ Cashew lacquer

Neck: Mahogany

Fingerboard: Ebony

Nut width: 51mm

Scale: 650 mm

The action is set to 4.00 mm under E6 and 3.5 mm under E1, with plenty of extra room on the saddle. 

This guitar will be shipped in an original used hard shell case in still 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 highest end classical guitar models are priced at $20000USD level.