MADE IN 2003 - YUKINOBU CHAI No35 - SUPERB 630MM SCALE & 46MM NUT CLASSICAL CONCERT GUITAR - SPRUCE/MADAGASCAR ROSEWOOD

Several hundred guitars I have sold in the past are presented at Facebook.com/Victors.Guitar.Library.

Yukinobu Chai N035 2003 Classical Concert Guitar 630mm scale 46.50mm nut

This guitar was made in 2003 at the workshop owned and led by Master Luthier Yukinobu Chai. Although not a top one, No35 was a higher end model in Yukinobu’s lineup of that era. Being priced 350 000 yen it was an instrument for well advanced players. Because in addition to 630mm scale, its nut is 46.50mm wide, it must have been custom made.

In 2003 great majority of Japanese 350 000 yen guitars were made with Latin America Rosewood b/s (Toshihiko Nakade Master 35, Yukio Nakade No35, Tatsuhiko Hirose No35 etc.) or Madagascar Rosewood, while some luthiers were still using figured Brazilian Rosewood on their 300 000 yen models (Ryoji Matsuoka M300 etc.). Priced 250 000-yen Takamine’s top of the line model No25 was made with Madagascar Rosewood b/s. Some Yamaha’s GC models made (in Taiwan) with Honduran Rosewood b/s were also priced at 250 000-yen level. The highest models made by Elite luthiers were priced at least 800 000 yen while custom models were priced even higher.   

The highest Yukinobu’s model of that era was No80 made with Spruce top and figured BR b/s, priced 800 000yen.

Yukinobu’s career started in late 1960s and over the years he became one of the highest respected luthiers in Japan. Most likely the major reason for that were very moderate prices for his wonderful instruments.

In that respect Yukinobu had business philosophy like that represented by Ryoji Matsuoka, Kazuo Yairi or brothers Hiroshi and Mitsuru Tamura.

In the early 1980s Yukinobu became the major supplier for Niibori School of Guitar Ensemble, making not only whole range of prime (regular) models but also many alto, soprano, bass, and contrabass guitars. Since Yukinobu's passing in 2011, his workshop is managed by his son Yukihiro, a great luthier on his own. Yukinobu's most famous pupils are Ichizo Kobayashi, Tatsuro Kobayashi, Sakae Ishi and Kuniyoshi Matsui.  

Introduction from Chai Guitar Craft facebook page:

Thank you for visiting our WEB site. My father, Yukinobu Chai, started the guitar crafting about 55 years ago at Tamagawa Gakuen, Tokyo Japan. He was interested in making the violin when he was a student. Since then, he added many strings instruments. In 1960's, it was very popular for Japanese to play the classic guitar. This was influenced by famous movie "Jeux interdits" My father never get a lesson from other violin builder. He just learned all from book and real violins. For Guitars, Of course, he never made it before. He has transferred some constructions from Piano. It made Chai Guitar sound & tone. He was always trying to reach his aimed tone "Sound that spread richly". I always look at his works beside him. Naturally I started to help him. Well, it was about 20 years ago. He passed away several years ago. Now, I'm doing his work and trying to establish the Chai Guitar Brand worldwide. Chai Guitar Craft Yukihiro Chai President

To my ears, Yukinobu Chai was one of the best Japanese luthiers ever and remains my favorite Japanese luthier since I encountered his guitars made in 1970s. I am totally not bothered by discolorations of finishes on his guitars from that era. After selling several of his guitars I know that truly experienced guitarists looking for a “truly special” instrument are not bothered by these cosmetic imperfections either. I deeply understand why Hiroki Niibori has decided to offer Yukinobu such a lucrative contract.   

This guitar offers high volume and super response, combined with sweet multilayered lyrical tonality, with deep and rich (cello like) basses, strong sweet, colorful, and ringing (piano like) trebles, all notes with plenty of overtones, with superb note clarity and separation, and all magnified by great sustain.

This guitar was certainly made based on “old Spanish blueprints” with simplified Ramirez style bracing. However, it mostly is Yukinobu’s own creation, and he gets all the credits for its wonderful sound.     

If you wanted to purchase similar class brand new guitar made by leading Japanese luthier, you would have to pay no less than $5000.

This guitar remains in "excellent for its age" overall condition. Its only flaws are of cosmetic nature: few very light tiny dents and couple very light scratches in the finish on its top with the string burns below the bridge being the greatest “damage”. All other surfaces are clean, and one can easily assume that this guitar has been played very little. Very importantly its neck is straight, fingerboard and frets remain in truly excellent shape and original tuning machines work fine.

Specifications:

Top: High Grade Solid Spruce/Cashew lacquer

Back & Sides: Tight Grain Solid Madagascar Rosewood /Cashew lacquer

Neck: Mahogany

Fingerboard: Ebony

Scale: 630 mm

Nut width: 46.50 mm

Strings: Magma Nylon Crystal Medium Tension

Its action is set to 4.00 mm under E6 and 3.50 mm under E1, with plenty of extra room on the saddle.

This guitar will be shipped in a lightly used hard polyfoam case.  

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.