Comments on: The Best Japanese Guitar Brands Today (Beginner to Pro)

By: Pete Stanley

Pete Stanley — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 22:34:55 +0000

I have had a “Top Forty” electric guitar, made in Japan, about 30 years. It is very solid and sounds great but I have no idea of its value. Anyone else have one?

By: southbound suarez

southbound suarez — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 03:12:01 +0000

In reply to Joseph Fitzgerald. Manufactured by Matsumoku for Elektra perhaps?

By: James Milliman

James Milliman — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 23:30:16 +0000

I have a 1976 Taka 805s guitar is it worth anything?

By: Benny Beauregard

Benny Beauregard — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 13:20:34 +0000

I own two Ibanez V300 acoustic guitars that have excellent tone and sustain. Both were made in Japan and have great quality build. They are my favorite guitars and I will not part with them.
Ibanez does no longer makes an acoustic of the quality of these guitars but for the price some are pretty fair guitars. The performance guitars are well made and have a nice tone to them. One thing going for Ibanez is the fact that their guitars have a comfortable neck and are easy to play, no matter the model or the price point.

By: Jay Breen

Jay Breen — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 17:06:00 +0000

The Greco Les Pauls of the 70s, made by Fujigen Gakki, are fantastic options for those of us who cannot afford the Gibson they are modeled on. I have a 79 EG-900T that is an absolute dream to play. I can’t put it down! Also, after 3 years searching, I found a Yamaha FG300 from 1971` that is in wonderful condition and it absolutely sings. Anyone who picks it up is immediately in love with it and it’s sounds. I have great admiration and respect for Japanese craftsmanship and their values. It’s easy for Americans to conclude that these were bootleg instruments intended to cop profits on the backs of others’ works – and while that may be hard to outright deny, it’s important to understand that in Japan, it is the ultimate gesture of respect to replicate the works of others with the utmost attention to detail. Doing so is in fact the benchmark for mastery in that culture, so these are part of this ethic – which began because in the 60s and 70s as young Japanese people were consuming western popular music, the exchange rates and salaries they could earn made any American guitar hopelessly out of reach financially, making for the impetus for Japanese luthiers to produce their own versions of the coveted Gibson and Fender models. Another important concept in Japan is iterative design, in which year to year improvements are made on the manufacture of an item, integrating what has been learned to that point, so over time a more perfect product can be offered. They don’t scrap platforms and start new like American auto manufacturers did throughout the 20th century for example. Often, these values come at the expense of mass production and even profits as the good companies truly emphasize quality over quantity. For all of these reasons, I am a big fan of Japanese products. For example I’ve owned Mazdas in my family since 1981, including their oddball pursuit of a more functional and efficient Wankel rotary engine, the current bane of my existence.

By: Ric McClure

Ric McClure — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 15:38:20 +0000

I love my Yairi Guitars and my 70s Alvarez Guitars. I do have my Gibsons and Martins By all means Yairi will always be with them. Rick McClure songwriter

By: Carey

Carey — Sun, 09 Apr 2023 18:40:05 +0000

In reply to john jones. Yiari acoustic guitars in my opinion are the best sounding , quality well made guitars from Japan period. I have owned several and played them often since the seventies. I own and play a Martin d28 12 string, a gibson signature custom, and my yiari pro series, all play and sound great but yiaris just stand out. Also I have two Alvarez acoustics 12 and six that for a budget japanese guitar from the seventies still sounds great, however they are no longer produced in Japan.

By: Joseph Fitzgerald

Joseph Fitzgerald — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 17:25:30 +0000

I have a 6 string acoustic guitar that looks like a Gibson Hummingbird. The problem is it has a Martin looking headstock. The serial numbers on the inside are WO20 1 80. Also having a hard time finding what symbol is on headstock . There’s a star with the pointed ends folded over, stars under the folded parts and a big star in the center of that.

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 08:24:41 +0000

In reply to john jones. Agreed .

By: john jones

john jones — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 06:01:50 +0000

Yairi builds better quailty guitars than some on this list. Yamaha is good but mass produced. Ibanez makes some of the worst quality controlled acoustic guitars in the world.