Masaru Kohno (1926-1998) was born in Mito, Japan, and is the most important guitar maker in the history of Japanese guitars. This is an outstanding example from Masaru Kohno.

In 1948, Kohno graduated from the woodworking department of Tokyo Polytechnic Institute and started his career in guitar making. In 1960, Kohno went to Madrid, Spain, where he studied under the famous guitar maker Arcangel Fernandez to learn how to make high-quality concert guitars. After 6 months of uninterrupted learning ,  Kohno thought that he had learned enough and achieved his goals, so he returned to Japan to establish his own workshop.

In September 1967, Kohno participated in the International Guitar Competition with 31 participants in Rigo, Belgium, and won the guitar making gold medal. At the time, the French guitar maker Daniel Friedrich could only be second. The jury is chaired by Ignacio Fleta, and the jury includes famous artists such as Robert Boucher, Joaquín Rodrigo, and Alirio Diaz.

This No. 30 model produced in 1981 is an advanced model made by Kohno himself. This model is one of the most sought after by collectors.

Craftsmanship

This guitar uses the structure based on Torres with Kohno’s own inspiration, the top is about 3mm, a bit thicker than traditional Spanish guitar, which brings out extreme penetrating treble and increase the overall body strength, the craftsmanship is top notch, with lush mosaic decoration and very fine details.

Volume

Large, powerful projection and extremely penetrating

Comment

This is a very charming guitar. The playing experience is sensitive and light feel, the sound quality is superb. Its sound aesthetic is different from German  and Spanish guitars. And there are still some differences from the new Kohno guitars made today.

The easy-to-hold neck is more suitable for smaller hands than the Segovia, it sounds magnificent, the treble is creamy, bright and clear, and the bass is deep, clear and pure.

If an old Kohno guitar is what you are after, then don’t hesitate to contact us.