1970s H.S. Anderson HS-A3 Explorer, Collector-Grade w/ Case, Japan

Up for sale, a 1970s H.S. Anderson model HS-A3 in collector-grade, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. This exceedingly rare instrument represents a pinnacle of Japanese luthiery, produced with a particularly high level of scrutiny and grade-A craftsmanship. The H.S. stands for Hidesato Shiino, the so-called “Japanese Leo Fender”, a critical figure in the “lawsuit era” Japanese guitar world who would go on to start ESP and had involvement in brands including Greco and Fernandes. The brand is most associated with the T-style “Mad Cat" model played extensively by Prince.   The HS-A3 is Anderson’s take on the Explorer platform, sporting an ash body, maple neck, slab rosewood fretboard, and a pair of mini-humbuckers. The lively, midrange-forward acoustic character of this guitar is faithfully captured by the stock pickups; metering at 8.7k ohms, these mini-humbuckers are bright and punchy, with great string-to-string balance. There's an articulate growl and sweetness at the bridge position and smooth throaty cut at the neck with plenty of underlying richness. Weighing 8lbs 14oz, this HS-A3 has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and spot-on intonation. The two-piece maple neck has a chunky C-shaped profile carve with prominent shoulders in every register, measuring .875” deep at the 1st fret and .925” at the 12th. The bound rosewood fretboard is a dark cut with pearl block inlay, and the medium fretwire benefits from a level and crown, exhibiting no wear. This guitar plays cleanly up the 25 1/2“ scale with a straight neck and a responsive, optimally-adjusted truss rod, and the bone nut measures 1 5/8“ in width. The headstock has a Futura-esque split V design with vertical "H.S. Anderson" inlay, and the headstock/fretboard binding and truss rod cover are crafted from the same tortoise material seen on the Mad Cat model. The original set of Schaller tuning machines function reliably. All of the electronics work as intended; the pickups are wired to the stock harness with full-size Japanese pots, and the control configuration comprises a three-way pickup selector switch, Master Volume, and independent Tone knobs. The output jack plate is also crafted from tortoise. The chrome-plated hardware has plenty of shine, including the pickup covers/surrounds, ABR-1-style bridge, and stopbar, with just some light pitting on the latter. Plastics comprise the trio of gold speed knobs and the four-ply white pearloid pickguard, which has some light scuffing along the strum path. The Natural finish is a very thin application, highlighting the dynamic grain in the ash body with an open-pore feel, and the body has more contouring than a standard Explorer, ensuring optimal comfort. This instrument is exceptionally well-kept, with cosmetic wear limited to just two dings along the treble-side body perimeter and limited buckle worming central to the back. The original hardshell case with blue plush interior is included.