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1970s S Yairi YD-402 Vintage Herringbone Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar w/ Case, Japan

$849.99

+ shipping

Up for sale, a 1970's S. Yairi YD-402 dreadnought in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. Crafted in Japan, this S. Yairi model was offered only in the Japanese domestic market, with a tonewood complement and construction inspired by a Pre-War Martin D-28. The uncle of Kazao Yairi (progenitor of the K. Yairi line of instruments), Sadao Yairi's instruments are highly regarded, and this YD-402 delivers a broad, articulate square shoulder dreadnought sound.

Constructed with an X-braced spruce top and rosewood back and sides, this guitar delivers the breadth, string-to-string clarity and power one expects from a Martin dreadnought, yet with a refinement that’s distinctly Yairi. The bass register is present and warm without being boomy, while the trebles are round and full. And while you'll find Yairi models marketed via a partnership with Alvarez in the USA, the S. Yairi instruments are far less common and were produced under a different distribution deal exclusively for Japan and other international markets. Weighing 4lbs 8oz, we've had this Yairi professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with fresh 12-53 strings and comfortable action.

The one-piece mahogany neck has a deep V-shaped profile carve, measuring .890” deep at the 1st fret and .970” at the 9th. The ebony fretboard features Pre-War-style snowflake inlay and pristine original medium jumbo fretwire that shows virtually no wear. The guitar plays cleanly in every register, the neck is straight, and the truss rod is responsive and ideally adjusted. Action at the 12th fret measures 7/64“ at the low E and 5/64“ at the high E. The scale length is 25.4", and the carved bone nut measures 1 11/16" in width. On the headstock, the original genuine Schaller-made and Yairi-branded tuners have clean chrome plating, turn smoothly and hold pitch well.

There is a cleanly repaired diagonal split on the neck, extending from the treble side of the nut to the center of the profile behind fret 3. The repair is smooth to the touch with a couple areas of lighter finish.

The body features a carved ebony bridge that sits flush with the top, and the original drop-in saddle is low, yet offers easy-playing action all the way up the fretboard. String spacing at the bridge measures 2 1/8". The bookmatched rosewood back has a zigzag backstrip, and the spruce top is framed by herringbone binding with a dark tortoise pickguard. The body is crack-free, with just a few faint finish scratches and minor marks on the body as a whole. The neck profile also retains a smooth gloss finish.

The original hardshell case is included.