1981 Masaru Kohno No. 20 Classical Guitar Vintage Nylon String Acoustic Guitar, Spruce + Brazilian Rosewood w/ Case
$4,499.99
$4,499.99
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Up for sale, a 1981 Masaru Kohno No. 20 classical guitar in excellent, 100% original condition, complete with hardshell case. One of the most prominent and influential figures in the world of Japanese classical guitars, Masaru “Ken” Kohno began his tutelage in Madrid in 1959 at the workshop of revered Flamenco and classical luthier Arcangel Fernandez. After returning to Japan to refine his craft, Kohno received first prize at the Liege Concours National de Guitares a few short years later in 1967. The chairman of the adjudicators at that competition was the “Stradivarius of the classical guitar” Ignacio Fleta, who remarked that Kohno’s guitar was “very much like his own.”
Introduced in the late 1960s, the No. 20 was one of Kohno’s highest-tiered models at the time of production (his very highest-tiered until the introduction of the No. 30 in 1974), with an initial price tag of ¥200,000. Featherweight at 3lbs 9oz, premium tonewoods include a spruce top, bookmatched Brazilian rosewood back and sides, five-piece mahogany/ebony neck, and an ebony fingerboard. Tonally, this guitar yields rich expressiveness akin to the “Spanish sound” guitars produced by legendary luthiers like Fleta and Torres, with warm, rich-yet-airy lows, shimmering treble articulation, and great natural bloom in the midrange ideal for sonorous melodic playing. This Masaru Kohno No. 20 benefits from a professional setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with normal tension strings and ideal action.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Mahogany, ebony (5pc)
-Shape: Round D, measuring .850” 1st fret, .955” 9th fret
-Fretboard: Ebony
-Frets: Slender, no wear
-Scale Length: 660mm (~26”)
-Nut: 53mm, bone (43mm string spacing)
-Tuners: Open-gear strip, white buttons
Body Specs:
-Wood: Spruce, Brazilian rosewood
-Bracing: Spanish-style ladder
-Bridge: Brazilian rosewood, bone saddle
-Marquetry: Ornate rosette and matching purfling, Brazilian rosewood binding
-Serialization: White rectangular label dated to 1981, ‘No. 20’ stamped
Cosmetic wear on the gloss Natural finish is limited to a small spot of concentrated buckle wear on the back at the bass-side upper bout and a handful of minor, scattered dings across the top consistent with careful use. The gloss finish on the neck profile is smooth and clean.
A black tolex hardshell case is included.
Introduced in the late 1960s, the No. 20 was one of Kohno’s highest-tiered models at the time of production (his very highest-tiered until the introduction of the No. 30 in 1974), with an initial price tag of ¥200,000. Featherweight at 3lbs 9oz, premium tonewoods include a spruce top, bookmatched Brazilian rosewood back and sides, five-piece mahogany/ebony neck, and an ebony fingerboard. Tonally, this guitar yields rich expressiveness akin to the “Spanish sound” guitars produced by legendary luthiers like Fleta and Torres, with warm, rich-yet-airy lows, shimmering treble articulation, and great natural bloom in the midrange ideal for sonorous melodic playing. This Masaru Kohno No. 20 benefits from a professional setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with normal tension strings and ideal action.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Mahogany, ebony (5pc)
-Shape: Round D, measuring .850” 1st fret, .955” 9th fret
-Fretboard: Ebony
-Frets: Slender, no wear
-Scale Length: 660mm (~26”)
-Nut: 53mm, bone (43mm string spacing)
-Tuners: Open-gear strip, white buttons
Body Specs:
-Wood: Spruce, Brazilian rosewood
-Bracing: Spanish-style ladder
-Bridge: Brazilian rosewood, bone saddle
-Marquetry: Ornate rosette and matching purfling, Brazilian rosewood binding
-Serialization: White rectangular label dated to 1981, ‘No. 20’ stamped
Cosmetic wear on the gloss Natural finish is limited to a small spot of concentrated buckle wear on the back at the bass-side upper bout and a handful of minor, scattered dings across the top consistent with careful use. The gloss finish on the neck profile is smooth and clean.
A black tolex hardshell case is included.
