SOLD - Nakade Master 30 Grand Concert Guitar – Japan 1976

SOLD

This guitar was crafted in 1976 by Toshihiko Nakade, one of the best ever Japanese luthiers in his own right, and son of Sakazo Nakade, who is described by many Japanese experts as the father of Japanese luthiery.

Sakazo Nakade and his older brother Rokutaro were apprenticed to Japanese master violin luthier Mr Kinpachi Miyamoto in the 1930s.

Miyamoto had a chance to examine and measure Andres Segovia’s performance guitar while he performed in Tokyo in 1929. Their master never ventured into guitar making, but the apprenticed Nakade brothers did. They also went to Spain to study guitar making from the Spanish masters.

Nakade guitars are high quality instruments and have a big following in Japan. They were famous in the early 60’s before Masaru Kohno started building his reputation towards the end of that decade.

Both brothers became quite famous and their instruments were highly regarded in Japan where they sold at the same prices as Masaru Kohno. Rokutaro passed away in early 1970’s. Sakazo continued his work until his death in 1993 at the age of 87. In late 1960’s & early 1970’s he was joined by his sons Teruaki and Toshihiko and later on by his youngest son Yukio.

Toshihiko Nakade instruments still command very high prices and their quality is irrefutable. Toshihiko’s grand concert guitars were only made as special orders and are super rare.

The Nakade workshops were never as big as Kohno’s facility, hence their guitars were sold outside Japan in very limited numbers. This one came in to Australia via The Sydney Spanish Guitar Centre, run by Peter Calvo. It was bought new by its one owner in1976 for AUD$1950. So it was a very expensive top end instrument back then. If you want to do the math, use inflationtool.com to see what that’s worth today.

Nakade guitars are world class instruments of the highest calibre. They feature the finest materials expected in a top class concert guitar, including old growth Indian rosewood back and sides with breathtaking grain, a fine master grade Hokkaido spruce top, ebony fingerboard, rosewood bridge, quality tuners, intricate bindings, purfling and rosette. It is a full size concert guitar with a 660 mm scale length and 52 mm width at the nut.

The workmanship and attention to detail is comparable with the highest quality Spanish made instruments. The intricate hand carving on the face of the headstock is a wonder to behold in itself.

This instrument was played professionally throughout the 70s and 80s but it shows little wear. A few light marks on the back and a small indentation on the back of the neck. The top is remarkably clean, with a tiny mark behind the high E string. No structural issues. It has been treated with great respect, and lived most of its life in its top quality hard case.

Scale length is 26" or 660 mm

Nut Width is 2" or 52 mm

String height @ 1st fret = 3 mm. 12th = 4 mm

Saddle appears to be original and untouched, with approx 2 mm showing above the bridge.

Its tuners were replaced with top quality units by a Sydney based violin maker Matthew Bollinger. The originals are in the case.

This Nakade Master 30 has a wonderfully balanced character, with excellent playability and powerful projection. Superb clarity and separation at the top end, deep piano like bass, with great sustain and percussive attack. The beautiful solid spruce top has matured over the years and speaks with an impressive bold voice that will only sound better as it ages.

Comes in its original hard case in good condition.