1963 Masaru Kohno No. 620 SP/IN

This 1963 Masaru Kohno No. 620 is a classical guitar with a spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides, made in Tokyo, Japan – from his early Tokyo years, with no cracks or repairs and a slim 47mm nut.

The “Kono, Tokio” Years

In 1963 Kohno was still using the spellings “Kono” and “Tokio” on his labels – the guitar dates from just a few years before his international debut in Belgium. The sound is the classic Kohno sound of these years – clear and woody, and even a little dark for a spruce top.

Label and Condition

Inside is his early label, “Masaru Kono, Constructor de Guitarras, Tokio” (the “Kono” and “Tokio” spellings of the 1960s), inscribed “No. 620” and dated 1963. The condition is excellent, with no cracks or repairs, only some normal, respectable playing wear that is superficial. It is concert ready, set up comfortably and easy to play. The nut is a slim 47mm, so the neck feels especially easy in the hand.

Further Reading

Orfeo Magazine devoted its issue No. 15 to the guitar in Japan. You can read it online, and it is also part of the print edition “Orfeo Magazine, 11-15”, available at GSI.

Orfeo No. 15: The Guitar in Japan

Orfeo Magazine, 11-15 (print edition)

Masaru Kohno (1926–1998)

Not only the most important luthier to emerge from Japan, Masaru Kohno is also one of the best worldwide. He was born in 1926 in Mito City, Japan, and in 1948 he graduated from the Tokyo College of Arts and Crafts with a degree in woodcraft. It was during this time that he became interested in guitar construction, and in 1960 he traveled to Spain to learn the craft.

Six Months with Arcángel Fernández

Kohno apprenticed for six months at the workshop of Arcángel Fernández in Madrid, and although neither could speak a word of the other’s language, they managed to communicate. Kohno’s apprenticeship consisted mostly of sitting in the back of the shop and quietly – but attentively – observing the master Fernández at work. Upon his return to Tokyo he established his own workshop and quickly gained recognition among Japanese guitarists.

Gold Medal in Belgium, 1967

His international debut came in 1967, when he was awarded the Gold Medal at an international guitar-building competition in Belgium. On the judges’ panel were, among others, Ignacio Fleta, Robert Bouchet, Joaquín Rodrigo and Alirio Díaz. Since then, many players of world renown have used Kohno guitars; among them are Julian Bream, Oscar Ghiglia and Sharon Isbin, to name a few. After Kohno’s death in 1998 his nephew Masaki Sakurai carried on the workshop as Sakurai-Kohno, and today his grandson So Kimishima continues the tradition – read more on our page Kohno, Sakurai & Kimishima.