1968 Masaru Kohno No. 7 SP/IN

This 1968 Masaru Kohno No. 7 is a classical guitar with a spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides, made in Tokyo, Japan, with a 656mm string length and no cracks or repairs.

Kohno in 1968

Made the year after his Gold Medal in Belgium, when his reputation was spreading far beyond Japan, this guitar has the classic sound of the period. It has the classic Kohno sound of this era: clear, woody, and even a bit dark for a spruce.

The Label

Before he introduced named models in the early 1980s, Kohno identified his guitars by a model (grade) number such as this No. 7; because the scale changed over time, it should always be read with the year. Its label, “Masaru Kohno Luthier” with the Nishiikebukuro workshop address in Tokyo, reads No. 7, 1968.

Condition and Playability

The condition is excellent, with no cracks or repairs, only some normal, respectable playing wear. With its comfortable set-up it is easy to play – a concert-ready guitar. The string length is 656mm and the nut 52mm.

The Guitar in Japan

For more on Japanese guitar making, see Orfeo No. 15, “The Guitar in Japan”: it can be read online and is included in the print edition “Orfeo Magazine, 11-15”.

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.