The Osaka Guitar Show 2012

[Alfred J]

At the risk of sounding weird, the things that I remember and enjoy the most are those that resonate with my heart. A prime example is wood transformed into beautiful guitars that sound good and play easily. Mostly for that reason, I guess, I took the afternoon off - I work most weekends - and took the train into Osaka for the guitar show. Wind driven rain was pelting down outside, but the event was well attended by a convivial crowd of musicians, boutique builders from all over Japan, all of the big name manufacturers including Maton from Australia, tools, supplies, and tonewood vendors, case manufacturers, and people with banjos, ukes, mandolins, violins, accessories, and instruction DVDs. One guy had aluminium and titanium alloy truss rods available in custom sizes.

Jeff Yong's guitars were spectacular. I felt a bit sorry for local builders unlucky enough to have a table near his. It was a bit like parking a Toyota next to a Lamborghini at a car show. More about that later. I'll save the best for last.

Some intersting boutique builders included:
MASAAKI SHIOZAKI (nice guitars, no web site)
NAOYOSHI SUZUKI (included a very nice sounding all spruce guitar) http://www.nsguitar.jp/
IKO MASADA http://masadaguitar.webcrow.jp/home.html
SHINYA KIMURA (nice guitars, no web site)

Back, sides and top of the guitar on the left of this photo are Red Pine from Hokaido. I have to say, the sweetest sounding guitar I have ever played - a delight for any finger style player. Luthier: Odashima. Red Pine (Aka Matsu) is definitely a tone wood worth consideration, only used by a few builders in Japan as far as I know.

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A few more photos to give Aussies and Kiwis an idea of what was on display.

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Above: Red spruce top, Brazilian RW B&S Martin copy - very nice indeed with price tag to match.

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These titanium alloy truss rods are available in custom sizes. They are super light and beautifully made. The vendor, Toshihiro Tatsuta, told me he is a spectacle maker by trade. The little triangular objects are there to demonstrate the sound qualities of the alloy he uses compared with plain titanium.

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The table opposite was occupied by Kenji Sugita ( http://www.sugitakenji.com/en/index.html ), who uses Tatsuta's titanium truss rods. Kenji did his apprenticeship with luthier, Yukinobu Chai. In 2003 he started working with a graphic designer to produce beautiful, high end guitars.

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But for me and, I'm pretty sure, a lot of other people, the highlight of the show was Jeff Yong's display. Jeff is well known internationally. His work needs no introduction. Throughout the afternoon very talented guitarists would stop, pick up Jeff's guitars and jam, and that would always attract a crowd. One guy was cruising around the event with a guitar that he had bought from Jeff strapped to his back. The guy was a walking advertisement.

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Jeff and his daughter.

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It was a pleasure to meet him. I talked with him briefly about going to Malaysia next year to learn from him. With a bit of luck, circumstances will make that plan a reality.

Violin maker, Wataru Hinozaki ( http://www.shinozakiviolin.com/ ) had an interesting collection of luthier's planes and rasps he has been importing from China. I asked about the quality of the plane blades and he replied in English, "high speed tool steel." The rasps (not shown in the photo) appear hand made, and look similar to the type stewmac sells for more than twice the price, but the range is larger and they aren't so wide, making them better for negotiating tight curves. I bought the largest one for the equivalent of about $20. He told me he would update his web site soon to include the planes and rasps.

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It was around closing time when I spoke with the gentleman from Iwamoto Cases. He was packing up, but stopped to show me some of his cases - moulded 4mm ply, not flight cases, but light and very well made, custom sizes, choice of colours available with good quality fittings and leather handles. Value for money from 25000 yen or about $AU300. He told me the name of a guy in QLD who has been buying cases from him. I wrote the details on his brochure but left it in the train by mistake on the way home.
http://www.iwamotocase.co.jp/G-order-1.pdf
Here's his factory: http://www.iwamotocase.co.jp/newpage14.html
contact details: http://www.iwamotocase.co.jp/newpage15.html
If interested, try emailing him in English. He and others could do a lot to boost their business by adding English to their sites.

After a very satisfying afternoon, the show was winding up. I headed for tea and pastries at a nearby cafe, then home on the train through wind-driven rain.
A little about me: I'm an ex-pat Aussie with a house, a family, and a business in Japan. We are planning to sell up and move back to Oz next year if all goes well. I build purely as a hobby, a few guitars for myself and one that I built for a friend. I've got another on the bench soon to be finished. There no way I'd ever contemplate trying to make a living out of it. My very best wishes to those of you who do.

[Alfred J]

I forgot to add the URL for the titanium truss rods. Its in English
http://www5.ocn.ne.jp/~tatsuta/CCP009.html

And here's the guitar show web site, sorry no English:
http://www.sound-messe.com/

[woodrat]

Alfred Thanks Very Much for posting!!! Great pics and the Titanium truss rods look interesting....


Cheers

John

[JJ model]

Thanks Alfred, its indeed a pleasure and great surprise to meet a white man in a Japanese Guitar Show! I think you'll the only white man fully speaking english at the show. Thanks again for coming by despite of the menacing typhoon..... hope to meet up again in Malaysia. I went there with 4 and coming back minus 2 guitars! the Osaka Guitar Show is happening so I suggest fellow folks here to show case their guitars there next year.

[J.F. Custom]

Thanks Alfred!

Love seeing what is happening in the world of guitar shows - especially those we rarely get a glimpse into.

Good to see you back here again.

Jeremy.

[Alfred J]

Thanks Alfred, its indeed a pleasure and great surprise to meet a white man in a Japanese Guitar Show! I think you'll the only white man fully speaking english at the show. Thanks again for coming by despite of the menacing typhoon..... hope to meet up again in Malaysia. I went there with 4 and coming back minus 2 guitars! the Osaka Guitar Show is happening so I suggest fellow folks here to show case their guitars there next year.

Hi Jeff,
Yes, I had a really good time there. You were about the only person I used English with the entire afternoon.
Those guitars of yours are show stoppers. They are in a class of their own. I'm not surprised you went home with only two. And yes, I'm looking forward to a couple of weeks in Malaysia.
All the best to you.

[Alfred J]

Thanks Alfred!

Love seeing what is happening in the world of guitar shows - especially those we rarely get a glimpse into.

Good to see you back here again.

Jeremy.

Thanks Jeremy. Its good to be back. I've eased off the work load a bit.

[P Bill]

Thanks for the photos Alfred. Great avatar.