1980 K. Yairi Y-505P
When Kazuo Yairi began designing and hand-crafting his guitars in the 1960’s, he was deliberately competing with Martin, Gibson, Guild, and the traditional classical guitar makers of Spain for the higher end guitar market in the U.S. while at the same time developing models specifically for his home market in Japan. Those for the U.S. were co-marketed with Alvarez as the acclaimed “Alvarez-Yairi” guitars; those for Europe and Japan were marketed as “K. Yairi” models: same woods, same design, same craftsmanship, but different model numbers. This K. Yairi Y-505P is—like the equivalent Alvarez-Yairi CY-130--an example of the superb quality and sound which he was able to produce using the highest grade materials, the best Japanese craftsmen, and his own modifications of the best American and European designs. Today, the prices of the Alvarez-Yairi and K. Yairi acoustic guitars range from $1200 to $5000 and beyond, and the growing number of owners and collectors will tell you they’re worth every penny.
This guitar has the date (1980) imprinted on the label, which also features the master luthier’s signature. This date is confirmed by the number imprinted on the neck block (55080562), indicating that this guitar was created in 1980, the 55th year of Japanese Emperor Showa’s reign (no, I’m not making this up). By this date only the highest-priced Yairis had solid wood for guitar backs and sides, and this Y505P, while a fine guitar, is not the top of the Yairi line. However, Yairi was famous for the sophistication of his laminating processes, as well as for his collection of highly figured woods to use in his laminates. Kazuo Yairi carefully stockpiled supplies prior to the Cite II’s treaty passage, including highly-figured woods, including Coral and Flamed Rosewood, Coromandel, and other varieties because of their beautiful resemblance to Brazilian Rosewood, although these varieties are usually of Indian or Pacific origin.
The Y505P’s solid top is select straight-grained Red Cedar with cross-grain silting, while the 2-piece back and the sides are apparently made of select Palisander Rosewood—although I’m pretty sure these are expertly layered. The 12/19-fret fingerboard is ebony with large nickel silver frets, ending with a bone nut and bone saddle. The wrap-around bridge is dark rosewood, and the neck and headstock are mahogany. The tuners feature large pearloid buttons, the rosette is wood inlay, and rosewood and maple binding completes the body. This is one gorgeous guitar!
Even more impressive is its playability and its huge sound. The frets have very little wear on them for a 39-year-old guitar. The neck is quite comfortable for my kind of small hands, measuring 2 1/16” (52 mm) at the nut, with a 662 mm scale. The years of seasoning of the quality solid top and rosewood back and sides make this about as resonant a classical guitar as I have played, with great big bass and clear ringing trebles. Perhaps some of this resonance is due to the transverse classical bracing system, similar to that of the iconic Ramirez 1a. The usual Spanish neck block was modified by Yairi with an internal neck extension for greater strength and stability.
Like most 39-year-old guitars that have been played, there are some dings, including a 2-inch scrape below the bridge and a long fingernail bruise or scrape on the lower bout. More importantly, there are no cracks anywhere, and there are no structural issues of any kind.
The original deluxe hard shell case is also in excellent condition: the hardware all works well, and the black plush interior is soft and clean—there’s even still a key! It naturally fits this guitar like the proverbial glove, has the K. Yairi logo on the top, and certainly provides outstanding protection for this valuable instrument.
Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashier’s checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have tried to be perfectly clear and accurate in describing this instrument, so its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to purchase it.
Thank you for your interest in this fine Yairi classical guitar.
Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.
From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.
I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.