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 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 expertly layered Palisander Rosewood.
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 42-year-old guitar.
The neck is quite comfortable, 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 42-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.
Willing to trade for comparably priced hollow body electric guitar.
Thanks for looking
Classical guitar
Yairi
K.
Yairi
Alvarez
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