K.Yairi G1-F Parlour Sunburst 2001
K.Yairi G1-F, sunburst, made in Japan 2001. Kazuo Yairi began making guitars by hand under his own name in the 1960s, and the operation continues in a similar manner to this day. Yairi guitars are made in a workshop in Gifu, in mountainous western Japan, by a small team of dedicated luthiers who do everything the time honoured, old fashioned way, Kazuo was famously a tonewood fanatic, buying up huge swathes of fine timbers from all over the world, milling them in house and then air drying them in racks over decades on site in Gifu. This little parlour references vintage Gibson slope-shoulder models like the LG-1. It's made from some beautiful bookmatched spruce, with amazingly consistent grain lines on show under the classy gloss sunburst finish, paired with some tightly patterned mahogany for the back and sides. It looks superb: the finish is super classy and the understated curves really pop. The tone has the hallmarks of Yairi instruments: clear, dry, balanced across the strings, articulate without being harsh, warm. Being a smaller body, it's not especially loud or bass heavy, but it's very sweet sounding and lends chords and fingerstyle lines a nuanced, calm complexity. The neck is very comfy and the body is lightweight, so it's a perfect little couch companion. This would record very nicely, just add your favourite microphone and the natural clarity will do the rest. It's hard to play a Yairi and forget about it.
Model: K.Yairi G1-F
Made: Japan, 2001, Gifu workshop
Serial: 69492
Finish: sunburst top, shaded back and sides, thin gloss poly
Body: solid sitka spruce top, laminate mahogany back and sides, L-0 size, 102mm deep, 356mm across
Neck: mahogany, Indian rosewood fretboard, 25.25" scale, 16" radius, 42mm nut, slim C
Weight: 1.670kg
Mods: none
Pickup: none
Accessories: K.Yairi hard case
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has minor scuffs on the end and front around the posts. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor dimples on the back only. The back has some rub wear on the shoulders and the back edge. The sides have minor dimples on the top horn and some scuffs near the rear strap pin. The front has light scuffs around the bridge and some play wear around the sound hole.
Overall: excellent condition (9/10)
Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good. Setup with 11/52 Moonshiners strings.
Fret Life: 9/10, minor wear only