K.Yairi SO-18, made in Japan 2005, sunburst finish. K.Yairi guitars attract a cult following; those that know them, love them, and for good reason. Yairi is a much smaller operation than the Ibanez and Yamahas of the world, which allows for a stellar commitment to quality and detail seldom seen these days. Unlike most other acoustic builders, Yairi are known to mill and air-dry their own tonewoods, which combined with absolutely flawless hand craftsmanship, makes for guitars with an exceptionally balanced and sweet tone. This one is a gorgeous little parlour, similar in dimensions to a Martin 00, with a 14th-fret body join. First up, it looks exceptional: the hand rubbed sunburst finish has a gorgeous rich ochre hue and still shows the detail in high-grade spruce top up close. The size and light weight, combined with a comfy slim rounded neck shape, make for an easy playing feel; it's a perfect little couch strummer. The tone on offer is very classy. There's a surprisingly rich, open low end, paired with a complex midrange and chirpy treble that offer crisp clarity, great note separation and lively dynamics. The mahogany back and sides, combined with the small dimensions, mean there's plenty of midrange focus, and when you dig in hard you can get some great bluesy growl out of it. We love Yairi stuff around here, and I'd wager this will absolutely make your life more enjoyable.

Model: K.Yairi SO-18
Made: Japan, 2005 (serial 21581)
Finish: hand rubbed sunburst top, gloss natural back and sides
Body: solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, '00' size
Neck: mahogany one-piece inc headstock, rosewood fingerboard, dovetail joint, 25" scale, 15" radius
Weight: 1.600kg
Pickup: none
Mods: none
Case: basic hard case

Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has a dent on the end and top end and a little scratch on the bottom edge. The neck has a small dent on the top side near the 6th fret, as well as some rub wear on the back; it's clean and smooth in the hands. The back has a couple of dents on the shoulders and some light scuffs on the elbow area, bottom edge and middle of the guitar. The sides have a couple of dents in the elbow area and some scuffs near the rear strap pin. The front has some dimples in the elbow area, some scuffs along the back and bottom edge and a decent amount of play wear on the guard and shoulders.  Overall: very good condition (8/10).

Playing condition notes: action is moderately low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. The frets have some normal wear, but they're fairly even with no major buzz issues, 7/10 for fret life left. Wearing fresh 12/54 Moonshiners strings.