Saito Guitars S-622JMC Moss Green 2024
Saito S-622JMC, moss green, made in Japan 2024. You won't get many opportunities to score a second hand Saito in these parts, so this will be a hell of a score for one savvy somebody. Saito Guitars are a Tokyo based builder, aiming to create 'simple, beautiful tools' for today's player. Topshelf is the exclusive Australian dealer for these outstanding guitars, and this fine example was on the first batch of guitars we ordered, back in 2024. JMC stands for Jazzmaster concept: this is their take on the classic offset shape. You get some signature Saito touches: subtle compound radius fretboard, bound and rolled fretboard edges, locking tuners, a high end two point tremolo bridge, hand scatter-wound pickups, simple controls and woodwork executed to an industry leading standard. This feels amazing: the neck is a moderate shape, not super slim, but it's effortlessly fast and superbly comfortable, as good as anything you'll find on high end custom shop offerings from Fender or ESP easily. At 3.4kg, this is light for an offset, and the two-piece centre joined alder body shows plenty of tasty grain patterns on the natural satin back. The tuning stability and responsiveness on offer is amazing: you can mash the tremolo bridge like a lunatic and it springs back into perfect tune, and every note rings like a bell. The pickups are great too. For many years, pickups was Saito's primary business, so they've got the recipe down to a fine art. They're voiced like a true 60s-style pancake-wind single, so you get an abundance of open, chiming highs, breathy complex mids and a very fast bass. The cleans on offer are exemplary, but if you're dousing the signal chain with fuzz, reverb and modulation, the clarity and attack still manages to come through with conviction. The green and gold is a great combo too, it looks very classy. My number one player these days is one of these in purple, and if I didn't already have that, I'd keep this. If you miss out on this used example, we can order you a new one, but you'll have to wait a few months and pay a fair bit more cash. So hey, snooze not.
See our original listing from when we sold this guitar brand new here: https://topshelfinstruments.com.au/products/saito-guitars-s-622jmc-moss-green-2024-new?_pos=1&_psq=moss+green&_ss=e&_v=1.0
Model: Saito Guitars S-622JMC
Made: Japan, 2024
Serial: 242752
Finish: moss green, satin poly
Body: alder, 'modern archtop' shape, 45mm deep
Neck: maple, Indian rosewood cap fretboard, 25.5" scale, 10-12" compound radius, 'Standard Grip' profile, rosewood fretboard binding, rolled fretboard edges, 42mm nut, 21mm deep at 1st fret, 24mm deep at 12th fret, Jescar FW-51100 Nickel Silver frets
Weight: 3.4kg
Mods: none
Pickups: SAYTONE Hand Winding Pickups. Flat Head pancake-wind single coil x2
Accessories: Saito SHE-150L semi hard case, tools and docs
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has minor dimples on the end. The neck has minor rub wear on the back. The back has rub wear in the elbow area and a dimple in the belly carve area The sides have rub wear in the elbow area and dimples on the bottom horn. The front has minor play wear on the horns and rub wear in the bridge and elbow area.
Overall: excellent condition (9.5/10)
Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Wearing fresh 10/46 Moonshiners strings.
Fret life: 9.5/10, very minor wear only