K.Yairi SJ-45, sunburst, made in Japan 1991. K.Yairi make some of the finest acoustic guitars in the world, they are truly special. While other Japanese manufacturers were expanding and mechanising their operations, Kazuo Yairi instead directed his efforts to finding and sourcing impressive quantities of the exceptional tonewoods from around the world. They air-dry, mill and cure their own timber onsite at their small workshop instead of drying using kilns and ovens. Everything is done by hand: carving the neck, the rosette, the binding, the headstock shape, shaping and shaving the bracing, tap-tuning the top... no shortcuts, just the best materials and time-honoured craftsmanship. All that adds up to a certain magic in the hands. You can feel the integrity and resonance of this straight away in the hands, it's remarkable. The neck is a comfy moderate profile, it's not slim as such but a little smaller than some other J-45 style acoustics we've had through. A good J-45 has a self-assured low end with a gooey, rich midrange, and the best ones have a certain snap and clarity on the top end too, and this covers all of those bases very well. There's a percussive, tuneful bass response balanced against a responsive, eloquent treble, all stuck together by a mile-wide wonderfully complex midrange. Dense chords sing with clarity and conviction, fingerstyle lines pop with detail and nuance... it sounds fantastic. The sides are finished in natural gloss, which lets the reds and chocolate browns of the mahogany show through. The sunburst top shows off the tight grain lines of the prime spruce and features a little more red than some others I've seen, which adds a little visual warmth. We get a few K.Yairi guitars through the shop, but this model is a pretty unusual example, so if you're in love, don't wait too long to put a ring on it.

Model: K.Yairi SJ-45
Made: Japan, 1991 (serial 40716)
Finish: sunburst top, natural back and sides
Body: round shoulder J-45style; solid spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides
Neck: mahogany, rosewood fingerboard, dovetail joint, 25.5" scale, 15" radius
Weight: 1.920kg
Pickup: none
Mods: none
Case: basic non-original hard case

Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has a hole from a former strap pin and some minor marks on the end. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor dimples on the back only. The back has a few ;light scuffs around the body, a dent on the top shoulder and a little chip in the finish on the back edge. The sides have a handful of light scuffs in the elbow area and bottom bout, no major marks. The front has no major marks, just some light rub wear in the elbow area and some standard 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 look pretty even and in good shape, 8/10 for fret life left. Wearing fresh 12/54 Moonshiners strings.