# My old classical guitar...



## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

When I was in high school (that was a long time ago), my parents bought me a classical guitar, because I was taking classical lessons at the time and didn't have the appropriate guitar (and I think they wanted to get me away from R 'n' R). I have always kept it, but not played it much (need to relearn classical techniques really), but I got it out the other day and started playing it. I have no idea what it cost my folks, but it is a 1973 Yairi Gakki, and BEAUTIFUL! I did some research, and apparently it is a handmade guitar, I had NO IDEA, but with the internet now, you can research anything. I even kept all the sheet music in the case for the songs I used to have more or less mastered (at least to some small degree of proficiency). Maybe when I retire, I will grow out my fingernails and get back to it. Very excited to get reacquainted with it! Here are a few pics:








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She's a beauty!
-Mikey


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Man, it is a beauty! You've kept it in mint shape.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

I have a few Sada Yairi nylon strings from 1961 to 1971...the `71 is probably the one that retailed for the most money, just my guess. I have em made of mahogany, maple and rosewood. All are outstanding guitars, some have the blue labels others have the hand made washi labels....some have model numbers, all are dated. From what I can tell they are all solid wood, and very well made. There is quite a lot written on line about the Yairi saga though none to my knowledge comes directly from the family, it`s mostly all written by people overseas though some comes from Japan and frankly, I`d go with what I read here in the country since they would have access to info that foreigners simply would not...what ever happened, there was some bad blood between Sadao and Kazuo....Yairi the elder left the Suzuki violin company early/mid `30s to branch out on his own and I`ve read S and K were brothers, I`ve read they were cousins...and since Kazuo is the only one left alive, unless he comes out with the truth, we may never know. Possible there is some Japanese info out there that I haven`t found yet that puts an end to all the speculation, but I`ve looked....though it has been some time...and couldn`t find anything definitive. Still....I do love my Sada guitars, they are as good as it gets.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

heres a pic of one of my washi labels.....date is second row of kanji from the left....model number on the bottom left...


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

front view of the `71....


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

back......


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

back of my 1961 on the left...it has Yairi embossed on the back of the headstock....only one I have with that kind of figuring I was told it`s mahogany...


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

one of my rosewood Sada models...different headstock, I have seen a few as well as several different labels...


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

back of the one above.....


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

Those are beauties!
-Mikey


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

So`s yours....By the little of the label I see, looks like it`s one that has some English on it?.....he may have done that on exports, I do see some with English on the label for sale here on line sometimes though but most have the blue or washi labels here. Yours doesn`t look 40 years old. I hear they sell for far more used over there than they do here.


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