Sakurai Kohno – 2018 Professional J Cedar

Description

Masaki Sakurai, the nephew of the great Japanese luthier Masaru Kohno, was born in 1944. He studied electrical engineering at the Sophia University and joined “Kohno Guitar Manufacturing” after graduating in 1967. In 1988 he won the prestigious first prize at the Fourth International Paris Guitar Making Competition. Masaki Sakurai’s guitars are of impeccable craftsmanship and are known for their ease of playing and a great volume of sound.

The model “Professional J” is a beautiful instrument, which is easily recognizable by its symmetrical bridge, as it is the only model of the Sakurai-Kohno line that has this feature, as well as by its beautiful back and sides made of Madagascar rosewood. Masaki Sakurai builds this guitar in the same tradition and manner as his uncle Masaru Kohno’s guitars, resulting in an instrument very similar to the Model 30 from the early 1970s. However, unlike the earlier 664 mm scale models, this instrument has a more comfortable 650 mm scale, which makes it much more accessible for most guitarists.

This guitar, whose superb cedar top immediately attracts attention, excels in many ways. It is certainly one of the most responsive guitars we have received from the Kohno workshop. The cedar top, which was obviously shaped with extreme precision, projects the tones noticeably. It is therefore a powerful, warm, and responsive instrument that allows both great control of the timbre and generous volume with a minimum effort. The precision of the neck and fretwork is also reflected in the ease of playing for the left hand. This instrument is a very reliable guitar, already largely mature in terms of sound and trustworthy in terms of the quality of construction.