Yamaha GC-7M Concert Classical Guitar 1978. Near mint condition.
Beautifully sounding grand concert guitar. It can put to shame many high end and very expensive guitars.
Very balanced tone. Nice, punchy midrange, just enough of high end and warm, rich basses.
Built and signed by Shuhiro Harada - one of the most talented Yamaha Custom Shop luthiers in the 70s.
The condition of this guitar is unbelievable considering it's 45 years old.
It's in near mint showroom condition, with very few minor signs of use that can only be seen up close.
The white strips that you see on the pictures of the back and sides are just reflections.
The guitar has been kept in a room with humidity set to 50% at 25 degrees (75F).
The action is medium low, comfortable to play.
The tone wood that was used for the top is Japanese Ezo Spruce.
Ezo spruce grows in the high mountains in Japan and no longer allowed to be harvested.
There are some old stocks still available in Japan or outside Japan but to commission a guitar with Ezo spruce top nowadays will cost thousands.
Specs
Top High grade AAAA Solid Ezo Spruce
Back / Sides Indian Rosewood (Back is solid)
Finish Lacquer
Neck Honduras Mahogany, Natural Bone Nut
Fingerboard High Grade Select Ebony
Bridge Rosewood, Natural Bone Saddle
String Length 658 mm
Nut width 52 mm
Action at 12 fret (1st): 3.25 mm
Action at 12 fret (6th): 3.5 mm
Comes with hard case
History of Japanese Classical Guitar Making
From the late 1960s to the mid 1980s, Japanese luthiers produced guitars of exceptional quality. These skilled craftsmen typically ran small shops, employing a handful of master builders who were often trained in Spain or under Spanish master builders in Japan. During this period, bans on certain types of wood were not yet in place, allowing luthiers to source high-quality wood for their creations. Although these guitars are considered a bargain in today's market, finding top-quality Japanese classical guitars from this era can be challenging, and restrictions on exporting certain types of wood make them even more difficult to obtain. Similar guitars built with comparable materials today would cost significantly more due to the scarcity or complete bans on certain types of wood. Most of those talented luthiers from the 70s and 80s are now retired or have passed away.
