1977 Mitsuru Tamura 3000 Classical Guitar
Solid Spruce Top
Solid Brazilian Rosewood Back and Sides
Bone Nut (52mm) and Bone Saddle
650mm Scale LengthThis is a great opportunity to own the highest model guitar made by Mitsuru Tamura in the 1970s. This guitar sold in 1977 for 300,000 Yen which is now equivalent to about $15,000 USD. This was the same price as the highest model sold at the same time by Masaru Kohno in 1977 also for 300,000 Yen (model 30). While Mitsuru Tamura is not as well known outside of Japan as his brother Hiroshi Tamura, he kept the number of guitars that came out of his shop low compared to Hiroshi Tamura’s who at that time was basically running a small factory. The last Mitsuru Tamura 3000 from the same time sold in a Japanese auction for just over 250,000 Yen very recently.The condition of the guitar is good for its age. The top has some wear below the sound hole on the treble side as well as some dings. There is also a repaired crack in the middle of the top running from the bottom of the guitar to the bridge and from the bridge to the sound hole. There is also a crack in the back which I have tried to show in one of the pictures but you can hardly see it. Both cracks are stable and present no structural issues and do not impact the sound in any way. Of course, those who only plan to put the guitar in a glass case and take close-up hi-resolution photos of it may miss on its most important feature – the exceptional sound it offers. The neck, head-shock and sides of the guitar are pretty clean and the tuners are tight and smooth when tuned. There is a thin white line where the two pieces of the neck meet towards the heel and it’s not clear to me what it is because there is no gap or any sign of repair.The sound of the guitar is warm and thick with good volume and sustain as it should be expected from a guitar of this caliber. The notes ring with great clarity and separation all the way up and down the entire fretboard. In my opinion this guitar sounds better than any Kohno that I have played (and I have owned and/or played models 10, 15, and 20) from the same time period. Of course, this is fully justified as its cost was higher than any of these models at the time and it would not have sold for more if it didn’t sound better.The action setup makes it very easy to play (less than 3 mm treble side and less than 4 mm bass side at the 12th fret). There are no buzzing or playability issues anywhere along the neck. The frets are in good shape and have been polished and leveled and the fingerboard conditioned. The neck is straight and there is room on the saddle to go lower with the action if needed.The guitar will come with a set of La Bella 850 Gold nylon strings. These are among the most generic nylon strings available and allow the guitar to bring out its voice without coloring or exaggerating it. This guitar does not need carbon strings to sound great. It has more than enough volume and clarity with the most basic nylon strings.For a sound sample of this exact guitar, please see the following video on youtube:
I will only accept PayPal for payment. I will ship to Canada and the Continental United States. The guitar will be shipped in its hard case well packed with strings loosened. I have bought and sold a long list of classical guitars over the years, so buy with confidence.Shipping: $80 USD (Canada Post: 4-6 Business Days) to Canada and the US only
Buyer pays any required customs fees if shipped to the US