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1972 Yairi Gakki Classical Guitar

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GenericName:
So, I recently found a beat-up-looking guitar in a thrift store.
It had a nice sound, but needed beaucoup de tuning, and now it resides at my place of residence.
Upon further examination, it is a 1972 Yairi Gakki guitar Clase 8900.
I thought perhaps someone on these fine forums would be able to tell me something about this type of guitar, since a Google search yielded two results, eBay and a forum where they all said "I have no idea whatsoever" about a very similar guitar.

I don't think this should be in The Guitar Thread seeing as I'm not really bragging at all, I'm inquiring.

Johnny C:
Why do you need to know? If it plays nicely, then good. You've found a good guitar, I reckon.

I literally don't know the make of my acoustic guitar as it's years old and has no identification on it. Doesn't stop me from playing it, you know?

pinkpiche:
Actually I recognize generic's curiosity, mainly because the interest in guitars sometimes goes further than just playing it. Enjoying a nice finish, gold mechanics or something like that. The name sounds Finnish, that's all I can tell you..

negative creep:
Google says it's probably japanese.

edit: wikipedia has a page about it, too.

Chad K.:

--- Quote from: GenericName on 23 Jan 2008, 20:41 ---So, I recently found a beat-up-looking guitar in a thrift store.
It had a nice sound, but needed beaucoup de tuning, and now it resides at my place of residence.
Upon further examination, it is a 1972 Yairi Gakki guitar Clase 8900.
I thought perhaps someone on these fine forums would be able to tell me something about this type of guitar, since a Google search yielded two results, eBay and a forum where they all said "I have no idea whatsoever" about a very similar guitar.

I don't think this should be in The Guitar Thread seeing as I'm not really bragging at all, I'm inquiring.

--- End quote ---

I happen to know quite a bit about Yairi guitars.  They are extremely well made and quite expensive guitars.  My friend's father worked for the St. Louis Music Company in the 70's through the 90's, which makes Ampeg and Alvarez products.  In the 70's Alvarez guitars went under the brand name "Electra," and had become somewhat popular with prog-rock and arena rock bands for having onboard "mpc" effects, largely due to an endorsement by Peter Frampton.  As part of their business strategy, Electra partnered with the Matsumoku factory in Japan. 

At that same time, Electra/Alvarez were seeking to capitalize on the surge of acoustic rock acts by finding  an acoustic line to import.  At Matsumoku's suggestion, they invetigated two brothers by the name of Sadao and Kauro Yairi making acoustics in Japan.  Kauro entered into an importation deal with them, while Sadao chose to remain with the Japanese market exclusively. 

Yairi  guitars were made with a new bracing formula that allowed their tops to be very thin, and, consequently, more resonant.  They eventually went a little crazy with this principal, which lead to some significant warping of the tops of Yairis, thus decreasing the number of guitars in the market, but increasing the value of classic models.  Yours may be an Alvarez Yairi (it will have an "A"with a "Y" superimposed over it) or a Yairi (it will have just a "Y").  If its 1972, it could have been one of the first runs of imports that didn't yet have the Alvarez moniker.  In that case, it could have been either by the Yairi import, or purchased by someone from Sadao and brought to America.

Both Yairis still make guitars, and a typical new Yairi acoustic goes in the $1200-$2500 range.  They are all handmade and are pros dirty little secret.  The next time you see an acoustic performance, look at the headstock.  A lot of Yairis get mistaken for Taylors. 

Good find.  Hold onto it.  There are people who pay an arm and a leg for those.

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