S Yairi Guitars. Info wanted.

matt welch · Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Posts: 1 Location: Aldershot England

I own two S Yairi guitars. Can anyone give me more info on them?

Guitar 1 is an S Yairi acoustic hand made instrument. It looks like a Martin D18 only it has a truss rod cover on the headstock which a D18 doesn't have. Model number reads 710 and serial number is 594. It was made in March 1975. I bought it off Ebay and it was in a state. The table was "bellying" at the bridge, it needed new machineheads, a nut, new bridge and saddle and fret dressing. It has been fully restored by a luthier and plays beautifully.

Guitar 2 is an S Yairi B & M Virtuoso classical guitar. Model no 396 made in 1968. I bought this off ebay as well. It had been on display in a Carribean Club in Liverpool and had been maltreated as someone had glued foam rubber to its back which ruined the finish. The heel has also had a repair. I have refinished the back of the guitar and replaced the machineheads. It now looks pretty good and plays beautifully with an amazing tone.
This came with a taay but solid guitar case.

I own several guitars including a Martin D18. I had never heard of S Yairi until a few weeks ago when I bought the classical guitar. I am very impressed with both of them and would appreciate any info you can share re history and value and rating. Smile

1bassleft · Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 7:20 pm Post subject:

Hi Matt,
Yairi acoustics have come up here on Guitarsite before and, just from memory, I know them to be hand-made in Japan and highly prized by those who appreciate acoustics. They can also turn up cheaply and perhaps abused by people who've never heard of them. Well done for spotting those two. Rather than type a huge wodge, this discussion on another site will interest you:
http://www.guitarseminars.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000157.html

Hope that helps.

SB · Jammin' Hot Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 185 Location: USA

Hey Matt,

While off looking for information on the Shinko Guitar Company I ran across this blurb on S. Yari. Looks to be quality information.

Sadao or Sada Yairi was a guitar maker and guitar manufacturer from Nagoya, Japan who was active from the 1960s to the 1990s. He sold guitars under a number of labels including Sadao Yairi, Yairi Gakki, S. Yairi, and Sada Guitar. He also manufactured guitars for B&M (distributed in the UK) Lowden, Sherry-Brener and a few guitars for Alvarez of St. Louis Music during the early 1970s. During the early 1990s, he had a line of handmade guitars sold by Samick in S. Korea.

Information on Sadao Yairi is scant and a number of Japanese Sadao Yairi collectors confirm that Sadao Yairi’s guitar making history is shrouded in mystery especially after a 1990s statement by Kazuo Yairi, of Alvarez Yairi fame, that Kazuo and Sadao have no working relationship.

The consensus is that Sadao and Kazuo Yairi are cousins who learned guitar making from Kazuo Yairi‘s dad, also named Sadao Yairi. The older Sadao, had worked as a guitar and violin maker at the Suzuki, Takehuru factory in Nagoya and then later opened his own business, Yairi & Son, which operated until about 1970-71. Nagoya is the major industrial port city in Aichee prefecture and one of Japan's long established guitar making centers.

In the late 1960s Sada and Kazuo went their own way and began making guitars under their own label, with Sada establishing S. Yairi guitars in Nagoya and Kazuo Yairi starting up K. Yairi Guitars in Kani, which is about 30 minutes from Nagoya. Both Sadao and Kazuo made guitars for Alvarez/St. Louis Music Company in the early 1970s, but Kazuo ended up getting an exclusive contract with St. Louis Music. Kazuo's guitars sold by SLM were first known as Alvarez by Kazuo Yairi and then Alvarez Yairi guitars.

In the early 1970s, Sadao had a number of guitar ventures including Yairi Gakki and S Yairi Guitars (gakki is the Japanese word for guitar). S. Yairi made guitars for B&M in the UK and for Lowden in the USA. Sadao also made some Alvarez guitars for SLM in the early 1970s. He went bankrupt in the late 1980s. As a result of the bankruptcy, he went to South Korea in the early 1990s and worked for Samick guitars, developing a short-lived line of handmade guitars labeled "Samick by S. Yairi".

In the 1990s Kazuo Yairi published a statement that there was no working relationship between him and his cousin Sadao (probably because of the bankruptcy). I believe that Sadao Yairi passed away during the 1990s.

Sometime during the late 1990s/early 2000s, a Japanese venture started to manufacture low quality guitars using the S. Yairi name. These guitars are made in China and are not the same quality as S. Yairi guitars made during the 1960s to 1980s.

SB · Jammin' Hot Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 185 Location: USA

Some more S Yari info at Mark Myers Blog:

http://markmyers1.blogspot.com/2008/02/mark-myers.html

yl · Groupie Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 20

SB wrote:

While off looking for information on the Shinko Guitar Company I ran across this blurb on S. Yari. Looks to be quality information.

Some of this info is correct, but not everything noted is accurate. I will try to "edit" and add corrections to the post.

Sadao or Sada Yairi was a guitar maker and guitar manufacturer from Nagoya, Japan who was active from the 1960s to the 1990s. He sold guitars under a number of labels including Sadao Yairi, Yairi Gakki, S. Yairi, and Sada Guitar. He also manufactured guitars for B&M (distributed in the UK) Lowden, Sherry-Brener and a few guitars for Alvarez of St. Louis Music during the early 1970s. During the early 1990s, he had a line of handmade guitars sold by Samick in S. Korea.

Sadao Yairi actually began much earlier than the 1960's, starting his first "Factory" in 1935 at the age of 29. He also used the Yairi and son label, among Aria and others, besides the ones listed.

Information on Sadao Yairi is scant and a number of Japanese Sadao Yairi collectors confirm that Sadao Yairi’s guitar making history is shrouded in mystery especially after a 1990s statement by Kazuo Yairi, of Alvarez Yairi fame, that Kazuo and Sadao have no working relationship.

I don't find the statement by Kazuo to be unusual, he was just clarifying the fact that they did not work together, and his instruments had no connection to the ones of Sadao.

The consensus is that Sadao and Kazuo Yairi are cousins who learned guitar making from Kazuo Yairi‘s dad, also named Sadao Yairi. The older Sadao, had worked as a guitar and violin maker at the Suzuki, Takehuru factory in Nagoya and then later opened his own business, Yairi & Son, which operated until about 1970-71. Nagoya is the major industrial port city in Aichee prefecture and one of Japan's long established guitar making centers.

Sadao Yairi was related to Kazuo, not his cousin but, his Uncle. Both Kazuo Yairi's father and Sadao worked at Suzuki Violin Co. prior to leaving and starting their own businesses. As stated prior, Sadao was the one that also made Yairi and Son (there weren't TWO Sadao's in the picture), he began the Yairi and Son models with his son Hiroshi, who actually made most of those models under his father's supervision as is noted by the stamps on the label/backs of the guitars.

In the late 1960s Sada and Kazuo went their own way and began making guitars under their own label, with Sada establishing S. Yairi guitars in Nagoya and Kazuo Yairi starting up K. Yairi Guitars in Kani, which is about 30 minutes from Nagoya. Both Sadao and Kazuo made guitars for Alvarez/St. Louis Music Company in the early 1970s, but Kazuo ended up getting an exclusive contract with St. Louis Music. Kazuo's guitars sold by SLM were first known as Alvarez by Kazuo Yairi and then Alvarez Yairi guitars.

In the early 1970s, Sadao had a number of guitar ventures including Yairi Gakki and S Yairi Guitars (gakki is the Japanese word for guitar). S. Yairi made guitars for B&M in the UK and for Lowden in the USA. Sadao also made some Alvarez guitars for SLM in the early 1970s. He went bankrupt in the late 1980s. As a result of the bankruptcy, he went to South Korea in the early 1990s and worked for Samick guitars, developing a short-lived line of handmade guitars labeled "Samick by S. Yairi".

In the 1990s Kazuo Yairi published a statement that there was no working relationship between him and his cousin Sadao (probably because of the bankruptcy). I believe that Sadao Yairi passed away during the 1990s.

Sometime during the late 1990s/early 2000s, a Japanese venture started to manufacture low quality guitars using the S. Yairi name. These guitars are made in China and are not the same quality as S. Yairi guitars made during the 1960s to 1980s.

These "reissue" models of S. Yairi early guitars are under the supervision of his son, Hiroshi (74 years old). As to the quality, I can't say since I do not own one. However, I have read that there were some issues in the beginning, but that those were corrected. UPDATE: Recently found information noting that of the reissued S. Yairi brand, only the high end models are made in Japan.

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http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Alvarez_AlvarezYairi_plus/

http://yairiguitars.spaces.live.com/

Romano · Joined: 07 Jul 2009 Posts: 1

Hello

I have got a very rare guitar Sadao Yairi no 722 created in 1966.
Barnes and Mullins exporters (B&M Soloist)
I am seaking more information about Sadao and his guitars from this period.
The instrument sounds magical.

I have decided to sell it on american Ebay.
you can find it there.

Where can i find contacts to Japanese Yairi Colectors ?

yl · Groupie Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 20

Hello,

If it is a soloist, the 722 is probably not a model number. Photo's would be a big help too.

For a place to post photo's and ask info:

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Alvarez_AlvarezYairi_plus/

yl

http://yairiguitars.spaces.live.com/

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