1959 Masaru Kono No. 1202 Classical Guitar Brazilian Rosewood Japan

An exceptionally rare early Masaru Kono No. 1202 classical guitar built in 1959. This is a wonderful example from the early years of one of Japan's most respected luthiers, made before Masaru changed the English spelling of his name from "Kono" to "Kohno." Early instruments like this are becoming increasingly difficult to find and are highly sought after by collectors and players alike.

Featuring a solid spruce top paired with Brazilian rosewood back and sides, this guitar delivers the warm, responsive, and articulate tone that helped establish Masaru Kono's reputation. Decades of natural aging have produced a mature voice with excellent clarity, rich overtones, and impressive sustain.

This guitar has just been cleaned, restrung, and professionally set up. It plays beautifully with comfortable action and is ready to be enjoyed immediately.

Overall, the guitar is in very good vintage condition. It shows honest cosmetic wear from more than 65 years of careful use, including scratches, dings, and finish wear throughout the body, all of which are pictured. The frets remain in excellent playing condition with plenty of life left.

There is one small crack on the back that has been professionally repaired by our local luthier, Charles Dick. The repair is clean, stable, and does not affect the structural integrity, tone, or playability of the instrument.

The original 1959 interior label is intact, making this a particularly desirable example from the earliest period of Masaru Kono's work. Whether you're a serious classical guitarist, collector of fine Japanese instruments, or simply looking for an outstanding vintage nylon-string guitar, this is a remarkable opportunity to own an important piece of Japanese luthiery.

Includes the vintage hard case shown in the photos. The case exhibits significant cosmetic wear from age but remains fully functional and provides good protection for the guitar.

Please review all photos carefully, as they are part of the description.

Case: Hard

Scale Length: 650mm

Nut Width: 49.8mm

Fret Wear: 9/10

Action at 12F (6th): 3.5mm

Action at 12F (1st): 2.5mm

Weight: 1490grams

Overall Condition: 8/10

Cool Factor: 11 out of 10

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Internal Use (Bin) - I1