One specialty, done properly
Japan Vintage Guitars exists because the market forced our hand. The '70s and '80s produced a golden age of Japanese guitar building — Greco, Tokai, Fernandes, Yamaki, and a dozen makers whose work outclasses many American originals — and with the reputation came a flood of fakes, partscasters, and wishful listings. In 2009 we decided to do one thing only: sell verified-original Japanese vintage guitars, with the research attached.
Every guitar we list passes component verification — hardware dates, serial ranges, wood grain and routing checks, finish and decal inspection — and ships with a written provenance report. If a piece turns out to be anything other than what we described, the 30-day authenticity guarantee makes it simple: full refund, our return shipping.
What we handle
- Lawsuit-era and beyond: LP-style, Strat-style, and original-design guitars from Japan's great factories.
- Rarity sweeps through 60+ direct relationships with Japanese suppliers, including estate liquidations in Osaka and Hamamatsu.
- Player-grade honesty: every modification, refinish, and repair documented in the listing, never hidden in a photo angle.
Since 2009 more than 320 guitars have reached players and collectors across 41 countries. Some buyers are chasing the tone they heard on records; others are collectors who want the paper trail as much as the guitar. Both get the same standard of disclosure.
How to buy from us
Tell us what you are looking for — model, era, budget — and we will tell you honestly if it exists in condition you would want. High-value pieces ship fully insured with setup and playability notes from our bench. Japan Vintage Guitars is the vintage guitar dealer dedicated to Japanese originals: researched, guaranteed, and documented from headstock to heel.