Description
Here we have a lovely 1971 vintage Yamaha GC-20D classical guitar with a lovely Brazilian Rosewood set for the sides and back. The ‘GC’ stands for ‘Grand Concert’ and these models were the top of the line for Yamaha classical guitars, and are seriously good instruments. As the GC-20D, this model was built from 1971 to 1973 and the label specifies a 1971 production year.
This Yamaha GC-20D was built during 1971 at the Yamaha home facility (Nippon Gakki) in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture and its is signed by master luthier Mr. Hideyuki Ezaki. It pairs a Hokkaido Spruce top with Brazilian Rosewood (Jacaranda) for the back, sides, bridge and head plate. The body blocks and neck are Spanish Cedar, and the fingerboard is Ebony. The tuners were made for Yamaha by Gotoh. The finish is thinly sprayed polyurethane, with a Ramirez-style orange tint to the top. Construction quality is very high – the builders took these guitars very seriously. Despite the clear Spanish influence via Ferrer, these guitars use a dovetail neck joint rather than a Spanish slotted heel or 'slipper foot' design.
This GC-20D example has a couple of small dents to the top and sides, and a few small fingernail tap marks to the top. Fret wear is very light. It is presently strung with D'Addarip ProArte hard tension strings, plays well and has a well-developed voice.
This guitar is sold with a modern Oxblood-toned arched top hard shell case by TKL, made in Canada.
About Yamaha GC Classical Guitars
The Yamaha GC 'Grand Concert' line was conceived during the mid 1960s, when Yamaha arranged for three luthiers – Hiroshi Harada, Hideyuki Ezaki and Toshio Kato, to learn from Spanish master Eduardo Ferrer. Between 1964 and 1967 Ferrer repeatedly visited Japan.
This effort enabled Yamaha to dramatically improve the quality of their classical guitars and the first GC models 3, 5, 7 and 10 appeared in 1967, in both Classical and Flamenco versions. These were very good but also very expensive – the GC3 cost considerably more than the average yearly salary of a Japanese university graduate.
In 1970, a number of factors caused Yamaha to expand the line into more affordable versions, ultimately including the GC-20D and GC30A. The GC-20D was renamed in 1974 to ‘GC-20M’ and ‘GC-20S’, and in 1980 became the GC-60 and GC-60S.
Yamaha presented Andres Segovia with a GC30A, who liked it enough to use for daily practice at his cottage.
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |
DETAILS:
- Instrument Model: GC-20D
- Instrument Manufacturer: Yamaha
- Instrument year: 1971
- Instrument Finish: Gloss Polyurethane
- Instrument Class: Classical Guitars
- Instrument serial number: 0924, built during 1971 at Hammamatsu, Japan
- Country of Origin: Japan
- Instrument Condition: Good, some play wear and small dents
- Right-handed
- Instrument Weight Imperial: 3.52 lbs
- Instrument Weight Metric: 1.60 kgs
- Scale Length Imperial: 26..06 in
- Scale Length Metric: 662 mm
- Nut Width Imperial: 2.076 in
- Nut Width Metric: 52.73 mm
- CITIES Documentation Required: Yes
- Case included: Yes
- Case original: No
- Items in Case: N/A
- Case Type: Hard Shell Arched Top
- Consignment: Yes
- Product ID: 191041
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |