5 Most Popular Japanese Guitar Brands  | ZenMarket

Yamaha

One of the longest-running guitar makers, Yamaha has been around since 1887. Formerly known as Nippon Gakki Co. Ltd, this company launched as a reed organ and piano maker; it wasn’t before the 1940s that they would branch out into the realm of guitar making. 

Fast-forward to today, Yamaha stands among the most prolific and versatile guitar brands. They offer something for every budget, skill level, and aesthetic preference. 

One of their most renowned guitars is the infamous GigMaker – an entry-level electric guitar a cut above competing beginner’s axes. Equally popular is its Pacifica Series, which helped the brand garner international acclaim by providing a range of unique models with vastly dissimilar specs while retaining the “X factor” Yamaha guitars are known for. 

Yamaha’s luthiers also excel in making high-quality acoustic guitars. They’ve made history with the iconic FG Series encapsulating everything a traditional-style acoustic guitar should be – superb tone, a balanced soundstage, robust sustain, and gorgeous design. 

They’ve been innovating for over a century, but recently they broke new grounds with their proprietary “Silent Guitar”. This is the last letter in portable guitar technology, allowing commuting and traveling guitarists to play without bothering anyone around. 

Ibanez

Before becoming “Ibanez”, this brand was known as “Hoshino Gakki”, named after its CEO and founder. Ibanez was officially founded in 1957, but Hoshino has been making guitars ever since 1935. 

Formerly specializing in more “standard” electric and acoustic guitars, Ibanez now has a guitar in every possible shape and color. From the metalhead’s favorite “X” series to the traditional “AZ” to the elegant “AR” to the quirky “Iceman”, their catalog is at least as versatile as Yamaha’s. 

Unofficially, Ibanez is known as the go-to brand for metal guitarists. Some of its most prominent endorsees (and proud owners of signature Ibanez guitars) include Tim Henson from Polpyhia, Kiko Loureiro from Megadeth, Marten Hagstrom from Meshuggah, the legendary Paul Stanley from KISS, and Nita Strauss, the lead guitarist in Alice Cooper’s band. 

Ibanez is also big in acoustic guitars, offering a diverse range of models made from standard mahogany, Okoume, ash, maple, and everything in between. 

ESP Guitars

One of the leading electric guitar makers, ESP Guitars has a rich history and an even richer catalog of unique guitars. It was officially launched in 1975 as a shop for guitar part replacements. They began crafting custom axes nearly a decade later and quickly rose to prominence by the late 1980s. 

Their focus on making guitars for hard rock and metal musicians is comparable to Ibanez’s; their standard lineup of guitars encompasses flamboyantly dark instruments with surprisingly high sonic accuracy and customizability. ESP Guitars soared in popularity after Kirk Hammet and James Hetfield, guitar players of Metallica, began using their guitars. 

Even though most of their guitars like MK EC-FR, or TL-6 are meant to work with the gain cranked to 13, they’re capable of producing beautiful chords and melodies too. 

Possibly their most beloved collection is the ESP Original Series. It is broken down into multiple categories, each catering to different tonal needs and preferences, but we’d argue that the ESP Arrow is its trendiest creation. 

Fernandes Guitars

Formerly known as Saito Musical Instruments, Fernandes Guitars was launched in 1969. So far, the brand released six collections of guitars, including NTG, FR, TEJ, RT, APG, and Ravelle Series. 

The latter is distinctly different from Fernandes Guitars’ earlier works, featuring state-of-the-art hardware, exceptional tonewoods, and unique body shapes. 

This brand of Japanese guitars is mainly known for classic electric guitars like Monterey Deluxe, Tej-ELT 2S, and RT-ELT, but its catalog also features a few unique designs, with the most prominent example being Ravelle STD AR BLKS. 

Numerous high-profile artists have used (and many still do) a Fernandez Guitar; from U2’s The Edge and Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day to Brad Gillis of Night Ranger, the company has fans all across the globe. 

FujiGen Guitars

FujiGen, otherwise known as FGN Guitars, is a popular Japanese guitar-making firm that has been operating since 1960. It’s one of the most respected original equipment manufacturers in Northeast Asia and is debatably one of the most proficient creators of solid-body designs. 

They were briefly contracted by Fender (Japan) to mass-produce thousands of guitars, mainly for foreign markets, and would later collaborate with numerous premier guitar brands like Epiphone, Gibson, and Gretsch. 

What separates FujiGen from other Japanese guitar makers is a keen attention to detail. Their guitars look, feel, and play almost perfectly and often come supplied with at least one unusual feature (e.g. combo of dual and single-coil pickups). 

Some of its most popular guitars are Odyssey, Iliad, Mythic, Flame, and Neo-Classic – all of which are gorgeous designs backed by a powerful tone in their own right. 

Which Brand is Best for You?

Each manufacturer of Japanese guitars brings something different to the table. If you’re looking for a glass-shattering tone, go with Ibanez; if you’re more of a casual guitar player with a limited budget, Fernandes might be a better option. 

FujiGen is an all-rounder; ESP Guitars is a custom guitar specialist while Yamaha offers unrivaled versatility. We hope that our guide helped you learn more about the cream of the crop in the Japanese guitar-making scene.