How to Choose A Guitar  

What Types Of Guitar Are There?

Each type of guitar has its own characteristics and tasks depending on the musical style that you are going to play on them. Before you buy guitars from Japan, make sure the type and model you choose are right for you. Japanese brands produce all popular types of guitars, and we will tell you about the advantages of each of them.

1. Classical Guitars

These six-string guitars are also called Spanish guitars – they have a small wooden body, a wide neck and nylon strings. Thanks to this, they give a soft melodic sound and are easy to play with fingerpicking. This is an ideal option for studying at a music school and performing classical music. Remember the fiery rhythms of Spanish flamenco – this is exactly what a classical guitar sounds like.

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2. Acoustic Guitars

If you think about a guitar, then most likely the first association will be acoustics – the most popular type of guitar. It is also called an American guitar or dreadnought due to its more massive body shape. These are wooden instruments with metal strings, which give a more ringing and bright sound. They are good for playing chords and accompanying songs – you’ve probably seen acoustic versions of your favorite tracks by famous musicians. If you want to sing with a guitar, then you should choose an acoustic.

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3. Electro-Acoustic Guitars

This is the same as an acoustic guitar, but equipped with a piezoelectric pickup, so you can plug the guitar in to amplify or record the sound of the strings resonating through the instrument. To do this, it must be connected to an amplifier – it gives a louder and deeper sound and is used at concerts. You can also play it without connecting it like a regular acoustic guitar.

Interesting fact! The popular Japanese singer Sayuri became famous thanks to her live performances with electroacoustics. She was noticed by producers and now her tracks can be heard in popular anime like Boku dake ga Inai Machi and Lycoris Recoil.

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4. Electric Guitars

If you love rock, then the choice is clear – you need an electric guitar. The most common version has six strings, but there are versions with seven and even eight, which are played by some famous rock musicians. Making use of magnetic pickups and a combo amp, on an electric guitar you can get both a loud clean sound and crunchy distortion, without which it is impossible to imagine the rock and metal genres.

Electric guitars have thinner strings and less space between them and the frets on the neck. This makes the strings easier to press and pull – so you can perform high-speed solos with sweeps, shreds and bends. In addition, their versatility makes electric guitars the best choice for both heavy riffs and melodic solos.

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5. Semi-Acoustic Electric Guitars

These are electric guitars, but with a hollow body, balancing the resonant sound of an acoustic with the playing style and sound of an electric. This type of guitar became famous due to the Gibson ES-150 guitar, which with its soft sound, won the hearts of many jazz musicians and is often used specifically for this style. You can appreciate the warm sound of the semi-acoustic guitar using the example of Ibanez Artcore Series AG75G.

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6. Bass Guitars

They play a bass line, which adds depth to the accompaniment. They are mainly used in musical groups as an additional instrument, but there are also musicians who play the bass solo.

They have a characteristic low velvety sound and 4 thick strings, but there are also instruments with 5-6 strings. The most popular type of bass guitar is electric, but there are also acoustic options. The principles of playing bass guitar are different from regular guitars – this is a niche choice specifically for those who want to become a bass player.

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The Most Popular Brands Of Japanese Guitars

Ibanez

This brand doesn’t need any special introduction – it has made many guitarists fall in love with its excellent combination of price and quality. Prices for Ibanez guitars range from 50,000 to 200,000 yen, making them a good choice for both beginners and professional musicians.

For connoisseurs, there are also more expensive signature versions from famous musicians. World-famous virtuosos such as Stevie Vai, Joe Satriani and Paul Gilbert play Ibanez guitars. Ibanez also makes a variety of accessories: combo amps and effects pedals, such as the popular Ibanez Tube Screamer overdrive pedal, which you can purchase through ZenMarket.

Interesting fact! In our country the name of these guitars is usually read as “Ibanez”, but in reality this is not entirely true. In Spain, where the Japanese borrowed the name for the brand, it is correct to say “Ibanez”, while the Japanese themselves call these guitars “Aibaniizu”, taking the English version of the pronunciation “Ibanez” as a basis.

Also Read: All You Need to Know about Ibanez Guitars

Ibanez make different types of guitars, including acoustic and semi-acoustic, but they are most famous for their electric guitars. They are ideal for playing metal and fast solos – the thin neck with comfortable frets will definitely appeal to those who like to perform high-speed shred solos on the electric guitar.

For those who want to play more melodic solos, one their offerings sporting a bridge with a double tremolo system will suit you. With the help of a small lever, it allows you to do vibrato – to take higher notes with a characteristic squeal, without the risk of sending the instrument far out of tune.

And for fans of hard overdrive, high-gain pickups that provide powerful distortion will be a significant plus. Adding versatility is the pickup coil cut-off function, which allows you to vary the sound. There are many popular guitar body form factors to choose from, such as Strat and Les Paul.

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ESP

If you are going to play only metal, then ESP from Tokyo is your clear choice. ESP guitars are played by the legendary James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett of Metallica, one of the most iconic heavy and thrash metal bands in history. And also guitarist Uruha from the famous Japanese group the GazettE.

ESP was launched in 1975 by a well-known entrepreneur in music circles, Hisatake Shibuya, who was also involved in the guitar parts business in the United States. ESP stands for Electric Sound Products – the company produces exclusively electric guitars and basses. The selection of their products will definitely appeal to fans of heavy styles: the Vipers line has an SG shape and is suitable for heavy metal, and the Horizon will be convenient for shredding. The company is also favorable to beginning guitarists – their separate brand LTD offers guitars at more affordable prices that are ideal for beginners.

ESP also release signature guitars of characters in collabs with musical anime like Bang Dream. Like this stylish Flying-V guitar from Toko Kirigaya that will look cool on stage.

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Also Read: An Easy Guide to ESP Guitars

Yamaha

Yamaha is known all over the world – it is a real musical giant that produces many different instruments and accessories. These are primarily pianos and grand pianos, followed by guitars, drums, synthesizers and other musical equipment. Nevertheless, the quality of Yamaha is beyond doubt, and prices for entry-level acoustic guitar models start at 18 thousand yen.

This is the best choice for beginners – Yamaha is worth paying attention to first if you want to buy your first acoustic guitar. Their FG and FS lines are some of the best acoustics on the market in terms of price/quality ratio. Their instruments are played by many world stars, for example, Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan. Electric guitars from Yamaha are less known, but also gaining popularity – these are models from the Revstar and Pacifica series.

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Fender Japan

Fender is one of the most famous American guitar brands in the world, which came up with the legendary Telecaster and Stratocaster models. But how did it get to Japan? The story is quite interesting – in the 80s, many Japanese companies like Tokai produced exact copies of American guitars under their own brand, and these instruments were cheaper and of better quality.

While Gibson elected to sue Ibanez, forcing them to abandon copies and move on to their own design, Fender acted differently. They simply bought out the Japanese manufacturers, allowing them to continue making copies, but under the Fender Japan brand, which essentially made these copies not copies at all, but legitimate Japanese versions of Fender guitars.

In this form, Fender Japan has survived to this day – and although the brand is not formally Japanese, its guitars are assembled by the best artisans in the Land of the Rising Sun, which makes them an excellent choice for enthusiasts. Fender Japan instruments are distinguished by their rich, warm sound, cool tremolo system and long sustain, for which they are loved by many rock stars, including the outrageous Japanese rocker Miyavi.

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Also Read: What is the Difference between Fender USA and Japan?

Takamine

If you are interested in the best acoustic guitars from Japan, then Takamine is your choice. Since 1959, the company has been primarily engaged in acoustics and classical music, and in 1979, it was one of the first to introduce electroacoustic models, which are popular today at live concerts.

In the 80’s they also released a cool line of GX electric guitars that are truly vintage today. Instruments from Takamine cost a lot – up to 100,000 yen for acoustics and 200,000 for electro-acoustics, which is comparable in price to professional electric guitars. But the quality is appropriate – this is a choice for true professionals and connoisseurs.

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Fernandes

If you want to stand out with excellent taste and get a very high-quality Japanese guitar that is unlike others, then you should pay attention to the Fernandes brand from Osaka. They started with classical guitars, but then expanded their range to all types, including various accessories. In addition to standard electric guitar shapes like the SG, Strat and Les Paul, they also offer their unique Ravelle body, which is reminiscent of a Les Paul with a more tapered edge design.

One of their main features is the Sustainer system, which uses an electromagnet to prolong the sound of the string, allowing you to hold the note for as long as possible. This gives Fernandes guitars a level of sustain that is difficult for any other brand to compete with. It was with the help of the Fernandes sustainer that virtuoso Stevie Vai performed one of his famous tricks!

Also Read: The Artists Creating Themes for Today’s Popular Anime

Fernandes was played by the famous lead guitarist Hide from the group Japan-X, who committed suicide in 1998. In honor of him, the company still produces a signature model under one of its sub-brands Burney, which is called “Hide”. Prices for its limited editions reach a million yen.

Fernandes is very popular in Japan, and the company is also doing everything to primarily support the Japanese audience. The company even closed its US office to focus on its home market, but you can still purchase their top-of-the-line guitars from Japan through ZenMarket!

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Morris

If you love playing fingerstyle acoustic and are willing to spend big on a great handmade instrument, then Morris guitars are for you. They are manufactured in Nagano by the finest Japanese craftsmen, are entirely hand-assembled, and are designed specifically for intense play. Prices even for used Morris instruments can sometimes exceed $1,000, but the quality and authenticity of these guitars is definitely worth every penny.

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Top Japanese Guitar Brands
Brand	The most popular types of guitars	Average price (yen)	Best models	Best suited for
Ibanez	Electric guitars	50,000-200,000	Ibanez JS240PS-CA Ibanez AZES31 , Ibanez GRGR221PA	Heavy metal and shred solo
ESP	Electric guitars	60,000-250,000	ESP LTD EC-1000 , ESP LTD Viper-256 , ESP LTD Arrow-1000	Heavy riffs and heavy metal
Yamaha	Acoustics, classical	18,000-80,000	Yamaha F310 , Yamaha A5R ARE	Versatile guitars for a wide audience
Fender Japan	Electric guitars	120,000	Fender Japan Stratocaster , Fender Japan Telecaster	Rock, melodic solos, jazz and blues
Takamine	Acoustics, electroacoustics	100,000	Takamine GN93CE NEX , Takamine GN77KCE	Fingerstyle and accompaniment
Fernandes	Electric guitars	60,000	Fernandes RLC-60 BLK , Fernandes TEJ-STD 2S ’19	Metal and solo with long sustain
Morris	Acoustics	40,000-200,000	Morris F-022 TS , Morris M-104PDK, Morris S-LTD	Fingerstyle

For a detailed guide on how to order a guitar from Japan, read our separate material.

Japanese guitars are high-quality instruments with a rich sound, but they are also one of the leaders in the global music industry. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a first guitar for learning or a professional instrument for concerts, Japanese brands have your every need covered. Choose guitars from Japan with us – let’s enjoy cool music together!