Cream Guitars, Luis Ortiz interview at the Sound Messe Osaka

At Sound Messe Osaka, Mexican guitar brand Cream Guitars (creamguitars.com) was present with a very colorful booth, just like they had at last year's NAMM. Here's an interview with Luis Ortiz to introduce this brand, which offers guitars with an unconventional look. Luis Ortiz interview Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing

Keystone Stringed Instruments, Keisuke Nishi Japanese luthier interview

It was during the Sound Messe Osaka show that I was able to do another interview with the very talented Japanese luthier Keisuke Nishi of Keystone Stringed Instruments (keystone-si.com). He was exhibiting as part of the Legacy Project and also to showcase his own guitars, which are featured in this video. Keisuke Nishi interview Until

Allen Hinds, interview with the American musician on tour in Japan

American guitarist Allen Hinds (allenhinds.com), whom I know a little because I've interviewed him several times in Los Angeles (see the archives in these articles), was in Japan for a tour and a masterclass at Sound Messe Osaka. Allen Hinds Archives Allen Hinds interview Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the

List Guitars, interview & demo at the Sound Messe Osaka

At Sound Messe Osaka, I was able to interview Masato Takimoto of List Guitars. As a bonus, after the interview, there's a demo of this aluminum guitar. Masato Takimoto interview Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:Sound Messe Osaka ArchivesJapan Archives

Here's an interview with guitarist Adrian Bellue (adrianbellue.com) at Sound Messe Osaka, where he was present as a demo artist. Adrian's Fingerstyle guitar style is very much his own, blending both acoustic and Metal styles. Adrian Bellue interview Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. Audio version available

Josh Smith, interview during the Sound Messe Osaka
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Josh Smith, interview at the Sound Messe Osaka, Japan

The American musician Josh Smith (joshsmithguitar.com) was in Japan for the Sound Messe Osaka to play demos on the joint stand of Vemuram and Two Rock / Divided by 13 (see Eli Lester interview in this article). Of course, we took the opportunity to do an interview and find out a little more about Josh's

Luca Cesaroni from Cloe Guitars, boutique guitare builder interview in Osaka

At the 2024 Sound Messe Osaka, Italian boutique guitar builder Luca Cesaroni of Cloe Guitars (cloeguitars.com) was present as an exhibitor and also as a participant in the Legacy Project initiated by Quebec artisan Mario Beauregard. Here was a meeting with a highly talented transalpine luthier. Luca is also involved in Secret EFX (secretefx.com), a

Michihiro Mastuda Yamada SG 800 guitar reinvented
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Michihiro Mastuda Yamada SG 800 guitar reinvented

Guitar builder Michihiro Matsuda (matsudaguitars.com) is without doubt one of the most inventive and creative craftsmen in the business. The instruments he makes are always extraordinary. For Sound Messe Osaka 2024, he came with a guitar based on a Yamaha SG 800 model, which he completely deconstructed to make a guitar truly his own. The

Freedom Custom Guitar Research, a boutique guitar builder from Tokyo - Workshop visit

After visiting his showroom, I'd like to take you on a tour of the large Freedom Custom Guitar Research (fcgrtokyo.com) workshop, also located in Tokyo. Our guide is Makoto Fukano, the brand's founder and master luthier. Finally, it's reassuring to see that guitars are made in much the same way all over the world. That's

Fender flagship store visit in Tokyo, Japan
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Fender flagship store visit in Tokyo, Japan

This 2024 trip to Japan was very rich in terms of guitar content production, as after visiting the Freedom Custom Guitar Research showroom and workshop, touring Tokyo's guitar stores, and covering the 3-day Sound Messe Osaka, we ended on a high note with a visit to Fender's brand-new flagship store in the heart of Tokyo's

Sound Messe Osaka 2024 - Sunday Report & Interviews

Here is the full report for Day 3 of the Sound Messe Osaka 2024 on this beautiful Sunday at the biggest guitar show in Japan. Interviews of the day: Guitars reviewed in the video: Sound Messe Osaka 2024 - Day 3 Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel.

Sound Messe Osaka 2024 - Report & Interviews - Day 1

Here's a more than one hour report from Sound Messe Osaka 2024. No less than 4 interviews to kick off the show, which opened in the afternoon for buyers only. The show will open to the public over the weekend, with an expected 10,000 visitors. Interviews of the day: Sound Messe Osaka 2024 - Day

Freedom Custom Guitar Research, a boutique guitar builder from Tokyo - Showroom & Demo

It was during my first trip to Japan for the Sound Messe Osaka in 2019 that I discovered luthier Makoto Fukano and his work via his brand Freedom Custom Guitar Research (fcgrtokyo.com). This Japanese craftsman is based in Tokyo, both for the showroom shown here and for his workshop (see the visit in another episode).

Tokyo, Japan: video visit of some incredible guitar stores

Japan is a country of guitar aficionados, as you can see when you visit a guitar store. This is the case in Tokyo, where there are several districts with multi-storey guitar stores. Here's a visit to Ochanomizu and Shibuya. Tokyo guitar store visits Until the next interview or gear review, keep on playing the guitar!

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Interview with Masahiro Murayama, luthier's European guitar importer in Japan

Here's an interview that should be of interest to all luthiers wishing to export their guitars to Japan. Indeed, Masahiro Murayama (neuvellaxe.com) is a Japanese businessman whom I bump into at all European guitar shows. In fact he does that to find luthiers whom he then imports to Japan. Here is an interview with Masahiro

Sound Messe 2023 Day 1: Setup & Buyer's Day at the Osaka guitar show in Japan

The Sound Messe (sound-messe.com) is a guitar show held in Osaka, Japan every year, apart from the worries due to the pandemic. 2023 is the 10th anniversary of this show which is the only show of this size dedicated to guitar in Japan. After a first trip to the Land of the Rising Sun in

Hiroshi Ogino luthier interview - 2019 Sound Messe Osaka

Hiroshi Ogino (oginoguitars.com) is one of the Japanese luthiers who exhibited at the Sound Messe Osaka show in 2019. Here is an interview with this talented craftsman. Hiroshi Ogino luthier interview Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. [cta_video]

Takeshi Hayakawa interview - Blue-G Tokyo store - 2019 Sound Messe Osaka

At the Sound Messe 2019 show in Osaka, Japan, there was a hall dedicated to electrical, one to acoustics and a third for resellers. Blue-G (www.blue-g.com) is one of the very important guitar dealers in the Nippon archipelago. Takeshi Hayakawa is the director of this big store in Tokyo, which is on the corner of

Ryosuke Kobayashi luthier interview - 2019 Sound Messe Osaka

The guitar builder Ryosuke Kobayashi (kobayashiguitars.com) was one of the talented luthier exhibiting at the 2019 Sound Messe Osaka in Japan. It was a pleasure to record an interview with him to showcase his beautiful acoustic instruments. Ryosuke Kobayashi luthier interview Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. [cta_video]

Keisuke Fujii luthier interview - 2019 Sound Messe Osaka

At the Sound Messe Osaka guitar show in Japan, there were of course a lot of Japanese luthiers. Keisuke Fujii (fujiiguitars.com) is one of those I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing. Keisuke was an apprentice with master builder Kenji Sugita and now builds amazing acoustic guitars under his own name. Keisuke Fujii luthier

Luca Canteri (lcguitars.com) was one of the international luthier exhibiting at the 2019 Sound Messe in Osaka, Japan. This Italian craftsman is building some top of the line acoustic guitars in Spain. Luca Canteri interview Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. [cta_video]

Makoto interview - Sugi Guitars - Sound Messe 2019

During the 2019 Sound Messe guitar show in Osaka, Japan The Guitar Channel had the pleasure to meet Mr Makoto from Sugi Guitars (www.sugiguitars.com) and to record the following video interview. Makoto interview - Sugi Guitars Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. [cta_video]

During the 2019 Sound Messe Osaka, The Guitar Channel had the pleasure to meet Makoto Fukano and record a video interview with him. We talked about Freedom Custom Guitar Research (global.fcgrtokyo.com) and he demonstrated a cool technology they developed for neck bass guitar. Makoto Fukano interview Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre

Alhambra Guitars reconquering Japan again - Interview in Osaka

The Spanish guitar brand Alhambra was one of the major brands present in Japan at the Sound Messe guitar show 2019 edition. A great opportunity to make a point with his representative Christophe Ravie for the first presence of Alhambra in this show. Christophe Ravie interview Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar!

Kenji Sugita luthier interview - 2019 Sound Messe Osaka

Kenji Sugita (sugitakenji.com) is a Japanese luthier who had a great influence in the lutherie world of this country as he had many apprentices who then settled on their own as Keisuke Nishi from Keystone Stringed Instruments for example. Kenji Sugita interview Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. [cta_video]

Akio Masuda luthier interview - Water Road Guitars - 2019 Sound Messe Osaka

The luthier Akio Masuda was one of the Japanese luthiers who exhibited at the Sound Messe show in Osaka. It manufactures under its brand Water Road Guitars (www.waterroad-guitar.com) acoustic guitars very worked. Akio Masuda luthier interview Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. [cta_video]

Keisuke Nishi luthier interview - Keystone Stringed Instrument - 2019 Sound Messe Osaka

Keysuke Nishi was one of the Japanese luthier exhibiting at the 2019 Sound Messe guitar show in Osaka. His work is truly remarkable and it was a lot of fun to met him and record this interview. Keisuke build some pretty incredible instruments under his brand Keystone Stringed Instruments (keystone-si.com). Keisuke Nishi luthier interview Until

Lars Rasmussen luthier interview – Rasmussen Guitars - 2019 Sound Messe Osaka

The luthier Lars Rasmussen (rasmussenguitars.com) was one of two Swedish craftsmen present at Sound Messe 2019 in Osaka, Japan. Already met and interviewed at the Holy Grail Guitar Show in 2016, it was a pleasure to make this interview with him 3 years later. Lars Rasmussen interview Until the next interview, keep on playing the

Noemi Schembri luthier interview - 2019 Sound Messe Osaka

Unfortunately there is not that many women building guitars, it's still the exception in this man's world. That's why I am very happy to present you with this interview with the Italian guitar luthier Noemi Schembri (noemiguitars.com) who was one of the exhibitor at the 2019 Sound Messe in Osaka. Noemi Schembri interview Until the

Ted Astrand interview luthier – 2019 Sound Messe Osaka

At the Sound Messe 2019 in Osaka, Japan there were also a lot of non-Japanese luthiers. Sweden's Ted Astrand (astrandguitars.com) was one of those with one of his great acoustic guitars. Interviewed back in 2015 during the Holy Grail Guitar Show in Berlin, Germany, it was time to interview again this talented guitar builder. Ted