A site that helps you buy guitars from Japan! [J-Guitar.com]

Product Description

Neck: Cedro
Fingerboard: Ebony
Finish(Top): Shellac
Finish(Back & Sides): Shellac
Tuning Machines: Rodgers
String Height(1st): 3.0mm
String Height(6th): 4.0mm

[Profile]
José Yacopi (1916–2006) was born in Vitoria, Spain. He began his journey in the craft by joining his father, Gamariel Yacopi’s workshop, and created his first guitar at the age of 18. In 1949, the family relocated to San Fernando, near Buenos Aires, Argentina, where José opened his own workshop and continued to craft guitars throughout his life. Initially, he followed in his father’s footsteps, crafting traditional Spanish guitars inspired by Antonio de Torres. However, around 1947, just before their move, José and his father developed a unique fan-braced structure, where the braces are arranged in a reverse radial pattern, setting the foundation for the brand’s distinctive sound.

At its peak in Argentina, the workshop produced up to 300 guitars per year, including workshop models to meet increasing demand. However, only about 10% of these guitars were high-end models, carefully crafted by José himself using premium woods. The guitars are known for their incredibly unique tone and acoustics, with a rich, warm, and deep resonance in the mid to low registers and a crisp, bright high end. The balance and contrast between these characteristics give the guitar exceptional polyphonic depth that is unparalleled by other instruments.

The tone also carries a distinct South American clarity, combining elements of both classical and modern music. This has made José Yacopi’s guitars beloved by a wide range of musicians, from classical artists to those involved in popular music. Renowned performers such as María Luisa Anido and Eduardo Falú have used his instruments, and in recent years, his guitars have gained significant popularity among enthusiasts of bossa nova and South American music. Currently, his son Fernando Yacopi carries on the tradition of the workshop. However, the instruments crafted by José himself, particularly from the 1960s to the 1990s, remain the most sought-after by collectors and musicians alike.

[Description]
This 1978 José Yacopi No.1219 is a high-spec model made with South American rosewood for the back and sides. Yacopi crafted this model with the brand’s signature tone and appearance, resulting in a harmonious combination of both. The guitar offers a distinctive reverb-like sound, with rich, deeply carved chords that respond to the player's touch. Its tone features a subtly grainy, smooth texture rather than a glossy quality, along with a slightly shadowed resonance that reflects the brand’s unique identity, which cannot be fully categorized as "South American." This uniqueness continues to attract both classical guitarists and South American music enthusiasts.

The aesthetic is completed with a glossy amber-colored shellac finish, which imparts an exotic charm.

The top bracing is also unique to Yacopi’s design, with fan-shaped braces arranged in reverse: typically, braces spread radially from the soundhole toward the bottom, but in this model, they are positioned with the pivot point at the end block and fan out toward the neck. The joint of the center seam is reinforced with twelve small patches, and the braces are symmetrically arranged on both the treble and bass sides, with three braces on each side. Two harmonic bars are placed below the soundhole, with one long and one short above it. The resonance is set between G and G#.

There is a crack repair of about 15 cm along the grain on the upper portion of the bass side back, but it has been carefully restored and does not detract from the guitar’s appearance or continued use. The back and sides show signs of wear from clothing friction and minor scratches. The top features various pick marks, dents, and scratches, along with some string-related impressions near the bridge, consistent with the age and use of the instrument.

The neck and frets, however, remain in excellent playing condition. The neck has a thin C-shape with a compact grip, and the string height is set at 3.0 mm (treble) and 4.0 mm (bass). Despite these measurements, the strings are moderately tensioned, making it easier to play than the numbers suggest. There is no excess saddle height at present.

The tuners have been replaced with high-end Rodgers tuners from Canada, which are functioning well. The guitar weighs 1.69 kg in total.