Yuichi Shimizu　[清水　優一] Original model　No.32

Product Description

Neck:Cedro
Fingerboard:Ebony
Finish(Top):Shellac
Finish(Back & Sides):Shellac
Tuning Machines:GOTOH
String Height(1st):2.5mm
String Height(6th):3.5mm

〔Luthier〕
Yuichi Shimizu (b. 1980, Tokyo) is one of the most promising Japanese luthiers of the younger generation. His path into guitar making began at the age of sixteen when he attended a workshop led by Yukinobu Chai, later enrolling at the Fernandes Guitar Engineer School.

In 2000 he joined the renowned Kohno Guitar Manufacturing workshop after contacting Masaki Sakurai, where he refined his skills and developed a deep understanding of traditional classical guitar construction.

After leaving the workshop in 2013, Shimizu traveled throughout Spain visiting the workshops of masters such as José Luis Romanillos, Antonio Marín Montero, and Ignacio Fleta. Upon returning to Japan he began building instruments under his own label, guided by advice from respected makers including Kojiro Nene and Kaoru Ono.

Shimizu builds only around five guitars per year. His instruments are widely appreciated for their refined, classical tone and meticulous craftsmanship. One guitar he built during his time at the Kohno workshop has long been used by reggae legend Earl Chinna Smith, which helped introduce his work to a broader international audience.

His work was also featured in Orfeo Magazine No.15, published by Camino Verde, further raising his profile internationally.

〔Instrument〕
A brand-new 2025 instrument by Yuichi Shimizu, Original Model No.32. While Shimizu is known for outstanding homage models inspired by Hermann Hauser I and José Luis Romanillos, this model represents his personal concept of a sound “that belongs nowhere” — a voice not confined to any particular national style.

The internal structure follows a traditional Hauser-inspired bracing concept with seven symmetrical fan braces, harmonic bars above and below the soundhole, and additional reinforcement plates. The main body resonance is set between F and F#.

The tone is immediate, rich, and refined, with a distinctive luster and slight viscosity that feels almost as if the natural resin of the wood itself has become sound. Notes emerge with clarity and depth, combining a strong, articulate attack with a deep sense of air and body resonance. Despite its power, the sound retains an elegant restraint that is characteristic of Shimizu’s work.

The guitar sings beautifully with excellent sustain and sensitivity, offering a natural, uncolored voice capable of expressing a wide range of musical nuance.

Visually, the instrument reflects the same philosophy of understated elegance. The entire guitar is finished in shellac, giving it a warm, slightly amber gloss. The head shape follows a design by Enrique Garcia, while the rosette is Shimizu’s own design. It is fitted with Gotoh “Arcangel” tuners.

The neck has a slightly slim D-shaped profile. String height at shipment is set to 2.5 mm (1st string) and 3.5 mm (6th string), with approximately 0.5 mm of saddle remaining for adjustment.