Hironori Fukuda　［福田　寛紀］ Classical

Product Description

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

Maker Information
Hironori Fukuda, born in 1974, is a classical guitar maker based in Takatsuki, Osaka, Japan.

Fukuda first encountered the classical guitar during his university years. Having always enjoyed making things, he gradually became deeply fascinated by the construction of the guitar itself and by the way in which its sound is created, eventually deciding to pursue guitar making as his vocation.

A major turning point in his career came in 1998, when he heard a 1933 Santos Hernández guitar at a concert by guitarist Isao Kitaguchi. He was profoundly struck by the sound of the instrument. As that particular Santos featured maple back and sides, maple models subsequently came to hold a special conceptual significance in Fukuda's work, both acoustically and aesthetically.

Fukuda then taught himself woodworking and guitar making, using a number of reference materials, including the guitar-making manual by Alberto Nejime Ohno (Kojiro Nejime). He completed his first guitar in 2001. He continued to develop his skills through extensive experience in making and repairing guitars, as well as through opportunities to examine and study historical instruments such as those by Torres and Santos Hernández firsthand.

In 2007, Fukuda attended the guitar-making course held in Sigüenza, Spain, by the great Spanish master José Luis Romanillos. Working alongside makers from around the world and studying the master's work at close quarters had a profound influence on Fukuda's philosophy of guitar making. The long-running course was also attended in previous years by Japanese makers including Kaoru Ono, Masahiro Tanabe, Jun Nakano, and Satoru Sakuma.

In 2019, Fukuda won third prize at the 3rd Antonio Marín Montero International Guitar-Making Competition in Granada, Spain. When he returned to the competition in 2024 for its 7th edition, he was awarded first prize. To commemorate this achievement, his guitars were subsequently selected by the American classical guitar specialist Guitar Salon International (GSI), marking a significant rise in his international recognition.

The following year, in 2025, Fukuda left his position as a company employee and became a full-time independent guitar maker. He now continues his work from his workshop in Takatsuki, Osaka.

While his guitars are fundamentally rooted in the traditional Spanish guitar-making tradition represented by Torres and Santos Hernández, all of Fukuda's current models are based on his own original designs. In keeping with his stated aim of creating instruments with the colorful tonal character and singing quality that lie at the heart of the Spanish guitar tradition, his guitars can be understood as a restrained contemporary proposal grounded in classical ideals.

From the selection of woods and construction methods to gluing and finishing, every stage of the process is carried out with uncompromising attention to detail. It is perhaps no surprise, given his victory in the demanding Granada competition, that the extraordinary degree of hand craftsmanship and the extensive use of natural materials result in instruments of remarkable refinement, originality, and aesthetic sensitivity.

Instrument Information
Hironori Fukuda — 2026 Original Model (Class 100), No. 32

This is a brand-new instrument and the first Fukuda guitar to arrive at Guitar Shop Aura.

Within an understated appearance that seems to allow the natural character of the wood to speak for itself, every detail has been executed with extraordinary delicacy and precision. Its acoustic character is equally refined, with an exceptionally well-balanced response that lives up to Fukuda's growing international reputation.

Visually, the instrument is centered around a soft and harmonious palette created by the contrast between the European spruce soundboard and the light brown tones of the Madagascar rosewood back and sides. The shellac finish is applied with remarkable delicacy, coating the wood while preserving as much as possible of its natural texture.

At the center is a quietly expressive rosette inspired by the ornamental motifs of the Alhambra Palace, while the headstock design presents a refined interpretation of an almost folk-like decorative language. The bridge plate, meanwhile, takes its basic inspiration from the famous bridge of Torres's La Leona, giving the instrument a distinctly classical character. Even the soundhole label is exceptionally simple, yet integrates beautifully with the overall visual identity of the instrument and functions as a subtle accent.

The soundboard bracing system is another distinctive feature of Fukuda's original design. Above the soundhole, toward the neck, are two harmonic bars of different sizes, while a third harmonic bar is positioned below the soundhole, toward the bridge. Around the soundhole, a circular reinforcement plate is applied concentrically, completely covering the area beneath the rosette.

Both of the harmonic bars immediately above and below the soundhole feature openings approximately 3 mm high on both the treble and bass sides. These openings extend from the edge of the circular reinforcement plate all the way to the lining at the sides. The circular reinforcement plate itself is not interrupted where it meets the harmonic bars; instead, it continues beneath them, maintaining a complete circular form.

This describes the upper section of the soundboard structure. In the lower section, there are seven symmetrically arranged fan braces. Their lower ends are received on the bass and treble sides by two closing bars arranged in an inverted-V configuration. A single transverse bar is then positioned so as to span only the central five of the seven fan braces, with the intersections between these five braces and the transverse bar being closely integrated.

The resonance is set at slightly below G.

The presence of the transverse bar naturally brings to mind the guitars of the French master Robert Bouchet and Antonio Marín Montero of Granada. Fukuda, however, has positioned his transverse bar approximately 1 cm above the upper edge of the bridge plate, or, more precisely, 2 cm toward the soundhole from the position of the bridge saddle. This differs from the Bouchet and Marín approach, in which the transverse bar is positioned at the level of the bridge saddle.

The openings incorporated into the two harmonic bars above and below the soundhole are also unusually extensive. In fact, except for the portions that meet the circular reinforcement plate, the bars are effectively suspended above the soundboard. Considered purely from the standpoint of this structural concept, one can find certain parallels with approaches used in modern guitar making.

There is also an interesting distinction in the number of fan braces. Whereas Bouchet and Marín generally employ five, Fukuda uses seven, while the transverse bar spans only five of them. The result is a highly detailed and carefully considered structural approach.

Given the instrument's foundation in the Spanish guitar tradition and its deep connection with the Granada aesthetic associated with Bouchet and Marín, one might naturally expect a sound reminiscent of the traditional Santos-to-Granada school. What is particularly noteworthy, however, is that this instrument achieves an acoustic character that is distinctly its own.

A firm, responsive elasticity immediately reveals a glossy and beautifully organized sound image. Each note is remarkably even in character, and the sound as a whole forms a unified phase—a single voice. Individual points connect organically, creating continuous lines from the bass through to the treble, while harmony is presented with both coherence and clear separation.

If this aspect of the acoustic design were considered in isolation, one might draw a comparison with Hermann Hauser. Yet whereas Hauser's tone can be characterized by an austere, almost material quality, Fukuda's instrument offers a far more intimate and evocative musical character.

The overall expression is exceptionally lucid and sharply defined, yet naturally powerful. In this sense, the sound corresponds remarkably closely to the visual impression of the instrument itself. It is a highly compelling guitar with a poised, natural strength.

The scale length is 650 mm. The neck has a relatively slim, rounded D-shaped profile, while the fingerboard is very slightly radiused. The action at the time of shipment is 3.0 mm on the 1st string / 4.0 mm on the 6th string at the 12th fret, with approximately 2.0–3.0 mm of additional saddle height remaining. String tension is moderate to slightly firm.

The instrument is fitted with tuning machines by the German high-end maker Barnett.