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  #1  
Old 09-24-2014, 02:49 PM
krm27 krm27 is offline
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Default Value of 1972 Yamaha GC-6D with Toshio Kato signature?

I've gotten an offer of $725 to buy my 1972 Yamaha GC-6D guitar with OHSC in good condition (maybe bordering on great, cosmetic issues only, not a lot of playing time for a 42 year old guitar). I'm a hobbyist, not a performer, so I don't "need" a concert grade guitar. I have a cheaper guitar I keep out (in case the kids knock it over) and I invariably play that instead of digging out the "nicer" guitar, and it's fine for my purposes (Yamaha G255S).

Anyway, the GC-6D has Japanese characters which match up to what I'm told is Toshio Kato's signature, and I've read that may add value to these guitars. Some threads people talk about his early signed Yamahas being worth $4k or more (though I do understand the 6D was one of the lower end of the concert-grade hand-made guitars of its time, so maybe it's not that high, but still over $725).

Or maybe those posters were dreaming and $725 is good for this guitar. I've also read how with high end woods being more scarce, these older guitars with excellent woods are likely to be in high demand (and it would cost more to buy a new guitar with similar quality woods), so part of me wonders if I should hang onto this as an heirloom piece... I guess any opinions on that would be welcome, too.

Thanks,
krm27
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  #2  
Old 09-24-2014, 06:09 PM
bohemian bohemian is offline
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"This is a beautiful acoustic guitar was hand-crafted out of Solid Ezo Spruce, Solid Indian Rosewood and Honduras Mahogany in 1972. Inside label is signatured by Japan's first classical luthier Toshio Kato. The guitar comes with a hard case and is in remarkable condition. I will provide more pictures if necessary.

Asking 4,000 or best offer.

Gallery:
http://imgur.com/a/WBPc1#0"

This was posted in 2012.


Here's another:
Posted by Louis on Sun, 06/18/2006 - 18:50.

": : I have a Yamaha handcrafted GC-6D classical guitar 1973, serial # 3117.
: : Beautiful shape, original HS case. Can't seem to find out much about it's value, although I think it's fairly collectible and valuable.
: : Does anyone know more on this guitar?

I don't know what the book value is but I just bought one for 2G's canadian. Exact same model and year as yours. I has a big warm sound. Fell in love with it immediately.
Hope this helps."

And another:

http://www.classicalacousticguitars....-guitar/15915/


Currently I have seen them from $750- $1025...

A quick check on the net will give lots of listings.
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  #3  
Old 09-24-2014, 06:41 PM
krm27 krm27 is offline
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Well, some one paying $2000 Canadian (which I guess is over $1500 US, maybe more like $1800 US?) for the same guitar seems to beg the question why some go for closer to $700 and some go for closer to $2,000... And apart from the listings (which are often not indicative of real prices) there are some board discussions where people talk about these maybe being worth $4k or more, though I tend to doubt that and chalk it up to owner's pride.

Anyway, if anyone had some solid logic behind the wide ranges for these, I'd be very interested, to help me gauge where my guitar might fall.

Ken
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Old 09-24-2014, 07:24 PM
YamaYairi YamaYairi is offline
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I have a GC-3D. I am guessing it's a lower model than yours. A friend who plays classical guitar said it was worth $1200. He said it's better than his Yairi. I think those people are low - balling you.
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  #5  
Old 09-24-2014, 07:46 PM
bohemian bohemian is offline
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Keep the guitar.
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Old 09-26-2014, 05:51 AM
ashepps ashepps is offline
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Default Yamaha 1972 GC 20D & Toshio Kato

Hi, I have the above guitar and on another forum I m trying to establish if my signature is that of Toshio Kato. What is need is proof that the signature is that of Toshio rather than someone just saying that it is. I had emailed Yamaha of Japan in 2001, with photos, and received a reply that my signature was that of the famed luthier, but other owners feel that their guitars have that signature, but differs from mine. We seem to have nothing to compare an original signature to except I have confirmation from a Mr. Oba of Yamaha of mine being authentic. At that time in 2001 he said if that guitar was in production he speculated it would be selling for $5,000 US as a new guitar. Unless this guitar becomes a collectors item it's only worth what the market will bear, that is what a buyer will pay for it. If I can get any help with respect authentication of the true Toshio signature it would be greatly appreciated. By the way I paid just under $1,000 in the early '70s and it was the top of the GC line at that time.

Alan
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  #7  
Old 09-26-2014, 07:36 AM
bohemian bohemian is offline
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You have "the above guitar" or one like it ?
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Old 09-26-2014, 10:12 AM
YamaYairi YamaYairi is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bohemian View Post
You have "the above guitar" or one like it ?
He put a title on his post: "Yamaha 1972 GC 20D & Toshio Kato"
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Old 09-26-2014, 01:17 PM
dosland dosland is offline
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Don't sell the guitar for $725 or 750 or whatever they've offered. You won't be able to find a replacement of equal value for anything even close to that, so it doesn't matter what yours is "worth" in that context. Unless you don't care about the guitar at all and don't think your kids will ever want to play (duets, anyone? That's also a heck of a graduation present, at any age!). If you're hard up for cash, then I suppose you'd have to take whatever you can get. But I'd never sell an instrument I enjoyed playing without getting enough to buy something else at the same level, even if in a different style or category (e.g., steel or electric).
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  #10  
Old 09-26-2014, 05:27 PM
bohemian bohemian is offline
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"He put a title on his post: "Yamaha 1972 GC 20D & Toshio Kato" "

He meaning ashepps... he is not the OP

Is ashepps krm27?


I'm confused, anyone else or am I just dim. ?
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  #11  
Old 09-26-2014, 07:43 PM
scottishrogue scottishrogue is offline
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Cool Value of 1972 Yamaha GC-6D with Toshio Kato signature?

In good condition they are worth far more than what you're being offered. They originally listed for $4000 and in excellent condition used models are valued around $2400. The GC Series are all hand-crafted guitars of very high quality. But there has been some confusion about these guitars. The Bluebook of Acoustic Guitars lists this model as GC60.

Personally, if I could find one in excellent condition for under $1000, I'd buy it myself!

Glen
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  #12  
Old 01-13-2015, 04:43 PM
ashepps ashepps is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bohemian View Post
"He put a title on his post: "Yamaha 1972 GC 20D & Toshio Kato" "
He meaning ashepps... he is not the OP Is ashepps krm27? I'm confused, anyone else or am I just dim. ?
My mistake from ashepps - I must have changed the title to fit my 20D, however, I did receive some news from a Canadian Yamaha Support person with the following news after he heard about my guitar and said a Yamaha GC20D Acoustic Classical Guitar - a 1973 20D was sold in Alberta last year for $5,5000. I am looking for a short scale length guitar around 640mm instead of my 662mm (about 1 inch in the difference) to fit my small hand and fingers, any offers? I will be very reasonable!

Here is the quote"

"This GC-20D Classical Guitar was hand built in Japan in 1972 by famed classical master luthier Toshio Kato. The GC20D guitar had an original price of $1,000 in 1972. It was the highest end model at that time. The vintage Yamaha features unbelievably figured Brazilian Jacaranda Rosewood bridge, back and sides, the tops were made of either American cedar or Hokkaido Spruce, with an ebony neck and intricate inlay work. (See picture attached) Based on the serial number of this guitar, (I911) it was made in September 1972.
There was one of these GC20D models, which was made in 1973, that sold last year in Alberta for $5,500.00, in mint condition."

Alan
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  #13  
Old 01-15-2015, 08:47 PM
flamencowboy flamencowboy is offline
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The GC-20D is an incredible guitar...the jacaranda back and sides are stunning ..the inlay is so very intricate.
Gruhn's has a less bling version of a Kato up for sale and it's not cheap.
Great guitars.

Last edited by flamencowboy; 01-16-2015 at 03:40 PM.
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  #14  
Old 01-19-2015, 08:06 AM
ashepps ashepps is offline
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Default Selling GC 20D need smaller scale length

Quote:
Originally Posted by flamencowboy View Post
The GC-20D is an incredible guitar...the jacaranda back and sides are stunning ..the inlay is so very intricate.
Gruhn's has a less bling version of a Kato up for sale and it's not cheap.
Great guitars.
Sorry for coming in on another's thread, my mistake. Since I have had a reply I wanted to mention if the D series of Yamaha GC around the early to mid 70s, if anything like mine, must have tremendous sound quality. I want to sell mine only because when I first purchased it I knew nothing about scale length, so I have a guitar that I have been struggling with initially and in fact gave up for over 30 years. I could play it and practiced a lot, but it never felt it fit! Now I know what scale size is I see I should have a 640 mm instead of my 663 mm. Not a great deal in the overall string length, but what a difference it makes when I picked up an old Guild Mark IV at 640 and it seemed to fit like a glove and now I won't even play the 20D, but I am now using my first classical guitar, a second hand Framus with a 650 scale that little change felt great. I do miss the 20D beside me, but the ease of play, even though the sound is lacking. That's how much scale length can do to someone. BTW, I am 130 lb, 5'5" with my index to little finger stretch only 14.5 cm. So going from 663 down to 640 makes a difference of an inch on the fretboard. If it was not for this I would never want to part with my 20D. I have heard that the 20D has sold for $3000 to nearly $6000, but I don't expect nearly this much. I have been told by a couple of luthiers that the guitar is in excellent condition and one said the luthier's name does not mean too much, he goes by the look and sound!
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  #15  
Old 02-06-2015, 03:30 PM
flamencowboy flamencowboy is offline
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Default worth a thousand words

https://rockinrasta.files.wordpress....1/img_3360.jpg

She"s a beauty!

Last edited by flamencowboy; 02-06-2015 at 06:48 PM.
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