Headway Sakura Guitar’s 10 Year Anniversary Culmination
Aska Team Build Series 4000th unit
Headway Sakura Guitar’s 10 Year Anniversary Culmination – Aska Team Build Series 4000th unit
The Aska Team Build Series, Headway’s flagship lineup that began production in 2011, has now surpassed 4,000 units produced. This ambitious work has culminated in the 4000th unit, with a Sakura model, which has become synonymous with Headway. Aiming to embody “making a guitar with a story”, the craftsmen of the Aska Team Build Series have put their utmost care into every detail of the guitar, incorporating the colorful expressions of the four seasons that have been cultivated by Sakura Guitars.
デザイン
DesignHead Headastock design
That marks the beginning of a story
On a mild spring day, when you open the sliding door, cherry blossoms dance into the air all at once. This authenticaly Japanese design, which foreshadows the beginning of a story and is truly worthy of the phrase “spring in full bloom”, is expressed entirely through inlay work done by hand by craftsmen.
Point1Framed Headway logo
The Headway logo mark has also been finely sculpted with a border, and the superb inlay work by Technical Director Yasui shines through.
Point2Japanese sliding door carved from Jakaranda wood
Jakaranda wood is used for the latticework of the Japanese sliding doors, and the paper in the door is made from mother of pearl shell for an elegant finish.
Point3Cherry blossoms spread out beyond the open doors
The open ends of the sliding doors are made of purple heart wood, and the petals of the cherry blossoms that flutter from the back to the front are expressed one by one with white mother of pearl shells.
FingerboardFingerboard inlay with many types of shells
to represent the four seasons
。One of the most important elements of the Sakura guitar is the expression of the “four seasons”. We have created many impressive designs in the past with the aim of reproducing the changing seasons unique to Japan on our guitars. By using four different types of shells on this model, we have gathered the fluttering cherry blossoms to spring, summer, fall, and winter.
PickguardCustom pickguard designed by
master builder Furihata Arata
The pickguard is designed to be sharper than those usually used on cherry guitars. This style was invented by Arata Furuhata, a Custom Shop builder, and has been used on his own Custom Shop models. The inlay is decorated with cherry blossom petals fluttering on the fingerboard.
ColorColoring created by painters who know Sakura wood inside and out
One of the features of Sakura guitars is the coloring, which takes advantage of the wood grain and gorgeousness of Sakura wood. Aska Factory’s paint craftsman Fukada, who has painted many Sakura guitars based on the theme of the season and the story behind the design, is in charge of this model as well. He not only brought out the flamed grain of the cherry wood, but also sought to create an exquisite gradation of color with the vividness that is typical of Sakura models.
Body BackBold body back inlay work
The design boldly depicts a woman with a Japanese umbrella, which has been a theme in the past few years’ Sakura models. The combination of detailed inlay work and coloring expresses the texture of kimono cloth and reflects the scene of a woman gazing at cherry blossoms while standing still. The meticulous finishing of each and every part is a true work of craftsmanship.
Point1Representation of cherry blossoms from three sides of the body: top, side and back
The shoulder portion of the body is a three-dimensional view of cherry blossoms seen from three angles: the top, sides, and back of the body. Shadows are cast on the branches of the cherry trees to create a realistic expression, and holographic paint is used to create the cherry blossoms. The holographic coating that dances from the cherry blossoms in full bloom is also expressed in exquisite colors, and Fukada’s painting technique shines through.
Point2Shades of kimono painted with hem and sleeves
The kimono worn by the woman under the Japanese umbrella is also expressed in light and elegant colors, and the hem and sleeves are painted separately to create a color expression similar to that of the actual kimono.
Point3Hidden message
The designer’s sense of humor is also an important element of the Sakura Guitar, so the footwear of a woman with a Japanese umbrella designed on the body back has 4000 characters in Japanese ka nji characters hidden in it.
Sound Hole CoverSoundhole Cover
A special soundhole cover with the anniversary logo commemorating the 10th anniversary of Sakura Guitar on the front and surrounded by beautiful inlays made of natural shells is included.
特徴
FeaturesHOFCNew Florentine Cutaway
This model uses the HOFC shape with Headway’s new innovation, the Florentine cutaway. Not only the playability at high frets, but also the high tone is beautiful, refined, and clear, making you feel the dawn of a new Headway!
SidebackYamazakura
The back & sides of the body are made of carefully selected Yamazakur (wild cherry) wood with beautiful grains, selected from our workshop’s stock. The strong gran that stands out in combination with the coloring makes it a valuable material among the many sakura woods we have handled.
Adirondack SpruceAdirondack Spruce
The top material is the highest grade adirondack spruce, and from a sound standpoint, the clear, sweet tone of the sakura wood is conveyed well.
ESU NeckESU-Neck
The new model features an extra-slim U-neck that is the thinnest in Headway’s history and is shaped for easy gripping. Not only is the neck thinner, but it also retains Headway’s traditional characteristics of solidity and stability by adding carbon support reinforcement to the inside of the neck. This is a trustwhorthy neck grip that women and players with small hands should try. The semi-gloss finish, which resembles a neck after it has been used for a while, gives the neck a good grip that allows the hand to be absorbed by the neck. In addition, the carbon support increases rigidity and leads to better response.
職人
CraftsmanFirstly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the 4000th milestone and to the 4000 people who have held ATB guitars in their hands. My life as a craftsman has not been a smooth one. I faced many obstacles, such as the changing needs of music with the times, the development of new techniques, and the changing demands of wood. However, together with our staff, we have overcome these obstacles through friendly competition, honing our skills and deepening our knowledge. I believe that the people who have received our guitars have been able to create their own unique sounds and lead many people into the world of music. In the production of the 4000, I was mainly in charge of inlay processing. I tried to maximize my skills and finish the work with high processing precision. As a new challenge, I also worked on a large inlay that occupied almost half of the body. We spent a total of nearly one month on this process. The large inlay was difficult to achieve accuracy and must have cost a number of inlay women their lives (laughs). This model is a guitar that took a year from conception to completion with all the efforts of ATB. It was also the 10th anniversary of the birth of the Sakuram guitar, and it was a year of trial and error to figure out how to express “wa” (harmony) and “sakura” (cherry blossoms) in the ATB style. The best materials, the best design, and the best technology were used to create this guitar. We are very much looking forward to seeing who will hold this guitar, what kind of sound it will make, and how it will express itself.
Yasui MasatoMasato Yasui
I am delighted to have been involved in this 10th anniversary model of the Headway Sakura guitar, which is also the commemorative ATB No. 4000. We have always been particular about the decoration of our sakura guitars, and I think the number 4000 is so gorgeous and gorgeous that it can be called “the ultimate” in what Headway can do today. In addition to its appearance, it is also a solidly built model that is typical of Headway, which we inherited from Mr. Momose.
Furihata ArataFurihata Arata
I am honored to have been involved in the production of Headway’s ATB serial number 4000. In addition to striving to faithfully bring to life the designer’s wonderful design, we also paid close attention to achieve the utmost gorgeous result which is always our goal, both from afar and up close. We used an airbrush to create detailed shading on the cherry branches, and we tried to make the overall gradation of colors as natural as possible. We hope that this special piece for us will become a special piece for you as well.
Fukada AkihiroFukada Akihiro
Demo Video
Video