Momose brings two cherry blossom models, “Kyozakura” and “Tabuzakura” [Deviser Special Showcase Event 2024]
We are finally less than a month away from the Deviser Special Showcase Event, which has become an annual seasonal tradition. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the introduction of the “Cherry Blossom Guitar” by Deviser, and limited edition models have already been announced at Headway Acoustic Guitars. To make this commemorative year even more exciting, this year’s event will be even more powerful than in previous years! Of course, Momose is also preparing some special guitars. In this preview article, we will show you a peek at the Sakura guitars that are currently being built for the event on the 22 of May!
A Brief History of Cherry Blossom Guitars
Before introducing the newest model let’s take a look back at its history and features: The first Momose Sakura guitar appeared in 2015, a year after the first Sakura model from Headway acoustic guitars was created, and only a very small number were produced for an exhibition at Sound Messe.
Elements of the recent Sakura guitars have been carried over from the earlier models, such as the fretboard inlays that resemble cherry blossom petals, the iconic pickguard design, and the coloring that makes the most out of the natural color of Sakura wood.
“Kyozakura” wood which is interwoven with Japanese beauty
As a Japanese guitar maker, we always seek to incorporate the concept of “Japaneseness” into our guitars, rather than simply using Sakura wood as a plain wood material. This time, we turned our attention to cherry wood from the Kyoto Prefecture, which has been a symbol of Japanese beauty since ancient times. We named this wood “Kyozakura” out of respect for the place of origin and began planning our products for the spring showcase event.
The wood we were able to obtain this time around has white areas as shown in the photo below and is characterized by its perfectly straight and beautiful grain. The white area, which kind of looks like “sap-wood” that appears near the bark of the tree, is in fact not sap-wood, but the color of the cherry wood itself. The key to properly using this material will be how to pour the character of this wood into the design of the guitar.
Here is a shot of the body just after the wood is finished being processed and polished. By placing the white part of the cherry wood in the center of the body, we’ve managed to arrive at a beautiful, eye-catching design.
The body is then dried after coloring. The coloring is a pale purple that becomes darker toward the outside in order to preserve the character of the cherry wood, aiming for an elegant beauty reminiscent of the ancient capital of Kyoto.
To fit a special anniversary model such as this, a befitting pickguard and inlay are being designed! Please look forward to the day of the event to see the finished product!
“Tabuzakura” with a rich wood grain
The other Sakura wood material we are introducing today is the “Tabuzakura” we are using for both basses and guitars such as the ones pictured above. Tabuzakura is a “tabunoki” tree that has a color and bark similar to that of cherry wood when milled. Among Sakura wood varieties, Tabuzakura is one of the hardest and requires a lot of skill in drying and processing, but it has a wild grain that makes for a really eye-catching top wood for electric guitars.
Acrylic and wood are combined to design a beautiful leaf cherry inlay on the fretboard. Functionality has also been taken into consideration so that the guitar can be played without discomfort even when changing the normal position markings.
The body and head top are both colored in “SKP-MH” (Sakura Pink – Matching Headstock), a color inspired by the color of cherry blossoms. The combination of the warm color and gold parts brings out most out of the wood grain, and the finished product makes you feel the breath of spring.
More details about this model will be available on a special website to be released on May 22! The link below will help you keep up to date with all the new products and limited edition models scheduled to be announced at the event!