Jagard JD400

As mentioned, here is the follow up the JD300 post, by its big brother, the JD400. Another lovely guitar, but the real interesting question is: what does an extra 10,000 Yen get you back in 1975? That's a considerable amount at the time!

So, again crafted at Terada, the main change is as you expect - better quality tonewoods and some visual enhancements, such as the vertical headstalk logo. In some ways this vertical logo indicates that this JD400 is more a copy of the Martin D41 rather than the D35. This is further supported by the JD400 featuring a 2-piece rosewood back rather than the 3-piece seen on the JD300. Honestly, i prefer the 3-piece backs, but that's a personal thing really. The solid spruce soundboard is a lovely even-grained example, again featuring abalone inlayed rosette and edged binding. The Indian rosewood used on the sides and back are just as attractively grained as seen on the JD300, with again an intricate wood mosaic inlay separating the 2-piece back. The neck again is mahogany, this time with an ebony fingerboard with abalone hexagonal inlay position markers and cream binding. The headstalk is faced with a rosewood veneer and features a quintessential 70s Martin-style vertical logo of JAGARD inlayed in mother-of-pearl, though i am yet to discover what the N and K either side of the J represent. I imagine they are the initials of someone involved with the Jagard brand, maybe time will tell. One of the really pleasing features of looking at these two guitars, is noting that the same QC luthier signed off both guitars on the soundhole label.

Sometimes visual differences really are subtle. Tonally this is a richer sounding guitar to the JD300 though. That soundboard really is worth the extra 10,000 Yen by itself.

Here are some photos to spot-the-differences with:




















As ever you can find the full collection of photos here

Jagard JD300

Time of the season to resume blogging again now that summer feels like it is well past and autumn arrive. So i might as well pick up from where i left off, and discuss another Jagard model. This time, the JD300 model, which is a Martin D35 based model from them. Again a mid 70s made model, and again out of the Terada guitar factory, this is amongst the nicest looking Martin based models i have collected, and in wonderful condition considering its age. As the model number suggests, this was 30,000 Yen back in the day in native Japan, and D signifying it is using Martin based brace design.

Looking at its specification, if features a lovely aged spruce soundboard, with a light tortoiseshell pickgauard, and the usual simple abalone rosette and edging to the binding. The sides are Indian rosewood, joining at the base with a cream wedge, whilst the back is a 3-piece of different cuts of Indian rosewood, the two out flanks bookmatched. Each seam features lovely mosaic wood inlays which are quite beautiful and detailed. The neck is a 3-piece mahogany in a full C shape, with a rosewood fingerboard with abalone inlaid hexagonal shaped position markers, and cream binding. The headstalk is the expected Martin shape, with quality Gotoh tuners and Jagard & Co. Est. 1951 in gold italic script just like the Martin & Co snakescript logo. Very cheeky. Internally it is tidy and clean, with well sanded braces and tidy kurfling. The soundhole label is handsigned by the QC luthier and details the model number.

Overall, this is another fine example out of the Terada factory. Please find the usual photos below:















Next up i will be looking at the model up from this, the JD400. Thanks for reading.

Jagard JG35

Finally trying to catch up with myself. A lot of models to write about, some of which i have sold along the way recenty, but want to bookmark them before new models arrive.

This entry is about another Jagard model, this time a JG35, designed on the Gallagher body shape and made by Terada around 1975. This is the second Gallagher-based model i have had, the other being the Aria G300 which i have written about earlier, and it is another really fine and accurate copy. Tonally very distinct from the Martin/Gibson based designs, i find these produce a very rich and balanced sound, particularly so in this JG35 model, which has some wonderful tonewoods used in its construction; indeed these were quality beyond what i was expecting at the 35,000 Yen price mark, more in line with the sort i see in the 50,000 Yen models. The solid spruce top is exceptionally tight grained, which really helps drive that full tone out under hard strumming. Bound onto some Indian Rosewood sides, and a three-piece Indian Rosewood back with that lovely mosaic purfling used between the seams of each section, it is a fine looking guitar. The neck is 3-piece mahogany, with a nice C-shape contour, and quite chunky - quite different to the neck on the Aria G300, which was more vintage V shaped and which had a volute neck joint. It also doesn't have that rather cleverly reworked Gallagher crest like the Aria on the headstalk - some Jagard models do have a J reworked similarly to the A or the Aria, but as far as catalogues show me, this is only on the top of the range JG1200 model! Lovely to behold i am sure! What we do get with this model is a nicely inlayed Jagard logo in abalone, and some high quality Gotoh tuners. Similar to the Aria, we had a bound rosewood fingerboard with snowflake inlay position markers. Internally, construction is again quality from Terada, with clean and tidy work throughout, and the familiar woodpatch stating the model number and Handmade by Terada.

As normal, here are some photos:











Additional photos can be found here