Neck: Cedro
Fingerboard: Ebony
Finish(Top): Shellac
Finish(Back & Sides): Shellac
Tuning Machines: Gotoh
String Height(1st): 2.7 mm
String Height(6th): 3.7 mm

[Maker Information]
Born in 1981. He began guitar making as a self-taught craftsman while attending Tokyo Zokei University. After graduation, he joined a major musical instrument retailer in 2003 and worked in the repair department for over 10 years. During that time, he had many opportunities to study numerous famous domestic and international instruments firsthand, which greatly nurtured his exceptional sensitivity to tonal balance. While employed there, he was introduced to guitar maker Kaoru Ono and started receiving direct instruction in Ono’s workshop from 2010. Later, he became independent and produces about 6 to 8 meticulously crafted, high-quality guitars annually. His instruments, rooted in the traditional Spanish craftsmanship exemplified by Torres, Domingo Esteso, and Marcelo Barbero I models, faithfully embody the rich tone and resonance of classic Spanish guitars. Today, his brand is loved by players across many musical genres. In 2020, his interview and instruments were featured in issue No.15 of the French publisher Camino Verde’s Orfeo Magazine.
Orfeo Magazine “Japanese Makers” feature online shop page
Orfeo interview report by Daisuke Kuriyama, Yuichi Shimizu, and Aomi Nene

[Instrument Information]
New arrival of Daisuke Kuriyama’s Santos Hernandez model No.109. This is a model closely based on the 1924 Santos Hernandez guitar housed in the Guitar Culture Museum, which the maker regards as an outstanding masterpiece among many original instruments by this legendary craftsman. Kuriyama, who has already shown remarkable craftsmanship with homage models of Esteso and Barbero I, offers here a splendid piece demonstrating his current maturity.

The bracing structure on the top plate features harmonic bars above and below the soundhole (near the neck and bridge), a ridge-shaped reinforcement plate near the neck joint, and seven symmetrical fan braces at the lower body, supported by two closing bars arranged in a V shape at the bottom. The resonance is set just below E, a relatively low position.

The tone has a deep, resonant quality emerging from the depths of the body, with a clean, focused sound free from unnecessary reverb but with natural depth. The top is relatively thin but hard, balancing vivid response with high tonal density. This choice of a hard top to keep thickness minimal while achieving such tonal qualities is a feature seen not only in Santos but also in Spanish makers like Barbero I and Arcángel Fernández, suggesting Santos might have required this in his top wood selection.

The rich, sustained sound produces natural undulations and sharpness in melodies, with each note clearly defined. The character is romantic but not overly sweet, exhibiting Santos’s unique elegance. Kuriyama has fully captured this refined wildness, seamlessly integrating it with his outstanding sense of balance.

Finished delicately with shellac varnish, the slightly ambered top has a vintage appeal suitable for the model’s heritage. The neck has a slightly thick D shape. String height is set at 2.7mm (1st) and 3.7mm (6th) at the 12th fret, with about 1.5mm of saddle material remaining, allowing for further lowering if desired.