The Legend of Terry Nakamoto and the Four Heavenly Kings of Yamaha L

In the history of Japanese acoustic guitars, there is a legend that is still told today: the four guitars "L-51," "L-52," "L-53," and "L-54," which were born in 1975.

They're called the "YAMAHA L Four Heavenly Kings"

The term "Four Heavenly Kings" has a certain allure that appeals to the inner child. These four guitars, each possessing an overwhelming individuality, exude an aura of legendary artifacts, like treasures passed down through generations. Within this group, each embodies a different concept and sound, giving them a unique presence—this is the charm of the "L Four Heavenly Kings." In this article, we will focus on these "L Four Heavenly Kings," exploring the background of their creation and the enduring appeal that continues to captivate people.

"YAMAHA"
This is a leading Japanese musical instrument manufacturer that has made a name for itself worldwide in a wide range of fields, including not only guitars, but also pianos, electronic instruments, wind instruments, and percussion instruments. Its history began in 1887 when its founder, Torakusu Yamaha, repaired a broken organ in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka. Based on that experience, he succeeded in manufacturing domestic organs, and eventually began manufacturing and selling pianos in 1900. Although the factory was converted to military production during the war, the third president, Yoshikazu Kawakami, is said to have continued to preserve the piano manufacturing technology.

Then, in 1946, shortly after the end of the war, it is said that Yamaha began manufacturing acoustic guitars. At the time, they are believed to have had a structure similar to that of a classical guitar, but no actual instruments or documents exist today, and the details remain shrouded in mystery.

In the 1950s, the folk revival movement that began in America spread across the ocean to Japan. In fact, records show that as early as 1952, a prototype of the "Dynamic Guitar," which was based on the shape of a classical guitar but strung with steel strings, was being produced.

Time passed, and in the early 1960s, the "Dynamic Guitar" finally appeared on the market as a commercially available product. This experience would later lead to the development of the folk guitar.

YAMAHA /1960s Dynamic Guitars No.80
While Dynamic Guitars offers a range of models, this particular instrument is the most luxurious in its lineup. Its sound possesses a resonant quality rarely found in modern guitars, along with a deep, nuanced tone and beautiful, bell-like highs. This is a masterpiece that every acoustic guitar enthusiast should try at least once.

Then, in October 1966, the "FG-150" and "FG-180" folk guitars, featuring original Japanese designs, were released. This marked the birth of the "FG series," which can be considered the foundation of Japanese-made folk guitars and the beginning of a legend.

YAMAHA / 1966~1967 FG-180 “Light Green Label”
This is an FG-180, one of the earliest FG models produced between 1966 and 1967, which featured a light green label known as the "light green label." The top, sides, and back are constructed to be extremely thin; while a Martin's top plate is approximately 4mm thick, the FG-180's is only 2.8mm. This contributes to its overwhelming sound pressure, sense of openness, and the sparkling, bell-like treble tones.

In 1968, the million-selling hit "Kaette Kita Yopparai" and the influx of foreign folk music led to a sudden folk boom in Japan, and FG also gained significant support. However, the core of their popularity remained their reasonably priced models.

The then-president (Genichi Kawakami, the 4th president) reportedly urged the company, "Why are our guitars so cheap (compared to overseas guitars)? Don't you have any confidence in yourselves? Create a high-end model that can compete with overseas manufacturers!" Yamaha then set out to develop a "world-class acoustic guitar."

Therefore, Terry Nakamoto, a legendary guitar designer who is an indispensable figure when discussing Japanese-made folk guitars, took the lead in creating new high-end models: the "FG-1500," "FG-2000," and "FG-2500."

*From left to right: "FG-1500", "FG-2000", "FG-2500"

For these models, Mr. Kawakami's request at the time was for them to have a "Japanese feel." During development, he apparently went through a lot of trial and error, comparing them to Martin and Gibson acoustic guitars and changing the body style and paint. However, he couldn't get the sound changes he wanted, which led him to the idea that "it might be better to change the customers' perception." That was the first step in the birth of the L series.

It's worth noting that during this period, Takahiko Ishikawa, a leading figure in the acoustic guitar world, participated as an advisor. Originally, Terry Nakamoto would take his guitars to musicians to ask for their opinions and research guitars while receiving advice. In developing the L series, he apparently took into account the advice of five studio musicians who practically used guitars, had keen ears, and possessed excellent technique. One of them was Takahiko Ishikawa, who was said to be able to distinguish even the difference in paint finishes by ear. Based on his opinions, such as "the bass is too strong" and "the tension is too weak," further improvements were made, and development progressed towards the "FG-3000."

However, due to a strategic business decision, the model was relaunched as the "L Series." This marked the birth of the first model, the "L-31," in 1974.

YAMAHA / 1976 L-31
This model was the first in the L series. Brazilian rosewood is used for the sides and back, and abalone is used not only for the inlays but also for the body purfling and backstrip.

The "L" in the L series name stands for "Luxury."

As the name suggests, the soundboard is made of carefully selected Yezo spruce, and its white, elegant wood grain accentuates its luxurious feel.RecruitThe scale length was extended from 637mm to 651mm, and the internal structure of the body and the size of the neck joint were also changed. Through these specification improvements, the L series was born as a distinct entity from the FG series.

The sound produced through the precise assembly by skilled craftsmen and the meticulous pursuit of acoustic design has captivated artists both domestically and internationally, spreading the name "YAMAHA" to the world on numerous stages.

This is the story of how the "YAMAHA L Series" came to be.

The "Four Kings of the L Series" are still talked about today as Yamaha's top-of-the-line handcrafted guitars.
These "Four Heavenly Kings of L" refer to "L-51," "L-52," "L-53," and "L-54," and these were also devised by Terry Nakamoto.

*From a Yamaha catalog from around 1980.

The four custom models were designed with different concepts in mind, resulting in four distinct sonic tendencies.

Each of the four base models was custom-made for a total of 23 parts of the guitar, including the design and playability of each component.
This is a top-of-the-line folk guitar, crafted using Yamaha's accumulated guitar-making techniques and entirely by hand by master guitar makers.

Yamaha is said to have pioneered the custom order culture in Japan, and one of the reasons for its establishment is attributed to Terry Nakamoto.

As mentioned earlier, Terry Nakamoto was designing new guitars based on feedback from studio musicians. However, believing that this alone wouldn't translate into sales, he actively visited concert venues to try and get frontmen to use his guitars. Even so, the focus of the stage remained on overseas brands like Martin and Gibson.

Therefore, they switched to a groundbreaking custom order system at the time, which involved "creating the sound that the artist wanted, rather than using existing models." At that time, the "L-31," a pioneer of custom models, was already completed, but Terry Nakamoto thought that "it lacked impact to impress them," so four samples with completely different "sound and design" were created. These four guitars would later become the concepts for the four guitars known as the "Four Heavenly Kings of the L series."

Since then, whenever Terry Nakamoto visits an artist, he would try to gauge the artist's preferences beforehand and select a few of the four guitars to bring with him.

His proactive approach, personally visiting numerous artists and continuously listening to their voices, and his personality, which endeared him to many musicians and guitar fans alike, continue to command deep respect. If it weren't for Terry Nakamoto, the history of acoustic guitar in Japan would likely not be what it is today.

Among the "Four Heavenly Kings of the L series," the L-51 Custom is known as a unique and unusual model.

The headstock, pickguard, and bridge shapes are also very unique, but what's truly noteworthy is the body shape. In fact, this model has an asymmetrical design.RecruitThe right half is a fork-type with a slightly smaller, more compact shape, while the left half is the original Jumbo.BassIt has a plump shape. As a result, the design allows for loose, weighty bass tones on the lower strings and crisp, clear treble tones on the higher strings. When creating the L Custom sample, Terry Nakamoto thought, "Wouldn't it be good to have a model specifically for recording?" and devised this innovative asymmetrical body with sound shaping as the central focus.

Compared to the other three models, the L-51 Custom has a more understated appearance, but it utilizes the traditional Japanese technique of wood inlay (mokuzogan). This technique, which creates designs by combining the natural colors and textures of the wood itself, is not as flashy as mother-of-pearl or Mexican abalone decorations, but it exudes a sense of dignity and warmth. Contrary to its bold appearance, the decoration is subdued thanks to the wood inlay. It's a very interesting model when you consider that "the body is asymmetrical, and upon closer inspection, the impression and decoration are asymmetrical."

Although it is now a model that captivates many fans, it is said that at the time, due to its unconventional design, it was the least popular of the "Four Kings of the L Series." Reflecting this fact, it is rarely seen on the market, and today it truly deserves to be called a "legendary guitar."

The jumbo body was inspired by the Gibson J-200.RecruitThe L-52 Custom.

The jet-black body with white double pickguards...it's reminiscent of Gibson's Everly Brothers.

This black color is cleverly designed to appear dark brown depending on the lighting, and if you look closely at the head, you can faintly see the wood grain, allowing you to enjoy a beauty reminiscent of lacquerware.

A white double pickguard. Upon closer inspection, the left and right sides are asymmetrical in size, making for a unique design. We won't know the real reason for this design unless we ask, but considering the design of the L-51 mentioned earlier, it's interesting to speculate that "the contact area between the pickguard and the body controls the resonance of the bass and treble strings, similar to the L-51."

According to Terry Nakamoto, the sound was designed with Japanese tastes in mind, aiming for a calm and understated feel rather than something flashy.
Tune-o-matic bridgeRecruitIt has a crisp sound, yet you can still feel the resonance of the jumbo body.

The L-52 and other L Custom series guitars are sometimes described as having a "Japanese sound," but the L-52 is also known for being highly regarded by top artists overseas.

Paul Simon fell in love with its sound and ordered a smaller body size, which he now uses regularly. John Lennon was inspired by this model after hearing Paul's guitar and ordered his own signature model.

Among the four L-series models, the L-53 Custom shines the brightest.

As it was a model with an L-series diameter, it was differentiated from other models by using shells generously.

The soundhole and the edging of the body are adorned with rope-like inlays of abalone and ebony, creating a design that combines seemingly contradictory elements of "boldness" and "delicacy."

In terms of sound, it was designed to produce a clear and articulate tone, and is said to have been the most popular of the "Four Heavenly Kings" of L-series guitars. However, it is by no means a tinny sound; rather, it is characterized by a rich bass and a sparkling treble with fine, delicate notes that seem to caress the ear. Its tone is so exquisite that it makes you think, "This is what a beautiful acoustic guitar sound should sound like."

The body back has a three-piece construction, but the early models used a combination of Brazilian rosewood/ebony, while later models used a three-piece Brazilian rosewood construction. It is said that Martin D-35 had no intention of adopting this three-piece design, and that it was done purely for visual aesthetics.

This model has been used by numerous artists, and it's a well-known fact that John Denver, a leading figure in 1970s country pop, was so enamored with the L-53 that he described it as "the ideal guitar I had been searching for."

Finally, we'd like to introduce the L-54 Custom, which features elegant carvings on its pickguard.

The body shape is what Yamaha calls the "Western" style.RecruitIt is being done. When considering the L Custom model range, "Dreadnought"BassThe idea was that "a model like this would be necessary," and so it was created. If the design were simplified with this shape, it would look too much like a Martin, so they aimed for a Gibson-like style reminiscent of the Hummingbird or Dove. This "Martin sound, Gibson design" finish was apparently a favorite classic arrangement of Terry Nakamoto's.

Next, let's look at the design. The cuckoo, which is the motif of the pickguard's engraving, is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and is often used in the designs of waka poetry, paintings, and crafts. The cuckoo has been cherished as a bird that heralds summer, and is even a seasonal word for summer. With that in mind, when you look at the pickguard, you'll notice that it has a summery color scheme of blue, white, orange, and green. At first glance, it might remind you of Gibson's Hummingbird or Dove, but it is clear that this is a guitar that beautifully expresses Japanese sentiment and beauty.

The headstock and body of the L-54 feature the same abalone and ebony inlay decoration as the L-53.
When you look at the headstock, it feels less like you're looking at guitar decorations and more like you're admiring mother-of-pearl inlay.
It's safe to say that these are now works of art.

The "Four Heavenly Kings of the L Series": each with its own unique personality, sound characteristics, and design. In this column, we've explored the trajectory leading to their creation, the design philosophy behind them, and the appeal of each model. Terry Nakamoto's inquisitive spirit and drive, his dialogue with studio musicians and artists, the meticulous handiwork of skilled craftsmen, and the musicians who have used them as their tools of the trade, along with the acoustic guitar fans who have passed on their stories—all of these factors have shaped the value of the Four Heavenly Kings of the L Series, and continue to fascinate many people to this day.

Every time we encounter the story embodied in each individual guitar, we are reminded of the profound depth of the instrument and the rich history of the acoustic guitar. We at Advance Guitars don't just want to watch this story unfold; we want to weave it into the future. So that the brilliance of the "Four Heavenly Kings of L" will reach guitarists 100 years from now without fading.

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