What is Terry's Terry? A thorough explanation of the charm of Terry's Terry and its representative models

It was this person who undoubtedly helped Japanese acoustic guitar culture develop!
As a singular presence, history may have been different without the activities of the national treasure Terry Nakamoto, who is now essentially living legend!
The concepts of acoustic custom guitars and order guitars may not have taken root so deeply in the industry without Terry Nakamoto! He is the greatest contributor to Japan's music scene!

Terry's Terry representative models

Terry's Terry 2010 Paul Slimon Type

This is a masterpiece from Terry's Terry in the Paul Simon shape!
The entire body has a great vibe, and it even has a weather check. You can tell at a glance that this is not a beta finish from this era!
Everything is in perfect condition, from the nut to the saddle, fretboard, pickguard, and even the neck condition! No cracks, no repair history, and nothing missing at all!
And the notable sound is... unbelievably incredible! What is this!?
This body size and this volume! It produces an overwhelming amount of resonance! Amazing!
The biggest surprise is the excellent balance of each string! Isn't someone somewhere adjusting the equalizer? The degree of evenness is so good it's almost suspicious!
I see, so this is what a guitar was like! An exquisite masterpiece that makes you rethink everything!

Terry's Terry 1966 TJ-100

For anyone who loves acoustic guitars, the number one guitar you’ll want to try is our own Terry's Terry!
The model that represents Terry's Terry is the TJ-100!!
This is no ordinary instrument!
A guitar with tremendous original potential has matured completely over 20 years of age! This resonance... intense! This is an extraordinary state!

An incredible amount of overtones! The thickness of the sound is intense! The low end is powerful, and the high end is dazzlingly delicate!
When the characteristics of each register become chords and the ensemble comes together, it rings out with the ultimate balance, letting you feel volume in every register!
This guitar is so rare that just seeing it in person is unusual, and among them, this 20-year-old individual is already museum-class!

Terry's Casual 2010 TC-J7 BIRD

Terry's Casual is a brand whose planning and production began in 2007.
In 2010, this commemorative model was released as a gem from Terry's Casual to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Terry’s Terry!
Using the representative model TC-J7 as a base, this TC-J7 BIRD was created with a bird inlay that conveys a sense of luxury!
In addition to being a commemorative model, it was made with great care, and it has become a single instrument that condenses the essence of Terry’s Terry!

The selection of design and materials is carried out by Mr. Nakajima, while the basic assembly is done at Terada Gakki, which is Terry's Casual.
The final sign-off from Terry Nakajima himself in the final process is, of course, the sign that it truly shines as a label!

As a brand produced in limited quantities, its demand around the world is so great that Terry's Terry's own production cannot keep up at all.
Terry's Casual was also significant in delivering Terry's Terry sound to many users.
Sadly, Terry's Casual, which offers the same quality as the original, is no longer in production.

Terry's Casual 2010 TC-J7 BIRD

Terry's Casual is a brand whose planning and production began in 2007.
In 2010, this Terry's Casual is the commemorative model released as a special edition to mark Terry's Terry's 20th anniversary!
Based on the representative model TC-J7, Bass, this is the TC-J7 BIRD with a bird inlay that gives it a refined feel!
Not only is it a commemorative model, but it was also made with great effort, resulting in a single piece that condenses the essence of Terry's Terry!

The selection of design and materials is done by Mr. Nakamoto, while the basic assembly is carried out at Terada Gakki, which is what Terry's Casual is.
What shines through, without question, is Mr. Terry Nakamoto's own check sign in the final process!

Although a low-volume production brand, demand from around the world is so high that production of the main Terry's Terry cannot keep up at all.
Terry's Casual also played a major role in delivering the sound of Terry's Terry to many users.
Terry's Casual, which has the same quality as the main line, is sadly no longer in production.

Premium Terry PTJ-100 Traditional

This is the PTJ-100 Traditional, the first model in the new Premium Terry lineup released in 2016!
It is the same size as the original jumbo of the model TJ-100, which represents Terry's Terry!
The color, grain pattern, and fretboard are all top-quality materials, and that comes across at a glance!

Like Terry's Casual, the basic assembly is done at an outside workshop, but the difference from Terry's Casual is that it is not a specific workshop!
The various manufacturing processes, such as inlay work, woodwork, and assembly, are performed at different workshops trusted by Mr. Nakamoto!
To deliver even higher quality and rival the main Terry's Terry, the Premium Terry was planned, and of course in the final process, Terry Nakamoto himself inspects each one and adds his signature to the label!

YAMAHA 1972 FG-1500

There may be no need to explain anymore, but this is one of the most famous acoustic guitar series in the world from Japan!
The YAMAHA FG series! And among them, the early flagship FG-1500!
From around 1970, players around the world came to use each model, and among them, the FG-1500 was the most sensational model!
It was even used by Bob Dylan!
It appeared on album jackets, was actually used live, and shows just how much the FG was loved even by professionals as an ultimate model!

Its herringbone is also a striking feature, as is its bright, richly overtoned, gorgeous sound! With the passage of years, its appearance and sound have matured, increasing the depth of its tone even more!
Great for plucking! Great for chord work! Truly superb!

YAMAHA 1975 L-54 Custom

This rare model, produced from 1975 to 1980, is one of the so-called YAMAHA Four Heavenly Kings!
Its basic spec is side & back maple with a spruce top.
The inlay work applied throughout and the original pickguard make it gorgeous, giving it an overwhelming presence!
The price is a whopping 300,000 yen, the standard price at the time in the 1970s!

Since it was a custom model made to order, it is an extremely rare model that is virtually impossible to find on the market today!
Its mellow midrange resonance and bright Yamaha-like sound with excellent note separation make it powerfully expansive in a wide range!
This is a YAMAHA masterpiece model that was loved by many big-name artists at the forefront of the scene at the time!

T'sT Terry's Terry 1991 SPECIAL ORDER MADE No.18

This machine is an early model of the Terry’s Terry “Gen,” a special order made in 1991, when the brand had not yet been founded.
The serial number is No. 18. It is a younger-number model than Mr. Yosui Inoue’s No. 20 or Mr. Yukinori Saka-zaki’s No. 21.
It uses the TJ type specification, which is the standard shape of T'sT. The fine inlay, binding, and trim show the difference from the regular spec, making it a high-end model.
Compared with recently produced models, the wood feels drier, the touchless response is lighter, and the instrument’s feel is extremely rich.
The extremely thin finish has aged somewhat and developed color, and the sleekly fitted weather check gives it an aura of dignity.

T'sT Terry's Terry 1992 SPECIAL ORDER MADE No.29

This guitar is also an early Teryu Teryu Phantom model, a special order-made model from 1991.
The serial number is a surprising No. 29. It is one of the beloved guitars of T'sT guitarists in Japan.
As a T'sT model, it is a rare small-body style that resembles a Martin 000. A precious instrument that lets you feel the softness of the custom-made work of that era.
Its touch response is astonishingly light. The T'sT construction matches the speed of picking and the small body size, allowing the sound to stand out beautifully and cut through every register with thickness and clarity. It is, of course, familiar when fingerpicked, but when strummed it produces an overwhelming presence that is hard to imagine from its size. The spaciousness of the protective range shines through.

YAMAHA 1984 L-55 Custom

At the time, this was the top-of-the-line model, and it had a luxurious head-inlay with an extremely elegant Hakaranda fingerboard specification that flowed beautifully! The leather label even bears the signature of Terry Nakamoto, who is currently the representative of Terry's Terrey (T'sT)! You can tell it was the highest rank even in Yamaha's lineup at the time!

What Mr. Nakamoto is carrying is a brilliant, mesmerizing tone with an overwhelming range that clearly comes from high-quality craftsmanship—it sounds wonderful! The feeling of being struck and then drawn into the sound is conveyed clearly, from the tone to the dignified appearance!! It's an ultimate instrument!

Musician Loved by Terry's Terry

 There are many promising musicians who actually use Terry's Terry, and just lining up the names of musicians who immediately come to mind in alphabetical order would be amazing enough. There are no shortages of names such as Takahiko Ishikawa, Masazumi Ise, Harumi Inoue, Nobuyasu Okabayashi, Toshio Kadomatsu, Kazuyoshi Saito, Kōnosuke Sakazaki, Ken Sakurai, Sasamasa, Toshihiko Takamizawa, Go Nagabuchi, Chiharu Matsuyama, Kōsetsu Minami, Kozo Murashita, Takuo Yoshida, and more!
 In particular, Mr. Go Nagabuchi has been a close friend since his debut, and he is famous for owning Terry's Terry serial number 1. Overseas big names such as John Lennon and Paul Simon also used guitars made by Mr. Terry Nakamoto!

Why Many Professionals Choose Terry's Terry

 It may be a rude thing to say, but normally manufacturers have endorsement contracts with musicians. Musicians are provided with instruments on favorable terms according to the contract, and in return they are expected to give a lot of exposure through recordings and live performances while keeping maintenance in top condition. Instead of paying the manufacturer directly, magazines, TV, CD jackets, PVs, and other media featuring the musician inevitably show the company’s instruments, which is why a huge advertising effect is obtained. It makes sense that they want the same instruments as that musician! You can expect that kind of effect as well.

 However! There are no words like endorsement for Mr. Terry Nakamoto’s guitars!
The reason many people get these instruments is that they trust Mr. Terry Nakamoto and trust Mr. Terry Nakamoto’s guitars, and that feeling becomes the driving force.
 In an extreme sense, musicians who are somehow tied to endorsements would buy Mr. Terry Nakamoto’s guitars! Of course, they can’t appear in the media, but many of them are used quite frequently in songwriting, recording sessions, and similar settings.


 You can really feel that this is a different story from the trends in music and manufacturers. This is a special timeline that flows to people who truly love music and instruments, and its entrance exists here.This is the responsibility of the shop that handles used and vintage instruments.
TCGAKKIFrom now on, we will do our best to introduce as many of Mr. Terry Nakamoto’s works to everyone as possible.

Summary

 You can really feel that this is a different story from the trends in music and manufacturers. This is a special timeline that flows to people who truly love music and instruments, and its entrance exists here. This is the responsibility of the shop that handles vintage musical instruments.
TCGAKKI will continue to do our best to introduce as many of Telly Nakatomo's works as possible to everyone from now on as well.

Writer of this article: Advance Guitars Store Manager Inoue (Inoue) - Vintage Guitar Researcher

An expert who has been exposed to musical instruments since early childhood and has been involved in the appraisal and sales of more than several thousand vintage guitars. He also has thick ties with overseas collectors and dealers. With the belief that “the history of a guitar changes with just one color or stamp,” he is committed to explanations that are both maniacal and affectionate.

Qualifications and achievements held: 8 years as a musical instrument appraiser, editorial and supervising cooperation for guitar magazines, etc.

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