Meeting with the FujiGen Founder Family [ FGN (FujiGen) Guitars Information Thread ]

[PeteR]

Shoji Yokouchi (the eldest son of the FujiGen founder) and his family made a trip across Europe - and we've met last year (June 2023) in Würzburg (Bavaria) which is close to where I live.
We had been in contact for some time on facebook, he's a contributing member of my FGN (FujiGen) Guitar Fanclub group with more than 2000 members.

He brought me a present.... handsigned from the 95 year old FGN founder and him in perfect teamwork.
Needless to say I feel honored to get such a nice present!
I gave him a picture of the FGN Fan Club's 'leadership team' taken last year at the guitar-summit in Mannheim and a gift of wine from my region.
It was a pleasure to meet Shoji Yokouchi and his family,
hope we'll meet again in 2026 when I'm retired and will visit him in Matsumoto.

 

[PeteR]

Needless to say, I am a FGN-fanboy,
had ~ 20 FGNs in the past ten years, currently 11 FGNs and a FujiGen made CoolZ

the MiJ Crew

I will introduce the different models and some backstories with the next posts...

 

[PeteR]

There is an interesting book on the way....

https://craftsha.thebase.in/blog/2024/07/02/112042

copy&paste from Takahito Moroji, the man behind the new book, he's a member of my facebook-group and a friend. I hope to meet him in 2026 when I'll do my trip to Matsumoto

In 1983, Yuichiro Yokouchi, the founder of Fujigen Gakki, the company that made Greco guitars and held the Greco brand, and currently produces FGN guitars, published a book called "Greco and Friends," which is somewhat of an autobiography.
We have finally reached the point of releasing a revised edition of this book.
The original edition was self-published and distributed only to those involved, so I assume most of you have neither seen nor heard of it. Initially, the plan was to release it 40 years after the first edition, but after various twists and turns, we have finally managed to publish it now.
Therefore, I am pleased to announce the release of "Greco and Friends (Revised Edition) - 40 Years Later." Copies have started reaching those involved, and I have received permission from Mr. Yuichiro Yokouchi and his son, Shoji Yokouchi, to introduce it here.
Currently, it is only available in Japanese, but they are considering publishing an English version in the future.


40 years have passed, and what has become of the friends of Greco? We have followed up on the friends of Yuichiro Yokouchi. The following individuals were interviewed. The order is not necessarily chronological.

**Masako Sugimoto（杉本昌子）**
She was the first employee when Fujigen gakki was founded. Masako Sugimoto was responsible for the cell binding of Greco and Ibanez guitars.

**Makoto Sugimoto（杉本眞）**
Rather than being known as Masako Sugimoto's son, it's more accurate to recognize him as the representative of Sugi Guitars. During his time at Fujigen gakki, he contributed significantly to the revival of Fender USA, which had lost its production facility, and the establishment of the Fender USA Custom Shop. He crafted signature models for famous musicians, including Sting, Steve Vai...

**Tomohisa Yamazaki（山崎智久）**
He was the third factory manager of Fujigen gakki and is regarded as a god of painting. The beautiful sunburst finish on the Greco's hit Violin Bass VB series was created by Mr. Yamazaki. He also managed, repaired, and corrected the finishes of imported models from one of the oldest American manufacturers.

**Yukimitsu Takayama（高山幸光）**
A former director. Mr. Takayama built the fundamental techniques of Fujigen gakki. He responded to challenging requests from artists, researched strength, established top processing techniques, introduced serial numbers for product management, and developed many technologies that are now standard in guitar production.

**Toshihide Ushimaru（牛丸寿英）**
Many who know Mr. Ushimaru call him a "genius of effort." He is an engineer who, together with Mr. Takano（高野順）, developed the domestic powerhouse pickup Z DRY. He also developed the GR guitar synthesizer used by many musicians, including Clapton, Beck, and Page.

**Asatomo Nakata（中田朝友）**
A former executive director. He led the sales department. The launch of Fender Japan and Fender Mexico would not have been possible without Mr. Nakata's efforts. Even after retiring from Fujigen gakki, he continued to focus on woodworking, and the table tennis racket that won an Olympic gold medal was made by his company.

**Scott Zimmerman**
A former master builder in Fender R&D. After coming to Japan, he handled production management for Jackson Japan and Morris. At Fujigen gakki, he thrived as a master builder. He made the left-handed Mustang model for Kurt Cobain, the guitar that was auctioned for over 200 million yen.

**Susumu Tamura（田村進）**
The world's most famous and widely used effects pedal, the Ibanez Tube Screamer, also known as the TS series, was developed by Mr. Tamura. He has developed Maxon effects pedals.

**Toshikiyo Tezuka（手塚利清）**
The electric guitars of Fujigen gakki began with the pickups wound by Mr. Tezuka. He is the father of Fujigen gakki electrics. There are still musicians who love Tezuka pickups. And Mr. Tezuka is still actively working as a handyman at the Yokouchi household.

 

[PeteR]

I will introduce the different models and some backstories with the next posts...

The Custom Duo
it's a modern Version of a SingleCut, very ergonomic

Virtuoso VFL Custom & Standard JFL Custom

they look identical on the first view - there is ~€4000 between them
the one on the left is a Virtuoso (VFL) custom ordered by the previous owner, the pricerange is ~€5000 when new
I've bought it used for way less than half the price.
neck and body is made from african mahogany with a thick maple top
came stock with Seymour Duncan SH1N / AntiquityB
It is one of my heaviest guitars 4,07kg / 9lbs

the one on the right is a Custom from the standard-series with basswood body and maple top
comes stock with Seymour Duncan SH1N / SH5B
the weight is 3,7kg / 8.15lbs
I've bought it as a backup
this model was officially never available here in Germany

 

[PeteR]

both of the above shown guitars and the Expert Flame/Rise series are fitted with a 'two-way' stoptail, called FJTP
which is a Fujigen design

The Expert Duo ERS & EFL

The EFL Model

The ERS Model

that's some pics from the innards

 

[3bolt79]

I dig the rounded fret ends. Are the frets Stainless Steel?

 

[PeteR]

I dig the rounded fret ends. Are the frets Stainless Steel?

no, not on this models

 

[Robb]

Shoji Yokouchi (the eldest son of the FujiGen founder) and his family made a trip across Europe - and we've met last year (June 2023) in Würzburg (Bavaria) which is close to where I live.
We had been in contact for some time on facebook, he's a contributing member of my FGN (FujiGen) Guitar Fanclub group with more than 2000 members.

He brought me a present.... handsigned from the 95 year old FGN founder and him in perfect teamwork.
Needless to say I feel honored to get such a nice present!
I gave him a picture of the FGN Fan Club's 'leadership team' taken last year at the guitar-summit in Mannheim and a gift of wine from my region.
It was a pleasure to meet Shoji Yokouchi and his family,
hope we'll meet again in 2026 when I'm retired and will visit him in Matsumoto.

I still love that story !

 

[PeteR]

I still love that story !

Thanks, yep it was/is fantastic

I'll meet Shoji and some of his classmates next year Mai 9th again in Würzburg
They will vistit Germany and Czechia

Mr. Susumu Tamura, the man who created the the legendary Ibanez/Maxon Tube-Screamer is one of the classmates

 

[VictorB]

Very cool!

 

[PeteR]

Very cool!

Thanks,

I've learned so much 'background' informations from him,
things you'll never find 'first hand' in the public web or in books.

Some of this informations will be published in the new book by Takahito Moroji mentioned above
He's a close friend to the Yokouchi founder-family and a contributing member in my group.
We will meet personally in 2026, when I'm doing my trip to Matsumoto.

There are two 'toys' in the founder-family-collection, waiting for me to pick them up....

Masterfield Prototype^^

History (by FujiGen) HLS model

 

[RustyChops]

Interesting stuff!
Wasn’t much of a history kid, unless I could relate to it.

After my military service I became very interested in the history of various technologies (I was an electronics technician in the US Navy), and broadened my interests in history in general.

Very cool thread!

 

[PeteR]

Not brand new - though still interesting...

Fujigen Gakki Factory Tour!!

In the spring of 2013 I went on a whirlwind tour of Japan, with the sole purpose of learning more about the history of Japanese electric guitars. In the USA, we are literally drowning in vintage J…

drowninginguitars.com

 

[PeteR]

and some more information about the brand

History of Fujigen Gakki - Vintage Japan Guitars

Fujigen Gakki, now Fujigen Co. Ltd., is a maker of Matsumoto-shi-based musical instruments, Hirata-e, in Nagano Province, Japan.

vintagejapanguitars.com

 

[PeteR]

Needless to say, I am a FGN-fanboy,
had ~ 20 FGNs in the past ten years, currently 11 FGNs and a FujiGen made CoolZ

the MiJ Crew

I will introduce the different models and some backstories with the next posts...

replacing the broken pic

 

[3bolt79]

The double cut arch top with the pointy horns looks really cool.

 

[PeteR]

The FGN Masterfield series is Fujigens take on Semi-Hollow guitars,
they are a bit different from what you might know of typical ES-33X guitars.

The size is different, 335 is ~16" - 339 is ~ 14" - The Masterfields are in between, the lower bout is ~ 15"



335 left - Masterfield mid - 339 right

The Construction is different, too
the body frame is cut out of a single piece of mahogany



The result is a very lightweight guitar, most of the Masterfields are in the 6.5 lbs / 3kg range

Very comfortable handling and playing.

 

[PeteR]

Today I've jammed with this pair

 

[PeteR]

And Mr. Tezuka is still actively working as a handyman at the Yokouchi household.

He's a skilled woodworker, too



He got inspired by my work

 

[PeteR]

Great information about Fujigen:

The Greatest Guitar Manufacturing Company in Japan

Fujigen - The Greatest Guitar Manufacturing Company in Japan

www.joness.com