Reunion with Mr. Shiino

Reunion with Mr. Shiino #1

I never expect to see him again, when I started this WEB page. I have just written down things I knew and learned from my youth time. I felt if someone is interested in Japanese Vintage guitar and its histroy, he is man we should know.
As I mentioned, I met him only once around 1980. Well, about 1 and half years ago, I got a phone call from Mr. Shiino suddenly. I was very surprised to receive his phone. I actually very scared that he would complain about my WEB site has many explanation about him without his permission.

We had about 1 hours talking on the phone. He told me that he loves my WEB page and asked how I knew his detailed. It was very interesting and exciting time for me to have a talking with him, just like to see very old friend. He visited my office after his calling. We took more time to take about the guitars, went to the dinner more and more times to talk about the guitars, you could guess! There were many why, I got. He told me all in detailed.

He told me that he was preparing to publish the book “The masterpiece Guitars we made”. This is really great book to tell you the history of Japanese guitars industry and back story of developments from his over 40 year’s experience. It is very hard to explain his book detailed here. But it is very interesting book for all guitar players, guitar luthiers even other products craft men.

He invited me to join the publishing party at Hotel in Tokyo. He requested me to rent my several guitars for his party. It was great a party, don’t know how many visitors were there. Many famous musicians, guitar manufacturers’managements, their owners and etc…
About 40-50 guitars are shown at party room as his footprints. Many secret stories on his experience… (I was very surprised his overseas friends, many names you knew well. Mr. Les Paul asked him to make a guitar just before his death. Well, if Mr. Shiino made it, it should be really last Les Paul model)

I believe that Mr. Shiino is not guitar luthier. He is actually the creator for many products. Not only guitars, also many music instruments, my impression of Mr Shiino is more like a conductor of Orchestra. His silk business (S.Shovey) is also telling me that he is not only manufacturers, also having very strong mind for art, tradition at the same time, he has both idea and invention with passion.

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