Van Zandt Neo Vintage Article Guitar Magazine August 2011

[Sigmania]

Van Zandt

An insatiable commitment to "Neo Vintage"

Van Zandt is a guitar manufacturer that started out as a pickup manufacturer in the United States and has consistently produced guitars that pursue "sound." With the unwavering concept of "Neo Vintage," and the quality of the necks, paint, assembly, and parts that are carefully finished, Van Zandt has earned the trust of many guitar enthusiasts, both professionals and amateurs. This time, we will bring you a special feature on Van Zandt, a manufacturer with such commitment. We will thoroughly delve into the lineup that has remained almost unchanged since its debut, test play of current products including new models, history and factory conditions, and get close to the charm that only those in the know know.

Photography: Ueda Sangetsu (P83-91), Suzuki Chika (P92-97)

Text: Yamamoto Hikotaro (P86~87,92~96)

 

[Sigmania]

Seven Features of Van Zandt Guitars

1 PICKUPS

Original developed pickup

Originally a pickup manufacturer, the pickups are of course 100% original. They are completely handmade in Texas, USA, and produce a thick, Texas-like sound. They are also very popular in the US, and were used by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Johnson.

The coil is wound in a barrel shape to ensure a balanced output.

The model on the left is the "VINTAGE PLUS." It features a mature sound inspired by the 60's Stratocaster sound. The model on the right is the "BLUES." It is based on the VINTAGE PLUS with added mid-range power. It is the perfect model for sticky blues rock. There are also over 10 other types of pickups available.

2 BRIDGE

original iron bridge

The original bridge is made entirely of steel, from the pressed saddles, bridge plate, and block. It transmits the pleasant sound of the strings to the body. In addition, the unique technology setup provides high pitch accuracy.

3 FINISH

The paint is made of a very thin layer of nitrocellulose lacquer.

The Van Zandt guitar's unique feature is its extremely thin finish, which is immediately noticeable when compared to other electric guitars. It is so thin that you can feel the subtle texture of the wood grain, and is less than one-third the thickness of an average poly-coat. This allows the wood vibrations to be transmitted almost directly. It is also popular among vintage enthusiasts because it develops a rich atmosphere over time.

You can see the texture of the surface, and the difference with conventional polycarbonate coating is obvious to the naked eye.



Since the guitar brand was founded, Van Zandt has consistently produced Fender-type models. They are infused with the utmost in craftsmanship. Here we will introduce seven selling points unique to Van Zandt guitars that are common to all of the models currently in the lineup. We will analyze the features of the flagship model, the STV-R2, which has been in the lineup since 1993!

4 NECK

Maple main conduct neck

All models feature a neck made of hard maple, with a "main conductor neck construction" that uses special techniques for the truss rod installation, resulting in a strong neck with little pre-load. The hard repulsion of string vibrations produces a sound with plenty of sustain.

5 NECK SHAPE

Narrow neck shape for a stress-free grip

The comfortable grip is one of the unique characteristics of Van Zandt guitars. The fingerboard and both ends of the frets have been carefully scraped off to recreate the neck of a vintage guitar that has been played for many years and has rounded corners.

The degree of the edge is gradually made sharper as you move to the higher frets, to prevent strings from falling off in the higher positions where solo playing is more frequent than gripping the strings.

The left is the neck seen from the 1st fret side, and the right is the neck seen from the 22nd fret side. You can see the difference in the degree of carving on both ends.

STV-R2 ¥283,500
SPECIFICATIONS

●Body: Alder●Neck: Maple Fingerboard: Madagascar Rosewood●Frets: 22●Scale: 25.5 inches Pickups: BLUES x 3 ●Control volume, tone x 2, 5-position pickup selector ●Beg: Gotoh SD-91-05M Bridge: Original Synchro Tremolo ●Color: 3-tone sunburst (photo), vintage white, 63 3-tone sunburst *All models have 20 color no-charge options. ●Accessories: Semi-hard case


6 FINGERBOARD

The rosewood fingerboard model uses Madagascar rosewood.

The rosewood fingerboard model is made from Madagascar rosewood, a wood similar to Brazilian rosewood, which is now extremely rare. It is slightly harder than regular rosewood, which gives it excellent response.

7 JOINT

Built-in precision

Setting up this joint is the most nerve-wracking part during production. The neck and neck pocket are painstakingly milled until they match perfectly, and then the factory's unique technology is used to adjust it to produce the best possible sound.

 

[Sigmania]

The History of Van Zandt Guitars

Texas-born pickup manufacturer

Van Zandt as a guitar brand (hereafter referred to as Van Zandt Guitars for convenience) is a guitar brand produced by Taurus Corporation, the sole distributor of pickups in Japan. They manufacture their guitars in their factory based on the concept they have decided on, and a variety of guitars are released. We will go into detail on these later, but first let's take a quick look back at the history of Van Zandt as a replacement pickup manufacturer in the United States, which is the core of Van Zandt Guitars and where it all began.

Van Zandt, a replacement pickup manufacturer, was founded in Dallas, Texas, in 1987. The company's founder, W.L. Van Zandt (hereafter referred to as Van Zandt), worked as a radio technician while also playing lap steel guitar in local country bands from the 1950s. Van Zandt began repairing and customizing pickups in the early 1960s, and the story is a common one. Due to the nature of his job, he had the knowledge and skills to know what type of wire to use and how to wind it, so he started out by making pickups for his own instruments, and then moved on to those of his bandmates. Although it is still not on a scale that can be called a business,

The first Van Zandt products, the STV-1 (left) and STV-2 (right), debuted in March 1993. The material composition is the same as the current STV-R1 and STV-R2, but at the time there was also a version with a polyurethane coating instead of lacquer. Another feature is that the fingerboard is quite flat, at 400R compared to the current 210R.

At the same time, he also acquired broken pickups from other music stores and carried out research and repairs, and the vast amount of data he gained here would prove useful later on.

Word of mouth spread about the pickups that Van Zandt repaired, and in the mid-70s he began manufacturing his own pickups, including for his own lap steel guitar. Although the exact date is unknown, one of his long-time customers was the famous Stevie Ray Vaughan, who requested a pickup with emphasis on the mids, which was later released under the model name "Blues." Another model that was also produced as a result of a big guitarist's initiative was the "Rock," which was a response to Eric Johnson's request for a "high-gain pickup that maintained the old-fashioned Stratocaster tone." By the way, Van Zandt is often seen as a vintage-oriented pickup manufacturer, with products such as "TRUE VINTAGE" aimed at 1954-1959 Stratocasters and "VINTAGE PLUS" aimed at early 1960s Stratocasters, but in a sense this may be considered a reversal of the subject and the object. For Van Zandt, he is simply reproducing the tones that he heard in real time and that became the standard for good guitar sounds. The previously mentioned BLUES and ROCK are basically developments of VINTAGE PLUS, and the core parts remain the same. "Made with the same wire, same magnets, and same techniques as the original" is a policy that he has often spoken about. At one point, he even acquired a winder that could make six pickups at once to improve production efficiency, but he was ultimately dissatisfied with the quality. The fact that he made his own hand-wound winder and went back to making each pickup carefully one by one is an episode that shows his commitment.

As mentioned earlier, the brand was officially launched in 1987, and around 1994, his nephew, J.D. Prince, took over the business.

The Van Zandt logo. It is based on the autograph of pickup craftsman W.L. Van Zandt, founder of the Van Zandt Company. The official logo used to date is the type shown below, but there was also a proposal to use the full name type shown above.

At a guitar show in Dallas in 1996, Van Zandt and his wife Gloria sat in front of a pickup they had made themselves.

Prince also joined the production (as an apprentice to Van Zandt, so to speak). Monthly production was small, at around 200-300 units, and the high quality that came with it led to Van Zandt pickups being highly acclaimed, but unfortunately Van Zandt passed away from illness on February 4th, 1997, at the age of 66. Currently, Prince and Van Zandt's wife, Gloria, continue to make pickups, following his late father's wishes.

At the end of this section, we would like to introduce some comments about Van Zandt's character from Tomokazu Miyasaka, a representative at Taurus Corporation, the exclusive distributor of Van Zandt pickups in Japan.

"He seemed like a very gentle country grandpa. He didn't drink alcohol or smoke. He didn't have much of a Texan vibe. He came to Japan once for a musical instrument fair in 1995, but I think we pushed him a little too hard because we brought him all the way to Japan from Texas, or rather Dallas, who had never been out of the country before. What made the biggest impression on me was that one time I requested a pickup for a jazz bass, and at first he was reluctant, saying, "I don't want to make something whose sound I don't really understand." But after a while, he sent me a sample, saying, "What do you think of this?" I heard later that he had done a lot of research, listening to the sound of jazz bass pickups and examining their structure. I remember thinking that it was impressive, as if I had seen the spirit of an engineer.

guitar born in japan

Van Zandt Pickups, which became a hot topic not only in their home state of Texas but across the US after the brand was launched, arrived in Japan in 1990. The previous president of Taurus Corporation, who had always had a strong attachment to Texas, came across Van Zandt Pickups at a vintage instrument show held annually in Dallas and Arlington, Texas, and fell in love with them. Incidentally, the company currently handles Collings, Eastman, RS Guitar Works, and other brands, but the Van Zandt Pickup was apparently the first product they produced.

 

[Sigmania]

From here, we will trace the history of the guitar brand Van Zandt. We will focus on things that are rarely revealed, such as its history as a pickup manufacturer, how it decided to start manufacturing guitars, and the evolution of the models it has created.

In the 1990s, the "vintage trend" had not yet taken root as it does today, and there were few pickups that advertised it. When Van Zandt arrived in Japan, it was well received, but it is also true that promotion was difficult due to the nature of the replacement pickup.

"It's hard to convey the sound just by looking at the pickups alone. So I thought it would be better to make guitars using Van Zandt pickups, and that's how Van Zandt Guitars was started."

This is the story behind the birth of Van Zandt Guitars, told by Miyasaka. It may be misleading to say this, but Van Zandt Guitars was a guitar brand created as a way to promote Van Zandt pickups. However, Taurus Corporation was merely an importer and distributor. To make this project a reality, they needed a partner to actually make the instruments. The company they chose was PGM, one of Japan's leading workshops, led by legendary guitar builder Kazuhiko Chichi.

"To be honest, at first I thought it would be OK if the guitar could reproduce the sound of the pickups as it was. However, to get the sound of the pickups to come out clearly, the guitar had to be well-made. That's why I asked PGM to make it for me. When I saw the quality of the guitars that PGM made, I really felt what I just said, and if they could do it, I felt like I should start making requests." (Miyasaka)

With all the elements in place, Van Zandt Guitars was officially launched in 1993. What is important to note here is that the guitars were not simply sold as Van Zandt pickups.

You Should Keep Rockin'!! Vanzandt entry series Debut!!

Bronson

Instead of presenting a new style, they introduced the theme of "Neo Vintage," showcasing the appeal of Van Zandt pickups while also presenting a new guitar scene.

"The Neo Vintage is a guitar that combines the easy-to-use, familiar vintage sound with modern playability. For example, the radius of the fingerboard on the very first model was 400R, which was quite flat. One of its selling points was that it would not choke even when bending. The STV series also has 22 frets, so it is easy to use in terms of the range. For musicians, guitars are tools, so we aimed to create a product that is as easy to use as possible and allows for stress-free playing." (Miyasaka)

The concept of making new guitars that look like vintage guitars seems to be a generally established trend these days, but it is no exaggeration to say that Van Zandt Guitars were the ones that pioneered this trend.

Changes and new challenges

Since its introduction in 1993, Van Zandt Guitars has released a variety of models under the "Neo Vintage" theme, but here we would like to briefly touch on the evolution of the models.

■STV-R1 (STV-1) ･･････March 1993
■STV-R2 (STV-2) ･･････March 1993
■TLV-R2 (TLV-60)･･････July 1994
■STV-70R (STV-70) ･･････March 1996
■TLV-R1 (TLV-55) ･･････December 1996
■STV-R3 (STV-59) ･･････July 2004

This is the first advertisement for the guitar brand Vanzant, which was published in the July 1993 issue of Guitar Magazine. The STV-1 and STV-2 are lined up in the front row, and behind them are more than 20 vintage Stratocasters waiting in the wings. You can feel the enthusiasm of the staff who loudly proclaimed the word "Neo Vintage."

■TLV-R3 ･･････August 2004

The above is the year the catalog model was first released, and the number in parentheses is the model number at the time of release. In addition, a one-piece ash body, a perfect reproduction of the '53 Telecaster, a perfect reproduction of the '54 Stratocaster, etc. were released in limited production.

There have been times when I have been exposed.

Finally, Van Zandt Guitars has stubbornly stuck to a “Neo Vintage” image until now, but this year they released a new model, the “Bronson,” which is a first for the brand.

"The Bronson series was started with the desire to provide an entry-level series at a reasonable price. Van Zandt guitars are notoriously difficult to pick up as a first guitar, so we wanted to give young guitarists the opportunity to experience Van Zandt. Of course, we intend to continue the 'Neo Vintage' theme with the STV and TLV series." (Miyasaka) 24 years have passed since W.L. Van Zandt launched the brand.

Van Zandt Guitars has been with us as a guitar brand for three-quarters of that time. It will be interesting to see what kind of guitars they will present in the future.

From the latest Van Zandt catalog. This is an introduction page for the Bronson, which went on sale in April this year. As the first entry-level model, it will be a big turning point for the brand.

 

[Sigmania]

Explaining the current lineup

Bronson Open price (market price ¥139,650)

This new model maintains the high quality of Van Zandt while offering a reasonable price. It was added to the lineup in April of this year as the first entry-level model in the history of Van Zandt. The basic specifications include the body and head shapes, and a pickup system that provides a humbucking effect.

The design is based on the Duo Sonic. The neck is not 22.5 inches like the original, but 24 inches like the Mustang, which shows the attention to playability. It is also nice that it has 22 frets.

SPECIFICATIONS

●Body Alder (2 pieces) ●Neck: Maple Fingerboard: Madagascar Rosewood ●Frets: 22 Fingerboard R: 180R Scale: 24 inches Pickup: FLAT-POLEX20 Controls: Volume, Tone. 3-way pickup selector ●Pegs: Gotoh SD-91-05MA Ridge, original 3-way Satoru type ●Color: Pintage White (photo), Black, Dakota Red ●Accessories: Gig bag

Just as the name “Bronson” suggests, it's heavy.

I think it's different from the Duo Sonic, but it's much better than the Mustang I own (laughs). The center sound with the humbucker effect is the best. The distortion is very good. It feels heavy, just like the name "Bronson". The sound is thick, so it's easy to create funky undulations when cutting. It feels good to play jazzy chords. It has a fluffy humbucker feel, but the sound separation is very solid.

STV-R1 ¥285,00

This model has been in the lineup since 1993. The body is made of ash and the neck is made of one piece maple, reminiscent of the '54 to '56 Stratocasters. The pickups are also "TRUE VINTAGE" which brings to mind the sound of the early '50s. This one also has 22 frets.

SPECIFICATIONS

Body: Ash Neck: Maple Fingerboard: Maple Frets: 22 Fingerboard R: 210R Scale: 25.5 inches Pickups: TRUE VINTAGE x 3 ●Controls: Volume, Tone x 2, 5-position pickup selector ●Pegs: Gotoh SD-91-05M ●Bridge: Original Synchro Tremolo ●Color: 2-tone Sunburst (pictured), Vintage Blonde ●Accessories: Semi-case

The rear is brilliant and has a wonderful sound.

I imagine maple models to have a harsh, crackling sound, but the sound of this guitar is relatively soft. However, the maple's distinctive presence is well-balanced, and it seems like it would go well with a crisp blues solo. Also, the sound of the rear is great. I don't usually use the rear because it usually sounds too shrill, but it doesn't hurt my ears, and it has a brilliant, wonderful tone.

 

[Sigmania]

The majority of Van Zandt's lineup consists of long-standing models that have been around since the company was founded in 1993 and continue to this day. Let's take a look at the current lineup of eight models, including the current model and the notable new model that was launched this year.



STV-R2 ¥283,500

This is also a long-established model from the very beginning of 1993. It has 22 frets, an alder body, and a rosewood fingerboard, which are reminiscent of a 60's Stratocaster. The pickups are based on the 60's-style "VINTAGE PLUS" and are equipped with "BLUES" pickups that further emphasize the thickness of the midrange.

SPECIFICATIONS

●Body Alder●Neck: Maple Fingerboard Madagascar Rosewood●Frets: 22●Fingerboard R: 210R Scale: 25.5 inches●Pickups: BLUES x 3●Controls, volume, 5-position pickup selector pegs: Gotoh SD-91-05M Bridge: Original Synchro Tremolo●Ca: 3-tone sunburst (photo), vintage white, 63-tone sunburst●Accessories: Semi-hard case

It's extremely well balanced.

It's thicker than the STV-R1. It feels more solid than the current model from the custom shop that I have. It's powerful, but it's not as forward-thinking as the STV-R1. I think that's because the body is alder and the fingerboard is rosewood. It's extremely well-balanced. I think it would work well for a live performance as is.

STV-R3 ¥283,500

This model has an ash body, rosewood fingerboard, and a blonde finish. The pickups are the same as those used in the STV-R1, and are mounted with the "TRUE VINTAGE" pickups, which match the ash body to bring out its potential. This model also has 22 frets.

SPECIFICATIONS

●Body Ash●Neck: Maple Fingerboard: Madagascar Rosewood●Frets: 22●Fingerboard R: 210R●Scale: 25.5 I-Chi Pickup: TRUE VINTAGE x 3 ●Controls: Volume, Tone x 2, 5-position pickup selector ●Pegs: Gotoh SD-91-05M●Bridge Original Synchro Tremolo●Color: Pintage Blonde●Accessories: Semi-hard case

Anyone who likes Strats
Isn't that the sound you like?

This one is well balanced. Modern instruments are amazing (laughs). I was surprised because I've only ever used guitars that were about to be thrown away (laughs). This is a sound that anyone who likes Stratocasters will like, regardless of age. It has little noise and a beautiful sound, so this one might be good for recording.

STV-70R ¥283,500

A wild large-head type with a 70's atmosphere. The body and fingerboard are made of alder and rosewood, the same as the STV-R2. The pickup is the "VINTAGE PLUS" pickup, which is the base model for the "BLUES" and has a more flat range and a balanced output.

SPECIFICATIONS

Body: Alder; Neck: Maple; Fingerboard: Madagascar Rosewood; Frets: 21; Fingerboard length: 210R; Scale: 25.5 inches; Pickups: VINTAGE PLUS x 3; Controls: Volume, Tone x 2, 5-position pickup selector; Peg: Gotoh SD-91-05M; Bridge: Original Synchro Tremolo; Color: Black (photo), Vintage White; Accessories: Semi-hard case

It seems like it would go well with the guitar of a band that plays songs.

First of all, this guitar looks really cool. It has a John Mayer vibe. I think a tortoiseshell pickguard on a black body is quite unusual. As for the sound, it gives a very all-round impression. Compared to the STV-R2, it gives the impression of not getting in the way of the ensemble. It seems like it would go well with the guitars in my band that play vocals.

 

[Sigmania]

TLV-R1 ¥273,000

This Telecaster type guitar has an ash body and a one-piece maple neck. It is equipped with "VINTAGE N" (front) and "VINTAGE B" (rear) pickups that produce a thick 50's sound. The bridge saddle is made of brass.

SPECIFICATIONS

●Body: Ash ●Neck: Maple Fingerboard: Maple: 21 Fingerboard: 210R Scale: 25.5 inches ● VINTAGE N (front), VINTAGE B (rear) ● Controls Volume, Tone, 3-way Pickup Selector Pegs Gotoh SD-91-05M ● Bridge Original 3-way Saddle Type ● Color: Butterscotch Blonde (photo), Vintage Natural ● Accessories: Semi-hard case

There is a wide horizontal sound spread.

It really feels like a Telecaster! It has a cool rock sound. And yet, it's not impure, which is to be expected. Telecasters from the time when the sound was thick are really good. I'd highly recommend this one. The Stratocaster I played earlier has depth vertically, but this one has a wider sound spread horizontally. It seems like it will add depth to a band ensemble.

TLV-R2 ¥273,000

It has an alder body and a slab rosewood fingerboard that exudes a 60s atmosphere. The body is bound to resemble a custom Telecaster, making it an impressive guitar. The rear is fitted with a B-55" staggered pickup with adjusted pole piece height.

SPECIFICATIONS

Body: Alder; Neck: Maple; Fingerboard: Madagascar Raw

● Frets: 21 ● Fingerboard R: 210R ● Scale: 25.5 in ● Pickups: VINTAGE N (Front) VINTAGE B-55 (Rear) ● Controls: Volume, Tone, 3-way pickup ● Tuners: Gotoh SD-91-05M ● Bridge: Original saddle type ● Color: 3-tone sunburst (photo) 633-tone sunburst ● Accessories: Semi-hard case

The most androgynous of the three.
It seems like it can be used regardless of genre.

It's more subdued than the TLV-R1, so it seems like it can be used in any genre. I think it would be no problem to switch to a Strat during a performance. But the rear is really excellent. It's not too sharp. I've never heard such a beautiful sound. I think this is the most neutral of the three TLVs. The depth of the sound and the speed of the attack are also in the middle of the graph.

TLV-R3 ¥273,000

The body is made of ash and the fingerboard is rosewood. The pickups are the same as the TLV-R2, with a "VINTAGE N" on the front and a "VINTAGE B-55" on the rear. The fingerboard is a slab board.

SPECIFICATIONS

●Body: Ash●Neck: Maple Fingerboard: Madagascar Road●Frets: 21 Fingerboard R: 210R Scale: 25.5 in. Pickup: VINTAGE N (front), VINTAGE B-55 (rear) ●Controls Volume, Tone, 3-way Pickup●Pegs: Goto SD-91-05M●Bridge: Original 3-way Saddle Type●Color: White Blonde●Included: Semi-hard case

The sound is beautiful.
I'd like to try some spatial effects.

This is my favorite. It feels really good. "Rather than a Telecaster, it has the easiest sound to use. The sound is so pretty, I'd like to try using chorus and other spatial effects. I think this suits my current activities best. The range spreads nicely and flatly. The TLV-R1 gave me the feeling of coming straight to the front, but this is more suited to ensembles, and seems like it can be matched to the atmosphere of the song.

 

[Sigmania]

After the trial performance

There's absolutely no stress when gripping the neck. It just makes me want to keep playing.

First of all, when I played the first one, I could clearly feel the sound being transmitted through the wood. It didn't feel electric, but it had a warmth to it. So, although it looked new, I didn't feel like I was playing a new guitar. The paint is lacquer, so it's light, and it has the feel of an old guitar. Lacquer peels off easily, and the Van Zandt is painted very thinly, so I think it will develop a nice flavor after playing it for about a year. My Jaguar is also lacquer, but the paint comes off easily with a slight impact. I think that's a good thing, so I'm leaving it alone (laughs).

The neck is easy to hold and not at all sticky. Actually, I have had the neck of my Strat cut down to the same style as Van Zandt's neck. I went to a store and said, "It's kind of hard to play," and they said, "Well, should we cut the neck down?" That's when I thought, "Oh, so that's the solution." I think there are a lot of people who are searching for the answer but can't find it. All of Van Zandt's guitars are really stress-free to play. I just want to keep playing them. It seems like they'll bring out the idea that if you play randomly without any ideas, you'll come up with a song.

In a word, this guitar is truly an "honor student." It makes me feel like I'm driving a hybrid car. There's no unpleasantness at all. There's surprisingly little noise. It's been carefully adjusted. It's not like you can't use just the rear sound, or the sound doesn't change much even if you separate the front and center, and each channel has its own distinct sound character.

Even the most highly recommended vintage guitars have some "a little scratchy" parts. The volume knobs are often pretty bad, and the volume changes suddenly when you switch pickups. But the Van Zandt is brand new, so you don't have to worry about that. And yet it still has that vintage flavor. It's totally fine.


PROFILE

Seiichi Nagai: Composer/Guitarist.

In addition to participating in "Taisei Riron," he is active in many areas, including the production and provision of music for commercials and film music, and producing work. Recent major works include "Taisei Riron's Correct Relativity Theory," a remix of Moonriders, providing music for SMAP, and composing music for Uniqlo commercials. His guitar playing has a unique appeal, and he is one of the most talented young players. http://seiichinagai.com/

EQUIPMENT

The amp I used was my favorite 90's Vox AC306TB. For effects, I used the Maxon OD-9 for distortion and the Strymon BlueSky (reverb) for reverb.

 

[Sigmania]

A look at the manufacturing process of Van Zandt guitars
~Visit PGM~

Van Zandt guitars are made in the PGM workshop. PGM is a famous brand that has received praise from many famous musicians, and the skilled craftsmanship of the PGM is what supports Van Zandt quality. So we headed to the PGM workshop in Saitama Prefecture to conduct a thorough investigation.

Van Zandt Guitars is a guitar brand produced by Taurus Corporation, the official importer of Van Zandt guitars, but the company that is in charge of manufacturing Van Zandt guitars and fully understands their vision and intentions is PGM, one of Japan's leading guitar workshops. Although the name shines brightly in guitar history, the true nature of PGM has not been fully understood, but we were able to visit the workshop and get a glimpse into the process of how Van Zandt guitars are born.

The workshop was visited on a sunny day in early June. The company is located in Ogawamachi, Hiki District, Saitama Prefecture. It is just over an hour by express train from Ikebukuro, and is a peaceful place, or in other words, even the author, who is originally from Saitama, feels like he is taking a short trip. Upon arriving at the nearest station, I was greeted by the company's president, the legendary guitarist whose name is so well known that anyone with even a little knowledge of guitars would not be able to pass it by.

We were greeted by the GM reporter and the Taurus Corporation representative, who was personally there to greet us. Feeling humbled, the GM reporters and the Taurus Corporation representative immediately entered the workshop.

It's about a five-minute drive, and we arrive at the workshop, located in a quiet area with a tranquil shrine nearby and the only sound we can hear is the rustling of the trees in the wind. Our first impression is...with all due respect, "Eh, is this it?" No, no preconceived ideas are strictly prohibited. Just as the guitars that have captivated so many top professionals both in Japan and abroad have taken flight from this two-story prefabricated workshop, we feel the need to get pumped up once again.

We are given a brief introduction to the workshop and its staff. The current PGM consists of five people, including Nyuui. Mitsui Hideki has been a builder for 31 years and has known Nyuui the longest. He is mainly in charge of painting. Yoshida Keiichi has been a builder for 30 years and also serves as site supervisor. Fukushima Atsushi has been a builder for 8 years and is in charge of assembly. Yoshioka Daisuke is a young builder with only 5 years of experience and is in charge of the meticulous fret treatment that is the selling point of Van Zandt guitars. We hope you will take the time to take a look at each process and see what kind of skills, attention to detail and craftsmanship this truly elite small team shows us.

(photos upper right)
The exterior of the workshop. Work has been carried out here silently every day for 23 years.

The PGM staff involved in the production of the Van Zandt. From left, Fukushima Atsushi, Mitsui Hideki, Nyuui Kazuhiko, Yoshida Keiichi, and Yoshioka Daisuke. A commemorative photo in front of Nyuui's prized Nissan Fairlady Z.

From the left, the necks and bodies of the TLV series, STV series, and Bronson. They are stored on the first floor of the workshop at a humidity level of 63-65%. The molding of the body, removing the cavity, fitting the truss rod to the neck, and attaching the fingerboard are all done in other factories, and the rest of the work is done in this workshop. The truss rod is a unique mechanism and fitting method that Nyuui developed.

At the back of the first floor is the paint booth where Mitsui mainly works. The TLV and STV series are painted with nitrocellulose slacker, and all 20 different color variations are painted here. Also, defective necks are reused as door handles, something that is unique to a guitar workshop.

From the left, the three-tone sunburst is being painted in layers of red, black, and finishing varnish. The TLV and STV come in three three-tone sunburst styles: a regular with a strong reddish tint, a vintage with a slightly faded red, and a '63 style with a strong yellowish tint, all of which are finished with a thin layer of lacquer.

 

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On the second floor, under Yoshida's supervision, the assembly, neck finishing, installation, and final check are all carried out. There are workbenches by the windows, and various tasks are carried out simultaneously. However, there is no division of labor, and the number of tasks increases depending on the worker's level of proficiency.

A full view of the second floor. The puff machine is behind the plastic sheet on the left. There are many windows, making it a bright workshop.

The walls are lined with photos of musicians who use PGM instruments, including a poster of Mick Taylor.

Body processing

Drilling holes to attach the bridge to the STV series. You can faintly see marks on the masking tape that were calculated from the string length.

Yoshida operates the drill press. He says that the eyeglass-type magnifying glass, which also serves to protect his eyes, is very useful.

Van Zandt guitars are basically left with the paint sprayed on, so they are not buffed to give them the usual shine. The process I will introduce here is a buffing process to remove the roughness that inevitably occurs when painting.

The paint is applied thinner than usual, but we also paid special attention to the feel and buffed any problem areas.

By changing the grain of the buff, you can eliminate any slight discomfort. The angle and amount of pressure you apply to the body depend on experience.

A full view of the puff machine. The shapes of the buffs on the left and right are different, but this is apparently due to wear from repeated use.

 

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Neck treatment

The selling point of Van Zandt and a testament to PGM's technical expertise is the carefully finished neck edges. Not only are they all adjusted by hand, but the fret heights are also finely adjusted for each position, with consideration given to playability, rather than simply smoothing the edges.

Yoshioka is in charge of this task. First, he roughly files down the ends of the frets, using aluminum mold as a backing.

Two types of sandpaper, 80 and 150 grit, are attached to the aluminum cylinder, and they are used in different stages.

before that Not only in this step, but at every stage, masking tape is used to protect non-work areas, another example of PGM's careful work.

The proper processing begins with a sharpening file. The edges are rounded off from various angles, on both sides of the frets and from the edges to the inside.

The entire fingerboard is masked and the frets are filed down. Here, a large aluminum strip is used.

The whole piece is then finished with sandpaper, which eventually reaches a finer grain of 800.

When rounding the ends of frets, a full-sized file like the one in the photo is used.

After the work is done, the state above will look like the state below. The edges of the fingerboard have been smoothed out nicely, and it feels great to the touch.


Takumi's Tool

Yoshioka's favorite tools. From the right, sandpaper using an aluminum strip as a backing, a sharpening file, sandpaper wrapped around a rubber rod, masking tape, a large homemade sandpaper for filing frets, a grooved file for rounding, and sandpaper wrapped around a backing. When visiting workshops like this, it is common to see unusual tools that you won't see anywhere else, but as you can see, one of the characteristics of PGM is that there are almost no particularly unusual tools, including the homemade ones.

 

[Sigmania]

Built-in

The neck is made based on the concept of "main conduction neck", and the emphasis is on the neck itself and its assembly. A glimpse of that attention to detail can be seen in the process of joining the neck to the body. It seems that some of the results of Nyuui's many years of research are also poured into this process.

The neck after fret processing. The pocket in the body is a little narrow, so the neck won't fit in.

First, use sandpaper to make it flat and then process it so that it will fit firmly with the neck.

Next, Yoshida boldly carves out the pockets in the body with a chisel.

Of course, after cutting with a chisel, it is sanded down with sandpaper. Note how yellow paper is sandwiched between the pieces to avoid damaging the bottom surface.

This process is much easier now than it was the first time. Nyuui repeats this process several times to adjust the joint to his ideal shape.

The processing of the joint also involves aligning the neck center. The photo shows the approximate location of the neck center.

When the neck and body are not completely seated, the center misalignment between the neck and body is checked. A handmade ruler made from plastic board is used. It is flexible enough to accurately check the center even if there is a step. At the same time, the exact string length is also confirmed by checking the distance from the end of the neck pocket to the center of the bridge. This is also the secret behind Vanzant's excellent pitch.

The corners of the pockets are also fine-tuned to ensure the perfect joint. A chisel with a crank-shaped handle is used.

For really fine adjustments, the surface may be lightly scraped with a spatula. The fine scraps left behind show how precise the adjustments are.

Since the pocket area is machined for each guitar, the pickguard is also fine-tuned to fit each body.

As you can see from the process, Van Zandt guitars are adjusted to the best condition by incorporating technology to eliminate the slight differences between each individual guitar. Inevitably, each neck and body will only fit one another. Therefore, to prevent confusion during work, each neck and body is assigned a matching number. The guitar in the photo is the third guitar that was worked on on June 8, 2011.

Completion.

Takumi's Tool

These are the tools Yoshida uses when assembling a neck. From the right, there is a flat chisel, a spatula, sandpaper wrapped around an aluminum cylinder, and two types of iron chisels. In the back, you can see a handmade ruler made from plastic sheet. The iron chisel is quite rare, and is one of Yoshida's pride and joy. The handle is curved, as an idea to line up the line of sight with the place to carve when placing the handle on the shoulder and putting one's weight on it. Making full use of these tools, one-of-a-kind guitars are made that overturn the notion of detachables.

 

[Sigmania]

Nut groove cutting

The work is finally coming to an end. Now comes the process of cutting the grooves into the nut, which requires as much attention as assembling the neck. The nut is an original cow bone nut soaked in a unique blend of oil, and here too lies the secret of Van Zandt guitars, such as stress-free playability and pitch accuracy.

The original oil-soaked nuts are lightly colored and not yet fully packed.

First, determine the grooves for the 1st and 6th strings while checking the position with a ruler, then determine the positions of the four middle strings.

Using a sharpening file, cut grooves for each string, following the designated guideline.

Nuts used:

On the left is a cow bone that has not been processed in any way. By soaking it in a unique blend of oil, it becomes like the picture on the right.

All the string grooves have been cut, and the edges of the nut itself are still sharp.

Using round files and sharpening files, the nut is perfectly adjusted to fit the thickness of each string. The bottom of the nut is lower on the head side. It may be difficult to tell from the photo, but the groove is wider on the head side and slightly narrower on the bridge side. It's such delicate technique that it's hard to believe that a round file is being used from the bridge side.

The nut itself is shaped using sandpaper, and again the fingerboard and other parts are protected with masking tape.

Completion


Takumi's Tool

These are the two types of files that Yoshida used to cut the grooves in the nut. The files themselves are apparently commercially available, but there is a slight difference between the indicated roughness and thickness of the blade and the actual feel of the files, and he uses each one differently depending on the thickness of the strings and the situation. This sense is what underpins the quality of Vanzant guitars.

Assembly installation and final check

Soldering. As you would expect from a craftsman, the parts are attached without any unevenness.

The assembly was mainly installed by the artist. Van Zandt is a famous pickup manufacturer, but they also developed an original tone capacitor to further enhance the quality of the pickup. This reduces the harshness of the high frequencies even when the tone is fully opened, and as a result, emphasizes the mid-range.

The slightly greenish plastic parts were dyed using a unique technique to give them a uniform pintage look. The details were kept a company secret, but even in places like this, their attention to detail is apparent.

Adjust the string height and bridge height...

After all the steps, the STV-70R is finally complete! One of its creators, Yoshida, couldn't help but smile. This interview should have given you an idea of how much effort and skill goes into making one guitar. I hope it finds a good adoptive parent!

 

[Sigmania]

INTERVIEW

Kazuhiko Nyuui

PGM Representative Director and President

Kazuhiko Chiyui is the president of PGM, the company that makes Van Zandt guitars. He is the key man in charge of Van Zandt quality, and is also known as a pioneer who has left a huge mark on Japanese guitar building. We spoke to him about his commitment to Van Zandt guitars.

I was so happy when I heard about it. I thought, "I can make a guitar with this pickup!"

●Please tell us what inspired you to start making Van Zandt guitars.

○About 20 years ago, when Taurus was selling pickups, I recommended them to a certain manufacturer. They made really good pickups, so I said, "Why don't you make a guitar with that?" But that manufacturer had no interest in guitars at all. I thought, "What a waste of pickups." I put one on and played it myself, and it did sound really good (laughs). Less than a year later, the president of Combat at the time introduced me to Taurus, and then it all started. I was so happy when I got the offer. "I can make a guitar with this pickup!" The way I put it together hasn't changed much since I first started making guitars, but the paint job was completely different.

●We arrived at the current extremely thin nitrocellulose lacquer coating. How did it happen?

○Van Zandt was originally made with urethane, but I immediately thought that I couldn't use urethane because of the "Neo Vintage" theme. I had tried lacquer a few times, so I knew that an all-lacquer, thin finish would be best. Whether it's a Martin or Gibson acoustic guitar, or the resonating parts of a piano, the paint on all instruments is thin. There are no instruments with a thicker paint than an electric guitar. Anyway, our paint is very thin. I don't think it's more than 50g.

●What other points did you pay particular attention to in order to realize Van Zandt's "Neo Vintage"?

○We are very particular about the assembly. Many old Fender guitars have gaps in the joints, but they still sound good. After much deliberation, we came up with the idea that the center must not wobble. We didn't show it during the factory interview because we couldn't take photos, but there is actually one more step to it. If you do that, the sound will not wobble even if there is a gap. It's the same principle as a shamisen. A shamisen is perfectly aligned. Also, we put in the truss rod very carefully. Just by changing the shape and the way it's put in, the sound changes completely. It gives off a unique metallic sound. This technique is almost here, but I can't tell you (laughs). We take an ordinary rod and take the time to make it our own.

●I understand that the neck and body are pre-processed.

○ We have them make it to our specifications, but we have them send us the truss rod before we put it in and we process it. We also process it properly once we've finished installing the frets. If we don't do that, it just won't work.

●Does Nyuui-san give such detailed instructions?

○That's right. I do the details like the truss rod myself, but I follow the instructions I get from Taurus about the specs, like the material to use, the pickups, the ideal sound, and the concept. Since it's not our brand, I try my best to make it as close as possible to Taurus' "Neo Vintage".

●Do you ever make suggestions, Mr. Nyuui?

○Yes, there is. A while ago, there was a Classic Series, and we made a guitar that reproduced the vintage Fender guitars very faithfully. It took a lot of time and effort to make, and I told them that we couldn't sell it at the same price as Van Zandt. Ours are handmade, so we don't have to worry about dust, and we can do it as long as we focus on the sound without paying too much attention to the painted parts. I often suggest this during detailed meetings.

●The nuts are made from cow bones soaked in oil. Is that a wisdom that you've acquired over the years?

○That's right. When I was making classical guitars a long time ago, I tried bamboo, ebony, and various other materials, and I ended up using cow bone, which everyone has been using for a long time. However, cow bones these days are quite porous, although it's not because of osteoporosis. Even if I buy 200 bones, I end up throwing away about 50 of them. Then I suddenly had an idea and tried boiling them in grease. Then it became a pretty hard nut (laughs). It's such a simple process, but the boiling time and all the other details are precisely determined.

●As I've been listening to you talk, I've noticed that you're a person who has inspiration. It's a person.

○The same goes for the 22-fret guitar. When I was at ESP, I made a prototype of the Char model, but about three days before a live performance, I was asked, "Can we make it 22 frets?" I wondered what to do, so I started carving it down right away, and I was like, "Oh!" I made something.

●I see. That experience is reflected in Van Zandt's guitar playing.

○Yes. And, you know, I was the one who came up with the idea of making the fingerboard 400R. At the time, I was playing fast and doing a lot of choking, and if the R was too sharp, the sound would get muffled. "It would be better if it was flatter. Char's model has flat frets with no R, but the fingerboard has R (laughs). That way, it would be easier to choke.

You can also do it by clicking the "Sign Up" button. That's a great idea, isn't it? (laughs)

●What made you decide to go down this path?

○I grew up in a village in Aomori Prefecture with a population of about 200 people, and there was one rich guy who played the guitar. That sparked my interest in instruments, and I went to a vocational school for woodworking in Hirosaki. But my older brother invited me, so I dropped out of school when I was 18.

So I started working as a mold maker, making metal casting molds. Then I started working on cars, but I was surrounded by people who were into classical guitars.

There were people who played guitars. I was thinking, "Guitars are really good," and then The Ventures became popular. Their electric guitars were selling like crazy, and they couldn't keep up with production, so they asked me to make guitar necks (laughs), and that's when I made my first guitar. After about 10 years of doing that, I was confident in my woodworking skills, so I joined Fernandes. When I joined, I was put in sales (laughs). After about three years, I was invited by independent guitar builder Masaru Kono, but then I was invited by classical string instrument maker Yukinobu Chai, who often delivered to Fernandes, and that's when I started making guitars.

●So that means you were making classical guitars up until that point?

○Yes, that's right. After that I made an electric guitar with ESP and then I thought I would make my own guitars.

●When did you establish PGM?

○That was about 36 years ago. I left ESP to go independent, and started playing guitar for Moon and Taurus, and that's how I got to where I am now.

●What kind of training do you give to the craftsmen at the factory?

○I always tell people not to rush. I never want to finish it today, because it will end up being a sloppy job. It's best to work at your normal pace. I've had a lot of people ask me to make more guitars and make a lot of cheap guitars just for the money, but I've turned them all down. You can't make that many good instruments.

●Please tell us about the future of the guitar.

○Leo Fender founded Fender in 1946. The classical guitar has been around for over 100 years, but its basic shape hasn't changed at all. Simple instruments like the four-string violin and the shamisen remain. People are still pursuing simple things like that, and they're still not satisfied, so the guitar will never go away. Also, playing the guitar is cool, isn't it? Young people everywhere like cool things, so it's not going to go away (laughs). Most young people who play the guitar do so for impure reasons, like to be popular with girls. As long as that's the case, it will always be a popular instrument.

PROFILE

Nyuui Kazuhiko: Born in Aomori Prefecture in 1945. He dropped out of a vocational school for woodworking, and after working in casting and carpentry, he joined Fernandes. After leaving the company, he learned guitar making from classical string instrument maker Chai Yukinobu. After working at ESP, he founded PGM, where he still works today. In addition to Van Zandt guitars, the factory produces its own products and Moon guitars.