Shiro SW-34 JTB(Accoustic 12-string

[Tom]

Serial 552892

It is an unbelieveably great-sounding/looking accoustic (12-string)
guitar with awesome details. (Looks reminds to some extent of a Gibson
SJ200 ..)

I spent days searching on the internet for info about Shiro and this
specific model or similar Shiro-models.

Can anybody help me regarding more information about this guitar or
other Shiro-labeled accoustic guitars?

Any info. would be valuable to me.

Best regards

[David Kilpatrick]

Post by Tom
Serial 552892
It is an unbelieveably great-sounding/looking accoustic (12-string)
guitar with awesome details. (Looks reminds to some extent of a Gibson
SJ200 ..)
I spent days searching on the internet for info about Shiro and this
specific model or similar Shiro-models.
Can anybody help me regarding more information about this guitar or
other Shiro-labeled accoustic guitars?

Can't help, but I do know that Shiro means white in Japanese because we
had a Japanese spitz and asked a Japanese friend for a suitable name for
a white dog - snow, clouds, colour etc - and he came up with Shiro.

David

[Tom Loredo]

Hi Tom-

I own a Shiro myself (maybe they gravitate toward players named Tom!).
The story of the purchase (and David K's response about the name) can
be found in a thread in 2000:

http://tinyurl.com/35sz3

I looked online for info about Shiro guitars around the time of
that posting with no luck, so I'd be very interested to hear of
anything you learned about them; perhaps some info has become
available since then.

Since that time I've gotten two leads about Shiro guitars. First,
I asked Wade Miller to check on the brand in his Blue Book. He couldn't
find it, but speculated the actual maker is another company that has
several "brands." Wade had a contact at Saga Musical Instruments who
he offered to contact to follow up on this possibility, but the contact
was out of the country at the time and I never followed up with Wade
further about it. Wade, if you're reading, let us know if you still
have any contacts with the Japanese instrument community.

The other lead I believe I got from Josh Pincus who pointed out the
following sales blurb at the web site of a used guitar store here
in Ithaca:

1970's Shiro Kiboto 1A Craftsman "Master Luthier" Hand Crafted Fine
Guitars This is a great D-45 copy! looks like Brazilian Rosewood back
and sides, center Flower pattern down the back, 8 ply Pearl Binding
around the top, 4 ply binding around the sides, back, and headstock, 5
ring soundhole rosette with Pearl ring in the center, Pearl blocks on a
bound Rosewood board with a Zero Fret, Rosewood Headstock veneer with
no logo, Diamond Volute, EXC- w/Case $295

This instrument was for sale in Sep 2001 at Rumble Seat Music in Ithaca.
You might consider contacting someone there to see if they know anything
more about Shiros. They also have a shop in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

http://www.rumbleseatmusic.com/

A web search for "Shiro Kiboto" turns up nothing with that name, but
Google suggests a search for "Shiro Kubota" and that turns up a lot.
But nothing shows up if you search jointly for "Shiro Kubota" and
"guitar".

Please do let me know if you discover anything interesting!

Peace,
Tom

[Tom]

Hi Tom !

I will keep you and this forum posted if i find more info regarding
this mysterious guitar maker. Right now it feels like You
know more about him(?) than me..

If you are interested, email me ( ***@yahoo.se ) and i will
send you images of the SW-34 JTB.

Would love to se some images of your Shiro.

Best regards
Tom

Post by Tom Loredo
Hi Tom-
I own a Shiro myself (maybe they gravitate toward players named Tom!).
The story of the purchase (and David K's response about the name) can
http://tinyurl.com/35sz3
I looked online for info about Shiro guitars around the time of
that posting with no luck, so I'd be very interested to hear of
anything you learned about them; perhaps some info has become
available since then.
Since that time I've gotten two leads about Shiro guitars. First,
I asked Wade Miller to check on the brand in his Blue Book. He couldn't
find it, but speculated the actual maker is another company that has
several "brands." Wade had a contact at Saga Musical Instruments who
he offered to contact to follow up on this possibility, but the contact
was out of the country at the time and I never followed up with Wade
further about it. Wade, if you're reading, let us know if you still
have any contacts with the Japanese instrument community.
The other lead I believe I got from Josh Pincus who pointed out the
following sales blurb at the web site of a used guitar store here
1970's Shiro Kiboto 1A Craftsman "Master Luthier" Hand Crafted Fine
Guitars This is a great D-45 copy! looks like Brazilian Rosewood back
and sides, center Flower pattern down the back, 8 ply Pearl Binding
around the top, 4 ply binding around the sides, back, and headstock, 5
ring soundhole rosette with Pearl ring in the center, Pearl blocks on a
bound Rosewood board with a Zero Fret, Rosewood Headstock veneer with
no logo, Diamond Volute, EXC- w/Case $295
This instrument was for sale in Sep 2001 at Rumble Seat Music in Ithaca.
You might consider contacting someone there to see if they know anything
more about Shiros. They also have a shop in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
http://www.rumbleseatmusic.com/
A web search for "Shiro Kiboto" turns up nothing with that name, but
Google suggests a search for "Shiro Kubota" and that turns up a lot.
But nothing shows up if you search jointly for "Shiro Kubota" and
"guitar".
Please do let me know if you discover anything interesting!
Peace,
Tom

[o***@gmail.com]

Post by Tom
Hi Tom !
I will keep you and this forum posted if i find more info regarding
this mysterious guitar maker. Right now it feels like You
know more about him(?) than me..
send you images of the SW-34 JTB.
Would love to se some images of your Shiro.
Best regards
Tom

Post by Tom Loredo
Hi Tom-
I own a Shiro myself (maybe they gravitate toward players named Tom!).
The story of the purchase (and David K's response about the name) can
http://tinyurl.com/35sz3
I looked online for info about Shiro guitars around the time of
that posting with no luck, so I'd be very interested to hear of
anything you learned about them; perhaps some info has become
available since then.
Since that time I've gotten two leads about Shiro guitars. First,
I asked Wade Miller to check on the brand in his Blue Book. He couldn't
find it, but speculated the actual maker is another company that has
several "brands." Wade had a contact at Saga Musical Instruments who
he offered to contact to follow up on this possibility, but the contact
was out of the country at the time and I never followed up with Wade
further about it. Wade, if you're reading, let us know if you still
have any contacts with the Japanese instrument community.
The other lead I believe I got from Josh Pincus who pointed out the
following sales blurb at the web site of a used guitar store here
1970's Shiro Kiboto 1A Craftsman "Master Luthier" Hand Crafted Fine
Guitars This is a great D-45 copy! looks like Brazilian Rosewood back
and sides, center Flower pattern down the back, 8 ply Pearl Binding
around the top, 4 ply binding around the sides, back, and headstock, 5
ring soundhole rosette with Pearl ring in the center, Pearl blocks on a
bound Rosewood board with a Zero Fret, Rosewood Headstock veneer with
no logo, Diamond Volute, EXC- w/Case $295
This instrument was for sale in Sep 2001 at Rumble Seat Music in Ithaca.
You might consider contacting someone there to see if they know anything
more about Shiros. They also have a shop in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
http://www.rumbleseatmusic.com/
A web search for "Shiro Kiboto" turns up nothing with that name, but
Google suggests a search for "Shiro Kubota" and that turns up a lot.
But nothing shows up if you search jointly for "Shiro Kubota" and
"guitar".
Please do let me know if you discover anything interesting!
Peace,
Tom

There was a guitar shop in Cleveland, Dick Lurie Guitars. This was his private brand as I recall. He had them made and distributed them during the 70's. I have a very nice classical guitar with Brazilian rosewood back and sides bearing that name.

[j***@my-deja.com]

On Tuesday, April 20, 2004 > Tom Loredo wrote > >

Post by Tom

Post by Tom Loredo
I looked online for info about Shiro guitars
with no luck, so I'd be very interested to hear of
anything you learned about them;

I will keep you and this forum posted
if i find more info regarding
this mysterious guitar maker.

Web search must be improving with time. It took less than a minute to find - "Shiro" guitars were produced by Aria’s Tatsuno and Nagoya guitar factories 1970-1983. “Shiro" guitars were named for Shiro (“Whitey”) Arai, the founder of Aria Guitars. Hope this helps. Remember, patience is a virtue.

[t***@gmail.com]

I'm very late to the game, but as a proud Shiro owner - and another Tom to boot - I thought I'd check in. I have a Shiro LP I found in a pawn-shop in Alcoa/Maryville, Tennessee ten years or so ago. Mine is something of a rarity, since it has a set-neck. It's every bit the equal of any Gibson LP I've ever played, and it's equally heavy - at least a twelve-pounder.
Tom in Tennessee

Post by Tom
Serial 552892
It is an unbelieveably great-sounding/looking accoustic (12-string)
guitar with awesome details. (Looks reminds to some extent of a Gibson
SJ200 ..)
I spent days searching on the internet for info about Shiro and this
specific model or similar Shiro-models.
Can anybody help me regarding more information about this guitar or
other Shiro-labeled accoustic guitars?
Any info. would be valuable to me.
Best regards