Urushi lacquer finish that brings out the natural resonance of wood
Crafted collaboratively by Headway’s guitar artisans and urushi-lacquer artisans, a truly unique set of models have been born. Deviser, who has developed guitars using various woods including Japanese woods and exotic woods, has recently taken on a new tonewood—the Coffee Tree, a wood deeply connected to the culture of coffee lovers. Inspired by coffee, two distinct color schemes were developed. Furthermore, by applying a finish using the traditional way “urushi lacquer,” the result is a very thin layer that allows the wood’s natural resonance to be maximized.
The sound and feel produced by the skilled craftsmanship of experienced artisans create a instruments perfect for relaxing and playing with a cup of coffee on a holiday afternoon.
Urushi lacquer finish that brings out the natural resonance of wood
Crafted collaboratively by Headway’s guitar artisans and urushi-lacquer artisans, a truly unique set of models have been born. Deviser, who has developed guitars using various woods including Japanese woods and exotic woods, has recently taken on a new tonewood—the Coffee Tree, a wood deeply connected to the culture of coffee lovers. Inspired by coffee, two distinct color schemes were developed. Furthermore, by applying a finish using the traditional way “urushi lacquer,” the result is a very thin layer that allows the wood’s natural resonance to be maximized.
The sound and feel produced by the skilled craftsmanship of experienced artisans create a instruments perfect for relaxing and playing with a cup of coffee on a holiday afternoon.
Japan’s Traditional Techniques
- 『Urushi KOBAYASHI』
Profile
Noboru Kobayashi
Born in Nagano Prefecture in 1964
Associate Member, Craft Division, National Painting Association Member, Shinshu Woodworking Association
Engaged in urushi lacquer work since 1981.
Specializes in creating original lacquerware accessories and providing urushi lacquer finishing services for numerous woodworking artists and furniture workshops.
With exceptional lacquer-coating techniques and a warm personality, he creates works brimming with the allure of Urushi.
Coffee Tree
The guitars featured on this site are crafted using a new tonewood called “Coffee wood,” native to the Midwestern United States. Originally, Native Americans cooked and consumed the beans harvested from this Coffee Tree, or prepared them as a beverage. European settlers, who brought with them a culture of drinking coffee similarly to how we know it today, observed this Native American custom. They roasted the beans as a substitute for coffee and enjoyed them in a similar manner. This practice is the origin of the name “Coffee Tree.”
Although it is a different species from the coffee trees that are used for the coffee we all know and love, we were drawn to the origins of this Coffee Tree, which was associated with the history of the custom of coffee drinking, and its unique wood properties. This led us to develop musical instruments using this wood. It possesses a rare wood quality that is both hard and light, characterized by a responsive, bright tone. Enjoy the world of the Coffee Guitar, with its unique sound and design.
Tradition
Urushi Guitar & Coffee Guitar
Design
HeadCoffee Break
The headstock features the words “Coffee Break.” Designed to be the guitar you naturally reach for in those quiet moments, it embodies the concept of a “coffee guitar” crafted to let you enjoy your break time with a cup of coffee in hand.
FingerbordPosition Mark
The position markers shaped like coffee beans feature a design that’s not too over the top, yet it remains playful. They blend seamlessly into everyday life, but at the same time almost calling you to pick up your guitar during your coffee break for a quick session.
ColorCafe Latte Gradation
The CLB (Cafe Latte Gradation) model, finished in a warm, cafe latte-like color, is designed to deliver a milky, mellow richness and a sweet, mellow sound.
ColorDark Roast Black
The FBK (Dark Roast Black) model aims for a crisp, sharp, and clear sound, finished in a deep black color inspired by roasted coffee beans.
Characteristic
Urushi Finish
Properties of urushi lacquer
01
Urushi-finish
Urushi lacquer coating features an extremely thin film, typically around 0.05mm thick. While this figure alone might raise concerns about strength, it adheres to wood more firmly than solvent-based paints, resulting in a finish with exceptionally high durability.
02
Durability
Urushi lacquer finish, due to its thin film, does not interfere with the body’s vibration, allowing the wood’s inherent rich resonance to be fully manifested. The urishi lacquer finish also shines thanks to its decay-preventive, water-reistant, and insect-repellent properties. It is said that “urushi lacquer reaches its peak beauty decades later,” so the guitar will continue to grow alongisde you with the years as you keep playing it.
03
Acoustic Characteristics
These are guitar that allow you to experience the pure, natural sound of their wood materials themselves. So much so that it could be called the “pure sound of urushi”. While changes in tone due to beautiful finishes or the way materials age can be felt even with solvent-based paints, urushi lacquer coating is a one-of-a-kind technique that lets you experience this in the most natural and direct way possible.
Specifications
01
Dovetail neck joint
The dovetail neck joint technique creates a wide bonding surface, producing a rich resonance that makes the body and neck sound as if they were carved from a single piece of wood. Its high bonding strength minimizes issues like neck warping, ensuring stability that allows you to enjoy playing for a lifetime and witness the sound evolve over time.
02
Post-processing Assembly
The body and neck are each painted separately before being joined using the dovetail neck joint method. This method of joining after painting is called ‘post-processing assembly’. Adopting post-processing assembly allows for fine-tuning the joint angle after observing the slight movement that occurs in both the body and neck during the painting process, enabling precise assembly. This allows for determining the optimal neck angle relative to the bridge. Consequently, it facilitates achieving the correct saddle height and string action settings, thereby contributing to enhanced playability.
03
’34 Semi-forward-shifted,Scalloped X Bracing
We adopted the “34 Bracing” layout for this variant, which offered the most satisfying response among recent creations by Headway Master Builder Yasuo Momose. Combining soft harmonics responsive to even the most delicate touch with the hard yet light characteristics of coffee tree wood, the result is a sound with a punchiness to it yet a sweetness and warmth reminiscent of a café latte.
04
Advanced Rear Shifted,Scalloped X Bracing
The -Advanced Rear Shift Bracing- features the intersection points of the standard X-bracing shifted further toward the bridge. This enhances the body top’s structural strength, resulting in a model built for long-term enjoyment. Compared to the “34 Bracing,” the sound offers a well-balanced separation of each string’s tone, complementing the coffee tree’s inherent firmness and lightness. This guitar will continue to improve as you play it, developing an even more resonant character over time.
05
Cafe Latte Gradation
To achieve the characteristic color of a café latte, the painters focused intently on “how to express a milky feel.” They applied a milky white base color, then layered a pale brown gradient over it to recreate the hue of coffee and milk blending together. Since the urushi lacquer finish naturally develops an amber tone over time, the color-matching technique—conscious of this color change—showcases the skill of the master craftsman.
06
Dark Roast Black
To express the theme of a “dark roasted coffee,” our artisans focused on achieving a “brown that appears deep black” through color matching and mixing. The color of black coffee itself is not pure black but a deep brown, and this shade is what we’ve tried to capture. When finishing with a gradient color, we created a hue that incorporates a certain transparency—like the moment when the coffee appears a lighter brown as you tilt the cup to drink.
07
08
Coffee Break
Coffee Break
HC-URUSHI/Coffee’25/STD CLG
MSRP・・・JPY 320,000（w/o taxes）
HC-URUSHI/Coffee’25/STD FKB
MSRP・・・JPY 320,000（w/o taxes）
Demo Video
Gallery
Important Notes
-Are there any precautions to take when doing maintenance for a urushi lacquer-finished guitar?
Regular maintenance is best done with a dry cloth. Avoid using chemical cloths containing polish or abrasives, as they can damage the finish. For noticeable stains, we recommend wiping with a cloth lightly dampened in water and then wrung out tightly.
-Does urushi lacquer undergo aging changes over time?
Urushi lacquer has relatively low resistance to ultraviolet light. While the deep color penetrating the wood grain remains, the color may gradually fade over time, resulting in a lighter hue. We hope you will enjoy the evolving appearance of the finish as time passes.