matsuda guitars

EST. 1997 | usa

Acoustic | Archtop | Electric | Headless Guitars | Other

Close-up of the back of a Matusda electric guitar with traditional Japanese craftsmanship, showing its wooden body, strings, and tuning pegs, set against a black background.

Tradition, Creativity, Identity

Michihiro Matsuda | Luthier

  • At the heart of the brand is a clear guiding triad—tradition, creativity, and identity—with every build treated as a unique, personal statement rather than a repeatable product. Sound matters deeply here, but never in isolation: a Matsuda is designed as a full relationship between player and instrument—physical, mental, and emotional.

    Alongside more “classic” acoustic forms, Matsuda Guitars is known for conceptual works that challenge convention—most notably the Deconstruction instruments, where structure, tension, and framework become part of the statement. These guitars aren’t built to fit into existing categories; they’re built to expand them.

Matsuda Guitars

demo

Matsuda No. 125A Guitar Demo

Filmed at Chicago Music Exchange during the 2020 Boutique Guitar Showcase enTour, this demo features the Matsuda No. 125A—an original one-off guitar built from a series of unvalued objects, which include a reclaimed fake Les Paul, a defunct piano soundboard, an old kitchen table, and a bag of used chopsticks.
Michihiro Matsuda’s deeply reflective approach to design, sustainability, and sound. Formed around the question “Can I make the unvalued, valuable again?”

feature

so I bought my Dream Guitar

Tom sands | Luthier

Luthier Tom Sands shares the story behind acquiring his dream guitar—a one-of-a-kind Michihiro Matsuda parlour guitar finished using Matsuda’s rare gunpowder scorching technique. This video explores craftsmanship, tone, Japanese influence, and the personal meaning behind a first great instrument in a growing collection.

boutique guitar showcase en tour | 2020 - 2021

  • A Matsuda acoustic guitar with a wooden body and black hardware, displayed against a black background with the text 'Boutique Guitar Showcase enTour 2021' in the lower left corner.

    enTour 2021

  • back of a Matsuda custom guitar with specifications listed below each, against a black background. The guitar on the left has a unique body made of plywood, spruce and chopsticks top.

    enTour 2020

  • An acoustic Matsuda guitar with a red and black text design on its body, set against a black background.

    En Tour 2026

Black and white portrait of Michihiro Matsuda with facial hair, smiling, in front of a grid-patterned wall.

“I want to deconstruct those predictions people have over the guitars.” 

Michihiro “Michi” Matsuda | Luthier

  • Today, Michi builds from his workshop in the San Francisco Bay Area while also serving as part of the repair team at Gryphon Stringed Instruments—an ongoing practice that keeps him in daily conversation with the history of great instruments and the realities of how guitars live, wear, and survive in the hands of players.

    Michi’s work carries a distinctly Japanese sensibility: contemplation, restraint, and a respect for materials—alongside an openness to experimentation. From his signature M1-style instruments to his boundary-pushing Deconstruction Series and recycling-driven concepts shaped by mottainai (a refusal to waste), his guitars invite players to slow down, listen deeper, and question their assumptions about what a guitar can be.

life with strings attached | Ep 104

Michihiro Matsuda returns to Life With Strings Attached.

This conversation picks up with a maker now 30 years into his journey—still exploring, still questioning, still pushing beyond what he already knows.

We talk about imperfection, about history, and about the idea that guitars aren’t just tools for making sound—they’re objects we live with. Something that shapes our experience, even in the hours we’re not playing.

life with strings attached | Ep 48

deconstructing the guitar: A whole new approach

Luthier Michihiro Matsuda discusses his journey from Japan to the U.S., his innovative approach to guitar making, and how tradition, creativity, and personal identity shape every instrument he builds. A masterclass in thoughtful design.

gallery | matsuda guitars

A Matsuda guitar with a body made of horizontal wooden slats against a dark background.
Close-up of an acoustic Matsuda guitar with a light-colored wooden top, black pickguard, and multiple black lines near the soundhole, against a dark background.
A Matsuda acoustic guitar with a pickup system against a dark blue background.
A unique Matsuda guitar with a wooden body and a modern, futuristic design, resting on a black background.
An acoustic Matsuda guitar with a dark, mottled finish on the body and a contrasting reddish-brown side, set against a black background.
A white acoustic Matsuda guitar with a cutaway body shape, dark fretboard, and gold tuning pegs, vertically positioned against a dark background.
Close-up of the inside of a Matsuda guitar, showing the wooden body and internal components, viewed from the back against a black background.