Holy Grail Show feature - Jghg - Meeting a Jersey Girl, from Japan
Jghg (Jersey Girl Homemade Guitars) describe their instruments as compositions, and now I have had the honour of holding them in my own hands, I can see why. They're as fluid and creative as a beautiful musical composition, and executed with absolute finesse and perfection. I've been following this 4 luthier team from Japan for a while, out of pure awe for their unique looks. But upon finally seeing the three 'compositions' they had on display at the Holy Grail Guitar Show '18, I don't think I was quite prepared for just how exquisite their work truly is. This is the next level surely?
As mentioned in the opening sentiment, Jghg are a 4 luthier team (KazG, Akiko Oda, Eiko Goto and HAL) hailing from Japan. A country I'm incredibly fond of through my other interests and previous career paths (the Japanese derived motorsport of Drifting), and I've grown to learn how their creative and precise work ethos leads them to what they do and how they present themselves. It's another way of thinking, and Jghg only further deepens my respect for it. The 3 compositions they brought over to Berlin were the Teko, Seevie and Takutack, and in this mini HGGS feature, I'm going to spotlight each one and their specs.
Teko 
Perhaps the most unique in terms of sound, would be the Teko. Actually featuring three wooden resonators nestled into it's hollow mahogany body and maple top. This was the first guitar KazG insisted I held in my hands upon introducing myself to him, and aside from it's incredibly light weight, finally seeing one of the guitars up close was breathtaking. Attention to detail, doesn't even cover it. Everything made specifically for the build, and even aside from the build as each instrument comes with a matching pedal, strap and case, all made in house by the 4 luthier team.
Specs -
Walnut neck, Karin Fingerboard, 25" scale, 23 frets, maple top with mahogany back hollow body with three wooden resonators, one single coil pickup with one volume.
Seevie
I must say, I think this was my personal favourite. The deep colour, and linear grain pattern of it's spruce top just grabbed my attention as the natural light bounced through the glass ceiling of the Holy Grail Guitar Show's hall. What a sight for tired eyes, literally, having been up at 3am that morning for my flight!. This model features some beautifully choice selections of woods from a mahogany side, maple back, maple neck and 'smoked' maple fingerboard. But that Spruce top definitely steals the show for me. This model has a unique design humbucker pickup with an accent which runs across onto the pickguard, with one volume and one tone pot nestled into the back of the guitar for easy to access and also clean looks.
Specs -
Maple neck, smoked maple fingerboard, 25" scale, 22 frets, Spruce top with mahogany side and maple back, 1 humbucker pickup and 1 volume, 1 tone.
Takutack
This one definitely wasn't short of style and impact. An amazing amber stained figured light ash top, begged for your attention which it easily succeed in over the course of the 2 day show. This is a hollow body design with a spruce centre block, akin to a ES-335 perhaps and featured a slightly longer 25.25" scale length as opposed to the Teko & Seevie's 25". A beautiful stained green bound body matching the tailpiece perfectly, gives it a classy archtop feel despite it's petite size and looks. 
Specs -
Maple neck, smoked maple fingerboard, 25 1/4" scale, 22 frets, light ash top and back body with spruce centre soundboard 1 original single coil.
Tastes aside, there is absolutely no doubting the quality of luthiery on show here. Every last detail is considered, and it's for a fan of work to this level, it was a truly special experience to handle the guitars after wondering what they might be like in person for so long. Thank you to KazG and Akiko for their hospitality and allowing me time to look at their guitars.
For more information on JGHG, check out their website - http://www.jerseygirlhg.com
James.
