Sachikoe Luthiers

Sachikoe Luthiers, sometimes also called Sachikoe Guitars, is a company based in Kyoto on Yamatai (Planet). Its primary product is guitars, but it sells other stringed instruments and accessories as well. Note: a luthier is a craftsperson who makes stringed instruments.

Above: The Corporate Logo of Sachikoe Luthiers.
Image generated by Charmaylarg using Midjourney.

Gabriel Sachikoe was an Elysian musical performer who often found it extremely difficult to locate handmade instruments of exceptional quality without paying exorbitant rates to small-time sellers. Sometime prior to YE 14, he formed the company Sachikoe Luthiers in Kyoto on Yamatai (Planet). The company was rather small in its early years by most standards, but it grew steadily as the demand for good instruments in a nation of hundreds of trillions rose. Gabriel's well-made instruments quickly earned a reputation in the world of musicians.

During the Second Mishhuvurthyar War, the company's main facility was damaged during the Battle of Yamatai in YE 33. The roof over their storage area caved in, and all the luthiers had been evacuated, many in-progress instruments and guitars which were awaiting sale were destroyed. The company also lost a number of specialty tools and materials during the attack. In the aftermath of the Battle of Yamatai, Sachikoe Luthiers auctioned forty-two of their instruments to foreign markets untouched by the war; proceeds from the sales were donated to local relief efforts.

In YE 38, Gabriel Sachikoe assembled a traveling, international exhibition of his company's instruments, and of the art of crafting guitars. They visited numerous locations in the Democratic Imperium of Nepleslia, the Azorea System, and elsewhere. The exhibition attracted several new employees to the company, with a small number of Nepleslians and Azoreans applying to become apprentice luthiers and Yamataian citizens.

YTP Entertainment contracted with Sachikoe Luthiers for guitars and related accessories beginning in late YE 43.

YE 45 saw Gabriel secure an agreement with Mining Guild Sector Media, a platform of the Mining Guild which is based in the New Dusk Conclave. Mining Guild Sector Media contracted with Sachikoe Luthiers for guitars to supply musicians associated with its Mining Guild Marketing Division.

The charity One Two Red Blue, created by Koga Akemi, coordinated with Sachikoe Luthiers to donate guitars to young, orphaned musicians in YE 46.

“In every house there will be a guitarist, and every guitarist will have a guitar! Oh, and maybe they'll buy it from us, too…”

• Gabriel Sachikoe

The company's headquarters is located in its main facility, which also houses its one and only street-accessible storefront. This facility is located in Kyoto on Yamatai (Planet). Gabriel Sachikoe runs the storefront as well as the company itself.

Gabriel, strict creature that he is, refuses to hire anyone without at least fifteen years experience in guitarmaking. The result of this practice is that, despite the relative longevity of the business, it boasts less than one hundred current employees. This relatively small workforce limits production capacity to around 30 instruments per month. Gabriel has occasionally debated means of solving this problem with a massive spree of hiring, but worries about compromising quality prevented him from ever following through.

Sachikoe Luthiers deals chiefly in guitars, though other stringed instruments can be made on request. Gabriel is extremely strict in his materials, relying entirely on solid wood and preferring to avoid synthesized materials. Some twelve models of guitar, six acoustic and six electric, are sold as standard, and custom orders are taken for those who can afford the cost and who are willing to wait the time necessary for a luthier to shape wood into something useful - conceivably as long as nine to ten months depending on the nature of the request, and sometimes longer when the company is busy.

“Acoustic Guitar Models. Because we love our acoustic guitars!” All acoustic guitars come stringed with Bronzewound Acoustic Strings, and also contain an additional set of the same. Acoustic guitars can be finished with stain or glaze, either in natural, cherry sunburst, candy apple sunburst, or cerulean sunburst.

The cheapest guitar Sachikoe sells, the A-01 Pennance is still a fine instrument, constructed entirely of solid wood - the body spruce, the top pine, the neck maple, the fingerboard rosewood. A Pennance Studio model generally gets a bright, but somewhat hollow, tone. Its volume also lacks somewhat compared to other acoustic models, partly due to the smaller size of the instrument. [1,500 KS]

Very similar to the Pennance Studio model, the A-02 is constructed of the same wood and bears the same basic shape. It is, however, larger in form, allowing, of course, for greater volume and resonance. The tone is significantly less hollow than the A-01, a much more vibrant sound. [1,800 KS]

The only classical guitar offered standard by Sachikoe Luthiers, the Restitution model is an instrument of incredible quality, noted for a mahogany body and rosewood top, mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard. The result is a deep, extremely resonant sound, mellow and full. Considered by some to be THE guitar for flamenco and finger-blues. [3,000 KS]

Built due to the demand by some musicians for an improvement to the Pennance Concert model, the Absolution is a truly beautiful instrument. With a solid spruce top and maple body, coupled with rosewood neck and fingerboard, the sound is mellow and harmonic, with a hint of brightness in the treble range. It is, however, quite expensive - and many would much sooner make use of the A-02, considering the tradeoff between price and quality not worth the money for A-04. [3,600 KS]

A continuation of the custom model built for the folk mastermind Eren Wiell¹⁾, the A-05 is made with a solid rosewood body and ebony fingerboard, coupled with sitka spruce braces to create a unique melding of bright resonances. The projection and echo are of an exceptional quality found in few instruments. Being a signature model, the aesthetics are all based on Wiell's own guitar: snowflake obsidian inlay in the form of a seven-pointed star, a natural stained finish, and Bronzewound Silk strings in light-gauge are standard. [6,500 KS]

A continuation of the custom model built for the noted bluesman Victor Marhen²⁾, The A-06 is a thinline guitar made of solid maple, save for the ebony fingerboard. Braced with mahogany, the sound is rich and deep, and the guitar gets projection unprecedented in instruments of its size. Being a signature model, the aesthetics are all based on Marhen's own guitar: opal inlay in the form of two entwined hummingbirds, a natural stained sunburst finish, and Bronzewound Silk strings in a heavy-gauge are standard. [6,750 KS]

“Electric Guitars! Rock like a god on steroids!” All electric guitars come stringed with Bronzewound Electric Strings, and also contain an additional set of the same. Electric guitars can be finished with stain or glaze, either in natural, cherry sunburst, candy apple sunburst, or cerulean sunburst.

A favored guitar of many blues artists, the Lamentation is a beautiful instrument made of solid white oak with an ebony fingerboard. Sound is reliant on three open-coil humbucker pickups, resulting in exceptional volume, a slightly grainy quality to the tone, and a high, wailing treble capacity. Projection and volume are strong points, resonance is somewhat lacking. Wonderful for blues and rough-cut tones. [1,900 KS]

A guitar designed specifically for the lovers of heavy distortion, the Dissolution is also made to aesthetically look “more metal than Funky City” - with sharp points, spikes, and several unique finishes, all of them metallic in color, and often dark in tone. The instrument, like many Sachikoe electrics, is solid oak with an ebony fingerboard. Pickups consist of two single-coil devices, creating high volume, and a distorted sound with or without the aid of pedals and other such distortion means… [1,500 KS]

The E-03 was designed with versatility of performance in mind. It is to start with an absolutely beautiful instrument, solid oak and rosewood, equipped with two close-coil humbucker pickups to create a clean, resonant sound. Not to say one cant get a high, piercing wail or a grimy distortion out of this instrument - far from it. As mentiond, the strength of the Grace concert model lies in versatility. [2,300 KS]

Though any Sachikoe guitar can be ordered twelve-stringed, the E-04 is the only model made specifically for the purpose. A hollow-body thinline electric made of solid maple with a rosewood fingerboard, it can make an impressive show accoustic or electric - and gets a full and deeply resonant tone when played electric. Pickups consist of two close-coil humbuckers. The Salvation model is a bit pricy, but most every musician will call it well worth the expense. [3,100 KS]

Hey kids! Do you like making loud noise while engaging in extremely pornographic bondage situations on stage? Then you'll love the ES-05 Aethersperm Signature Model! The ES-05 is a heavy instrument… as one would expect, considering it is made of solid ebony. Inlaid in polished brass with Kanji reading 皆殺 (Mitagoroshi - massacre), it is an obvious choice for lovers of death, destruction, and high-distortion metal! Sound is provided by five, count them FIVE, open single-coil pickups, resulting in grit and mayhem like you've never experienced! One strum and your mother will turn in her grave. Finished in metallic black. [3,000 KS]

The single most expensive instrument in the Sachikoe line, the ES-06 is a replica of the custom guitar made for Lain Irokawa of Macchiato Sun. A hollow-body acoustic guitar crafted of solid koa (with a compulsary ebony fingerboard), the ES-06 makes a fine acoustic instrument as well. Pickups are doubled open-coil humbuckers, of which the instrument has two. Stylized with soundbreaks shaped in crescent moons, and opal inlay of similar shape, the instrument comes finished in a stained candy-apple sunburst. Its sound is sweet and mourning, with exceptionally resonant treble capacity. Although the price is in range with a small starship, one will be hard-pressed to find a higher-quality instrument anywhere. [8,000 KS]

“Bass Guitars. For the people who lack real talent.” This section should probably be called “bass guitar”, since Sachikoe Luthiers only has one standard model. It comes with a set of medium-gauge Bronzewound Acoustic bass strings, and an extra set of the same. Finishes are all stained, in cherry, candy-apple, or cerulean.

Also called the “Yea, we have Bass!” instrument, the Bassinator is an affordable and quite nice instrument. An acoustic-electric hybrid, it is a thinline of solid red oak construction, an ebony fingerboard being standard. Pickups are a pair of open-coil humbuckers. The Bassinator can, by request, be made five-stringed. [1,200 KS]

“Because relying on skill rather than fancy toys is for the weak!”

Sachikoe Luthiers manufactures a full line of amps and pedals, including three acoustic and three electric amps, and enough pedals to make the most finicky glam-rocker squeal with glee.

Simple and effective acoustic coil amps. These are available in three models - 15 watt, 50 watt, and 120 watt. 300 watt models are available with 3 months notice.

Simple and effective electric tube amps. These are available in three models - 15 watt, 50 watt, and 120 watt. 300 and 500 watt models are available with 3 months notice.

[15 watt - 50 KS] [50 watt - 125 KS] [120 watt - 250 KS] [300 watt - 500 KS] [500 watt - 750 KS]

Sachikoe Luthiers manufactures the following sorts of pedal: Overdrive, Distortion, Loop/Sampling, Volume/Sustain, Wah-Wah, Fuzz, Delay, Reverb, Whammy, Bass/Treble Enhancement. Pedals can also be ordered with multiple effects, for doubled cost. [70 KS]

“Strings! Since everyone needs strings.”

Sachikoe Luthiers manufactures seven types of strings; two for acoustic, two for electric, one suitable for both, and two silk string-sets suitable for either. All stringsets come in multiple gauges. The stringsets and their gauges are as follows:

A fairly standard string, these get a rather even tone, neither terribly mellow nor bright. Good projection, though occasionally known to buzz. [15 KS]

A fairly standard string, these get a rather even tone, neither terribly mellow nor bright. Good projection, though occasionally known to buzz. [15 KS]

A specialty string which gets a resonant, mellow buzzing sound, these strings are ideal for fingerplucking. Being hollow, snapping is an issue when used too roughly. [20 KS]

A specialty string which creates a bright, reverberating buzz, these strings are ideal for fingerplucking. Like any hollow string, they don't hold up well to aggressive playing. [20 KS]

1. For a mellow, full sound, suitable for most styles of play. Resilient, and generally free of unwanted buzzing. [30 KS]

High-grade specialty strings which create a mellow tone, these do not get the same volume as many other strings, especially bronze. This makes them slightly better suited to electric play, but they find significant use with accoustic, especially for flamenco and blues picking styles. [35 KS]

A style of string invented by Gabriel for his own musical exploits, these strings create a deep, mellow bass and a bright, resonant treble. Volume and projection are both excellent, though they suffer from the same fragility inherent to any hollow or silk string. [50 KS]

• This corporation and its products were originally created by the user known as Sekiko, also known as I'm Only Dancing or Sekitonic. Sekiko described the work in its unveiling post as “A joint project between Orion Moony and Seki “Dangerous When Awesome” Tanaka.”³⁾ Wes asked for volunteers to create the wiki article and memorialize the company on 26 August 2023.⁴⁾ Hollander volunteered to create this wiki article on 13 April 2024.⁵⁾
• The corporation was approved on 07 November 2006 by Wes.⁶⁾
• The founding year for the company appears to have never been specified. The History of a character who roleplayed alongside Sekiko's characters, Lain Irokawa, mentioned passing by a 'Sachikoe Guitars' store by the age of 11; Lain was born in YE 03. Therefore, I extrapolated that the company was founded sometime prior to YE 14.
• The article refers to characters like Victor Marhen or Eren Wiell. These were forum-named characters of a band called Macchiato Sun ⁷⁾, which may have helped to finance Sachikoe Luthiers at some point during its history.
• I wasn't sure whether the word 'Pennance' was deliberately spelled with two 'n's. The word Penance only has one 'N'. I decided to keep the spelling that was used just in case.
• Some link-ups with other companies found in the [History] section were discussed over Discord with the relevant folks.
• The update was approved by Wes on 2024/05/04.⁸⁾.