Editorial note: This article was originally published in 2021 and has been updated and revised to reflect my experience with the guitar as of 2026.
About This Guitar
This is an article about my Headway acoustic guitar, made by Momose. It is the only acoustic guitar I currently own. I bought it at my favorite musical instrument shop, Oguchi Gakki.
To give a little more context, Oguchi Gakki ordered this guitar from Headway as an Oguchi Gakki original brand called “alpineguitars.” I actually owned another Headway (alpineguitars) acoustic guitar before this one, but I traded in my old Headway and received a discount on the new guitar I own today. Although both guitars are from the same brand, this one has a very different character and a great sound for bluegrass. Oguchi Gakki ordered it with bluegrass players in mind.
The guitar I bought this time has the same specifications as the alpineguitars AYd-M model. The initial “Y” stands for Yasui-san. My guitar was made by Momose, and I decided to buy it just before the price increase. After talking with a store staff member about the upcoming price hike, I thought, “I won’t be able to afford it after the price goes up,” so I made my decision.
Reason for Purchase
My previous acoustic guitar had a good sound for J-pop and traditional Japanese pop songs. It had a clean and refreshing tone. However, as I used it more, I started to want a guitar with more punch, stronger low end, a fuller body, and a creamier sound.
Since my approach to playing guitar had changed, I really wanted another guitar with a completely different sound. I had not really played a Martin guitar before, but I think that kind of sound was what I had been looking for.
So I told the staff at Oguchi Gakki what I was looking for and asked to try the acoustic guitars on display. The staff then recommended this guitar to me.
First Impression
I still remember my first reaction when I played this model: “This guitar has a lot of low end. The tone is clean and articulate, but it also has a certain richness and sustain.” I was surprised by the combination. When I played bluesy phrases, I immediately felt good playing it.
In any case, the sound was completely different from the model I had owned before, and it matched my taste so perfectly that I seriously struggled with the decision for an entire night. In the end, I traded in my previous acoustic guitar and decided to buy this one.
It seems that some detailed specification changes were made to control the way the low end responds. I will not go into those details here, but the guitar appears to have been ordered as an instrument suitable for bluegrass and flatpicking. I have been practicing flatpicking myself, so when I play firmly with a relatively thick tortoiseshell pick, the guitar produces plenty of volume and, importantly, the sound of the sixth string does not get buried. I really fell in love with that response.
Specifications
As mentioned above, the specifications are the same as those of the alpineguitars AYd-M. The guitar was made by Momose.
| Items | Specification |
| Top | Sitka spruce |
| Bracing | Forward-shifted scalloped bracing, using Adirondack spruce |
| Back & sides | Honduran mahogany |
| Bridge | Madagascar rosewood |
| Finish | Lacquer |
| Neck | 1-piece Honduran mahogany |
| Fingerboard | Ebony |
| Headstock veneer | Ebony |
| Tuners | Gotoh SG381-EN07 CK |
| Nut material / width | Bone / 44.5 mm |
| Scale length | 648 mm |
| Neck grip | HD518 type |
Conclusion
I believe it was the day after I tried the guitar that I sent the shop a message saying, “I’ll buy it,” while also discussing the trade-in of my previous Headway.
At the time, I remember hearing that, given Momose-san’s age, it was difficult to know how long production would continue, and that there might be significant price increases or adjustments to production volume in the future. Those factors also encouraged me to make the decision to buy it.
Quite a few years have passed since I bought the guitar. I enjoy noticing how its tone changes around the time winter ends and the weather starts to warm up each year.
Today, the guitar has not only a full, substantial tone, but also a smoother character with less edge, more sweetness, and more softness. It feels great to play.
I want to continue using this guitar carefully and let it mature with me for many years to come.
日本語版 : Headway（alpineguitars）アコースティックギター｜百瀬さん製作・長期使用レビュー