Yuichiro Yokouchi, Fujigen Founder and Guitar Industry Pioneer, Dies at 98
A pillar of the international instrument manufacturing world has passed away. Yuichiro Yokouchi died on April 2nd in Matsumoto City, Nagano, Japan. He was 98 years old. His family shared the news with a note about his accomplishments.
“In 1960, Yuichiro Yokouchi established Fujigen Gakki Seizo, the predecessor to Fujigen. He served as President starting in 1969 and became Chairman in 1986. Under his leadership, he built Fujigen into the world’s leading electric guitar manufacturer by production volume,” they wrote. “Beyond his business success, he dedicated himself to the development of the guitar industry in Nagano Prefecture, serving as the Chairman of the Prefectural Musical Instrument Manufacturers Association. He also held several prominent cultural positions, including Chairman of the Matsumoto Arts and Culture Association.”
Yokouchi was born in 1927 and took over his family farm once he was old enough. An entrepreneur at heart, he realized that the country’s rapid industrialization would provide more opportunities. In 1959, a friend inspired him to get into the instrument manufacturing business. He met Shinichi Suzuki, the founder of the Suzuki Method, who helped him on his path.
“He was an amazing teacher,” Yokouchi said in a NAMM interview. “Mr. Suzuki’s brother taught me how to make violins. Then we hired 10 people to start the company. But I had to sell all my cows from my farm to start this business.”
Yokouchi soon found that the guitar market was booming, thanks in part to the Beatles-mania of the mid ’60s. Their early customers were Kanda Shokai and Kamano Gakki, but they were soon building electric guitars and basses for Hoshino Gakki (Ibanez), Greco Guitars, Teisco, Yamaha, and more. In 1981, they landed a deal with Fender, leading to all of the fantastic “Made in Japan” era Fender basses. The agreement lasted through 1997.
According to NAMM, Yokouchi’s OEM guitar factory produced over 15,000 instruments a month during its peak years. His vision steered the industry into creating more affordable options while retaining quality, and for that we salute him.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Yuichiro Yokouchi.
For a fascinating read, check out the history of FujiGen on Fuzzfaced.
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
