Limited to just 10 units!
Two years ago, we produced a limited model under the direction and design of Masato Yasui for the ATB series, the HC-Y’s Concept/ATB. Now, we bring you its successor, inheriting its essence and the commitment Yasui poured into its creation.
It’s been two years, but in 2020, the second edition of this guitar arrives with the simple but fitting name of HC-Y’s Concept II SF, S / ATB.
This ATB series model will have a very limited 10 units run, so we decided that it deserves above average, custom shop specs. Let’s go over those specs down below!
A detailed explanation of the specs of Masato Yasui’s new model
■ Selected wood ・ Three-piece back
The top material is white spruce, which has a very densely-packed wood grain and is beautiful to look at.
At the Asuka Factory, we only employ carefully selected high-quality materials, but for this kind of model, the master builder, in this case, Yasui, further selects the most adequate material needed for the job.
White spruce has a hard and crisp sound, which is the foundation of the sound Yasui aims for in this model.
The side and back, meanwhile, are comprised of two pieces of Indian Rosewood enveloping a dazzling piece of Quilted Mahogany creating a stunning look.
Additionally, you also get the attack feeling and bright sound of Rosewood, and the mid-low range and softness of Quilted Mahogany incorporated into the essence of the guitar.
The Quilted Mahogany part of the back has a brown gradation.
This is a piece of attention that Yasui is fascinated by because the brown gradation suits the Quilted Mahogany with the kind of time-consuming painting process that can only be done with a limited model.
In addition, the body uses a cutaway "HC" design, but the thickness of the body is 3 mm thinner than of a normal model.
While emphasizing ease of holding, this design also gives us as a result a body thickness that allows for the signature Headway “core” and raw sound to come through.
Due to its thinner body, this guitar also has a good response and a gorgeous treble range.
■ Headway’s latest 34 bracing
The latest semi-forward type "34 bracing" developed by Headway master-builder Yasuo Momose is used as the bracing pattern in this model.
While the HC-Y's Concept / ATB produced last time with a bracing pattern featuring a rich mid-low range with a bright sound direction thanks to the ARS (advanced rear shift) bracing, this time around, we went with a more well-balanced sound all around.
Additionally, the 34 bracing has good sound compatibility with Mahogany, and in consideration of that, Yasui uses a 3P back that envelopes the Quilted Mahogany in the body back.
■ ESU neck position mark
Headway's latest "Extra Slim U" design is used for the neck grip, which plays an important role in the ease of playing the guitar.
The extra slim neck, which allows you to play with a feeling similar to that of an electric guitar, and the thin body thickness make this a model that is remarkably easy to hold and play.
In addition, the extra slim neck has a high-strength neck constriction, with carbon support rods in addition to the truss rod.
As a result, the neck is thin but has stable strength, and the neck benefits greatly from this, which makes the sound rise faster and sustains longer.
Yasui has also developed a "non-twist" adjustment that uses a special bearing for the adjusting part, which has been adopted in Headway only for some select models from this year.
The bearings can reduce the twist that occurs in the neck when the truss rod is tightened, and the stability of the neck is further improved for long-term use.
“Luminlay” is used for the position mark on both the fingerboard and the side.
Since Luminlay is a phosphorescent material, it has good visibility even on a dim stage and is quite handy.
The position markers on the fingerboard come in 3 Φ shaped aluminum rings that have Luminlay in them, giving it a luxurious finish.
Additionally, Yasui is unique in the way he rearranged the position markers, bringing them closer to the edge and giving the guitar that “custom-made” feel.
■ The first ATB series to utilize “Y500” headstock and machine heads
For the headstock shape, we went for the "Y500" design, which Yasui only used in custom shop models to date, is used for the first time in the ATB series.
Compared to the normal 500 series’ headstock, its sides have a gentle curve, and the tip is slightly indented downwards.
In addition, the chamfering around the outer circumference of the head gives a more modern image.
SGV510Z ZL5 XG’s made by GOTOH are used for the machine heads, which Yasui trusts to be reliable and stable machine heads.
Among all SGV510Z machine heads, we are using the latest Ziricote wood ones. Wood machine heads were selected due to its compatible looks with the Y500 headstock, in addition to the already mentioned stability-boosting features.
■ Pinless bridge / MiSi pickup
For the bridge, we went for a pinless-bridge design.
A pinless bridge has the advantage that the tension on the strings is diminished by making the angle of the strings on the saddle shallower.
In addition to the low string height, the soft tension of the pinless bridge makes it easy to play and allows you to express light touches and nuances in detail more easily.
For the pickup, we went with MiSi's "Acoustic Trio Air".
A high-end unit that can output a natural acoustic sound thanks to the sound picked up by the under-saddle piezo pickup and the sound from another MEMS microphone and mixing both of them.
■ Avalon Rosetta pickguard-less design
Avalon is used for the rosette around the soundhole.
In order to maximize the sound of the body, we went for a pickguard-less design so the white spruce wood color and the Avalon Rosetta can shine through and be the main attraction, creating as a result a simple yet luxurious look that reflects Yasui’s design philosophy.
