Shohei Toyoda is a professional guitarist and a guitar instructor, which makes having a high quality instrument extremely important. He worked closely during the custom guitar design process with luthier Jay Lichty to ensure the finished instrument would be the perfect fit for his style of playing.

His custom Lichty guitar is a Cuban mahogany OM-style guitar with Lutz spruce top, Mahogany neck, side sound port, Curly maple binding, redwood burl rosette and headplate, LR Baggs Anthem pick-up, and Gotoh 510 tuners.

Shohei Toyoda was born in Japan, raised in Ohio and now resides back in Japan. He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music. In 2010 he was chosen as one of the top 16 guitarists to compete in Japan’s National Finger Picking Contest and he followed this with a two month / 30 show tour in Japan. In 2011 he landed two prestigious awards: Placement in the top five at the 2011 International Finger-style Championship in Kansas and Grand Champion at the International Thumb Picking Contest in Central City, Kentucky. His most recent achievement is winning 1st place and best arrangement in Japan’s 2012 National Finger-picking Competition.

Shohei Toyoda joins the ranks of top guitarists who play and praise Lichty Guitars. Other professionals who play custom Lichty guitars include: brothers Tom and Mike Gossin of top country band Gloriana, Australian blues/root artist Geoff Achison, Doug Lancio, Nashville producer and lead guitarist for John Hiatt and Patty Griffin, Jody Porter of Fountains of Wayne and Haley Dreis, singer/songwriter.

Website: http://lichtyguitars.com
Music: http://lichtyguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/shohei-Its-okay-kauri.mp3

Luthier Jay Lichty builds handmade acoustic guitars and ukuleles in Tryon, NC. He was the winner of the 2010 Made in the South Award and has top performing artists playing his guitars from Australia to Japan to Nashville. He specializes in working with clients to build heirloom quality custom instruments. Learn more at http://www.lichtyguitars.com