Co-Founder Of FERNANDES GUITARS USA Slain

Taku Sakashta, world famous designer and maker of hand-crafted guitars has been found slain.
The body was found outside Sakashta Guitars at 643 Martine Ave in Rohnert Park, California on early Friday morning.

Taku Sakashta co-founded FERNANDES GUITARS USA Division, a premiere Japan guitar maker in 1992 – before launching out on his own designs at Sakashta guitars in 1995.

Fernandes Guitars began in Japan in 1969 building Flamenco guitars. As the company flourished, it expanded production to include more acoustic guitars, electric guitars, basses, amplifiers and accessories to become the biggest guitar manufacturer in Japan.

In 1992, following the history of success in Asia, Fernandes Guitars USA opened its doors in Los Angeles, California and quickly established a presence in the American guitar market by offering quality instruments at affordable prices.

By 1996 the Fernandes USA Custom Shop expanded the scope with further development in guitar craftsmanship. With models like the Ravelle and Nomad, and with the Sustainer System technology, their Research and Development Department strived to find new ways to define the way the world plays guitar. Catering to everyone from the first-time buyer to the seasoned pro, Fernandes offers many options to meet their needs. An invaluable understanding of the guitar player fuels our strong commitment to the consumer and the quality they demand. It is this approach that helped to establish Fernandes Guitars as the leading guitar manufacturer in Japan and to become a competitive manufacturer in the American Market.

Police said a Rohnert Park man was found slain outside a guitar business in an industrial park area of the city early Friday morning. Lt. Jeff Taylor said the man’s name is not officially being released until the family positively identifies his body. The body was found outside Sakashta Guitars at 643 Martine Ave. Calls to the business were not returned this afternoon. Taylor said the wife of the business owner told police her husband did not return home Thursday night. She found the business “in a suspicious state” when she went there and called police around 3:50 a.m., he said.Police arrived within two minutes and confirmed a crime had occurred at the business, but Taylor would not disclose the nature of the crime.Police then searched the area and found the homicide victim’s body outside the shop.”The dead man is most likely the owner of the business,” Taylor said. Sakashta Guitars’ Web site says Taku Sakashta is the designer and maker of the hand-crafted guitars.

tmd

Here is more background on Taku TMD pulled from his site:

Taku Sakashta played rock and roll guitars early in his life, starting in elementary schools. While reading about the guitar designer Rick Turner, he realized he would become a guitar builder. He began refinishing his own guitars, and later graduated from luthier engineering school at eighteen. He has worked in research, design, and development for a major guitar company in Japan and United States, making prototypes and endorsement projects.

In 1995 Taku independently began designing and crafting guitars for the general public in addition to professional musicians. He has recently built guitars for musicians including Tony Darren, Robben Ford, Tony Macus, Boz Scaggs, Ellen Stephenhorst, and Martin Simpson, and is designing a guitar for Tuck Andress and Pat Martino.

All his designs combine traditional and innovative elements for exceptional sound and playability, tempered for each individual musician. Craftsmanship is of the highest quality using the best materials available. Finish and appearance are recognized as superb.

Taku now has 25 years of professional experience (primarily with professional musicians) and has become well known for his special talents in all fields of the musical industry.

Taku Sakashta’s philosophy on his guitars are that they are an extension of the musician’s personality and soul. Each musician demands different instruments because each has different talents, motivations, and preferences — from sonic, aesthetic, and tactile points of view. Taku realizes the importance of past traditions in guitar building, and has used this as a foundation to build his forward-looking instruments for the consummate performer looking for personalization without compromise. And he does this while still retaining the superior advantages of past, traditional designs and features.

Taku builds a range of instruments which fit different guitar styles. These models form the main product line. Many times, players like the features of one guitar, but strive for another because of different features — each player trying to balance sonic, aesthetic, and tactile feelings with their own personality. Taku understands this, and it is reflected in the many options which fill the gap between his guitar lines. This allows the performer to choose the best features, and create a truly unique, personalized instrument.

http://www.sakashtaguitars.com/