Let me show you the guitar Tak used on the USA tour!
“Bacchus Grace Arched Top Custom” – 2018 model Made In Japan
– We simply call it “White Grace”.
It was a guitar made by a Japanese company called Deviser, under their Bacchus brand, and this particular model is called “Grace”. (Bacchus Custom Series “Grace-AT/BW” – It looks like it was built in 2018)
Even though this guitar is made in Japan, it was not really expensive. It was around $600 used. Tak started using it at a church event back in April.
Yes, Tak did the “red blood” painting himself.
This painting represents the Passion of Christ and Salvation on the Cross.
White body represents the sinless nature of Jesus Christ.
Splashed red paint represents the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.
Black crossing represents, well, the cross.
XXXXX sign on the headstock represents the crown of thorns.
It’s a guitar made to play Christian metal music!!!
Bonus:
Now it looks very much like 1980’s heavy metal guitar. This guitar represents “everything 80’s”. (Van Halen, RATT, Loudness, etc)
Another interesting fact:
After the blood painting was done, now this guitar looks very similar to Tak’s first guitar he was playing in his teenage days. (It was Jackson Soloist made in Japan from 1990’s) For him, this guitar is “the first and the last” and it’s very special.
We believe this is the “Jesus guitar” built for Tak. He will keep playing this guitar for years to come!
(I can go on forever on technical aspects of the guitar and geeky things but let me just say this guitar is definitely the best of the best and it sounds awesome! – Tak)
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– Because it’s a website blog article (contrary to social media posts), I’m going to write a little more.
Bacchus Custom Series “Grace-AT/BW”
Made in 2018
Even though this guitar has a bolt-on construction, it has a fat and bold sound like a Les Paul.
Tak loves “Made In Japan, well made Les Paul guitars”, but this probably is the first bolt-on guitar Tak has been 100% happy with.
Guitars with set-neck construction, such as Les Paul and Flying V, are more prone to headstock breakage. When Imari Tones toured in the USA back in 2022, Tak’s guitar (Hamer Flying V) had a headstock breakage during the flight from Tokyo to Los Angeles. Luckily we had time to had it repaired in Portland OR. However, there’s always a risk when you tour with a set-neck type guitar.
However, for the USA tour this year July, Tak had another option. Bolt-on type guitars are much less prone to headstock breakage. They are simply hard to break. That’s why he chose this guitar for the tour.
In the past, Tak always played Flying V guitars when touring in the USA. One big reason was a visual factor. But this “White Grace – Jesus Guitar” looks even better. Better look with a Christian message.
Tak has been playing guitars made by “Deviser” company (Bacchus, Headway, STR).
He wrote a blog about Bacchus guitars some years ago.
https://imaritones.net/2018/10/02/why-i-play-bacchus-guitars-shockingly-good/
Tak has been in love with Made In Japan Bacchus guitars since around 2013. However, they don’t make guitars for heavy metal players very often. (They mainly make traditional style guitars.) This “Grace” model is a happy exception. It has a quality of traditional guitars yet designed for heavy metal style. (Maybe not as metal as Jackson, Dean, or Ibanez, but it works perfect for Imari Tones’ music.)
Actually Tak has 2 cheaper “Grace” model guitars made in Philipinnes. They are used on “Nabeshima” (3 songs), “To Rome” (3 songs), and soon to be released “Coming Back Alive” (many songs).
Body Material: Top – Ash, Back – Alder
Neck Material: Maple
Fingerboard: Blackwood (Probably it’s blackwood-tek?)
Pickups: Mojotone PW Hornet (Not very powerful, moderately powered but versatile pickups)
Bridge: Wilkinson VS100N
Machineheads: Gotoh SG381 HAPM (Magnum lock)
24 frets