Hiro
Miura founded Xotic
Guitars in 1996. Hiro is a well-known, seasoned guitar builder
who is deeply connected within the guitar builders’ and musicians’
communities in the United States. Although the brand Xotic is now
owned by PCI (Prosound
Communications Inc.), Hiro continues to
build Xotic Basses, which have quietly become some of the most
sought-after instruments amongst professional musicians. This interview
reveals his passion as a guitar builder, and I hope this will help
everyone understand the history of Xotic and its commitment.
- Arrival to the US and opening of guitar shop in Los Angeles
PCI: When
did you come
to the United States?
Hiro: I came here in August of 1986.
PCI: What
were you doing before you founded Xotic Guitars?
Hiro: I was working in the musical-instrument
industry. I joined the industry when I was 20 years old, about 24
years ago. I was a salesperson at a company called Moon, but I always
wanted to become a guitar builder.
PCI: You’ve
had a dream to become a guitar builder since you were 20 years
old?
Hiro: I stayed at Moon for about 3 years, and after leaving Moon, I founded
a company called Lumtric with my friend. I also worked in a music shop in Fujisawa
(Japan) for a few years. The vintage-guitar market was booming in Japan, so
I had many opportunities to come to the US for business. Eventually I just
preferred being here. After I relocated to the US, I started getting many inquiries
from Japan about vintage guitars. It was before the Japanese economic bubble
had burst, and vintage guitars were in high demand, but there were very few
people in Japan whotruly understood them. I received a constant stream of orders
for vintage guitars.
PCI: So you soldvintage guitars
from 1986 for a few years?
Hiro: Yes. And as I started collecting
good guitars, I started thinking, “Why not start a shop?” So I opened
a shop calledGuitar Gang in Studio City. Once the store was open,
I got walk-in customers as well.
PCI: I
remember it was near Valley Arts. Many people still remember Guitar
Gang. How long was the shop open for?
Hir: It
was open for three years, from 1989 to 1992. It was on Ventura
Blvd., so I had many professional musicians stopping by.
