Trade Regrets: Hisatake Shibuya

ESP Guitars is mourning the passing of the company’s esteemed founder and owner, Japanese businessman Hisatake Shibuya. After a long and extraordinarily successful life, Mr. Shibuya died in late September 2024. He was 87 years old.

Matt Masciandaro, president and CEO of The ESP Guitar Company USA said, “As we mourn Mr. Shibuya’s loss, we can take comfort in the strong foundation that he created for ESP. This will continue to guide us as we move the company forward into a promising future. Together, we will carry forward his vision, and I am confident that ESP’s best days are still ahead.”

Born on Sado Island and having spent his early years in Kyoto, Japan, Mr. Shibuya struck out on his own at a young age, moving to Tokyo. He realized that music was an important part of his existence, saying, “I thought if there was music around me, life would be better.” Mr. Shibuya first began employment with Kawai as an electric guitar salesman, and after a number of years there, spent time working for Yamaha in a similar role.

In 1975, Mr. Shibuya went into business for himself, opening a small workshop and retail store in Tokyo that he called Electric Sound Products, or ESP for short. ESP began developing an excellent reputation, first for creating upgraded replacement parts for existing guitars, and then for building exquisite new instruments from the ground up. Shibuya’s strong and clear vision enabled the small company to be successful from the start, and he became well respected within the music industry worldwide, eventually becoming a legendary figure for all people who love music.

Mr. Shibuya’s business acumen led to other ventures. After opening music and guitar-building schools in Japan, in 1994 he purchased Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, one of the world’s preeminent educational facilities for contemporary music. Throughout his life, Shibuya took great pride in developing music education opportunities for students around the world who wished to bring music into their lives.

As ESP reaches its milestone 50th anniversary in 2025, the legacy of Mr. Shibuya leaves a lasting impact on the entire musical instrument industry. He is survived by his wife and daughters, and his memory lives on indefinitely through the many musicians whose lives he touched, and the music they make using his well-crafted instruments.