▁a ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁list ▁by ▁Gu itar ▁Magazine , ▁as ▁voted ▁on ▁by ▁professional ▁mus icians , ▁and ▁in ▁a ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁public ▁poll ▁held ▁by ▁go o . ▁His ▁song ▁" A ▁Fair ▁Wind " ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁ 3 4 th ▁best ▁guitar ▁instrument al ▁by ▁Young ▁Gu itar ▁Magazine ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁Char ▁end ors es ▁F ender , ▁with ▁whom ▁he ▁has ▁signature ▁model ▁gu it ars . ▁He ▁also ▁has ▁signature ▁models ▁with ▁ESP . ▁ ▁Career ▁Char ▁started ▁learning ▁piano ▁in ▁elementary ▁school , ▁and ▁playing ▁guitar ▁at ▁age ▁eight . ▁Although ▁he ▁listened ▁to ▁various ▁guitar ists , ▁it ▁was ▁Eric ▁Cla pton ▁who ▁got ▁him ▁hook ed ▁on ▁the ▁instrument . ▁Char ▁began ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁session ▁guitar ist ▁while ▁still ▁in ▁junior ▁high ▁school . ▁At ▁ 1 7 , ▁Char ▁formed ▁the ▁band ▁Sm ok y ▁Medicine ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁with ▁Mari ▁Kan ek o . ▁Although ▁they ▁dis band ed ▁the ▁following ▁year , ▁they ▁gar ner ed ▁much ▁attention ▁in ▁the ▁industry , ▁with ▁Gu itar ▁Magazine ▁later ▁calling ▁them ▁possibly ▁the ▁" most ▁famous ▁amateur ▁band " ▁in ▁Japan . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁Char ▁made ▁his ▁solo ▁debut ▁on ▁P ony ▁C any on ▁with ▁the ▁single ▁" N avy ▁Blue " ▁in ▁June ▁and ▁the ▁album ▁Char ▁in ▁September . ▁He ▁played ▁guitar ▁on ▁Joe ▁Y aman aka ' s ▁