Founded in 1998 by luthier Makoto Fukano in the Arakawa ward of Tokyo, Freedom Custom Guitar Research is a boutique Japanese manufacturer of handcrafted electric guitars, basses, effects pedals, and instrument care products. The company started as a repair shop serving musicians and music stores in the Kanto region before expanding into original custom instruments. Freedom CGR's guitar lineup includes the RR series (their first original design, developed starting in 1999), the semi-hollow Pepper series, the bolt-on Hydra, the EZa, and the Shaker, while their bass offerings include the Dulake, Rhino, Anthra, and Blowzer models. The company also produces effects pedals under the Katanasound name, as well as a line of guitar care products and hardware components.

Freedom CGR is known for several proprietary innovations, most notably their patented ARIMIZO & ONE POINT JOINT neck joint system and their soft stainless steel frets, which they introduced in 2002 as a world first. All instruments are built to order by a small team of craftsmen at their Tokyo workshop and come with a 100-year warranty on the neck. The company has exhibited at the NAMM Show since 2012 and received a "Best in Show" award from the NAMM Association in 2018. With a staff of roughly 13 employees, Freedom CGR occupies a niche in the high-end Japanese boutique guitar market, with instruments typically priced above $5,000.

Freedom Custom Guitar Research has 18 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Electric Basses, Solid Body Electric Guitars, and Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitars. Their gear is featured by 3 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Metal, and Pop. Notable users include Fami, Pino Palladino, and Futoshi Uehara.