Takamine LTD1998

DESCRIPTION: This guitar is a model Santa Fe in the form but just because the woods are much more valuable, and nicer finishes.
Ebony fingerboard, solid spruce table (table bookmatch to veining balanced), Rosewood back and sides of Rio Grande, the key reasons waning moon shell of pearl, gilded mechanical buttons with amber pearl, pearl logo Takamine abalone.
Rosette representing celestial eclipse the moon pearl shell and abalone shell sun and abalone nacre, maple & rosewood are also the species that make up this guitar except for Japanese manufactured unlike other series of the range made in Korea, available at only 2000 copies worldwide, as every year offers us a model Takamine COLLECTOR handmade, a real gem ...

DSP Preamp AD-1 (single price: 255 euros!) On my model (apparently some LTD 1998 are also out with a more basic preamp "accuracoustic")

10 factories and 10 memory programmable memories
Programmable 13-band parametric EQ
-2 Digital reverbs
-Auto-chromatic tuner to tune adjustable (438 to 445 Hz) and lights of the tuning
Larsen-cut filter, controller "feedback"
-Function "Battery Check" to check battery power with LED indicator

This preamp is amazing the only two minor gripes would be the autonomy of the two batteries of 1.5 V: about two hours ... and the lack of a button on / off the preamp, it actually lights up only when If there is a jack at the "bottom" of the guitar, so that when you want to use the tuner (fabulous and very precise 13 Gradute between a C and a RE for example!) in acoustics, we is forced to cheat by putting a Jack, I personal uses a jack "connector" I Always one on me in the pocket and it helps out well

UTILIZATION

The handle is very nice, very dark brown and strong (color and resistance due to the Ebony) is a highway, going the same approximate crossed, I still advise a setting of the handle every two years, and tiran string "D'Addario EXP 16 Light phosphorus / bronze, or possibly EXP 15 extra-light but in the style of each guitarist ... maintenance is the key with oil of lemon (I recommend every 6 months) the mechanics have a rear set screw for the height of the bridge.
without access to acute problem, the guitar is not the light that is used for solid wood and mounted preamp, but it is not too heavy either ...
The sound is fabulous and we obtain a multitude of sonoritées thanks to an amp preamp even "low end" ...
The sound is both in the low round thanks to the rosewood, and quite crystalline in the high thanks to the solid spruce top, good balance, the guitar is just across the sleeve!

SOUNDS

This guitar is suitable for many style pop, rock, blues, even country! It's not for nothing that this guitar is used by Michael Jones, who has two, when asked his opinion on this guitar to Michael's response is clear: it is SUPER!, JJG and some of the tour "an all round" (the three electro-acoustic guitars on this tour are also the TSF takamine 48 C, LTD 2001 "Cousteau" and the 1998 ltd it's "sun and moon").

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for several months, I did not find a negative point, I played on ovation, I tried many different brands of model, apart from Taylor or Gisbon but that the budget is not the same!
Regarding the quality / price ratio is like this is a guitar "collector" it is no longer the original price was around 11,500 francs in 1998, very hard to find used in good condition and equipped with more DSP preamp 1-AD! ... but I had the chance to make a very good deal ... or it is trading at around 1300 euros today, there is also a problem of rating this site should be corrected because it has the same rating as the 2001 LTD "Cousteau", I find personal prettiest and most precious wood, and finishes more present, but the 2001 LTD is a gem ! I had the opportunity to try it but I chose it.

With the experience I would do without this choice problem, if I had the chance to make a good deal as I did, if you are lucky enough to find one hand and that means you don ' Feel free is a guitar that you will keep all your life!