Takamine

So.. I've had a few thinline guitars before and smaller bodied guitars that I generally liked the tone of but mostly played because the shape allowed it to sit somewhere you couldn't with a Jumbo or Dreadnaught. Well.. I've always liked Takamine and Cedar top that Glen Hansard plays gives me a strange excitement we'll say. So I have an S34c Jasmine by Takamine that appears to be from 2000 and it has been a great balanced and loud guitar perhaps lacking in subtlety but doing the big strummer thing so well that it's hard to deny. Well the TS-97C fills in the stuff the Big Girl doesn't do so well. As it turns out I have 12-53 on the s34c NEX which is 25.5" and 11-49 on the 25-3/8" FXC and I keep the bigger one Eb and drop C# while keeping the FXC in E standard and drop D. For a 30 year old guitar it's in great shape. I did have to spend some time rehydrating the wood with it clamped up to a neck and bridge level jig. It all went seamlessly and the guitar barely needed setup with new bone nut and saddle. The things they say about Cedar top guitars are all true. It breaks up early and is very touch sensitive. It records beautifully and has some indescribable tonal quality that you only get on stunning guitars. A current Takamine equivalent is $2000 and this little guitar speaks of why. For a 1992 Jasmine by Takamine it has no right to be this good. I'd gladly challenge a Taylor or Martin to a time war. If you find one keep it. These are lifetime guitars when setup right.

• 
• 
• 
• +1

I’m 54, and been playing since I was 11/12. Up till now, I’ve never written a guitar review, having never felt the need. Guitars are like women. Some are great, others not so great and just plain bad. It depends on you, and the chemistry that exists in the middle somewhere. Guitar chemistry exists between the player’s psychology, his hands, the strings, how the guitar is set up, amplification and effects etc. Sometimes it’s difficult to define precisely what makes a guitar work for you. It approximates in some ways to what the Japanese term ‘kansei.’ I picked up this Takamine EAN15C a couple of nights ago from kijij. The guy was asking $450 Canadian for it and I bargained him down to $400. It had lain in the hard shell case pretty much unused, for the major part of it’s ten years. Strings were dead and I was thinking that maybe the seller had never changed them. The fretboard was as dry as any I’d seen in quite a while, and he didn’t have an amp so I couldn’t check out the electronics. The guitar had no major dings, or breaks, the neck was straight, and the intonation was almost perfect. Minor mother of pearl inlay missing from the saddle. The action was pretty good and worked fine for my big thick fingers  First thing I did was get the strings off. I wish I’d taken pictures at the start. Fretboard was cleaned with a damp cloth and warm water. I’m never too liberal with fretboard cleaner/oils but this one looked as if it would benefit from it. I gave it one coat which soaked right in at the and the following morning gave it another dose. This really brought the thing back to life. I polished the frets which had become very dull. They had virtually no wear to speak of and came up really well. The whole body of the guitar was cleaned off and polished up with some lemon oil and then I restrung it with Elixir Lights (12s). First strum of this Takamine with new strings just blew me away. It sounded great. Not too much top. Warm and clear tones which just ring out. I put a new battery in the box and plugged it into my Ibanez Troubador TA35, acoustic amp. This thing was singing like a bird. The best word to describe this guitar is simply “expressive.” It just provides so much expression and the pick up seems to capture the most subtle nuances of hammer ons/offs and slides to great effect. My other acoustic 6 strings guitars are Tacomas (DR14C & DR20) , both of which cost me at least twice as much as this Tak. Nothing I’ve come across previously has compared favorably (for my playing and style), with the Tacomas. Build quality, tone, (acoustic and amped), weight and balance and overall feels are very similar to my Tacoma DR14.. I’ve owned Taylors and Martins which are inferior to this Takamine. Recently traded a Faith Venus electric-acoustic which sounded incredible amplified. This EAN15C sounds even better amplified than the Faith with it’s Shadow system. I’m delighted with it, and think that I got a great deal at $400 CAD. It’s not very often that I feel like I should go back and give the guy some more money. This is obviously the older model, as the TAN15C has the tube pick up installed. I can’t compare this guitar with that model as I’ve never played one, but this Takamine stands up proud with every acoustic guitar that I’ve ever played or owned. It’s an outstanding guitar either for use with a pick, or for finger picking. It’s solid, durable and the quality of the workmanship is evident in the detail.

This dreadnought already served me for quite a long time. Both in chordwork (strumming) as in soloing work. Before adding a lot of stars I have to say that I owe a genuine Martin D35 and besides that other quality guitars such as Gibson J200, Ovation Custom Legend, two Tama guitars, Levin W32 and an Ibanez Artwood first series Japanese made guitar. I do not necessarily have to praise these products after taking into account that I do not have the money for a genuine Martin or Gibson: (I owe them both!) - A nice neck profile to enhance comfortable playing. - A very balanced and even sounding instrument. - No thin hights on the upper strings. - Maybe slightly more bass respons required. - Playability is still great on this example. - Octave pitch is really OK. - Very good interior workmanship. Good fretwork. - This guitar sounds exceptionally good with a good under saddle pick up: Great basses now! It is already widely known that the Japanese acoustics are very competitive against their USA counterparts of that time. That makes it interesting to keep on searching for these hidden treasures. I think my Tama's are just a bit better but differences are very small. The truss rod is of course a pro!

Takamine GN10 ce series. Very well built for that price range. Of course, I’m not comparing it with a €1000+ model, but for an instrument under the €400 mark you get a great-looking, well-built, sturdy instrument – plus, for the price, it’s an electric-acoustic, which in my opinion makes all the difference. The Takamine neck is comfortable and pleasant to play. The cutaway allows for easy access to the lower part of the neck. Its acoustic sound is well-balanced with great lows and a great projection quality (it’s a dreadnought). When plugged on a good electric-acoustic amp, it becomes really surprising. The sound is natural and true to the original, plus it’s really punchy. The preamp perfectly does the job. It’s very easy to use, the right setting is easily found and the sound is pleasant – a real, good surprise. The guitar stays very well in tune, and the onboard preamp features a rather practical integrated tuner. Perfect for all users including beginners and those doing the jump from a nylon-stringed guitar to a folk model, it can also be used as a spare guitar and will go anywhere – to the beach, to parties, basically everywhere an experienced player would be reluctant to bring the jewel of a guitar he paid very, very much more for. It can easily be found used but mint for under €250, and an electric-acoustic in such a price range really offers an unbeatable value-for-money.

This Takamine is a mini-jumbo acoustic-electric. Regarding the preamp, you have a volume control, a 3-band equalizer and a tuner. UTILIZATION The guitar is small (mini-jumbo) and light, the neck is very nice. The strings are a bit high, which requires you to play with precision (not very practical for beginners, but a real treat for experienced players!). Good access to the upper frets, you can reach the very last ones without any problems. SOUNDS Arpeggios sound wonderful with this Takamine. Sound is very well balanced, highs are sparkling and, despite its size, low notes are also reproduced fine. It is just as good to play rhythm guitar, however, it doesn't have the bold sound of a big dreadnought or a super-jumbo. Once plugged in, sound takes its full dimension. The equalizer is very effective and, increasing the lows a bit, you have the impression of having in your hands a huge guitar, given the fullness and warmth of the sound. The signal is clean, without any overemphasized buzz or noises. OVERALL OPINION I have been playing this guitar for over five years. It's my favorite guitar, it's always by my side, just in case. The fact that the strings are slightly higher than on most other guitar makes practicing with this EG560C formidable, because I know that if I can manage with this guitar I will almost automatically be able to do it on any other guitar. I bought this guitar for about 600 euros. It's an excellent value for money given its performance. I would buy it again without hesitation.

(Originally written by jason8/translated from Audiofanzine FR) - Where was it made? (USA, Japan, Mexico, France...) Made in Korea - How many frets, what kind of pickups and what is the pickup configuration? 20 frets Circular sound hole with abalone inlay rosette. Active TK40T preamp with integrated tuner. UTILIZATION - Is the neck comfortable? Very pleasant neck if you play with a light string set. Because barre chords with a 12-string guitar are not so easy. - Is the access to the upper frets easy? No cutaway so access to the upper frets is not easy, but a 12-string guitar is made for rhythm parts and arpeggios. - Is the instrument ergonomic (body shape, weight...)? The guitar is quite heavy so you get the impression that it's a quality instrument. - Is it easy to get the right sound?... The sound is very good. SOUNDS - Do they fit your music style? It's perfect for me, I play folk music. - Which amp(s) or effect(s) do you use it with? I use it for studio recordings with an AKG C414 mic and a Universal Audio Solo610 preamp connected to a RME Fireface 400. The result is pure magic. The guitar also sounds very good with an AER amp. - What kind of sounds do you get and which settings do you use ("crystal-clear", "fat", ...)? The unplugged sound is very bright (exactly the sound I was looking for). When plugged the preamp gives you many sound possibilities, but IMO 12-string guitars are made to produce a brilliant tone. - Which sounds do you prefer / hate? I like every sound and I always find the tone I'm looking for. OVERALL OPINION - How long have you been using it? I've been using it for three years. - Which feature do you like the most / the least? Pros: Extraordinary sound. Cons: Lack of cutaway, though useless for a 12-string. - Did you try any other models before buying it? No, it's the only one I tested and I immediately fell in love. - How would you rate its value for money? I got this high-end Takamine as a present when I turned twenty. - Based on your experience, would you buy this product again? I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again.

The GS 330S is fairly plain and non-descript, with a satin finished cedar top, nato back and sides, no inlays, and a simple rosette, this guitar is no frills. Takamine put there money where it counted for a budget guitar like this. UTILIZATION The neck had a nice feel, fairly similar to a Japanese-made Martin I have. Very adequate. SOUNDS I think the biggest contributor to the sound of this guitar is the satin finish cedar top. In this price range guitarmakers usually use lower quality and a thick glossy finish is applied to "dress it up" but Takamine has put a very light finish on their cedar top. First of all, cedar is a bit more mellower sounding than spruce and applying such a thin finish allows the top to reverberate more freely, giving a more "open" sound thats not stiff It also equates to more volume, which definitely is the case here as the Takamine projects quite well and respond very well to picking dynamics and fingerpicking. The GS can handle everything from folk strumming, to single note blues runs. My only complaint was that I thought it was a bit "thin" sounding, probably due to nato being used for the back and sides instead of more traditional mahogany, which is darker in tone. Selecting the right strings could help compensate, and the guitar was fairly balanced across the spectrum so my perceived lack of "thump" from this model doesn't mean it was shrill or harsh. It was actually quite sweet sounding overall. OVERALL OPINION I love Takamine for making a guitar like this. Frankly, they can make a better playing and sounding instrument in this price range than Fender, Yamaha, and the big players like Martin and Taylor don't even venture into this low price bracket. So Takamine has filled a very important void with the GS series. Guys like myself who own nicer guitars will buy one of these as a travel or "campfire" guitar and be fairly pleased with the tone and playability, and beginners will buy this guitar and not have to upgrade for a long time if they don't wish to. Kudos to Takamine.

I searched the city everymusic store and pawn shop testing a acoustic electric guitar that was for sale and the overall winner was this Takemine Sante Fe .. playability sound quality and aesthetics , the price seemed a bit high but the shop owner insisted that this was a top quality guitar and would appreciate in time... everyone who has played it agreed it is a special instrument... The only complaint is the fact of the lack of fret markers....makes it difficult to play along with other players who are following along....

Purchased on clearance from Musicians Friend for $229 in May 2002 Beautiful black. Takamine playability. Excellent 3 band EQ. Great plugged in sound. Adequate unplugged sound Black finish shows fingerprints. Lower grade of rosewood on the fretboard. All black, laminate constuction. Very good looking. A few minor finish blemishes. This was a good buy for the money. It is used at church and at outside events, so the laminate was a good choice. Has held up well and makes a superb choice plugged into the PA. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Made in Korea Spruce top Mahogany back & sides Mahogany neck Satin finish Contemporary styling Chrome covered tuning machines Rosewood fretboard Rosewood bridge Covered by a Limited Lifetime warranty UTILIZATION I cannot believe how inexpensive this guitar is. Or should I say, I cannot believe how good this guitar is for how inexpensive it is? It is great! This Jasmine has a spruce top, mahogany back, sides, and neck, and a rosewood fingerboard. The neck is very thin, almost like an Ibanez Wizard, so it is a perfect choice for a first instrument or for someone with smaller hands. I was a bit concerned about the neck's thinness at first, thinking I'd have to adjust the truss rod frequently, but I've only had to adjust it twice in 9 years. The worksmanship is nice on this guitar - no sharp fret ends, all the glue joints are neat, and the bracings look good on the inside. Even the tuners hold their tuning steady, which is a rarity in a guitar this inexpensive! SOUNDS The guitar has a crisp sound, with plenty of warmth. I've tried this guitar in all sorts of tunings, and it even sounds full and rich tuned down to B with a standard light gauge string (and it held tune as well!). I play this guitar with a lot of percussive taps/slaps (think Michael Hedges, or Andy McKee), and no matter what, it still sounds like a good guitar. OVERALL OPINION I'm going to say that for the price (around $70 new), this is the best acoustic guitar in the world. I'll give it a 10 based upon that statement. It holds tune solidly, looks good, plays excellently, and still hasn't developed any cracks on me after I've owned it for 9 years. This is the sleeper acoustic to beat all others.

The Takamine C132S nylon string, or "classical" guitar was made in Japan and I believe that it has 24 frets. It doesn't have a pick up and is not an acoustic-electric guitar - because of this it has no setting controls. UTILIZATION I love the way this guitar feels and plays. It is easy on the fingers and I seem to have no problems moving my fingers across the fretboard. It isn't hard to access the top notes and is pretty light in weight. The body of the guitar has a cool shape and the wood feels nice and seems to made out of reliable material. I love the inherent sounds this has as it is perfect for playing classical music. SOUNDS As I previously stated, this guitar is great for playing classical music, like most nylon string acoustic guitars are. The spacing between the strings is wider than that of a regular steel string acoustic and is therefore easier to play each of the strings individually, which is part of the reason it is used for classical music. This guitar will work great for playing other types of music besides classical, if you are looking for this type of sound in another setting. OVERALL OPINION I've been using the Takamine C132S nylon string guitar for about five years. I got it because I wanted to learn how to play some classical guitar and was looking for something that wasn't cheaply made, but also wasn't too expensive. I got this used from a Guitar Center and it has really served me well for playing classical music and for situations that I wanted that nylon string acoustic sound. This guitar is built quite well and it shows in the overall sound and feel of it. The price won't kill you and is ideal for those looking to get into playing classical guitar, but don't want to spend too much money and also don't want to get a piece of crap - this guitar is definitley worth a look!

Natural Finish 'Jumbo' 6-string acoustic-electric guitar. It has a beautiful flamed maple siding and back with a maple neck. In all honesty, it is an absolutely beautiful guitar. I starting playing guitar when I was 15 and since then have been in one band where we played mostly covers of alternative songs. I currently and will hopefully be in the future, leading worship in a church. I love the old acoustic fold as well as the modern and some nice soft rock is always a plus in my mind. I purchased this guitar off of American Musical Supply. They had a great sale going on and I ended up getting the guitar for $449, which is about $250 less than anywhere else. Wonderful tone, beautiful look, amazing electronics. When plugged in, this baby will blow you away. Clean, crisp...just plain gorgeous. It needs to be professionally set up when out of the box. The action is a bit high. Solid and wonderfully made. Excellent all around quality. This guitar is spectacular. If you are looking for a guitar in its price range, I really feel you cannot beat it. I've played for awhile and have tried many guitars and I honestly feel this ranks up there with some of the more expensive guitars. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com