Takamine

[Nashvilleatty]

I am looking at pro series guitars for
my daughter who is a singer/songwriter.
She presently plays a Taylor 710 ce
but I hear other artists playing Takamines
that sound much better. I know Gibson and
Martin also make great guitars. Can
someone tell me if I am going in the right
direction with a Takamine and if so, which
one they recommend.

[grim83]

Honestly guitars are highly personal things and all 4 of the names you listed plus a laundry list of others make highly respectable guitars, but the player has to choose what works for their style or their voice. If possible I'd take her to a nice shop with a good selection give her a budget and let her choose what she likes and what works for her. You can play 12 of the same brand and model and everyone will be a little different. Also each brand has a sound they are known for and that can play into it to. You may think other guitars sound better but she may just love that Taylor. I have a cheap Yamaha that's like an old pair of jeans it's one of the most comfortable guitars for me and it fits with me but almost everyone who plays it doesn't like it that much and every other one I've played I didn't care as much for.

[AndrewG]

The models featuring the 'Cool Tube' pre-amp are well-regarded.

http://www.takamine.com/en-GB/electronics/pre-amps/

Hi Nashvilleatty, and welcome to the forums!

This is just me, but guitars at the level that your daughter is already playing need to be judged on an individual basis and played in person before purchased. I like Tak, but would add that any prospective guitar needs to be played by her next to her Taylor before a decision is made. Y'all may find it difficult to find a Tak that can match her 710. One thing is that other guitars sometimes sound better because of the player, not necessarily the guitar.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not badmouthing Takamine - Just saying be sure to have her try out any replacement guitar thoroughly before an investment is made.

[HHP]

If you want to buy something, keep the Taylor and upgrade the rest of the signal chain.

[JStotes]

Hi, and welcome to the forum. I'm sure you'll find the folks here friendly and knowledgeable.

There are as many choices as there are performers and narrowing it down takes considerable time and effort and will probably change several times depending on your needs and wants.

You see a lot of players using Takamine guitars when playing on stage. That's basically for a couple reasons. 1) they sound good plugged in and 2) they're relatively easy to use. I have performed using acoustic guitars for over 40 years and have pretty much used everything available. I would say first understand the guitar for a performing musician is a tool to be used to benefit the performance.
Quite often that is not your "Holy Grail" guitar.

Depending on the types of performances that are the most common for your daughter, it's probably best to choose something that is plug and play. The more stuff you have to bring in order to perform, the longer it takes and the more chance there is for something to go sideways. It's more about the songs than the equipment and, truthfully, very few in the audience will have any idea if she's using a $20 Sears special or a $10K custom build.

If possible, have her try out guitars with the equipment she will be using, or as close to it as possible and make your choice from there. If her Taylor has the Expression system, you probably won't find anything much easier to use.
Takamine will sound different and that may be just the change you're looking for.

[noledog]

Nice to meet you and a warm AGF welcome!

As a professional player that uses a top end Signature Tak KC70, I highly recommend them and I have used a Lowden which I also love/still use for many years. I like both the CT4BII & Cool Tube, however, the Cool Tube eats batteries so I recommend the external power source; both units are interchangable.
Here is my review from when I first bought it and a recent pic playin' it at a gig thru my Fishman Loudbox Artist which combines well with it.

http://youtu.be/kuvSJ8qVPhg?list=UUu...kmAGQIcpgsx45w



Best wishes,

eric

[6L6]

I owned and gigged with a Takamine TAN16C for a couple of years. I loved the Cool Tube feature and the build quality was first rate.

I'd certainly take that TAN16C over any Taylor I've played. However…

for MY ears, nothing sounds as good as a K&K Pure Mini pickup in a high quality, dread-sized guitar. I've sold that Tak and reequipped all of my acoustics with the K&K. Couldn't be happier!

[andypandemonium]

I would tend to agree with HHP above. That guitar is probably good enough to produce very nice tones, and therefore, I would upgrade the rest of the signal chain...

I use a Roland AC-60 ampifier with an old Dean Performer acoustic guitar. That guitar is cheap, but with the amplifier, I still get fairly good sounds. It sounds much nicer than you would imagine the guitar to sound.

You probably wanna see what she is into... For home use and coffee shops and small places, the acoustic amp works awesome... If the venue has a PA, you may want to consider a dedicated DI box to send to their system. I know that Boss makes a couple of decent ones and I have heard that Radial does too.

I really feel that upgrading her signal chain will make you much more satisfied with the sound. What is she using for amplification now?

Andy

[Goodallboy]

Taks are meant to be plugged in and I think Taylors are as well.

There are so many elements of great sound that attributing it to the brand of guitar could be an exercise in futility.

Are they great performance guitars? You already know the answer.

[Nashvilleatty]

Thank you all for your being so considerate. I have
to digest all of the great information presented and
I am sure I will have more questions. I am not looking
to trade her Taylor in. At present she is playing mostly
writers nights but is about to step up to bigger venues
with a band. She does presently play mostly at venues with their
own PA systems and at some venues her guitar sounds
better than others.

[billder99]

It is much more than a brand or a model. If your daughter is serious, she needs to spend time in a few guitar stores around Nashville. Martin, Gibson, Takamine, Taylor and many other companies make a wide variety of models, from beginner to pro. As you live in Nashville, you have some of the best guitar retail stores on the planet right there in your own backyard... truely Guitar Mecca for those who love em'.

Do you have a recording or two with the Taylor? I'd like to hear the results she is getting. The Taylor 710 is a pro-level guitar, dreadnaught body... does she like the larger body size? Does she like the way the neck feels and plays in her hands? These are the kinds of questions a good retail salesperson will ask.

[kmcmichael]

I am currently using a K&K mini. I would like to try a Takamine TF740FS with a cool tube. I have not considered a Taylor. I have not heard one that was appealing. The mini might be the best thing going, but I hope to find something that sounds more like an acoustic.

[grim83]

Originally Posted by Nashvilleatty

Thank you all for your being so considerate. I have
to digest all of the great information presented and
I am sure I will have more questions. I am not looking
to trade her Taylor in. At present she is playing mostly
writers nights but is about to step up to bigger venues
with a band. She does presently play mostly at venues with their
own PA systems and at some venues her guitar sounds
better than others.

Sounds like the issue is not her guitar but the quality of the pa systems she plays through. If it sounds great on some and not as good on others I'd attribute that to the venue and move on. Unless you just really want to buy her another guitar then by all means lol.

[MikeBmusic]

What year is her taylor? I assume it has the ES1v3 pickup system. Is she using a balanced (TRS-XLR) cable?
I have found this can make a noticeable difference in sound on SOME PA systems, but on others not so much, and this sounds like what you are experiencing.