Takamine F-375S

[John Cooper]

My first acoustic guitar, bought used for $200 in 1987 is a Takamine F-375S dread. It's been good, and sounds really nice, but the intonation has always been a bit off, and the action is too high- even after I had some custom saddle work done around 1989. Hence my growing desire to buy a Taylor

Anyway, my question is about this F-375S! I can't really find much info on it anywhere. I'm wondering if anyone can tell me about the woods - the top looks like spruce or cedar (it seems to dark to be spruce). And the back is a 3 piece with rosewood in the middle, but the other 2 pieces and the sides are some other brownish large-grained wood - the sides look a little darker than the back 2 pieces... And it's hard to tell if these are solid or laminate. How would I tell?

Anyone know how I can tell when it was made? The "Takamine Est 1962 Japan, F-375S" is stamped into the wood just under the sound hole, and there's a number stamped in ink inside at the neck joint, 74201580.

Thanks for any advice.
-John

[510picker]

I believe the guitar was made in 1974, that is what the first part of the serial number indicates.

I have been wrong before though......ask my wife

As far as the woods go, I have no answer for you. I would suggest you go over to the AG bulletin board and ask this question. I don't remember his name off hand, but a Takamine product development guy started posting over there. He could probably answer your question. Look for a thread titled "Introducing ____ _______ to the Boards" (fill his name in the blanks).

www.acousticguitar.com

[John Cooper]

Thanks for the link. I'm crossposting there now

-John

[Cisco]

John
Let me know if you still nedd the info. I know someone who works at Takamine. I can e mail them for info

Ron

[John Cooper]

Hi Ron,

Yes, please do!! I got a couple answers at the acousticguitars forum (thread link: http://www.acousticguitar.com/ubb/Fo...ML/006891.html ) but I don't think the wood description is correct.

Here's some linkes to show the top, back, and sides. (note that the closeup of the back had a flash on, and the result is a bit too orange).

Top: http://www.planetz.com/image/Takamine/Top.jpg
Back: http://www.planetz.com/image/Takamine/Back.jpg
Back detail: http://www.planetz.com/image/Takamin...too-orange.jpg
Side:http://www.planetz.com/image/Takamine/Side.jpg

The back center looks like rosewood to me, but the other back pieces and something else, not sure what. The other poster said it was jacaranda, which is brazilian rosewood, and it doesn't look like it to me!!

And is that top a dark spruce, or is it cedar?

Thanks,
-John

[Cisco]

John
I'll e mail Kathy at Takamine and ask her for specifics. I'll let you know. By the way nice guitar. I have 5 Takamine's and really do like them.

Ron

[sob]

I used to own a Tak which was a copy of a Guild Jumbo 12 string. Yhe sides were laminated rosewood,the back laminated mahogany stained to match the color of the rosewood.

[JW]

F-375 Sitka top laminate rosewood back and sides. still a great guitar. Ive had a few, JW