Takamine: Show/Tell yours! ^^

[SKYHIGH]

GAS alert. I am seriously looking at a Takamine. Possibly P3NC or TSF40C.

Please share your Takamine experience.

-Which model do you play? What style of music?
-How did you end up getting a Takamine out of soo many bigger brands out there?
-If you don’t own one, why not?

Cheers!

[cmac]

I have a LTD-2000 and it was my main guitar for about 10 years. The main features were:
- Comfort: the NEX shape felt very good to me.
- Ease of playing: even though I have big hands the neck profile was always easy to play.
- Electronics: as is often noted, Takamines are very reliable and sound pretty good plugged in.

The tone is not as good as the Lowden that became #1 eventually, but that's no real surprise - the Tak was about 1/3rd the price. I've never tried the Pro series, but I'd certainly look at them if I was in the market for a guitar of that grade.

As for how I picked it from other brands, it was easy to find Takamines in stores and I needed to be able to plug in so it was an obvious and safe brand to go with.

[noledog]

Got yer msg buddy and sent reply... you know how I feel and my experiences as I've written extensively here on the forum on how I came to Takamine from my Lowden days, in addition to my videos, reviews etc. The P3NC is wonderful and is a great medium between an OM and a Dread. IMHO I think Takamine's Pro 3 series are their best offering for what I do and sound so lively, sweet, pretty, fat and warm unplugged and that translates amplified as well due in part to the cedar over sapeale in satin finish. If you want brighter and bolder I suggest the P7, very articulate and more overtones... my all-time fav of the many Taks I've had is my KC70.

Here are recent pics of my two Taks: KC70 & P3NC

[thechariot1x]

I briefly owned a 2004 LTD Takamine that I got in a trade. Man that thing was sweet, but it was a little too shimmery for my tastes I think and (this was the big one) it had a hump on the fretboard at the 12th fret so you couldn't play any of the higher frets or even a few below it I believe, without it really buzzing and sounding sitar-y. I still wonder if I would have kept it had it been in good shape.

Even damaged this was worth a little more than what I traded it for, so I don't feel ill used by the trade at all, I sold it to someone who wanted to fix it up and used the money to fund future projects.

[Oldguy64]

I came into the Takamine fold with a G-series 12-string.
Quite simply, it played as well as my Taylor 150e, and I liked the sound better.
Add to that, I’m one of the few people that prefer “barn door” preamps.
The TK40 in my Takamine makes it sound as good plugged in, as it sounds unplugged.
I was so taken with the quality of my GJ72, that I now stalk both Alvarez and Takamine.
My “main” six string is a P3DC. I’ve wanted a cedar topped guitar for ages and I gave up on my “Grail” guitar.
A semi-local gent closed his shop, and he had several Takamines left.
Someone beat me to the GB7. So ended up with the P3DC. It is brighter than I expected from a cedar top. But the CTB4ii preamp is beast. I can walk on stage, plug my wireless into the DI and guitar, and I’m good to go.

I have also rescued two. One was literally on its way info the dumpster.
I bought it, did some work and got it playing again. And it blew me away.
The pickup still works, and it has way better tone than I was expecting out of such a small bodied instrument.
The other is a very nice New Yorker that was owned by a guy that just got tired of trying to learn to play.

I’ve become so fond of them that I’m semi-stalking another GJ72/EF523 in six string to complete the pair with my 12.

[Laughingboy68]

I’ve played an EAN 20 for 27 years. I have several newer guitars, but it goes to every gig. I keep it tuned to Eb standard, and it allows me to sing a handful of songs that would be out of my comfortable range in standard tuning. It is durable, although the cedar top, has its share of battlescars. It has been played consistently and sometimes ruthlessly. It gets more compliments than either my Martin OMCRE or my Furch D31TSR, even though it cost much less to purchase. I tend to play most of my rock ‘n’ roll songs on it as it likes to be hit hard. It needs a fret job, but has had no other repairs in 27 years. Love it.

[ricfreak]

In commemoration of my country's 50th birthday....

[PraisePicker]

I own a Takamine TF77-PT Cedar Top OM. (the picture posted is not mine, just a screen grab) Last year I found myself wishing for an OM size guitar. Something that might be more comfortable on the couch than my Goodall Standard, which is a dreadnought size. I also began obsessing about a cedar top steel string. I played A LOT of guitars, including a few Loudens.

I have to say this Tak compares very favorably - especially for $1600 out the door. That's not cheap. But the cedar top and solid koa back and sides are stunning. And it is the first guitar I've ever bought that did not have to make a side trip to the guitar tech for a set-up on the way home. It played and sounded great the moment I picked it up (which it better, for $1600).

I play finger style folk/country/americana. It's been so long since I flatpicked I don't know how to hold one. This guitar responds to a gentle touch, as well as when you dig in and strum between note runs. One thing, it likes new strings. I change the Diaddario light gauge phosphor bronze pretty often. Going to try a set of the nickel bronze.

It is a bit heavy, but this is due to the Takamine Cool Tube pickup and preamp system that comes installed. Pound for pound (literally) it is the best factory acoustic pickup I've heard. Dialing in the tube really adds a lushness I haven't heard even in piezo & internal mic combo systems.

All I can say is, my Goodall is getting jealous. And that is high praise.

DanO

[rstaight]

I had always wanted a 12 string. Around last September I started looking. Went into a local guitar store and was looking at the used inventory to start.

Then I made a comment about the looks of one on the wall. The owner pulled it down and said give it a try. It was a Takamine GJ72CE. All I could say was holy crap.

But not to buy the first thing I look at I went to the other stores in town. I kept coming back to that Takamine. It followed me home in December 2018.

In March 2019 I got a bonus and the first stop was at the Takamine dealer. This time it was a GD93 that I walked out the door with.

I still want to get a GJ72CE 6 string to complement the 12 string.

Do I like them? You betcha! I feel they play so far above their price point you can't go wrong.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by rstaight

....It was a Takamine GJ72CE. All I could say was holy crap....

Back when I was buying Epiphone Masterbilts, I picked up a Tak GJ72CE 12-string for around $500. Sunburst, abalone rosette... what's not to like? And I did like it. Showed me I could actually play a 12-string. I liked it so much, I had to get a jumbo Guild 12. The Tak's long gone. At this point, I've got two jumbo Guild JF30-12s, a Gibson Songwriter 12, a Martin OM 12, and a 70s era Epiphone 12. The Tak started it all though.

[noledog]

Originally Posted by PraisePicker

I own a Takamine TF77-PT Cedar Top OM. (the picture posted is not mine, just a screen grab) Last year I found myself wishing for an OM size guitar. Something that might be more comfortable on the couch than my Goodall Standard, which is a dreadnought size. I also began obsessing about a cedar top steel string. I played A LOT of guitars, including a few Loudens.

I have to say this Tak compares very favorably - especially for $1600 out the door. That's not cheap. But the cedar top and solid koa back and sides are stunning. And it is the first guitar I've ever bought that did not have to make a side trip to the guitar tech for a set-up on the way home. It played and sounded great the moment I picked it up (which it better, for $1600).

I play finger style folk/country/americana. It's been so long since I flatpicked I don't know how to hold one. This guitar responds to a gentle touch, as well as when you dig in and strum between note runs. One thing, it likes new strings. I change the Diaddario light gauge phosphor bronze pretty often. Going to try a set of the nickel bronze.

It is a bit heavy, but this is due to the Takamine Cool Tube pickup and preamp system that comes installed. Pound for pound (literally) it is the best factory acoustic pickup I've heard. Dialing in the tube really adds a lushness I haven't heard even in piezo & internal mic combo systems.

All I can say is, my Goodall is getting jealous. And that is high praise.

DanO

Oh DanO, that is a gorgeous guitar, I love the TF77-PT and came so close several times to get one, but I pulled the trigger on the KC70 instead due in part to the satin finish and pinless bridge to replace my Lowden as workhorse for performing on the humid coast here in Florida. But the Legacy TF77-PT was my close second choice and I still may get one someday, they sound and look gorgeous!!

[pjmacd]

Originally Posted by rstaight

Then I made a comment about the looks of one on the wall. The owner pulled it down and said give it a try. It was a Takamine GJ72CE. All I could say was holy crap.

I have a Takamine GJ72CE 12-string inbound. ETA is tomorrow. I'll do an NGD post after I get it home.

[westview]

I have a OM Takamine EF 740S GN. Bought at a local music store some 10-12 years ago. Cedar top with satin finish. Mahogany neck and rosewood bridge and fingerboard. Todays equivalent would be the Pro Series 1. Use it for strumming and finger style folk/rock. It's true what they say about plug and play.
The CTB 4II preamp does it well.

[PorkPieGuy]

-Which model do you play? What style of music?

Takamine EF341SC

At the time, I was playing a lot of worship music and contemporary Christian music. I had a friend accompany me on it while I played hammered dulcimer as well. I don't play hardly any guitar these days, but if I do, it'll be my go-to.

-How did you end up getting a Takamine out of soo many bigger brands out there?

For the money, you can't beat its plugged-in tone. Super-easy to play, sounds great, and mine's not for sale.

[3woodengulls]

I have a 99ltd. It is awesome. It is also known as the mountain guitar. Sounds great plugged in and unplugged. A real workhorse.