Would Takamine Have a Bigger Presence Without The Preamp?

Wellington · #1 05-19-2022, 07:22 AM

They're a successful company I get that, but at least in terms of the acoustic nerd and purist players, think Martin fans etc, I wonder if Takamine would have a bit more of a market share if they didn't have a preamp the size of Ontario in almost every guitar they make? I get it that that's their signature thing, but the trend these days is absolutely to have hidden electronics if electronics are in it. Even lower end brands have largely switched much more to hidden electronics like Fender, Epiphone, Godin etc. Discreet is what the trend is, but that comes at a sacrifice of control, especially in Takamine's case. It's just funny they don't offer more non electric versions of their guitars as an option, I'm sure a person can order them maybe.

I say this because on more than one occasion in the past of really liked a Tak that I decided not to buy due to the preamp.

Thoughts?

llew · #2 05-19-2022, 07:29 AM

The only Tak I've owned had a preamp (Line Driver) but no "barn door" controls like you're talking about. Just a straight line out no controls. I believe the barn door controls are a big part of their overall draw for gigging guitarist and pro's onstage. Inexpensive (for the most part) and easily replaceable...or at least they used to be? Their quality seems to be consistent and while I'm not a huge fan unplugged they do should very good plugged in.

ewalling · #3 05-19-2022, 07:31 AM

I think you could be right. In fact, their classical TH8 once sold without any preamp and was considered an excellent classical guitar in its own right. I once owned a Japanese TF87 parlor-sized guitar with a fancy preamp that I think I never used, so good was the acoustic sound. But a notion does persist that Taks are just beaters for stage use, and the quality of their preamps may have a lot to do with this.

jcpharm · #4 05-19-2022, 07:36 AM

there was another thread in the "Amplification" subforum where we were discussing how overbuilt guitars actually could be an advantage for on-stage amplification and i think someone brought up Taks being an example of this - had Tak built their guitars to sound better naturally (ie. not "overbuilt"), the feedback and plugged in sound would suffer and be harder to EQ/control, especially in a band setting. if there is truth to this, then i don't see Tak changing their strategy.

Wellington · #5 05-19-2022, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcpharm

there was another thread in the "Amplification" subforum where we were discussing how overbuilt guitars actually could be an advantage for on-stage amplification and i think someone brought up Taks being an example of this - had Tak built their guitars to sound better naturally (ie. not "overbuilt"), the feedback and plugged in sound would suffer and be harder to EQ/control, especially in a band setting. if there is truth to this, then i don't see Tak changing their strategy.

That's am interesting point

doublescale1 · #6 05-19-2022, 07:50 AM

Taks get the call for live use because they are very reliable live, built like brick houses, they send a real good acoustic voice to FOH. A "Road Dog" guitar if you will. A gigging/touring player needs that reliability for weekly live work. If you're in the studio you can use what ever unobtainium, real acoustic w/no electronics in it you have, or the Producer can find for you, to get that golden/magic acoustic voice recorded. As mentioned above, Tak's are a leader in this category of guitars that work very well live; maybe some day they will come out say, with with a non-electric, up-scale type pure acoustic line; an homage to vintage braced light-weight build, but that would be a second "Brand" ("Takamine Vintage Select"?) they would have to establish and support. That's an expensive undertaking, especially now as we're still struggling with a resurgence in Covid presence, in spite of what most all of us would like to see. How virulent will this next surge get (this fall, as being predicted). How well are we going to take to living with this viral presence? Will the touring pros, weekend warriors and couch players turn to home studio recording again like the first covid go-round? That's the big bet launching a new sub-brand for Tak would have to make. It would just depend on how much overhead outlay they could support, and how they define their core brand attributes and want to stick to that. It'a always a case of "is there a market need for this, what's that market capacity, what other brands could we snipe market share from successfully to make it work?" Big wheel keeps on turning.

AZLiberty · #7 05-19-2022, 02:41 PM

People buy Taks and use them for stage guitars because they have had some of the best pickup/pre-amps for decades.

It's why almost every stage guitar you saw in the 70's was either a Tak or an Ovation.

It's like asking if Jeep would sell more Wranglers if they built a cheaper 2-weel drive version.

Osage · #8 05-19-2022, 03:53 PM

That's kind of like asking would Gibson sell more Les Pauls if they made them hollow and put a soundhole in the top. Taks are overbuilt from a purely acoustic guitar standpoint and that's completely intentional. Less resonance makes it easier to amplify an acoustic guitar and the heavy build makes it easier to get a good amplified sound. I know a lot of people who use Taks live and not a single person who regularly plays one unplugged.

DBW · #9 05-19-2022, 07:28 PM

I have K&K's in three of my guitars. They have some pretty out of control feedback without the pre-amp.

scotchnspeed · #10 05-19-2022, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZLiberty

It's like asking if Jeep would sell more Wranglers if they built a cheaper 2-weel drive version.

AZLiberty wins the AGF!

Starshine · #11 05-19-2022, 07:56 PM

I love my Tak jumbo 12 string. Sounds great unplugged. Didn't realize you're not supposed to play them that way (j/k). I don't like the huge preamp box on top, but I like the guitar so much I don't really care all that much.

rstaight · #12 05-19-2022, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starshine

I love my Tak jumbo 12 string. Sounds great unplugged. Didn't realize you're not supposed to play them that way (j/k). I don't like the huge preamp box on top, but I like the guitar so much I don't really care all that much.

I liked my Tak jumbo 12 string so much I went and got the matching 6 string.

Andromeda · #13 05-19-2022, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starshine

I love my Tak jumbo 12 string. Sounds great unplugged. Didn't realize you're not supposed to play them that way (j/k). I don't like the huge preamp box on top, but I like the guitar so much I don't really care all that much.

Generally I don't like barn door electronics but the Takamine GJ72CE 12-String is so great I don't mind it!

hifivic · #14 05-19-2022, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZLiberty

People buy Taks and use them for stage guitars because they have had some of the best pickup/pre-amps for decades.

It's why almost every stage guitar you saw in the 70's was either a Tak or an Ovation.

It's like asking if Jeep would sell more Wranglers if they built a cheaper 2-weel drive version.

Great post!

Coler · #15 05-20-2022, 02:20 AM

A lot of guys of a certain age (say 50s plus) I play with in pub sessions here (Ireland) play a Takamine and they do just great unplugged. These are guys who do play out and plug in as well, so they'd want the onboard electrics, they only want one guitar and they're not spending thousands of euro on it. They see the onboard electronics as a 'must have'.

For the money, not sure if anyone does that better than Takamine.

They got very popular here in the '80s and '90s and they still sell a ton of guitars in Ireland. Is there a better solution for someone who wants one solid, versatile guitar for reasonable money, that you can plug in if you want? I'm not sure there is. And the unplugged sound comes across great too. These are serious musicians, backing trad tunes and accompanying songs and they get exactly what they need from these guitars.

I liked every Takamine I ever played. The last one I owned came with the most perfect set-up out of the box (GJ72CE runs about 500 euros brand new), played and sounded fantastic. A joy to play.

Did it sound as nice unplugged as my 000-28 or my OMs - no it didn't, but that's ok too obviously.

And takamine do make a nice guitar at higher price points too. If I was going to own one guitar, and it had to have on board electronics, and I was primarily going to play plugged in it would be an EF341SC and while I'm at it I'll take the 12er of that model too.

I chose my guitars for their unplugged sound and how they play for me and I'm not going to claim the Takamine would sound quite as nice unplugged (and I think I get a better sound out of mine plugged in using what I use when I do that) but it would be absolutely plenty good enough to play in front of any audience, including in my kitchen at home (my toughest crowd).