Takamine Guitar: Review of the best Takamine guitars on the market.

Best Takamine guitars for beginners:

1. Takamine G Series GD11MCE-NS
2. Takamine G Series GD30CE-N
3. Takamine G Series GJ72CE-NAT

Best Takamine guitars for intermediate guitarists:

1. Takamine EF341SC
2. Takamine P3DC
3. Takamine EF360GF Glenn Frey

Best Takamine Guitars For Advanced Guitarists:

1. Takamine P7DC

Best Takamine guitars for beginners

It is one of the more affordable guitars from the brand, but that does not mean it is of lower quality. Instead, it is extremely well-liked because it offers a full, nuanced sound with excellent volume and feel.

Timber:

Its affordable price is a result of the body's laminated wood construction as well as the use of a single type of wood for the top, sides, back, and neck.

Mahogany, which has a density of 600 kg/cm3, is a semi-heavy or semi-soft wood, which makes it relatively simple to work with and cut. Due to its low bending strength (850 kg/cm2), it deforms under greater pressure.

But it has a compressive strength of nearly 500 kg. All of this indicates that the wood is medium hard, which necessitates extreme care for the guitar. The fingerboard and bridge are constructed from ovangkol wood, which has an apparent density of more than 800 kg/cm3 and an elastic modulus of more than 100,000 kg/cm2.

This is important because the fretboard of a guitar requires both hardness to prevent finger wear and elasticity/vibration to produce high-quality overtones. And ovangkol offers both in adequate amounts.

Design:

This guitar has a dreadnought body, the most common shape in acoustic guitars. Although it has a cutaway which is uncommon in guitars of this type,  it also has standard measurements.

The designers gave it a natural finish without lacquer or polyurethane because the mahogany it uses is from South America which gave the colour a reddish hue. The latter is less desirable because mahogany is semi-hard and more prone to scratches and dents. After all, it lacks an additional protective coating.

On the other hand, the internal bars have quartersawn, or radially cut, “X” reinforcements, according to the company these reinforcements are intended to increase the structure's strength and make up for the mahogany.

It features 20 medium frets with chrome hardware and standard Takamine tuning keys. In addition, this Takamine electro-acoustic guitar uses a TP4T series preamp.

Ergonomics:

The scale is 648 mm from the neck nut to the bridge and has a 3 mm string height at the 12th fret. The body measures 53 cm long, 10 cm deep, 31 cm at the top, 41 cm at the bottom, and has a total weight of 2.27 kg. The width of the nut on the neck is also 43 mm.

This guitar has one of the best weight and feel balances out there thanks to the measurements mentioned above. For the fingers of beginning players, the smooth plucking of the strings from frets 1 to 5 is wonderful news. Everything gets better starting at the sixth fret, which simplifies the tapping technique.

Another benefit of this pitch ratio is how simple it is to tap out forced harmonics. In addition, you can comfortably use other techniques like the slap because they don't call for more strength.

Sound:

Thanks to the mahogany wood, the whole body tends to low and mid frequencies. Because of its excellent sustain, which has been well received by users, the sound is somewhat dark but not opaque.

In addition to that, the reverb is excellent and large as a result of its standard size. In general, you can therefore perceive this guitar's sound as round and warm.

It utilises a preamplifier with a three-band equaliser (bass, mid and bright) as It also has a built-in digital tuner and a master volume potentiometer.

The system in this guitar has an output of 450 mV and is powered by a 9 V battery. The range of the equalisation control is as follows: 10 kHz +/- 11 dB for brightness; 60 Hz +/-9 dB for the bass; and 600 Hz +/-10 dB for the mids.

These characteristics contribute to the microphone's sound reproduction being among the most accurate on the market. In actuality, also the colour of the sound barely changes depending on whether it is on or off.

The strings are Daddario, series EXP16 012-053. The 010 strings, preferably from Elixir, are what we advise at Cultura Sonora because they have a better response and greater flexibility, which will produce more harmonics and make it easier to execute a variety of interesting techniques.

Conclusion:

The Takamine G Series GD11MCENS guitar is a balanced instrument, with a warm sound and loud volume. We suggest it to all aspiring guitarists who want to purchase a low-cost instrument that is of higher quality than what the invoice indicates. Find the best Takamine G Series at thomann.

The Takamine G Series GD30CE stands out in several ways and is on a higher level than the G10 series guitars. The woods used are better, and there are additional features added you will learn about below like the amplification that has a higher gain response.

Timber:

The sides, back and neck are made of mahogany, a good choice that offers durability and elasticity. As opposed to rosewood or rosewood, the fingerboard and bridge are made of ovangkol wood, which is less expensive. Although it offers less acoustic capabilities than Indian rosewood, it has the same hardness and a better aesthetic appearance. Its overtone response is also the same.

The soundboard is made entirely of solid spruce, and it has a lower density. Due to this, the wood has a very sonorous quality that is vibrant without compromising its resistance.

Design:

This Takamine electro-acoustic guitar has a traditional shape with a cutaway because it is a dreadnought style. The ‘X' bracing inside the support bars has a radial quartersawn cutaway that strengthens the body.

Twenty medium-sized frets and chrome plating are present on the hardware. The same company that makes the standard precision keys also makes the tuning keys. Takamine frequently uses the double bridge saddle or capo to enhance the response of the G string, which typically causes some tuning issues in a variety of brands and ranges.

This Takamine G Series guitar's natural finish allows you to appreciate the wood's original colour. Additionally, the instrument has a glossy cover that not only looks great but also serves as protection.

Last but not least, it comes with an original Daddario EXP16 series string. However, for this type of guitar, we always advise 010 strings, preferably Elixir strings. The harmonic potential is increased and ergonomics are improved with the 010 strings.

Ergonomics:

The Takamine G Series GD30CE has a scale of 64.3 cm which is slightly shorter than the typical 64.8 cm. However, this decrease is significant because the touch is more pleasant and the strings are less rigid than on other guitars. Since the nut is 43 mm wide, the neck is relatively thin and comfortable to hold.

The displacement through the mast is more gentle and dynamic thanks to its comfort. The same is true for certain techniques, like bending, since they don't call for a lot of strength to stretch the ropes. It is also simple to achieve the overtones by tapping; by lightly hammering the strings, the overtones jump like trapeze artists from Cirque du Soleil.

Now, the weight of this Takamine acoustic guitar is heavier than the cheaper series. The solid spruce top contributes to the overall weight of 3.18 kg of the instrument. But given that the materials are better quality and more resilient, this must be the case.

Sound:

At first, this guitar gives the impression of having a tense, rigid sound. However, this is a result of the factory strings, when using the 010 Elixir strings that we advised earlier, everything completely changes. The sound produced by these strings has a strong sustain and a powerful gain. However, it is also round, full of warmth, and has beautiful harmonics.

The sound will have a good amount of reverb if you play phrases on the first five frets, but as you move to frets six through 20, the reverb becomes incredibly loud. The forced or tapped harmonics project quite well, and the sustain seems to have an intense padding effect, making strumming a blast.

This Takamine electro-acoustic guitar comes with an upgraded version of the TP-4T preamp: the TP4TD. It has the same frequency response as the TP4T (bass response at 60 Hz range +-9 dB, midrange at 600 Hz +- 10 dB, and brightness at 10 kHz +- 11 dB). It has a 450 mV output and a 9 V battery as well.

But the double signal that the TP4TD produces is where the difference is. That is, instead of a single microphone like the one in the previous version, it is a humbucker type. Since everything is multiplied by two with this change, the sound response is much more consistent, powerful, and present.

Conclusion:

This is a great musical instrument because it has mid-range features at the price of a low/mid-range guitar. Andy Mckee, Tobias Rauscher, and Alexandr Misko-style fingerstyle can be played with this instrument thanks to its excellent sound. We advise it to players who are just starting or who are intermediate and want to try something new. Price of Takamine G Series? Find the best prices at thomann.

The Takamine G Series GJ72CE-NAT is one of the best-selling guitars from this manufacturer. Although it is not high-end, but it has features that give the impression that it is. We adore it for its strength, aesthetics, fantastic sound, and many other qualities, which we will list for you in this review.

Timber:

It has a solid spruce top with uneven lines, unlike the spruce used on the Takamine GD30CE-N. Although these imperfections are generally undesirable, the other woods used in this guitar allow them to produce a good result. You can be confident in this spruce's hardness and acoustic capacity because of its continued good strength, bending, and elasticity characteristics.

With the same imperfections as the spruce on the top, the sides and back are made of figured maple. The lines have a wavelike appearance similar to sea waves, but they have a distinct and effective acoustic capability.

The neck is made of maple, which has a harder texture than ovangkol but a much better vibration. The laurel wood fingerboard, which also has lovely binding details, makes up for the lower resistance of maple.

The bridge is also made of laurel. And despite the fact that the Takamine guitar manufacturer does not specify what kind of laurel it is, we can infer from its colour and weave pattern that it is cordia alliodora. This wood is comparable in tensile strength to Nazarene wood, also known as purpleheart, which is among the world's densest and hardest woods.

Design:

This Takamine jumbo-sized electro-acoustic guitar is in the purest American style. Like its other companions on this list, it has a cutaway that makes it easier to access the last frets, and it also uses Takamine's patented quartersawn radial cut ‘X' bracing for improved strength.

The guitar has 21 jumbo-sized, chrome-plated, alpaca frets. The tuning keys are gold-plated with white knobs, a rosette and abalone inlays. This material is the shell of oysters and therefore provides a better acoustic response as it is a bony material. Finally, it has a natural finish with a glossy top that reveals all the beauty of the woods.

Ergonomics:

The Takamine G Series J72CE-NAT weighs 4.1 kg in total, making it a large and hefty guitar. 51 cm is the length of the body, 10 cm is its depth, 28 cm is its top, and 49 cm is its bottom.

Although it's a jumbo guitar, Takamine designers like to experiment with scale lengths. This one is 64.4 cm, which is 0.4 mm shorter than usual. The force needed to play changes due to this slight variation, which results in the hard, strong sound of this guitar that emphasises the high frequencies.

On the other hand, the touch is quite stiff; to avoid discomfort, both chords and phrases need to be played by a skilled musician. Beginners will have everything figured out in a few days, but it will take daily practice for a few hours. However, everything will be simpler if you switch the strings to 010 Elixir.

Sound:

This guitar has excellent sustain and power. However, it also packs a punch reminiscent of blues and country music. Western-style arpeggios give off a powerful but melancholy sound that is reminiscent of Johnny Cash's song “Hurt.” She is dynamic and explosive enough to play bluegrass in the vein of Tony Rice, though.

The TK-40D series preamplifier system has a dual microphone, a 9 V battery, and a 200 mV output. Additionally, it has two switches for the midrange and three faders for the brightness, midrange, and bass to represent the five frequency bands.

You can experiment with equalisation options until you find the sound you like the most. This preamplifier features a chromatic tuner with a 0.01% error rate and frequency ranges of C1 to 32,703 Hz and B7 to 3951.07 Hz.

Conclusion:

We adore it because it is one of the rare guitars which offers more capabilities than its price seems to indicate. It has a sturdy construction and lovely aesthetic details, including gold-plated hardware and extremely accurate tuning keys.

Reviews of Takamine guitars are why we suggest it for musicians of all skill levels and experience levels because it is ideal for them all. Find the best Takamine G Series at thomann.

Best guitars for intermediate guitarists

The Takamine EF341SC guitar has high-end features and an almost unbeatable sound. In addition to its impressive features and sound quality, its price is also quite reasonable.

Timber:

This Takamine electro-acoustic guitar's top is made of solid cedar, one of our preferred woods for tops. Similar to spruce in density, this wood has a lower bending strength of 470 kg/cm2 and an elasticity of 91 kg/cm2.

It is more susceptible to vibrations due to this difference in flexion and elasticity, which results in a stronger sound response. In this sense, cedar responds to low, medium, and high frequencies in an equal manner, so the guitarist's technique determines how the nuances vary.

The sides and back are made of laminated maple, which has a slightly higher density than cedar and vibrates less. It leans more heavily toward the middle frequencies though. Because of this, we use strings with mixed tension, like Daddario EXL120BT Balanced Tension Super Light (09-40).

The most common and frequently recommended wood for parts, rosewood, is used for the fingerboard and bridge. Even though we prefer purpleheart for the bridge and fingerboard.

Design:

The body design is of the dreadnought type with approximate measurements of 53 cm long, 10 cm deep, 29 cm at the top and 39 cm at the bottom. The top cutaway must be taken into account and subtracted, though.

This is a “Bruce Springsteen” Signature model that aspires to imitate the traits and musical style of the legendary performer who is not just known as “The Boss.” It has mother-of-pearl inlays in the shape of “snowflake” points for aesthetic purposes. Twenty medium-sized frets and twenty high-precision tuning keys are part of the chrome-plated hardware.

The Takamine CT4B series of guitars' preamp system has an integrated chromatic tuner and allows the frequency range to be adjusted to be different from 440Hz. Additionally, it has a mute setting so you can tune while performing live without unplugging the guitar.

Finally, the guitar comes in black with a high gloss finish and D'addario EXP16 stringing. To ensure the safety of your purchase, it comes with a hard case.

Ergonomics:

Its scale measures 64.4 cm, just like the jumbo guitar previously mentioned. However, in this instance, it is a dreadnought, albeit 4.3 kg is heavy. When held in the hands of a skilled guitarist, the 3.8 mm string height relative to the 12th fret improves the feel of the instrument.

The impressive feel of this guitar makes it a great choice for folk, bluegrass, country, and traditional blues music. Jazz lines and quick blues & rock riffs can both be played while maintaining excellent string comfort. They all feel great, including tapping and forced harmonics.

Sound:

The sound of Takamine EF341SC guitars is extremely pure. They have a great low-frequency presence, so it won't be difficult to replicate the bluegrass and Johnny Cash sounds. Although southern neo-country artists like Alan Jackson and others are the genre that best suits them.

There is a lot of emotion and passion in the sound of this guitar, and the strumming is strong and impressively warm. However, because of its adaptability, you can perform the loudest bluegrass riffs and it will blend in. Any of the frets' phrases have a rounded sustain, and bending and tapping techniques feel great.

The Takamine electro-acoustic guitar has a CT4B II preamp. It is set up to provide three equalisation bands with 0 to -5 dB and 0 to +5 dB ranges. This will allow you to extract the most authentic and natural sound possible from the instrument.

It also has a built-in chromatic tuner, a master volume control, a mute switch, and other features that allow you to tune without disturbing the band.

Conclusion:

This Takamine guitar is one of the best because it fulfils all the criteria for excellence. With a unique, sincere, round, and powerful sound, you can join the band and become the next cowboy. We, therefore, suggest it to anyone seeking the most authentic southern country sound. Interested? Find the best prices for thomann at this link.

The Takamine P3DC electroacoustic guitar is mid-priced despite having high-end finishes. The sound is firm and round, which complements the aesthetics. Here is what makes it sound so contemporary.

Timber:

Takamine chose solid cedar for the top of this guitar. We prefer this wood the most because it offers a stable sound across all frequencies and doesn't have any inclinations toward bass, mids, or brightness. Although it is one of the most flexible woods, we must acknowledge that sometimes certain compromises are necessary for sound quality.

Sapele, a wood with a density of nearly 700 kg/cm3, is used for the sides and back and is regarded as a hardwood because of this. Its compressive strength is 600 kg/cm3, and its elasticity is 120,000 kg/cm3. This merely serves to highlight its high resistance and low vibration.

The most popular wood for these parts is rosewood, which is used for the headstock and fingerboard. Mahogany was used to make the neck, which benefits stability but detracts from harmonics. For the time being, we can state that this guitar has few vibrations but is resilient and acoustically stable.

Design:

The approximate dimensions of these Takamine guitars, which have dreadnought bodies with cutaways, are 53 cm long, 10 cm deep, 29 cm at the top, and 39 cm at the back. The most typical acoustic guitar standard is this one.

The 21 frets are nickel-plated, while the hardware on the deluxe Takamine-style tuning keys is gold-coloured. The built-in bone nut and the inlays that resemble dots are some interesting aesthetic details.

Its natural colour has a matte finish. It also comes with a hard case and a Daddario EXP16 string, which we advise switching out for a 010 gauge once more.

Ergonomics:

Its 4.7 kg weight qualifies it as a heavy guitar. Due to the density of its wood, the sound absorption is somewhat diminished, which may not be to everyone's taste. The scale length is 64.4 cm, and the string height is 4 mm concerning the 12th fret, indicating some degree of hardness. This is because it is a guitar made for folk and contemporary bluegrass.

Although it is very much to the liking of guitarists who are looking for a bright and powerful sound, the touch on any of the frets is not the one we prefer. It's not the simplest thing to tap harmonics, and techniques like bending have a certain degree of difficulty. Because of this, we categorise it as a medicinal guitar for players who lack certain skills in the more difficult fingerstyle techniques.

Sound:

The volume and loud gain that these Takamine guitars' strumming emits is what we like about them the most. With this instrument, songs like Guitar Boogie work beautifully. And only a high level of technical proficiency will prevent you from imitating Tommy Emmanuel's sound.

Although there is an excellent sonorous transition between the bass and middle strings, bright sounds predominate. The transition between the basses and the treble notes is also very gentle and pleasant if you're looking for the highest notes.

The absence of harmonics is one element that is disadvantageous to us. We adore them, but this guitar lacks the atmospheric rain that harmonics produce. Now, because of the aggressive punch this guitar packs, guitarists looking to play in the more contemporary folk and blues style will adore it.

This is the Takamine CT4B II series preamplifier if that makes any difference. Its features capture the acoustic guitar's crisp, clear sound and transmit it as accurately as possible. You can experiment with the nuances and create richer sounds using the EQ faders. The restrictions placed on you by the harmonics, however, will entirely depend on how well you understand them.

Conclusion:

This guitar is for professionals who want a strong, bright sound while also having a high level of technical proficiency. As a guitar that serves as a bridge to the high end, the Takamine P3DC will demand a high level of control over the player's sonic expressions.

Takamine designed the ideal guitar for you if you enjoy a contemporary, bright sound and high technical demands. Interested? Find the best prices for thomann at this link.

An EF360GF Glenn Frey's signature guitar costs a lot of money and has a dull sound. How its woods are set up takes away from rather it than adds to its melody. But first, let's examine this guitar to determine what is wrong with it.

Timber:

Though it is not the one we value most, the solid spruce top is a good option. Although this wood is more durable than maple and cedar, it lacks the balance that we look for at culturasonora.

The bass's neck is made of mahogany, which could give the instrument some presence. I mean, come on! It is situated on the neck and has limited influence over the instrument's sonority.

Rosewood is used for the remainder of the body, including the sides, back, fingerboard, and bridge. This is incorrect because rosewood has a low sound capacity and is one of the hardest woods in existence.

All this means that we are dealing with a very resistant guitar, but with very little nuance and sonorous capacity.

Design:

These Takamine instruments are from the Artist series and were designed at Glenn Frey's request (you probably have guessed why we don't like him!). The dreadnought-style body has dimensions of roughly 53 cm in length, 10 cm in depth, 28 cm at the top, and 40 cm at the bottom.

The concentric ring rosette and MOP Dot inlays are two appealing design features of these Takamine guitars. Additionally, the wood's natural colour is lovely and displays its beauty.

The Takamine CT4B II preamplifier made the incorrect choice, though. Even if this preamplifier is excellent, there is nothing to be done if the wood does not offer complex sonic nuances. The fact that manufacturers include a hard case to safeguard your instrument is also appreciated.

Ergonomics:

The ergonomics of this guitar similarly support its aesthetic features. Yes, the guitar weighs a little over five kilogrammes due to the amount of wood used. The scale, however, is perfect, measuring 64.4 cm and 3.9 mm high between the E bass string and the 12th fret and 3.8 mm between the E treble string and the fret.

We like the touch because the chords don't need to be very strong, and the phrases also don't need to be very strong. The arpeggios are soft and comfortable for the first seven frets, and from the eighth fret, everything gets better. It is equally smooth when bent, the acoustic guitar's most popular playing style. The most prized fingerstyle move is tapping, which is equally comfortable.

Sound:

Although the maintenance is as normal as a guitar can be, it has a good volume. The sound effect is also very subpar for a guitar in this price range, as it ought to be enormous.

The major errors are the harmonics. The sound is thin in the strumming and the phrases, much worse in the bendings, and embarrassingly dry in the tapping.

Nevertheless, references to the amplifier attest to its excellence. But this proposal doesn't help and worsens the situation. Only the natural sound of the woods is amplified by this preamplifier, which as we have already mentioned is not very good.

You can now find many positive testimonials and purchaser ratings of five stars. Just keep in mind that the majority of buyers are British, and they enjoy that sound.

But because we Spanish created the guitar, we love its sonority, overflowing vibrations, engulfing harmonics, and rich nuances. None of these is present in this guitar.

Conclusion:

This guitar has exquisite aesthetics and the best possible feel. However, it is unnecessary and the woods are completely the wrong choice. Therefore, we only suggest it if you enjoy the arid, harmonic-free sound that the British seem to enjoy.

Find the best prices for thomann at this link.

The best guitars for advanced guitarists

The Takamine guitar is an excellent example of how wood should be selected and combined with preamps. It contains options comparable to the EF360GF Glenn Frey that we recently reviewed. However, we are pleased with this proposal because the few changes made a significant impact. Let's investigate the topic further.

Timber:

The Takamine T-P7DC guitar, like the one we mentioned before it, has a solid spruce top, a very durable wood with a high-quality sound capacity. The sides and back are also made of rosewood, which we don't particularly like, but it works really well with the other woods in this proposal.

The Takamine EF360GF Glenn Frey's neck is made of mahogany. The fingerboard is made of ebony, which has a much higher sonority than rosewood. Although this difference may seem insignificant, it significantly alters sound capability.

Design:

This Takamine electroacoustic guitar has a dreadnought body and a cutaway that is typical of the instruments made by this Japanese company. It is from the Pro series. It has 21 stainless steel frets that are jumbo in size. The tuning keys are gold-coloured and from the Pro Takamine series.

The inlays are made of oyster abalone and shaped like snowflakes, which are among the appealing aesthetic features. We also discover a fantastic bone capo that is 45 mm wide. The guitar also has a gorgeous abalone rosette and a pickguard made of red tortoiseshell.

The wood's natural beauty is highlighted by its finish, which is both natural and extremely glossy. A GC Arch Top series hard case and a set of D'addario EXP16 strings are included with the package; however, we advise switching them out for 010 Elixir strings.

Sound:

Despite using almost identical woods, this guitar's sound is different from that of the EF360GF Glenn Frey. The harmonics are given more clarity and presence, though, by switching the fingerboard to ebony wood.

While the rosewood is almost neutral and merely maintains the spruce's vibrations, it gives the midrange a stronger presence. The mahogany is now trying to improve the low frequencies, and the ebony fingerboard is trying to improve the brightness and harmonics.

This Takamine guitar's Ctp-3 Cooltube preamp is its standout feature. This is the only example of its kind and is nothing more than a tube preamplifier. The frequencies are balanced and the harmonic response is improved by the tubes, preventing any peaking or jumping that would detract from the sound.

It has a knob to adjust all frequencies between 250 Hz and 5kHz, an additional gain switch, and a fader for more sustain. It has two knobs: one to add additional mid-frequency ranges, and the other to lessen feedback. Additionally, it has a built-in digital tuner. Takamine chose the RCA-type cable for stereo connectivity, despite its apparent antiquity.

Conclusion:

You've come to the right place if you're looking for a guitar that works well for both performing live and recording in a studio. Each one of its features shouts out how great, lovely, and high-quality the sound is which distinguishes this Takamine guitar from others. Find the best prices at thomann.

Finally, don't forget that you can find the best reviews and buying guides at culturasonora. To help you make the best decision, we thoroughly describe the top brands of instruments in these guides guitars, flutes, guitar picks, hang, metronome, drums, etc., and we explain each of their pros and cons so that you can make the best selection.

Technical Characteristics of Takamine Guitars