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Are you looking to expand your ever widening knowledge of the acoustic guitar market? Are you looking to get to know one of today’s most esteemed and noteworthy brands a little bit better? Are you even in the market for a new guitar? Do you need a pointer in the right direction?
Then we are here to help, for today we will be detailing 5 of the best offerings from prestigious guitar manufacturer Takamine, ranging from the most affordable to the most expensive, with quality and wholeness threaded constantly throughout each offering.
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Takamine GN93CE | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | Buy Takamine GN93CE | |
 | Takamine GN77KCE | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | Buy Takamine GN77KCE | |
 | Takamine EF341SC Pro Series | Prime | Buy Now | Buy Takamine EF341SC Pro Series | |
 | Takamine GD30CE | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | Buy Takamine GD30CE | |
 | Takamine GD11MCE | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | Buy Takamine GD11MCE |
The Takamine Story
In their own words:
‘For more than half a century, Takamine has proudly dedicated itself to the art of fine guitar craftsmanship.
‘Its longstanding devotion to innovation and continual improvement has placed it among the world’s premier acoustic guitar makers, with truly fine instruments that are the first choice of performing guitarists worldwide.
‘With humble beginnings in 1959 as a small family-run guitar shop nestled at the foot of Mount Takamine in the central Japanese town of Sakashita, the fledgling company took the mountain’s name in 1962 and began in earnest the journey that led to the phenomenal success that is the modern Takamine company.’
The Best Range of Guitar Takamine Offer
As one of the most prestigious acoustic guitar manufacturers on the market today, it can be hard to know where to start with Takamine guitars; but fear not, for we have prepared this handy guide to the five best examples of a Takamine guitar available to you today. Any guitarist ought to be looking for a vessel that will make playing guitar a comfortable and enjoyable experience, and a Takamine is going to offer the user these vital qualities in spades (and then some).
1. Takamine GN93CE
This cutaway vessel from the wizards over at Takamine will allow you to comfortably mount Takamine on your leg, no questions asked. It is a comfortable and light machine made of solid spruce top wood, amply able to conduct the requisite vibrations.
This guitar will be perfect for intermediate players who are looking for a guitar with a build quality that is a little higher, one that is going to be better able to accommodate playing styles where the guitar will be set up differently frequently, such as folk genres wherein the tuning is regularly changed between songs and the like.
Contrary to the amount you can get out of a guitar like this, it is not one of those expensive guitars that are more brawn over brains. This guitar is a workhorse, pure and simple, and will be able to take just about anything you can throw at it, with smooth playability that belies a rock solid foundation at its heart.
Pro’s
- Nuanced tonal character, with a loud and versatile sound palette that is able to project boldly forth in almost any ambient environment.
- The electro acoustic elements are more than up to the task of any regularly performing musician, powerful with a filter circuit, honestly working better than some electric guitars.
- Incredibly comfortable to play, regardless of the relative settings involved.
Con’s
- There is a belief that Chinese manufacturing is cheaper because it involves poor quality control and regulatory standards, though this can often be western propaganda.
2. Takamine GN77KCE
Another beautifully named offering from Takamine, which in this instance is slightly pricier than the previous offering. This likely comes as a result of the laminate koa wood atop the body of the guitar, promising a whole and purposeful transference of vibrations from string to body to the world outside, ensuring that the resulting tones are warm and mellow sounding.
The aesthetic qualities of this guitar are particularly of note, boasting a warm and tawny top that looks almost looks as though it has been aged by the sands of time, and yet it is brand new, awaiting age as imbued by your own adventurous fingers.
The cutaway body, much like the previous offering, is agape, allowing for easy access to the upper echelons of the guitar’s pitch range with relative ease and comfort.
Pro’s
- Anyone who is in want or need of a guitar that is objectively more beautiful than the rest ought to consider leaning this way.
- The tone is satisfyingly warm and mellow, offering an alternative to some of the more harsh and bright tonal offerings of some other guitars at this price, with a tonal spectrum that is arguably more whole as a result.
- The wood feels as pert as it looks, with high quality materials that are going to do any user a good service.
Con’s
- Perhaps not quite as resonant as some other guitars, nor perhaps as warm as some other tonewoods might be able to achieve.
- The steeper price point seems far more centric on the visual and aesthetic qualities than any of the tonal characteristics.
3. Takamine EF341SC Pro Series
At over a thousand dollars, this will no doubt be one of the more outrageous additions to this list, though one that is well worth the investment long term; a guitar like this is more or less a guitar for life. The solid cedar body top is sublime and sturdy, resonant almost to a fault – a fine answer for what is the best wood for acoustic guitars.
Guitars like this make it rather clear why Takamine guitars are one of the first choices for artists like Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Their near constant touring schedule render it utterly vital to use equipment and instruments that are dependable and able to get the job done without any hesitation. Bruce Springsteen himself is getting on a bit, and so ‘The Boss’ does not need any more worry and aggravation.
Pro’s
- The design is strong with an utterly dependable build quality, though still boasting a minimalist and inoffensive design that would not look out of place on any stage (or in any living space come to think of it).
- The resulting tone from the guitar as reflected in its acoustic environment and as amplified through the attached preamplifier is full and whole, with a clear and bright tonal end.
- The craftsmanship is to be fawned over and worshipped, sublime on all fronts.
Con’s
- Granted, the price is rather extortionate, but this is more or less going to be the kind of guitar that one keeps for life, or at least for a considerable amount of time.
4. Takamine GD30CE
Next up, we have an offering that looks almost alarmingly like the previous, though at a far lower price point. On paper, this ought to be an exemplary vessel, and while it does certainly hold its own in this price range, it is somewhat lacking in a lot of the features of what made the previous Takamine guitar so great, making this an apposite choice for those looking for a quality guitar on more of a budget.
The solid spruce on the top of the guitar is an ample conduit for the string’s vibrations, so there will be no trouble there. Likewise, the dreadnought is a classic and much trusted guitar body shape that allows for easy access to those all too attractive upper notes of the guitar that seem to magnetize towards them novice guitarists like a moth to lamplight on the edge of the frontier.
Pro’s
- For the price, the tonal result is whole, warm, and round, offering a full bodied sound that will befit many stylistic contexts.
- Amazing electro acoustic aspects, especially considering the price demographic that this guitar is aimed towards.
- The pinless bridge, in comparison to the usual pinned bridge, means that the changing of strings or modifying of intonation at the bridge level is far easier and more convenient – something an Esteban guitar could do with heeding.
Con’s
- The setup out of the box as enacted by the Takamine factory can be a little unreliable, sometimes good and sometimes bad.
- The tonal result, though full enough, can also be a little too reliant on mid range frequencies at points.
5. Takamine GD11MCE
Finally, on this list of the best Takamine guitars on the market today, we have an offering that is ideally best suited to those not looking for a specialist instrument, someone who is just starting out as a student of the guitar and / or someone who is looking to fit a child out with an instrument that is going to get the job done and not so much more.
Considering the price point, one might expect a guitar with a solid top, so the fact that it indeed does not include one is kind of disappointing, though the mahogany that it is fitted with more than does the job of sending forth those vibrations in a tasteful way.
However, in comparison to some other similarly priced guitars of the time, the tuners are remarkably well suited for the job, smoothly holding tune and setting a precedent for a beginner guitarist to cherish stable tuning forevermore.
Pro’s
- Considering the price, you are getting an incredible amount for your money; a reliable steed that is more than likely to last any beginner guitarist until they are technically and financially ready to upgrade.
- The sound is impressive and full, especially when considering the reasonable price point – truly a tonal response to be proud of and to stand by.
- As mentioned, the tuners are remarkably solid in comparison to other similarly priced guitars in this area of the market.
Con’s
- The top of the guitar is not made from a solid wood, which would other wise conduct vibrations in a far fuller and more satisfying way.
Final Tones
So, there you have it! Hopefully you are now feeling at least somewhat the wiser about the various in’s and out’s of the Takamine company – what makes them so gloriously affordable and yet reliable – as well as about the range of some of their best offerings on the guitar market today.
Perhaps you are even feeling more inclined to purchase one of these fine vessels yourself, whether or not you were initially intending to purchase a new guitar. Apologies in advance if you are about to make a financial commitment!
FAQs About Takamine Guitars
This is a matter of much contention and debate, though the general consensus is that, yes, Takamine guitars are indeed good. They tend to be sold at a price point that far belies their quality, perhaps in a way that a brand like Gibson does not, the latter of whom boasts a considerable amount of clout in the western world, so much so that the numerous faults that have befallen their guitars in the recent and not so recent past have done little to tard their image and the price which they can command for their products. Takamine guitars are workhorses that get the job done at a fraction of the cost.
Takamine are indeed a Japanese guitar brand and have said as much in their own words ‘For more than half a century, Takamine has proudly dedicated itself to the art of fine guitar craftsmanship.
Its longstanding devotion to innovation and continual improvement has placed it among the world’s premier acoustic guitar makers, with truly fine instruments that are the first choice of performing guitarists worldwide.With humble beginnings in 1959 as a small family-run guitar shop nestled at the foot of Mount Takamine in the central Japanese town of Sakashita, the fledgling company took the mountain’s name in 1962 and began in earnest the journey that led to the phenomenal success that is the modern Takamine company.’
Many artists from across the ages have used Takamine guitars to devastating effect, with more and more increasingly veering that way now that they have slowly garnered a name for themselves over the years. Arguably one of the most notable users of Takamine guitars is Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Their grueling touring schedule makes the use of substandard and unworthy equipment a categorical impossibility, so an endorsement in this way ensures their strength and legacy.
Indeed, they are designed and built in Japan to the ‘most uncompromising of standards’ apparently. Tonewoods are selected with care, neck profiles are hand shaped, and the construction is all solid with plenty of subtle details that set a Takamine guitar apart from the rest. Their Japanese heritage is something they are immensely proud of, to the point where even their name comes from one of the mountains that are local to them, constructing and designing all of their guitars at the foot of Mount Takamine in the central Japanese town of Sakashita, taking the mountain’s name for a ride in 1962 that never quite came home.
