It's might just be a passing fad, as I didn't like the couple of Takamine guitars I tried many years ago, but I've now become interested in them!
However, the Worldwide website is difficult to navigate in that there are millions of guitars listed with strange model names, and no indication of price, or whether or not they're current models. I've looked up a few, and they seem to be discontinued. The website also lists only the most basic of specs (nothing about body dimensions etc).
The UK distributor (Rose Morris) only lists four current models. I've emailed them, but they haven't replied.
My nearest dealer would be a few hundred mile round trip, and they only seem to have a couple of the Japanese guitars, one of which is the 2023 Limited Edition, which is also one of the four models listed by Rose Morris.
I phoned a dealer in the south today, as they had one particular model listed as 'Pre order'. The person I spoke to was extremely brusque, and I didn't feel they were willing to talk Takamine!
I'm just curious - are Takamine guitars no longer fashionable, and is availability of the Japanese guitars in the UK really as poor as it appears to be?
I suppose I'm interested in them because of their pickup systems, as a few people have mentioned they can sound quite natural when played through a PA (and moving a bit of air). I don't play live, but I always think there's a possibility I might hit the streets and do some busking! The Japanese guitars seem to be well made, and have a robust neck joint, plus a finish which might hold up well to temperature swings etc. I know some have narrow nut widths, but not all. I suppose I'd have to try one to know whether or not their necks are okay for me. I was thinking about buying one mail-order, but that's not possible if they're not in stock! I suppose the other thing I'm unsure about is the tone... I've listed to a handful of Youtube videos, and can't really tell how they sound - I'm left wondering if they're a bit bland. Again, I'd only know that by playing them and experiencing how they feel, respond, and sound.
Comments
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Now to be a Taylor dealer, you have to carry a lot of stock, you never see a shop with just two or three Taylors, I suspect they have a list of about 15 models which all Taylor dealers must carry all the time. If you are not prepared to do that, Taylor won't sell to you. (The pattern is too consistent to explain otherwise.) The result is that if you walk into a shop which has a 2 Series Taylor, you'll also see a Baby, and a 314, at least four or five high-end models, and so on.
Gibson have tried to enforce something similar recently, with the result that quite a few shops which have traditionally carried Gibson have said "Nope. I'm happy to carry three or four of the ones that sell but I'm not stocking all that dead wood. There are other brands. Bye." So now I'm seeing a number of the best and biggest acoustic dealers not bothering to carry Gibson. (Which as far as I'm concerned is a good thing, they have more room for nicer guitars from other makers.)
But with Takamine, it's different. Shops either carry a handful, if that, of the low to mid-range, or they are wall to wall Takamine with very little other stock at all.
None of the places I go to or can easily get to are the wall-to-wall Takamine dealers, so I have not played as many examples as I'd like to have done.
It is weird how Takamine - pretty much alone of all the major makers - have stuck to their tiny 42.5mm nuts. I have quite often had a lust attack over a given Takamine model, decided I'll drive to Sydney or Adelaide or whatever damn place has the thing in stock and try it out, only to read the fine print and discover that the neck will be crazy-small and quite unplayable.
Thankfully, they do also make guitars with a standard 44.5mm nut, but you have to hunt around for them.
Having sold given away my ancient plywood Yamaha 12-string, I no longer have any Japanese-made guitars. I'm not so keen on Yamaha because all their top-end stuff is spruce and rosewood and who needs yet another bloody rosewood instrument? I like guitars with interesting tones, not same-old, same-old. There aren't too many other Japanese makers left A week or two ago I saw a lovely looking Takamine advertised, cedar top over ... um .. I think it was Sapele, 44.5mm nut, OM sized, no cutaway. Right down my alley! Unfortunately, I'm on 200% of my one-guitar-a-year budget already with a Brook on order for next year, so it's next stop 2025 for me.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
To be honest, it has long seemed to me that their distribution in this country has been patchy. So far as I can see, it's been this way for a couple of decades.
I am something of a convert, as I have had a pure acoustic Tak- yes, I know that they are well known for their electros- for almost 20 years. Lovely thing.
they were "the" go to for bands wanting a plugged in (horrid over compressed piezo sound) acoustic - at least that's my memory of them
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
If you unleash your inner Eko and build something as solid as the proverbial brick shithouse, it's as responsive as a blow-up plastic doll, but it doesn't feed back, it has no nasty habits, you plug it in to the PA and you are right to go with a great FOH sound right out of the box.
OK, it's not as simple as all that, but there is a trade-off. My Mineur, for example, would be an absolute prick of a thing to set up for live gigs at band volumes, just about impossible. But in a quiet room it's the sweetest little fingerpicker you could ask for. Horses for courses.
They probably still do a line in those rather more generic models. However, the NEX series guitars are lovely, and the one I mentioned above is a dreadnought with lots of richness and subtlety.
It does help a lot that the japanese models are a) generally very well built and b) take some interesting chances with woods and combinations of wood. Cedar, for example, has long been a staple of the Tak lineup for tops. My guitar has a cedar top and rosewood back and sides. Plenty of low end 'punch' rather than 'thump' when strummed hard, and very mellow when finger picking.
Edit- re-reading that, I'm not sure I've distinguished very well between a thump and a punch!!! Let's drop the figurative language and just say it is less boomy- still very loud in the lower frequencies- but not overwhelmingly so.
Might be worth getting in touch with them directly: https://www.takamine.co.uk/pages/support
Feedback thread: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/3575378
After my 20 yr old Tanglewood which i gifted to a local homeless lad as his was stolen, it's great..
I only play at home for me so I don't care about anything else..but putting it through my Boss Katana set on acoustic it's great sounding love it..
It does say made in China which I didn't expect to see...but seems OK for the price. And I always wanted a Takamine so I now have one
I've been told they have a good pickup system, but sound better plugged in.
Anecdotal so who knows. Always liked the look of them.