Any comments about Takamine? Other than Jon Bon Jovi uses them?

they have a good reputation – pretty consistent quality wise etc

not the most exciting brand in the world, but I would have no problem owning one

My advice is always the same, go to a guitar shop and play lots of guitars within your budget. Ignore the brands and the guitar will find you!

tyger + 1

so much depends on the sound you want, how the neck suits your hand, how balanced the guitar physically feels to you on the strap – in fact a whole load of variables that you’ll only know by a test drive.

Thanks, chatting to a bloke selling one, and he said the name like I should be impressed. I’ve never heard of them

What Tyger says^^^^^ +1

I’ve ended up buying a guitar different from what I set out to buy. And it’s still easily the best ‘playing’ one I have.

Thanks, chatting to a bloke selling one, and he said the name like I should be impressed. I’ve never heard of them

I don’t have a lot of positive experiences from music shop dealings. Patronising, sneering and a general sense that you should be buying what the shop recommends as you obviously know nothing, seems to be the norm.

Stay strong and buy the guitar that you want to buy not the guitar that they want to sell you.

What Tyger says +1

I ended up with a Cruiser guitar. Not what I was looking for at all but it felt far better than some expensive ones I tried and sounded really good. The money I saved I later spent on a few nice additions like pick-ups and hardware. As long as it feels good and comfortable, the name really doesn’t matter.

Trailmonkey it’s second hand. If I went anywhere near a guitar shop I’d never get out alive.

I had a takamine 6 string it was very nice, which model is it and how much is he after for it?

check out harmony central for reviews – some cheaper brands get good reviews – modern manufacturing at a guess, but there’s some “avoid like the plague”s and some good brands with crap models, or sounds rubbish in the shop but stick new strings on and it’s a gem

Worthwise guitars hold their value, if its solid wood (as opposed to a laminate) it would probly sell on ebay for 60-75% of rrp

I found some guitars have too skinny a neck for my big fingers. Definitely try before you buy to find what suits you

Tim it’s an EF300. He wants £500. I think it may be a dreadnaught so it may be a non starter anyway.

This one, retails for about £650

I had one for a few years, very easy to play, quite narrow neck and sounded good amplified – many bands use as the pick up system is very consistent

By the looks if it is a dreadnought ( why does that rule it out btw?)

I found one new online at £759 with a case.

It looks nice, has a solid spruce top, worth is very much dependant on how it plays and what its condition is.

You can pick up some bargains on ebay if you take your time and £500 gets a lot of guitar, i was really lucky and got a guy to end an auction early, for a mahogany martin for £500, i could probably sell for a lot more….

Make sure you go pick it up though, i had an ibanez 12string delivered today the seller wrapped it in one bit of bubble wrap and sellotape!!!

Its fine but its a miracle.

I have one Takamine and have played quite a few

I find them consistantly nice and I like the ‘brand’ sound

Usally more rounded than something tinkly like taylor in my experience

What tyger said. The right guitar is out there waiting for you and it will find you. My BC Rich bass and I enjoyed a fantastic time together when I played in a band. I still keep it close to hand.

Tim, Bobba thanks guys. He’s a mate of a mate and knows I’m looking for a better guitar than the Yahama I’ve got you know how it is right? Its hard to say no. Tim, I’m only 5’3, dreadnoughts are mostly too big

Old man has hinted some of my 21st money may be available for Xmas for this. I think i’ll try it tomorrow see what it’s like. I just wanted some opinions and there are some knowledgable guys on here

Plumber I like a ‘bright’ sound. Could you give more idea of what they’re like?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7Nc6_l7-JQ&feature=related[/video]

Kristin Hersh playing a similar Takamine, she’s quite wee, about 5’3″, this should give you an idea of size

Emsz

Depends what youve heard or played

I have found the Takemine ‘sound’ to be much more ‘plumby’ and full bodied than say Yamaha

I personally find the likes of Taylor and L’arrive too zingy for my ears

and Martins way too dull and ‘bashy’

I’m talking about brand ‘sound’ as different constructions which will give a different sound within the brand

Hope that makes sense

If I were buying a steel string acoustic around £500 for myself I’d certainly be looking at a Takemine but as mentioned above if you have time and inclination then you should try others too

Plumb

Boba you’re lush *kisses*

That sounds quite nice, hmmmmmm might not be a waste of time after all

I played an ef300 a few weeks back, it’s a bargain for 500 quid, however if you’re used to a parlour(ish) size Yamaha. it isn’t particularly bright sounding unless you strum quite hard to drive the huge soundboard and box and and pick quite hard for finger picking and clawhammer stuff. and it is big, but fret access right up the neck is pretty good for what it is.

If you play mostly chords and rhythms it’s great, for picking lines runs, not quite so great but still a bloody good guitar for the money. Depends on how you like to play really.

Hope that helps 🙂

Plumb I think Martin’s sound a bit flat as well (was a cheap one though). I’ve not heard of l’arrive. I quite like the idea of zingy though.

Schroedingerscat (can I call you cat from now on? LOL) I pick mostly ( dull angsty, think Smoke Faries) I’ve even been know to use a slide

Zingy = Taylor (and new strings) in my head

IMHO of course

Boba you’re lush *kisses*

😳

Kristin Hersh is one of my favourite artists, and I hate to say it, but i tend to gravitate towards what my favourite arists play

Every guitar is different, the best advice I got was go to a shop wit a budget in mind, play a few, whatever is comfortable to play and gives you the sound you want is the guitar for you, don’t just go with the most popular choice.

I like something that sounds a little more, what’s the word, zingy…..last time i played a takamine it had that quality I was looking for, Martin’s for me are like Taylors, they’re famous names because they’re banded around by famous players…..thing is, they generally get them for free

Edit: i never read half those posts, but we all used the word zingy…..weird

yeah you can call me cat:), If you mostly pick, I’d certainly suggest you have a good play with it, I liked it and I don’t have a particularly heavy right hand technique, but it might be worth looking at something with a smaller soundbox thats easier to drive as well.

The ef does have a quite big radius on the neck, so it would probably be pretty good for slide as well, the built in ct4b pre amp is really good and loads of preset settings are available online. 🙂

I wish I’d never sold my Irish Lowden to buy a bike…. 😥

I’ve never been able a to sell a guitar apart from a Rickenbacker 4001 fretless which I’ve no idea why I bought as I don’t even play bass, that’s why I’ve got about fifteen cluttering the place up. Thank god I’m single 🙂

idave my first teacher used a Lowden. He wouldn’t have ever parted with his! I can’t believe you sold yours.

Cat, Boba I’m looking forward to this more than I was earlier 😀 might Still drag dad to town for a ‘browse’ in Hobgoblin as well though

I wish I’d never sold my Irish Lowden to buy a bike

Done the same with a Fender Telecaster 12 years ago for a new zaskar frame and some goodies…..only thing i really regret

I was a mere student, it had been dented in the Lowden factory so I got it cheap, it sounded like nothing else – 20 years on, still gutted. I’ll own one again one day and can vaguely remember where the guy lives who bought it. Who knows…..

I’ve said exactly that about the telecaster, even to the point where I have one picked out

in fact this one

Id not discount martins before you play a decent one, i thought it was jst the name til i played one…

Also bear in mind the wood has a massive effect on the tone, spruce top = bright, mahogany = resonant, lots of sustain.

I like nick drake type pickng so a parlour size 00015ce martin was spot on for me ( im 5,5 parlour = thin body)

Ive not played anything that comes anywhere near it but it was well worn in when i got it.

Frank Black is fond of them, I used to have one but didnt get on with the thin neck, I use an old Framus which is probably the nicest and biggest bargain I have ever bought.

If your interested in slide I have an Osark resonator that I could be persuaded to part with?

I wish I’d never sold my Irish Lowden to buy a bike

i wish id never sold a vintage dobro for £5 30 years ago

MMMMMM. telecasters…..I’ve got a few of them, whoops :

Never been into Fenders much. They just have an air of cheapness (even though they’re not always) about them that I don’t like. Was a Les Paul man til I got my SG, now the LPs feel clunky and heavy.