That guitar was 100% used for the Mexican Sierreno genre of music. The Legacy EF381 and EF341 are the holy grail of guitars and we always put in a bridge doctor device so they are more stable, especially the 12 strings because we put double strings instead of octave strings with less tension.
Putting a bridge doctor on a six string guitar gotta be the most pendejada shit you could do. Best thing to do is reglue the bridge or replace it. Takamines is a good solid brand but Taylors are way better even Martins trust me I have a 12 string Legacy.
This EF341SC you’ve purchased and are reviewing has obviously been neglected and beat up over the years. I have a newer version of this guitar, purchased 5 years ago and I use it in many of my guitar tutorials and covers. It’s been a work horse and sounds fantastic. I don’t humidify the guitar and the neck has never needed to be adjusted. I’d recommend this guitar to anyone looking for a reasonably priced, quality guitar. Just my two cents. Thanks for posting this video.
I think Jeremy is pitching that 'USA better than' Japan trope. A very popular opinion in the States and makes my friend who comes to the USA from the UK to Hoover up Japanese guitars, very happy. Takamine has been the rock acoustic since about 1985 when it took over from Ovation (BTW also distributed by Kramer at that time). They are built to be played through an amp and not like a Martin which may have a pickup and may be OK with an amp. If this was supposed to have a bridge brace as the shop is suggesting don't you think Takamine would build it like that - and double set of strings on a 12 - duh?!
@@ChristopherDowning Jeremy bought a guitar made in 1998. That's what the serial number says. It's well (ab)used instrument, survived one quarter of a century of bashing. What's the exact purpose of this video puzzles me, except that Jeremy doesn't know much about used guitars, and what kind of risks are bought with used guitars.
@@zvonimirtosic6171 I think Jeremy is like many RUclipsrs - makes ok videos but not at all sure he’s any sort of expert. I guess it’s about the USA economy - rich enough to support all sorts of marginal competencies because there’s money flowing around for people to do pretty random jobs and make enough to live on. In the UK I think you’d starve doing what he’s doing.
I almost bought one of these years ago. The fingerprints were gonna drive me nuts, so I ended buying a beautiful Ibanez art wood instead, which was a great guitar for the money, but a terrible investment. I’m pretty sure Springsteen played the ef341 model as well. Kinda still wish I had one.
The best examples ive seen are the Takamine Santa Fe series. Having said that theres a lot of different models and some others are amazing and very popular
I've got one of those Takamine EG341SC's and I guess it's a decent example of one because I really like it. The neck feels a lot like my Gibson Les Paul Standard and it plays just as easily outside of the obvious difference in body size. It's too bad someone butchered the one you purchased for some reason.
Don't sleep on the higher-end ( handmade in Japan ) Takamine guitars...........not for a New York minute. Because they have incredible craftsmanship, tone, volume, and resonance. I know, because I owned & professionally gigged with 3 of them for over a decade. Bought each one of them brand new. But before buying each one, I carefully inspected & played other acoustics made by several of the heavy hitters and within the same price range, if not a little more expensive than the Tak's. Each and every time, I found the Takamine's to be superior........whether played acoustically or plugged in to a PA system. Of course nothing beats well-placed quality microphones.......but the Takamine's onboard electronics ( at least back in the 90's through early 2000's ) were as close as you could get. Fishman and LL Baggs acoustic systems back then sounded far too clean, bassy, and sterile, more like "an electric guitar dialed for clean" on top of that annoying "buzzy piezo" sound. When dialed in properly, the better electronics of the hi-end Tak's sounded much more authentic. Other gigging guitarists in my area also preferred the plugged in sound of my Tak's when compared to their various Fishman's & LL Baggs. Don't plug the Tak's into a guitar amp.......ya need to plug them into a hi-fi.......PA system, in order to get the best recreation of acoustic sound.
I hope to own one of these Takamine guitars someday not doesn’t have to be a a giant cost to sound great - makes me wonder what Jon Bon Jovi paid back in the day. It’s tough to argue with that tone when it’s made millions for Bon Jovi. Who doesn’t recognize it? Laminate or not, I’m pretty sure the masses spoke and continue to do so. 😊
Just bought a shirt on spring . Love your insight on your thoughts on the guitar world still say to this day a genuine model is worth the price tag thanks a heap 🎸🎵🎸
I have no heartaches with Takamine. Have owned 3. I still have the cheapest of the bunch as my camping/beater guitar. The other two were sold on flips until I got enough funds for a Martin.
It honestly sounds pretty good for what it is. I've never owned a Takamine myself, but a couple of my friends have one of their higher end Japanese made guitars. They're very well made, and are some of the best sounding amplified acoustics that I've heard.
Takamine are one of my favourite brands of acoustic guitar. I own a mid range G series made in china and it’s never let me down in the 6 years I’ve owned it.
Takamine is a manufacturer made popular in Japan by the Eagles in the mid-70s. Takamine was a pioneering manufacturer of pickup technology in the world, and Eagles was Takamine's advertising tower. Popular models in Japan include the Glenn Frey model (EF360GF N) and the SANTAFE model. The SANTAFE model can be seen at the Eagles ' 94 Live💿 (Hell Freezes Over)🙇♂️🇯🇵
It should be added that they really got their first notice as supposed Martin "lawsuit" (I believe actually a cease-and-desist letter possibly threatening lawsuit) guitars in the 70s, as virtual clones visually (save for mostly rosewood fretboards) including the controversial combination of headstock shape and script name-style at the top. Those "lawsuit" models are fabulous guitars. Stephen Stills played one of the upper models for awhile in concerts. It should also be noted that not only the Eagles but just about two out of every three--and that may be conservative--country artist out there have/are playing these post-lawsuit years' (~1980 to present) Takamines almost exclusively, most famous among them Garth Brooks' signature model with its guitar-body shaped sound hole. Their use is so prolific, I'm sure it's due to some very co- advantageous corporate-artist deal.
Speaking of shifts, I wore the "Guitars Make Us Better " shirt last week in Ormond Beach, Florida and got many great comments. I was even asked to join the boys jamming at the farmers market. Fun times!
The EF341sc is a fantastic guitar Especially plugged in on stage If it was good enough for John, Bon Jovi, and Bruce Springsteen, then should be good enough for most. I play the exact same make and model in my church and it’s a fantastic beautiful sounding guitar That plays extremely smooth
I have many Takamines all made in Japan. All of them are well built, some sound & play better than others most have solid back and sides, the 60th anniversary one has a laminate. They are ultra reliable and that is probably why they are regularly used in bands. I agree they were good in the 70 & 80’s but they still stand their own against most of the competition, especially for the price as you are not paying a premium for the name. As someone commented earlier, try their Sante Fe model. I have two with this year’s limited edition on order. Please don’t use that one example to judge the Takamine brand. I remember you having a hang up on their brand a few years ago, you didn’t say why at the time.
I’ve been playing Takamine professionally for 25 years now. On stage they are the top dog in the industry. Just like the Shure58. So at the very least, give these STAGE guitars the respect they deserve. BTW Garth Brooks is STILL playing Takamine on stage…
There's tons of Profesional Artist playing Takamines.. Seems like I see a lot of Takamines in Country Music.. The High End Takamines are great guitars!! And not All Takamines come with Laminate B/S.. I'm not a huge fan of on board pickups, ( cutting a hole in a guitar body) but with that being said, Takamines Pre-Amps on their High End Guitars are Incredible!! The CTP-3 Preamp with a Cool Tube, they're really great.. I've been playing for like 20 yrs or so, my first like 2 or 3 years playing I had several High End Takamines and loved them! But then I got my first Gibson ('96 J45) and I've only played Gibsons since. Lol..
Seriously! I am excited this guitar is being delivered to my house in the next two hours! My daughter is also excited to see it! Keep your shirt Jeremy, I appreciate you!!
@@tonym2513 the guitar is far better than I expected. I am a carpenter by trade and if they used the glue I think they did and applied it under pressure the problem isn’t that the bridge will ever come loose, but that you will never be able to get it off without damaging the top. It’s there forever! Again, I have never paid $300 for a guitar that sounds and plays this good. And Jeremy kept his shirt!
Danny is one of the best! He did some work on a Chibson for me back in the day, and did such a good job that some of my guitar buddies said it played better than their Gibsons.
I especially enjoyed your take on personal opinions.. getting locked into a confirmation bias and breaking out is definitely something I'm working on now in my 40s.. I share that, even with takamine and other guitars my dad would "instruct" me as rubbish.. then later trying them and being overwhelmingly impressed. All part of the battle of being stuck in subjectivity while trying to embrace creativity.
Takamine uses epoxy to glue down their bridges, from the get go. So that may not have been a repair. If it was a repair they just used what came on that guitar anyways. Yes, it's crazy but even their more expensive line up have epoxied bridges as opposed to normal glues used in guitar making. RUclips's "twoodfrd" instruments repair put out a video on repairing a lifting bridge on a Takamine like yours, but worth a lot more (@ $1,800.00), and it too used epoxy. The black finish is also very, very thick. The biggest reason the top is bulging though, is that the under bridge pickup they use requires a very large area, of the guitar top and bridge plate, to be removed. That's a lot of the tops strength gone. Just thought I would mention this, since I have seen his video showing what he did to repair that one.
I had a takamine guitar for a few years but sold it a couple years ago. Not because I didn’t like the sound which was okay, but because it was very heavy for some reason, and with the case it was even heavier. It wasn’t not to take with me for gigs. Although the sound wasn’t bad at all. I will probably get another takamine guitar in the future.
Hey! That's a black version of the kind of guitar that I have always talked teen-agers out of buying! Can you just turn that thing into a boat for a Chihuahua? If amplified sound is the key, then try a balanced tension Nickel Bronze set on it.....
What is this 'luthier' on about - bridges designed to fail ? Fail in the event of what? Excessive tension on the strings? Which combined with high relative humidity tends to cause the 'bellying' of the top (warping) to which the ' Bridge Doctor' is designed to compensate for and relieve the excess tension to the top and bridge. I've used a variety of solutions for top bellying, without recourse to using steam or hot irons... a bottle screw (yacht rigging) attached between a wooden fulcrum - similar to that used by the aforementioned 'Bridge Doctor' and the neck block does more or less the same as the wooden 'truss rod' used by the 'Bridge Doctor'. And the tension can be monitored and adjusted easily, because the rigging-screw lies directly within the sound-hole. This guitar clearly has had some environmental issues - too much damp at some point, causing the bridge to lift and likely 'bellying' of the top, hence the fitting the 'Bridge Doctor'. So is the top flat now? He didn't mention anything about that.... And he's worried about removing the bridge? Firstly, for what purpose? To steam the top flat perhaps? On a budget black painted guitar! ? So, some numpty has used an epoxy glue .... Then IF the bridge really needs to be removed/replaced then simply get a mini-router and cut the thing down to the top and replace with another bridge. SIMPLES. In the wash-up - it actually sounded pretty good to my ears - especially given its chequered history, so I just don't get what all the fuss is about and particular the wording of this video's title... Insinuating that this model of Takamine is heap of garbage. Whish is clearly an erroneous assertion to make in a title.... Bordering on 'Click Bait'... I came here in search of reviews - this one video stood out as being possibly the contrary opinion to all the videos that praise the brand or model. Instead I get some Karen worrying about losing the shirt of his back - so you hate losing money eh? Then why pay a luthier to do your repairs? And next time - BE SURE OF WHAT YOUR WASTING YOUR SHIRT MONEY ON.
The EF341SC has been my main acoustic for the last 6 years. Bought it new. Overall, very pleased with it. Plugged in, it’s not “the best” sounding, but it definitely gets the job done and I’ve had no feedback issues with it. Unplugged and/or mic’d I absolutely love it. Great action/playability. That being said I am looking to replace it as my #1 with either a Gibson or a Guild with Rosewood back & sides. But at its price point the Takamine definitely holds it’s own.
I had one (well still sort of have) of the "lawsuit" Takamine from the early 70s. This was the one that looked almost exactly like a Martin D-28, down to the style of script on the logo on the headstock. It had already survived heat stress and a "slip block" neck reset that didn't take well. It too had the bridge lift up and I installed one of those JLD Bridge Doctors and it went even more poorly. I didn't drill a pilot hole and split the rosewood bridge. In all fairness it was already 40 years old by that point. I tried to pry the bridge up with heat and a spatual but it had a laminated spruce top and some of the fibers from the top lamination came up with the bridge. By that point I decided "why not replace the top?" and went about disassembling it - which went poorly. I pulled the 14th frets and tried to inject steam into the dovetail, only to realize that it wasn't a dovetail neck joint. So I took a kerfing saw from a miter box and basically destroyed the beautiful rosewood outer lamination on the sides. By then I was committed and determined that the neck was held in place by five 1/4" soft wood dowels (either pine or fir) Not to be dissuaded (Budweiser was involved,) I routed it away inside the top purfling which allowed to see the bracing. I also had access to a demo Martin top and the two builds turned out to be nothing alike; the Tak was much more heavily braced and had an oversized spruce bridge plate - NOT a maple one like Martin would have used. So now I still own the carnage and the topless body, plywood soundboard and disembodied neck now sit on my basement workbench. I am still tempted to replace the top and fashion some sort of tenon for the neck and rout a tenon in the body for the neck, but I'd also have to replace the fretboard. At best, it would be a losing proposition but otherwise a challenging exercise for someone like me who aspires to be a luthier.
Was wondering when you’d try a tak! I’ve been a fan of their guitars, my first decent acoustic guitar was an EF340SC GN (solid dark stain cedar top with laminate mahogany back and sides) still have it and it sounds nice acoustically but shines plugged in. I beat the tar out of it and still plays good. Interestingly the EF341SC seems to be their most popular Japan model but it’s not even close to their best IMO, I tried one and wasn’t a big fan, though it’s good for what it is. I recently bought a Takamine P3NY (parlor size, solid cedar top, solid Sapele back and laminate Sapele sides, slotted headstock) and that guitar is amazing, the sound and craftsmanship is incredible. I also own a Martin 000-15sm and a Larrivée OM-40R and the P3NY stands right along with them, in fact I play it more than my Martin. Try one of those if you get a chance.
I almost bought one of these recently. I won it on eBay but the seller let me down so probably had a better last minute offer. I instead bought an EF391MR which has a slightly arched top & back in all Maple. Very pretty guitar in dark red sunburst & very easy to play. Very slim (tele almost) type neck & low action. I’m very happy with it, it’s my first ever Takamine. I have vintage Ovations but mostly play my Yamaha 1200ii which is very similar to this Takamine in size & shape etc. Really interesting video for me & your honesty is refreshing. Many thanks 👍
lamite back and sides is on the majority of guitars and it does not matter the top how ever matters , for what you got you lost nothing it plays sounds decent so no need to complain for the price, heck i just bought a beaver creak for 119.00 and i installed a pickup for 99 bucks and a new set of gold tuners that wa sa choice for the tuners and i put in brass bridge pins again a choice so no loss at all i improved the guitar and its only a 200 dollar guitar new just by it self plays great sounds great even playted in live and it held perfect in the mix , so you got a cheap deal on a guitar little bit of of work and its great and FYI the beaver creek is all lamite i also bought a second one lower end of almost the same thing for 40.00 so far new set of strings and its the perfect guitar for beating on and not caring about in the weather cold or hot ..
I have a 1996 or 97 Takamine EN10C. Cedar top, solid rosewood back, the sides are laminate, made in Japan. It sounds great. Plugged in it sounds better. Have always been able to get a great sound from it. There are better guitars, but it has been a workhorse for me leading worship since 1997. It is no longer my #1, but it was for a long, long time.
Well you definitely got a good deal on it regardless - I've spent more on Takamines in FAR worse shape just to part them out. The palathetic pickup is worth at least $100, the preamp about $150. I really don't understand why your luthier took the bridge doctor out, it'll only help keep the bridge in place. Are you sure it was an EF341SC and not an EF341C? The laminate tops were much more prevalent than the solid tops in the year this specific guitar was made. As far as the electronics go, there is no better system out there. Lloyd Baggs got his start in the pickup business by taking apart a Takamine pickup and reverse engineering it. Maton stole their design in its entirety to get Tommy Emmanuel to switch to their brand. And if you don't believe it, it's easy enough to see once you compare the two. Takamine's design came out in 1978. Maton's replica debuted in 1998.
I don't understand why someone put a bridge doctor on it, the action doesn't look super high and there is plenty of room to shave the saddle especially if the bridge gets slotted.
I bought one of these guitars back in 2003 and it has aged perfectly, nothing wrong with the guitar you just bought someones disaster that thought they were a luthier !
Are you serious, bro? The only one to lose their shirt, on the sale of that gem, is the guy who sold it to you for $145. Your holding one of the best examples of Japanese workmanship, that money can buy. Any luthier, worth his salt, could lift, and reseat that bridge, while making it look fine, and show off the beautiful cedar tone wood. Ps. The top is solid cedar, not laminate. That guitar could pull $750, all day long. I own 13 Takamines, pro and G series, and I love each one.
Takamine's pickups are great, with the cooltube ones being the best they made, they sound great even by today's standards, but they are not cheap to replace and there are a lot of pieces and parts, that use to be hard to find. They also have that big ugly trapdoor in the side, but that's also what makes the pickups of that era all interchangeable for upgrade. Back in the day, not many people really understood hydration, and case humidifiers weren't invented. So when a guitar dried out and you could start to fit a pick under the bridge ppl would often shoot some apoxy under it and later when it became bellied from the glue that expanded under the bridge or the humidity or both, they'd get that stupid bridge doctor thing installed.
By the serial number of that guitar, it was made in 1998. The guitar is over 25 years old now - that Takamine survived one quarter of a century of bashing! So you bought a well (ab)used instrument, which was poorly fixed at some stage. Soo, by avoiding to buy a new instrument, you paid extra to fix the old instrument? It's to be expected.
Why not leave the bridge doctor in? Even if the bridge stays on without it the belly bulge is going to ruin the break angle of the strings across the saddle. It's never going to be a collector's item either way but you can at least get it to sound good If you put the bridge doctor back in there.
I had a Tak EG10c for years. My first "real" guitar. (understated design, no fret markers, just elegant). I loved that guitar till I played Taylors/Martins. Then the neck felt so chunky.
Well that's cool Takamine makes fine instruments overall.I have a 1983 G330 (lawsuit era,Martin clone) And it is still with me and sounds great. It will never be my real Martin( 2011 50th anniversary D-16 GT) But it has its own sound and still plays wonderfully. Takamine has some great (expensive) guitars as well. But I will stay with my Martin as my main instrument, although I have gigged and recorded with the Takamine. If I can run into on a deal on a Takamine. I will seriously consider it. Snobs on here withstanding.
I buy and sell a lot of guitars. Probably would have stayed away from that one but if I had it, I would list it for $195 hoping to get my $135 back. Probably gonna sit on it a long time at any more than that.
If you want a good Takamine, find a "illegal"/lawsuit era model (late '70s - early '80s). I have a 1980 model dreadnought. It is what I consider my D-18. It has all the same specs as a D-18, including sound and playability. The only real difference is, a Martin has solid top and solid back and sides, whereas a Takamine has solid top and laminate back and sides. With the other similarities and sound and playability, I find it very hard to tell the difference. My 1980 Takamine Dreadnought IS my D-18. I am a subscriber and I enjoy your videos. Keep them coming.
You bought a second hand piece of broken garage. I own Martins and Guilds (original made in Westerly). I have a Takamine FCN3 nylon string and it’s a great guitar. You’re just bashing Takamine. Maybe just get a job a buy a decent guitar.
Hello brother from another part of the world if you get the chance try out a tnv360sc or even the g series eg523sc but it will need work ie action lowered bone nut and saddle. I've got the eg523sc with the mentioned work it's never had a case been everywhere with me camping ontop of a canoe. Martins d35/d28 gibsons j45/j35 have came and went it's one that won't ever be sold much love from the north east uk
I bought the same Takamine ef341sc acoustic electric from Musicians Friend a decade ago the truss rod was loose I could've returned it but I lost the receipt instead I sold it on ebay the guy filed a damaged purchase on paypal and return it with the body binding broken so I end up losing sbout a grand but it was still playable not sure why the truss rod was loose when I bought it tho
I love Ovation guitars . Music was the way to the world for me. There was a music store I could walk to every day. They’re nice to me☺️thank you, and thanks again for the great afternoons of music 🎼
I've never had a Takamini, although I've played a few examples. They seem like decent instruments, of the mass manufacturing type. Still worthwhile on a budget, and sometimes that's what is needed. I did find the remains of one on broken on the street one day. That was very sad.
@@Ira88881 budget is probably in the eye of the beholder. Like I said, I've never owned a Takamini, but I've played some, and they played well and sounded good. They're not a $150 laminate CNC guitar out of China (that's certainly budget), but it's not a $3000 and above Martin, Taylor or a custom made guitar either. So yes, a $500 can be a budget guitar.
@@MrDaveKC Takamines go for a lot more than $500! The only ones they have in this price range are their G Series. Go look at the prices for the rest of their line!
@@Ira88881 Sweetwater starts at 300 and ends at 3500 for Takamini's. So are there budget Takamini's? Yes. Are there some very expensive ones? I would consider 2000 plus to be not a budget guitar. Martin, not a budget brand, makes some pretty budget guitars (I have one). So it's probably as much a question of what the term budget means. For my definition, I would put it below $1000. Others might view it another way.
@@MrDaveKC That’s all I’m saying! And I would much rather have a $500 Tak than a $500 Fender acoustic! Two of mine are G series, identical models, and I bought the second one used,mint, like 15 years after I bought the first one because I love the cedar tops. So the second one is strung with nashville tuning.
I've tried a Takamine. It and its siblings didn't fit my voice. Maybe if I plugged in but I largely play acoustic. It's not there laminate as I have a Blueridge and Taylor with laminate and no idea of
Sounds like crap to me…from the onset. Makes me feel a bit better about my g series Takamines….sounds better hooked up…but sounds like crap acoustically. It’s worth about what you paid for it.
I don't consider spending $145 on that guitar "losing my shirt"
It's true...my dad told me 1,000,000 times not to exaggerate.
He might have wanted to buy a shirt for 145 but went for the guitar.
145$ is actually at least TWO shirts
He meant t-shirt
@@JeremySheppardI get it! A million times! That’s a lot.
That guitar was 100% used for the Mexican Sierreno genre of music. The Legacy EF381 and EF341 are the holy grail of guitars and we always put in a bridge doctor device so they are more stable, especially the 12 strings because we put double strings instead of octave strings with less tension.
Interest nugget, thank you.
Putting a bridge doctor on a six string guitar gotta be the most pendejada shit you could do. Best thing to do is reglue the bridge or replace it. Takamines is a good solid brand but Taylors are way better even Martins trust me I have a 12 string Legacy.
This EF341SC you’ve purchased and are reviewing has obviously been neglected and beat up over the years. I have a newer version of this guitar, purchased 5 years ago and I use it in many of my guitar tutorials and covers. It’s been a work horse and sounds fantastic. I don’t humidify the guitar and the neck has never needed to be adjusted. I’d recommend this guitar to anyone looking for a reasonably priced, quality guitar. Just my two cents. Thanks for posting this video.
Use gloss black nail polish to fill the top dented by the case cleat. Fill slowly one layer at a time until it is no longer noticeable.
Try not to give up on the Taks they are are incredible! Cheers! 🇨🇦
I think Jeremy is pitching that 'USA better than' Japan trope. A very popular opinion in the States and makes my friend who comes to the USA from the UK to Hoover up Japanese guitars, very happy. Takamine has been the rock acoustic since about 1985 when it took over from Ovation (BTW also distributed by Kramer at that time). They are built to be played through an amp and not like a Martin which may have a pickup and may be OK with an amp. If this was supposed to have a bridge brace as the shop is suggesting don't you think Takamine would build it like that - and double set of strings on a 12 - duh?!
@@ChristopherDowning Jeremy bought a guitar made in 1998. That's what the serial number says. It's well (ab)used instrument, survived one quarter of a century of bashing. What's the exact purpose of this video puzzles me, except that Jeremy doesn't know much about used guitars, and what kind of risks are bought with used guitars.
@@zvonimirtosic6171 I think Jeremy is like many RUclipsrs - makes ok videos but not at all sure he’s any sort of expert. I guess it’s about the USA economy - rich enough to support all sorts of marginal competencies because there’s money flowing around for people to do pretty random jobs and make enough to live on. In the UK I think you’d starve doing what he’s doing.
I almost bought one of these years ago. The fingerprints were gonna drive me nuts, so I ended buying a beautiful Ibanez art wood instead, which was a great guitar for the money, but a terrible investment. I’m pretty sure Springsteen played the ef341 model as well. Kinda still wish I had one.
The best examples ive seen are the Takamine Santa Fe series. Having said that theres a lot of different models and some others are amazing and very popular
I've got one of those Takamine EG341SC's and I guess it's a decent example of one because I really like it. The neck feels a lot like my Gibson Les Paul Standard and it plays just as easily outside of the obvious difference in body size. It's too bad someone butchered the one you purchased for some reason.
My dad's got a 80's Takamine 12 string, still sounds amazing
Don't sleep on the higher-end ( handmade in Japan ) Takamine guitars...........not for a New York minute. Because they have incredible craftsmanship, tone, volume, and resonance. I know, because I owned & professionally gigged with 3 of them for over a decade. Bought each one of them brand new. But before buying each one, I carefully inspected & played other acoustics made by several of the heavy hitters and within the same price range, if not a little more expensive than the Tak's. Each and every time, I found the Takamine's to be superior........whether played acoustically or plugged in to a PA system. Of course nothing beats well-placed quality microphones.......but the Takamine's onboard electronics ( at least back in the 90's through early 2000's ) were as close as you could get. Fishman and LL Baggs acoustic systems back then sounded far too clean, bassy, and sterile, more like "an electric guitar dialed for clean" on top of that annoying "buzzy piezo" sound. When dialed in properly, the better electronics of the hi-end Tak's sounded much more authentic. Other gigging guitarists in my area also preferred the plugged in sound of my Tak's when compared to their various Fishman's & LL Baggs. Don't plug the Tak's into a guitar amp.......ya need to plug them into a hi-fi.......PA system, in order to get the best recreation of acoustic sound.
I hope to own one of these Takamine guitars someday not doesn’t have to be a a giant cost to sound great - makes me wonder what Jon Bon Jovi paid back in the day. It’s tough to argue with that tone when it’s made millions for Bon Jovi. Who doesn’t recognize it? Laminate or not, I’m pretty sure the masses spoke and continue to do so. 😊
Just bought a shirt on spring . Love your insight on your thoughts on the guitar world still say to this day a genuine model is worth the price tag thanks a heap 🎸🎵🎸
I have no heartaches with Takamine. Have owned 3. I still have the cheapest of the bunch as my camping/beater guitar. The other two were sold on flips until I got enough funds for a Martin.
The super sweet 80's montage music made the whole video. Great content!!
It honestly sounds pretty good for what it is. I've never owned a Takamine myself, but a couple of my friends have one of their higher end Japanese made guitars. They're very well made, and are some of the best sounding amplified acoustics that I've heard.
My Japanese Takamine is amazing, had it for 20+ years and it still sounds amazing
Takamine are one of my favourite brands of acoustic guitar. I own a mid range G series made in china and it’s never let me down in the 6 years I’ve owned it.
Takamine is a manufacturer made popular in Japan by the Eagles in the mid-70s. Takamine was a pioneering manufacturer of pickup technology in the world, and Eagles was Takamine's advertising tower. Popular models in Japan include the Glenn Frey model (EF360GF N) and the SANTAFE model. The SANTAFE model can be seen at the Eagles ' 94 Live💿 (Hell Freezes Over)🙇♂️🇯🇵
It should be added that they really got their first notice as supposed Martin "lawsuit" (I believe actually a cease-and-desist letter possibly threatening lawsuit) guitars in the 70s, as virtual clones visually (save for mostly rosewood fretboards) including the controversial combination of headstock shape and script name-style at the top. Those "lawsuit" models are fabulous guitars. Stephen Stills played one of the upper models for awhile in concerts. It should also be noted that not only the Eagles but just about two out of every three--and that may be conservative--country artist out there have/are playing these post-lawsuit years' (~1980 to present) Takamines almost exclusively, most famous among them Garth Brooks' signature model with its guitar-body shaped sound hole. Their use is so prolific, I'm sure it's due to some very co- advantageous corporate-artist deal.
Speaking of shifts, I wore the "Guitars Make Us Better " shirt last week in Ormond Beach, Florida and got many great comments. I was even asked to join the boys jamming at the farmers market. Fun times!
The EF341sc is a fantastic guitar
Especially plugged in on stage
If it was good enough for John, Bon Jovi, and Bruce Springsteen, then should be good enough for most.
I play the exact same make and model in my church and it’s a fantastic beautiful sounding guitar
That plays extremely smooth
I have many Takamines all made in Japan. All of them are well built, some sound & play better than others most have solid back and sides, the 60th anniversary one has a laminate. They are ultra reliable and that is probably why they are regularly used in bands. I agree they were good in the 70 & 80’s but they still stand their own against most of the competition, especially for the price as you are not paying a premium for the name. As someone commented earlier, try their Sante Fe model. I have two with this year’s limited edition on order. Please don’t use that one example to judge the Takamine brand. I remember you having a hang up on their brand a few years ago, you didn’t say why at the time.
I’ve been playing Takamine professionally for 25 years now. On stage they are the top dog in the industry. Just like the Shure58.
So at the very least, give these STAGE guitars the respect they deserve.
BTW Garth Brooks is STILL playing Takamine on stage…
Where are the bodies?
There's tons of Profesional Artist playing Takamines.. Seems like I see a lot of Takamines in Country Music.. The High End Takamines are great guitars!! And not All Takamines come with Laminate B/S.. I'm not a huge fan of on board pickups, ( cutting a hole in a guitar body) but with that being said, Takamines Pre-Amps on their High End Guitars are Incredible!! The CTP-3 Preamp with a Cool Tube, they're really great.. I've been playing for like 20 yrs or so, my first like 2 or 3 years playing I had several High End Takamines and loved them! But then I got my first Gibson ('96 J45) and I've only played Gibsons since. Lol..
Seriously! I am excited this guitar is being delivered to my house in the next two hours! My daughter is also excited to see it! Keep your shirt Jeremy, I appreciate you!!
You gave it a home, how cool. 😊
@@tonym2513 the guitar is far better than I expected. I am a carpenter by trade and if they used the glue I think they did and applied it under pressure the problem isn’t that the bridge will ever come loose, but that you will never be able to get it off without damaging the top. It’s there forever! Again, I have never paid $300 for a guitar that sounds and plays this good. And Jeremy kept his shirt!
Danny is one of the best!
He did some work on a Chibson for me back in the day, and did such a good job that some of my guitar buddies said it played better than their Gibsons.
I especially enjoyed your take on personal opinions.. getting locked into a confirmation bias and breaking out is definitely something I'm working on now in my 40s.. I share that, even with takamine and other guitars my dad would "instruct" me as rubbish.. then later trying them and being overwhelmingly impressed. All part of the battle of being stuck in subjectivity while trying to embrace creativity.
Just realizing that is half the battle. Good on you, bud.
Takamine uses epoxy to glue down their bridges, from the get go. So that may not have been a repair. If it was a repair they just used what came on that guitar anyways. Yes, it's crazy but even their more expensive line up have epoxied bridges as opposed to normal glues used in guitar making.
RUclips's "twoodfrd" instruments repair put out a video on repairing a lifting bridge on a Takamine like yours, but worth a lot more (@ $1,800.00), and it too used epoxy. The black finish is also very, very thick.
The biggest reason the top is bulging though, is that the under bridge pickup they use requires a very large area, of the guitar top and bridge plate, to be removed. That's a lot of the tops strength gone. Just thought I would mention this, since I have seen his video showing what he did to repair that one.
Damn… I spent 200$ on a 1975 f370s Tak. I made out like a bandit with a great guitar. It’s a Martin d28 copy.
I had a takamine guitar for a few years but sold it a couple years ago. Not because I didn’t like the sound which was okay, but because it was very heavy for some reason, and with the case it was even heavier. It wasn’t not to take with me for gigs. Although the sound wasn’t bad at all. I will probably get another takamine guitar in the future.
Hey! That's a black version of the kind of guitar that I have always talked teen-agers out of buying! Can you just turn that thing into a boat for a Chihuahua? If amplified sound is the key, then try a balanced tension Nickel Bronze set on it.....
What is this 'luthier' on about - bridges designed to fail ? Fail in the event of what? Excessive tension on the strings?
Which combined with high relative humidity tends to cause the 'bellying' of the top (warping) to which the ' Bridge Doctor' is designed to compensate for and relieve the excess tension to the top and bridge.
I've used a variety of solutions for top bellying, without recourse to using steam or hot irons... a bottle screw (yacht rigging) attached between a wooden fulcrum - similar to that used by the aforementioned 'Bridge Doctor' and the neck block does more or less the same as the wooden 'truss rod' used by the 'Bridge Doctor'. And the tension can be monitored and adjusted easily, because the rigging-screw lies directly within the sound-hole.
This guitar clearly has had some environmental issues - too much damp at some point, causing the bridge to lift and likely 'bellying' of the top, hence the fitting the 'Bridge Doctor'. So is the top flat now? He didn't mention anything about that....
And he's worried about removing the bridge? Firstly, for what purpose? To steam the top flat perhaps? On a budget black painted guitar! ? So, some numpty has used an epoxy glue .... Then IF the bridge really needs to be removed/replaced then simply get a mini-router and cut the thing down to the top and replace with another bridge. SIMPLES.
In the wash-up - it actually sounded pretty good to my ears - especially given its chequered history, so I just don't get what all the fuss is about and particular the wording of this video's title... Insinuating that this model of Takamine is heap of garbage.
Whish is clearly an erroneous assertion to make in a title.... Bordering on 'Click Bait'...
I came here in search of reviews - this one video stood out as being possibly the contrary opinion to all the videos that praise the brand or model. Instead I get some Karen worrying about losing the shirt of his back - so you hate losing money eh?
Then why pay a luthier to do your repairs? And next time - BE SURE OF WHAT YOUR WASTING YOUR SHIRT MONEY ON.
Takamine's US distributor was Kaman music which also distributed Ovation guitars.
I’m thinking this video only exists so you can use all those 80s hair band stock tracks.
The EF341SC has been my main acoustic for the last 6 years. Bought it new. Overall, very pleased with it. Plugged in, it’s not “the best” sounding, but it definitely gets the job done and I’ve had no feedback issues with it. Unplugged and/or mic’d I absolutely love it. Great action/playability. That being said I am looking to replace it as my #1 with either a Gibson or a Guild with Rosewood back & sides. But at its price point the Takamine definitely holds it’s own.
I would never buy something like that, but it was interesting watching the journey.
I had one (well still sort of have) of the "lawsuit" Takamine from the early 70s. This was the one that looked almost exactly like a Martin D-28, down to the style of script on the logo on the headstock. It had already survived heat stress and a "slip block" neck reset that didn't take well.
It too had the bridge lift up and I installed one of those JLD Bridge Doctors and it went even more poorly. I didn't drill a pilot hole and split the rosewood bridge. In all fairness it was already 40 years old by that point. I tried to pry the bridge up with heat and a spatual but it had a laminated spruce top and some of the fibers from the top lamination came up with the bridge.
By that point I decided "why not replace the top?" and went about disassembling it - which went poorly.
I pulled the 14th frets and tried to inject steam into the dovetail, only to realize that it wasn't a dovetail neck joint. So I took a kerfing saw from a miter box and basically destroyed the beautiful rosewood outer lamination on the sides. By then I was committed and determined that the neck was held in place by five 1/4" soft wood dowels (either pine or fir)
Not to be dissuaded (Budweiser was involved,) I routed it away inside the top purfling which allowed to see the bracing. I also had access to a demo Martin top and the two builds turned out to be nothing alike; the Tak was much more heavily braced and had an oversized spruce bridge plate - NOT a maple one like Martin would have used.
So now I still own the carnage and the topless body, plywood soundboard and disembodied neck now sit on my basement workbench. I am still tempted to replace the top and fashion some sort of tenon for the neck and rout a tenon in the body for the neck, but I'd also have to replace the fretboard. At best, it would be a losing proposition but otherwise a challenging exercise for someone like me who aspires to be a luthier.
Some days you get the elevator and some days you get the shaft. It was just one of those things.
😆😆
Had one. Maybe it was a different model. The neck on mine was a baseball bat. Sold it for what I paid for it. No harm no foul.
The Takamine that is, "the one" is the 70s f360 lawsuit guitars
Surprised to see a tak in that condition especially a made in Japan one.
Was wondering when you’d try a tak! I’ve been a fan of their guitars, my first decent acoustic guitar was an EF340SC GN (solid dark stain cedar top with laminate mahogany back and sides) still have it and it sounds nice acoustically but shines plugged in. I beat the tar out of it and still plays good. Interestingly the EF341SC seems to be their most popular Japan model but it’s not even close to their best IMO, I tried one and wasn’t a big fan, though it’s good for what it is. I recently bought a Takamine P3NY (parlor size, solid cedar top, solid Sapele back and laminate Sapele sides, slotted headstock) and that guitar is amazing, the sound and craftsmanship is incredible. I also own a Martin 000-15sm and a Larrivée OM-40R and the P3NY stands right along with them, in fact I play it more than my Martin. Try one of those if you get a chance.
340’s had a solid spruce top and lam mahogany sides and back, think D-18….F360 think D28…. Cheers
I almost bought one of these recently. I won it on eBay but the seller let me down so probably had a better last minute offer. I instead bought an EF391MR which has a slightly arched top & back in all Maple. Very pretty guitar in dark red sunburst & very easy to play. Very slim (tele almost) type neck & low action. I’m very happy with it, it’s my first ever Takamine. I have vintage Ovations but mostly play my Yamaha 1200ii which is very similar to this Takamine in size & shape etc. Really interesting video for me & your honesty is refreshing. Many thanks 👍
Oh my that opening about it exploding was so funny Jeremy.
Moral of the story folks: TAKE YOUR GUITAR TO A LUTHIER AND SPEND THE MONEY TO GET THE DAMNED GUITAR REPAIRED PROPERLY!!!
Number one someone had modified it with a string doc.....so it is what it is...not all used guitars are taken care of....
lamite back and sides is on the majority of guitars and it does not matter the top how ever matters , for what you got you lost nothing it plays sounds decent so no need to complain for the price, heck i just bought a beaver creak for 119.00 and i installed a pickup for 99 bucks and a new set of gold tuners that wa sa choice for the tuners and i put in brass bridge pins again a choice so no loss at all i improved the guitar and its only a 200 dollar guitar new just by it self plays great sounds great even playted in live and it held perfect in the mix , so you got a cheap deal on a guitar little bit of of work and its great and FYI the beaver creek is all lamite i also bought a second one lower end of almost the same thing for 40.00 so far new set of strings and its the perfect guitar for beating on and not caring about in the weather cold or hot ..
I have a 1996 or 97 Takamine EN10C. Cedar top, solid rosewood back, the sides are laminate, made in Japan. It sounds great. Plugged in it sounds better. Have always been able to get a great sound from it. There are better guitars, but it has been a workhorse for me leading worship since 1997. It is no longer my #1, but it was for a long, long time.
You didnt notice the 3 holes in the bridge? And youv'e bought thousands of guitars? Really?
Yes. But it's the first takamine I've purchased. 😆 and likely the last....wait....I bought one yesterday
I have an EG330SC i bought in 2001. It sounds better every year.Its Korean made and i still love it after all these years.
For those wanting to know the songs at the end : The world I know - Collective Soul
The kingdom- Bethany Dillon
Wanted - Bon Jovi
After everything you just said about it… you’re trying to sell it for $499?
probably should have started with extra light strings and built the setup around those. A lot less tension on the bridge.
I may be wrong but Richie Sambora used an Ovation for the intro to Wanted Dead or Alive.
So, you bought a second hand guitar that someones messed with and youre upset because its not working out for you?
Bon Jovi played rythym on the Takamine but Richie Sombora played the famous intro lick on a 12 string usually a double neck 6 and 12.
The studio version was recorded with a guild 12 string but performed live with an ovation.
Well you definitely got a good deal on it regardless - I've spent more on Takamines in FAR worse shape just to part them out. The palathetic pickup is worth at least $100, the preamp about $150. I really don't understand why your luthier took the bridge doctor out, it'll only help keep the bridge in place. Are you sure it was an EF341SC and not an EF341C? The laminate tops were much more prevalent than the solid tops in the year this specific guitar was made.
As far as the electronics go, there is no better system out there. Lloyd Baggs got his start in the pickup business by taking apart a Takamine pickup and reverse engineering it. Maton stole their design in its entirety to get Tommy Emmanuel to switch to their brand. And if you don't believe it, it's easy enough to see once you compare the two. Takamine's design came out in 1978. Maton's replica debuted in 1998.
I don't understand why someone put a bridge doctor on it, the action doesn't look super high and there is plenty of room to shave the saddle especially if the bridge gets slotted.
The takamine guitars are so beautiful I can’t wait to get a 12 string takamine one day
I bought one of these guitars back in 2003 and it has aged perfectly, nothing wrong with the guitar you just bought someones disaster that thought they were a luthier !
I bought the cut a way guitar. With pick-up
It is better that a Taylor.
It is completely perfect.
For under $ 500
Are you serious, bro? The only one to lose their shirt, on the sale of that gem, is the guy who sold it to you for $145.
Your holding one of the best examples of Japanese workmanship, that money can buy.
Any luthier, worth his salt, could lift, and reseat that bridge, while making it look fine, and show off the beautiful cedar tone wood.
Ps. The top is solid cedar, not laminate. That guitar could pull $750, all day long.
I own 13 Takamines, pro and G series, and I love each one.
Takamine's pickups are great, with the cooltube ones being the best they made, they sound great even by today's standards, but they are not cheap to replace and there are a lot of pieces and parts, that use to be hard to find.
They also have that big ugly trapdoor in the side, but that's also what makes the pickups of that era all interchangeable for upgrade.
Back in the day, not many people really understood hydration, and case humidifiers weren't invented. So when a guitar dried out and you could start to fit a pick under the bridge ppl would often shoot some apoxy under it and later when it became bellied from the glue that expanded under the bridge or the humidity or both, they'd get that stupid bridge doctor thing installed.
By the serial number of that guitar, it was made in 1998. The guitar is over 25 years old now - that Takamine survived one quarter of a century of bashing!
So you bought a well (ab)used instrument, which was poorly fixed at some stage. Soo, by avoiding to buy a new instrument, you paid extra to fix the old instrument? It's to be expected.
Great video! Thanks to the author for making and sharing!😘
Why not leave the bridge doctor in? Even if the bridge stays on without it the belly bulge is going to ruin the break angle of the strings across the saddle. It's never going to be a collector's item either way but you can at least get it to sound good If you put the bridge doctor back in there.
I had a Tak EG10c for years. My first "real" guitar. (understated design, no fret markers, just elegant). I loved that guitar till I played Taylors/Martins. Then the neck felt so chunky.
I want to say Vertical Horizon played them back in the day.
What do you think about the 70s lawsuit era Takamines?
im pretty sure wanted dead or alive was done on ovations, sure were in the original video
Love it! Perfect video. Great info!
Don't let this turn you off a Taks in general they make quality instruments
Lots of crying considering you got a great sounding and playing acoustic for very little.....😂
i have a 1995 japanese takamine en10c that i bought second hand for 500 euros, it sounds better than my friends 4 grand taylor unplugged, it just does
Should’ve just left the bridge doctor on it
Takamine guitars are great instruments.I have an En10,awesome wee guitar.
Well that's cool Takamine makes fine instruments overall.I have a 1983 G330 (lawsuit era,Martin clone) And it is still with me and sounds great. It will never be my real Martin( 2011 50th anniversary D-16 GT) But it has its own sound and still plays wonderfully. Takamine has some great (expensive) guitars as well. But I will stay with my Martin as my main instrument, although I have gigged and recorded with the Takamine. If I can run into on a deal on a Takamine. I will seriously consider it. Snobs on here withstanding.
I buy and sell a lot of guitars. Probably would have stayed away from that one but if I had it, I would list it for $195 hoping to get my $135 back. Probably gonna sit on it a long time at any more than that.
If you want a good Takamine, find a "illegal"/lawsuit era model (late '70s - early '80s). I have a 1980 model dreadnought. It is what I consider my D-18. It has all the same specs as a D-18, including sound and playability. The only real difference is, a Martin has solid top and solid back and sides, whereas a Takamine has solid top and laminate back and sides. With the other similarities and sound and playability, I find it very hard to tell the difference. My 1980 Takamine Dreadnought IS my D-18.
I am a subscriber and I enjoy your videos. Keep them coming.
The ones the stars play are custom builds with the best materials.
On top of that, they probably get paid to play them, too.
@@charlesbolton8471 you know it.
This clip is misleading. It's not that Takamines suck, it's the old used beater that you bought.
I love my Takamine.
Oof that's in rough shape. I just had this guitar handed down to me from my dad, and it needs a lottt of work.
Never played a Takamine that I liked. Haven't entirely given up but mostly don't play them anymore.
Just wondering if you tapped some wooden dowels into those ugly bolt holes it might strengthen it and take the ugly holes look away
You bought a second hand piece of broken garage. I own Martins and Guilds (original made in Westerly). I have a Takamine FCN3 nylon string and it’s a great guitar. You’re just bashing Takamine. Maybe just get a job a buy a decent guitar.
Dude... I have plenty of Takamine guitars I have 2 ef-341sc they're great ! Precious owner is to blame !
Great deal and great sound
I ended up with this guitar and it sounds soooooooooooooo good
If I owned it, I would put custom lights on it to reduce the tension. Hope you make out okay with this one.
Want to own it? 😂
😅
Hello brother from another part of the world if you get the chance try out a tnv360sc or even the g series eg523sc but it will need work ie action lowered bone nut and saddle. I've got the eg523sc with the mentioned work it's never had a case been everywhere with me camping ontop of a canoe. Martins d35/d28 gibsons j45/j35 have came and went it's one that won't ever be sold much love from the north east uk
I've never been real impressed by Takamine. Maybe the old lawsuit Martin copies... but for my money I'll get an Alvarez... to each his own
i've built my channel on trying to learn and fix guitars similar to this! challenging for sure but learn a lot fast.
I've personally always liked takamine's and jasmines by takamine
Everyone pays for an education. Myself included.
I have 2 of these guitars in good condition great guitar
I bought the same Takamine ef341sc acoustic electric from Musicians Friend a decade ago the truss rod was loose I could've returned it but I lost the receipt instead I sold it on ebay the guy filed a damaged purchase on paypal and return it with the body binding broken so I end up losing sbout a grand but it was still playable not sure why the truss rod was loose when I bought it tho
Won't let me take a pic, but I was wondering about that string Dr device why did they put it in there in the first place
I'm a real dedicated bluegrasser, so of course I play both kinds of guitars -- Takamines AND Ovations.
Hahahaha
I love Ovation guitars . Music was the way to the world for me. There was a music store I could walk to every day. They’re nice to me☺️thank you, and thanks again for the great afternoons of music 🎼
Hi. Just wondering if you have ever played a Cole Clark guitar from Australia?
I've never had a Takamini, although I've played a few examples. They seem like decent instruments, of the mass manufacturing type. Still worthwhile on a budget, and sometimes that's what is needed.
I did find the remains of one on broken on the street one day. That was very sad.
Budget? Are you joking?
@@Ira88881 budget is probably in the eye of the beholder. Like I said, I've never owned a Takamini, but I've played some, and they played well and sounded good.
They're not a $150 laminate CNC guitar out of China (that's certainly budget), but it's not a $3000 and above Martin, Taylor or a custom made guitar either.
So yes, a $500 can be a budget guitar.
@@MrDaveKC Takamines go for a lot more than $500! The only ones they have in this price range are their G Series.
Go look at the prices for the rest of their line!
@@Ira88881 Sweetwater starts at 300 and ends at 3500 for Takamini's. So are there budget Takamini's? Yes. Are there some very expensive ones? I would consider 2000 plus to be not a budget guitar.
Martin, not a budget brand, makes some pretty budget guitars (I have one).
So it's probably as much a question of what the term budget means. For my definition, I would put it below $1000. Others might view it another way.
@@MrDaveKC That’s all I’m saying! And I would much rather have a $500 Tak than a $500 Fender acoustic!
Two of mine are G series, identical models, and I bought the second one used,mint, like 15 years after I bought the first one because I love the cedar tops. So the second one is strung with nashville tuning.
I’ll buy it if you still have it?
I've tried a Takamine. It and its siblings didn't fit my voice. Maybe if I plugged in but I largely play acoustic. It's not there laminate as I have a Blueridge and Taylor with laminate and no idea of
Sounds like crap to me…from the onset. Makes me feel a bit better about my g series Takamines….sounds better hooked up…but sounds like crap acoustically. It’s worth about what you paid for it.
A guy in his, what, barely 30's ?! - has owned THOUSANDS of guitars? Really?!
It's true. Relentlessly buying and selling and I've worked for 3 vintage guitar shops.