|
|
Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 12
Location: Vermont | Hey, I love Ovation guitars and have been playing them since 1976, but I'm thinking about adding a Takamine Ltd-89 to my family of roundbacks. I know that Takamine is part of the Kaman product line. Does anyone have any thoughts or feelings about them? Is there a Takamine fan website as well? Thanks!
Bob |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | There are a couple threads here.
A favorite and one that everyone agrees is phenomenal is the EF75J. Just an incredible guitar for the money. There is a thread with about 350 posts about this one. IMHO it is one of the finest guitars Tak has made.
Another favorite is the New Yorker EF417S which is also outstanding.
These are both limited editions and in very short (if not non-existent supply).
I believe Al (Vintage Instruments) has some of the few left that are available for sale. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | I also sell Takamine guitars.
the ef 75 and ef 417 are killer guitars.
I think that in recent years the upper end Taks are just outrageously great sounding guitars and values.
as for a fan website, stay tuned |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 5331
Location: Cicero, NY | Taks are great guitars. I almost picked up a '01 Ltd a few years ago and was very disappointed that I didn't end up with it. I did end up with a EAN-10C which I was very happy with. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | They're pretty nice for wooden guitars.
I'd have to rate the 360Blewgrass right up there too. All I've ben playing for the last couple of months, except for the 75 and the 2080D. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | I own a Takamine cutaway classical [EC132C]. I purchased it out of necessity to replace the POS guitar that my brother gave me a while back, and it turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. It is perhaps, the cheapest Japanese-made Takamine available out in the market, but it's one heck of a guitar for the money. If you do end up with a Tak, get the ones made in Japan ... it's just as good as an Ovation made in the U.S.
I do recall a Takamine fan forum on the Internet, but people rarely flock to it though ... here's the link, and I'm not even sure if it's still active:
http://www.takaminetalk.com/message-board-forum/viewforum.php?f=1 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Takamine is part of the Kaman product line.
As I understand it, Kaman and Takamine had early contact regarding design, however, now Kaman is only a distributor.
If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will tell me.
Does anyone have any thoughts or feelings about them?
For a wood guitar, they're pretty good. I've played a couple of them, and like the santa fe model (I don't know if they still make it, and I liked a nylon string, but I forget the model). But you know the only way you can know if you like a guitar is to play it. I think the takamine website can direct you takamine venders in vermont, new york, mass., NH and Quebec that you could visit.
Is there a Takamine fan website as well? I don't know, there must be. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | I posted there on April 18th and NOBODY has posted since. I contacted the owners and offered to take over admin of the site and promote it or even buy the domain name and take over the server and software fees from them. NOTHING. It's part of a whole assembly of talk.com pages. None of them seem to be active at all.
There is plenty of Takamine discussion over on the AGF site.
Dave |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 972
Location: PDX | Well, Takamine is pretty much a third tier offering. Some of their guitars can hold their own in the line up. But most of them are pretty pedestrian.
Taylor (shut up Dave), Larivee, and even Seagull, hold a pretty strong following on second tier acoustics.
IMHO Tak is going to have to make better guitars and employ better marketing to break into the second tier.
JMHO
_____
gh1 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | What makes Takamine a 'third tier' offering? Or, Seagull a 'second tier' for that matter? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | GH1, I don't necessary disagree with you, but I'm just wondering what "tier" you'd put Ovation on? Dave |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by cruster:
What makes Takamine a 'third tier' offering? Or, Seagull a 'second tier' for that matter? THEY AREN'T ADAMI!! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Originally posted by Old Man Arthur:
THEY AREN'T ADAMI!! QFT. I haven't put the AII back in the case since it arrived. I was just playing it earlier and when I put it back on the stand I thought, "I really like playing that guitar." Definitely Tier 1. ;) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I don't know much... About Tak.
I did see a $79 Takamine on eBarf, so I went searching to find-out what it was really worth...
Turns-out it was worth about $79 new!?! (Jasmine, maybe?)
I guess it goes back to "Play what you Like"...
There might be some really nice Taks out there, at all price points. I just would have to go down and play one before I bought it. Also, I would buy the one that I played, y'know...
Since I don't have a clue about how consistent the quality is.
Gee, that don't sound too helpful... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 651
Location: Australia | Originally posted by gh1:
Well, Takamine is pretty much a third tier offering. Some of their guitars can hold their own in the line up. But most of them are pretty pedestrian.
Taylor (shut up Dave), Larivee, and even Seagull, hold a pretty strong following on second tier acoustics.
IMHO Tak is going to have to make better guitars and employ better marketing to break into the second tier.
JMHO
_____
gh1 I couldn't disagree more. You must've been scared by a bad Takamine experience.
You should play some of the newer models eg. Nashville, Advanced Naturals, Santa Fe's etc.
Many newer models have solid backs and much lighter bracing and acoustically sound miles better than some of the older models.
In fact I was recently playing a 2006 Limited Edition and it sounded absolutely wonderful acoustically and of course we all probably know how good their pickups systems are. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 972
Location: PDX | Well, that stirred the pot :)
I base my opinion on the guitar community chatter, and my ears. Taks and Ovations rarely, if ever, come up in conversations as preferred or referenced guitars.
Some one asks, "looking for a guitar in XXXX price range. What guitars should i test drive?"
I don't care if it's $300 to $2500 -- never have i seen Taks or Ovations suggested. They are just not in the consumer's mind set.
I own an EF417S and despite the good reviews here, to my ears, this is just a flat, lifeless sounding guitar. I bought it because of it's size. I'm a big fan of smaller bodied guitars, and the 417 was right in the sweet spot for me. But my CFox Sonoma Concert, Martin 00-15, and my Collings C-10 all three blow the Tak out of the water in terms of tone and playability. I paid significantly less for the CFox and the Martin, and only slightly more for the Collings. (If anyone wants to buy the 417, make me an offer :) )
As i said, "Some of their guitars can hold their own in the line up" but that doesn't mean anything in the market which i was referencing in my comments about tiers.
It's all subjective, and we're all entitled to our opinions and mine is worth exactly what you paid for it.
_____
gh1 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | In my mind Takamine and Ovation are almost mirror images of each other. They BOTH get no respect. Both make lower end guitars out of plywood which are good values for the money. Meaning that they don't sound very good but at least you didn't spend a lot of money to figrue that out. Unfortunately that's what most of the public forms their opinion based on. The majority of the Takamine and Ovation models are workingmans guitars, sort of the F-150 of the guitar world. Both companies offer steller electronics. At the higher end both Takamine and Ovation have made a few models that can even compete with lower end of the big names. Models like the EF75 ad FD14 come to mind. Sadly both companies roll out the tired old annual collectors guitar every year to a public that could largely give a shit anymore. Both Takamine and Ovation have had some top shelf performers use their stuff without being able to turn it in to a signature model or long term endoresment (Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney come to mind). There's probably more, but you get where I'm coming from. Bottom line, I think both companies make SOME products that are better than the name on the headstock would lead you to believe. Unfortunately they also make a lot of products that truely are bad.
Dave |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 972
Location: PDX | Originally posted by gh1:
Well, that stirred the pot :)
I base my opinion on the guitar community chatter, and my ears. Taks and Ovations rarely, if ever, come up in conversations as preferred or referenced guitars.
Some one asks, "looking for a guitar in XXXX price range. What guitars should i test drive?"
I don't care if it's $300 to $2500 -- never have i seen Taks or Ovations suggested. They are just not in the consumer's mind set.
I own an EF417S and despite the good reviews here, to my ears, this is just a flat, lifeless sounding guitar. I bought it because of it's size. I'm a big fan of smaller bodied guitars, and the 417 was right in the sweet spot for me. But my CFox Sonoma Concert, Martin 00-15, and my Collings C-10 all three blow the Tak out of the water in terms of tone and playability. I paid significantly less for the CFox and the Martin, and only slightly more for the Collings. (If anyone wants to buy the 417, make me an offer :) )
As i said, "Some of their guitars can hold their own in the line up" but that doesn't mean anything in the market which i was referencing in my comments about tiers. I'd have to sit down and carefully think about which makes go in which tiers. And my comments were pretty much off the cuff without a lot of reflection. Based more on an impression than careful analysis. I'd put both O's and Taks in a third tier in the market place.
Now we all know that SOME ovations are stellar tone machines. But, do you think that someone with $1000 to $3000 dollars to spend on a guitar is going to think Ovation or Takamine as a first alternative? Second? It's not that either brand deserves it, but it's my perception of the market place.
It's all subjective, and we're all entitled to our opinions and mine is worth exactly what you paid for it.
_____
gh1 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 972
Location: PDX | Originally posted by Tupperware:
In my mind Takamine and Ovation are almost mirror images of each other. They BOTH get no respect. .... Sadly both companies roll out the tired old annual collectors guitar every year to a public that could largely give a shit anymore. Both Takamine and Ovation have had some top shelf performers use their stuff without being able to turn it in to a signature model or long term endoresment (Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney come to mind). There's probably more, but you get where I'm coming from. Bottom line, I think both companies make some products that are better than the name on the headstock would lead you to believe.
Dave Yep, we're on the same wavelength here -- just with different words.
_____
gh1 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Ovation and Takamine should join forces and combine the best of both companies. Imagine an Ovation LX neck on a Takamine EF75 body? If you HAVE to have a rounded back at least make it out of wood, but do it in a way that requires no bracing. Use Takamines electronics and Ovation sunburst painters. Have Takamine do the body inlays and have Ovation to the fretboard inlays. Hell, I'd buy one. Dave |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 1017
Location: Budd Lake, NJ | I don't think your buying one should be a barometer, Tuppy, 'cause you buy so many to begin with! ;) :D
A better barometer would be if those of us who never buy anything could be enticed to buy one--now that's an interesting thought.
--Karen |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | GH1, I have to wonder if the 417 you got was a fluke (as in a polished frozen turd :p ).
The one I own is terrific and has a full even sound throughout the register.....certainly not as bottom heavy as the same size Lowden but none the less exceptional in it's own right. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | interesting discussion.
I would put the Nashvilles and some of the Naturals and the blewgreasers at the top of the second tier, as you define it. The 75 is a class 1 guitar, it just smokes a Collings OM.
Many of the Jasmines are on a par with the applesause and by the definition here it would be third tier. I'd put all those machine made Taylors and seegulls there too. Nothing class two about them. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | If you look at younger country players are using Takamines as were the Eagles.
Toby Kieth comes to mind.
I personally think they fine guitars
I just perfer not to buy imported products
if I can buy American. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Well said.
Now to carry that a step further, if you want a real Tak, buy the one from Japan, now elsewhere over there. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 302
Location: Buffalo,NY | Isn't the subjectivity of sound and what is good sound great ?!!!
I own a number of Takamines and owned 2 Taylors and now own some Ovations.
I've come to the conclusion(just like many of you) that not all guitars ,even if the same model,are created equal.I have a Takamine EF360SC that just sounds incredible plugged in and acoustically.
My Taylor 814-CE is just a cannon and really turns heads when played acousticallly;The Tak 360 is on par with it . The Taylor 814 plugged in ,with the ES expression system , is down right dissapointing, especially compared to the Tak 360. The ES system is just too dead sounding in my opinion. To upgrade to a Neve preamp is $750 !!
The Takamine TAN15C is also a wonderful sounding guitar acoustically. It's a little more warm and mellow sounding than either the Tak 360 or the Taylor 814. Plugged in with the cooltube preamp it is my best sounding electric-acoustic. I've just scored another cooltube preamp and will experiment with it in the Tak 360 and the Tak SW.
cwk2 mentioned the Tak bluegrass series and I just had an opportunity to play one. The neck is a bit wider and it sounds as good as my Tak360 acoustically and plugged in. I'm going to have to have one of these because with the wider neck its playability is the easiest I've ever encountered. It's right up there with an Adamas that I played at GC but that is now gone !!
I think that I'm going to have to get an Adamas and a Tak Bluegrass soon . Then I'll have to thin the herd .
Regards,
Tom |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 12
Location: Vermont | Well I guess nobody has an opinion on Takamine guitars,huh? Really, thanks for all of your inpute. You've all honed in on the point and Dr.Tom has summed it up..."not all guitars,even if the same model,are created equal". I've owned 3 Ovation Custom Legends and they are all very different in the way they play and sound. I'm going to check out the Takamine Ltd.89 acoustic electric cutaway. It's a thinline but I'm not sure what that means. Thanks again to everyone
"Music gives the mind wings..."
Bob |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by Dr.Tom:
I think that I'm going to have to get an Adamas and a Tak Bluegrass soon . Tom, I have a really nice (as in mint) 1581 RI that I am probably going to part with very soon. It is a cannon (ask ProfessorBB...he has played it).
Let me know if you are interested. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Music gives the mind wings. Oh I get it now, that's what they meant when they called me bird brained. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Originally posted by stephent28:
It is a cannon (ask ProfessorBB...he has played it).[/QB] Based on about an hour with Stephen's 1581, and because he wasn't ready to part with his, I promptly went out and bought another. To say that the 1581 is a cannon is puting it mildly, particularly when tuned down to D. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Hmmm......is this discussion about playing it acoustically...than it may reflect an amateur`s opinion,just got back from Mallorca,where one of the performers played a TAKAMINE "Bon Jovi" mod.,He used it exclusively over the PA,(JBL eons)with a "muffler",at times with a host of effects(electric band ,etc.)sometimes straight through the mixer,that`s when it sounded as an Acoustic Guitar,AND That`s the trend is n`t it,even in small clubs it gets "plugged in",so when selecting an Acoustic for the "workin`pro",there are other criteria than sound alone,look,I am Not an Ovation Fan per sè,but they are The Best Acoustic/Electric ,Acoustically they sound Fine,and "plugged in"they are Unbeatable,feedback is minimal,easy to adjust,I find it Odd that so many disregard the bowlbox,for the Acoustic was around Long Before the PA,so obviously for PA use a New Concept was Needed,Hence my BowlBoomers,...I mean ,putting a muffler to fight feedback I never had to resort to ,but then again,the only A/E`s I put through the PA are an ancient 1537(sunburst)...1617(sunburst)...1618(natural)..but German Dave liked his "Bon Jovi" better...go figure...ah well,He`s Young... :)
:cool: Vic |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | ..and what`s with this new friggin lay out..."#¤%&/...?!!
Vic |
|
| |
Takamine