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Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | ...or any other guitar hype that makes people go out and buy high end guitars for thousands of dollars without playing them first: :confused: .
I don't care if it's made of Brazilian rosewood that came out of Anton Jobim's personal sauna, I ain't buying into it without playing one, or ideally, playing several. All guitars, and woodbox guitars in particular, are so individual in their personalities that I continue to be amazed after almost 4 decades of playing.
One of the worst sounding guitars I've ever played was a pre-war Martin D-45. Go figure? All low end with little discernible high end going on. Then again, several years ago I had the pleasure of playing a 000-sized all mahogany Chicago-made Harmony that was amazing! I think it listed for around 60 bucks back in the sixties.
I admit, I have bought several Adamas guitars sight unseen in my day, but IMO, they are the most consistent guitars sound-wise I've ever gotten a hold of. And, I could always send it back until I got one I liked (long wait, though!)
I know a lot of you are saying that you can always send it back....but will you be able to get another one that you like? Most likely not.
So, then you'll keep it and pretend that you like this "amazing" guitar.
Sorry, I ain't settin' myself up for this one.
Let the games begin!! :D |
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Location: big island | hey goober,
could you say that all again but in hawaiian this time? ;) |
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Location: NJ | Hippie-Hypeie-Lakka-Brazzy-Mojo . . . |
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Location: big island | cliffeth speaketh in an unknown tongueth. |
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Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | |
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Location: big island | SNICKERS give you gas too? must be the peanuts. Of course, GOOBERS are chocolate covered peanuts, aren't they? |
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Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | Randy, all I can say is that I hope your EF75 is the best one they made. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Everybody is entitled to their own opinion but I would never keep nor hype a guitar that did not live up to my expectations.
Yes, I bought this on blind faith by the raves of CWK2 who has played more than a few good guitars in his day but I would have sent it back if it were a dog.
Based on my continued raves, Dave took the plunge (and he knows a bit about good sounding guitars) and then the Prof and Colt (after playing one) and now several more without a single gripe.
This group is too vocal to fall into the trap of keeping a guitar they don't like. Look at the varying opinions of the UTE. Most love it but some hate it and are not afraid to say it and sell it off.
Sometimes you just gotta believe.
Sorry if the train leaves without you because you couldn't decide if the destination was right for you. Just my 2 cents. |
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Location: big island | being out here in the middle of the deep, blue sea, i just gotta rely on the judgement and ears of others. i've purchased and sold many, many guitars since my 12th birthday and the thrill of the hunt goes on and on till this day. |
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Location: big island | Originally posted by Goober:
Randy, all I can say is that I hope your EF75 is the best one they made. mahalo goober! all i can do is hope so too. i'm content with my first-hand experience that takamine makes some fine instruments. add that to the testimonies of credible folks on this forum and i just gotta "chance 'um", as we say in hawaii nei. |
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Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | >>Sometimes you just gotta believe.<<
Wooden guitars...the new religion?
Inconsistency is the hallmark of an all natural instrument.
Oh, I believe that some of these are very, very fine guitars. But they can't ALL be that way, and with just a few left to buy, it's not a gamble I'm willing to take. Bye bye train! Somehow, I don't feel left out at all.
I hope everybody here picked the RIGHT one. Ain't gonna happen, though. |
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Location: big island | Originally posted by Goober:
Inconsistency is the hallmark of an all natural instrument.
Inconsistency is the hallmark of an all-natural laxative too! |
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Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | No shit! I mean, yes shit!! ;) |
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Location: big island | "shit" in hawaiian is "kukae", pronounced ku-kye.
how can you talk dirty in hawaiian without a few lessons? |
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Location: big island | then there's "mokuhia" (mo-ku-hee-a) which means "excessive discharge of feces".
there certainly is a lot of mokuhia goin' on around here. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I would have to make the "assumption" that a "special" run of 80, much like the #47 RI is handled by the top luthiers and not the run of the mill production line. This would account for a higher level of consistency and higher build quality.
But to each his own. I have a wonderful sounding and playing instrument and I am more than happy to have taken the leap of faith.
I think tickets for the train are sold out anyway! :D |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | and yes I know what "assume" means which is why I put it in quotes! |
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Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | ;) Yes Randy, there is. I miss going fishing Saturdays just to see what bites the hook. LOL!
One thing that I really do think will keep this guitar from being "highly" collectable is that the designers at the factoy made a classy, expensive guitar and kept the same cheesy Tak logo and headstock.
This guitar deserved better! That headstock makes it look like an $800 guitar. |
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Location: SoCal | Interesting thread.
I was actually thinking this morning that I should sell my 1537 and 87 C and buy the Tak. Then realized that if I do sell them, the right thing to do would be to help pay off the OFC guitar. And that might happen this summer.
One of the best/worst aspects of the OFC is the incredible G.A.S. it produces. It makes me want to try one of everything. But in reality, I don't have the resources (very few of us do, although there are some here) to do that.
Here's where I have to admit that I've never played a Tak that made me want to buy it. Possibly this new one is different. Probably it is. But I know that there's a lot of OFC driven G.A.S. behind the desire to own one.
I'm going to stay on track for the OFC guitar, then possibly one more custom built wood topped Ovation when that's paid off. In the meantime, I'll enjoy reading what everybody else is doing..... |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Yes this is an interesting topic. First off NOBODY should feel compelled or pressured to jump on ths train just because a few guys around here like a certain guitar and are a little vocal about it. If I'm overdoing it, tell me and I'll back off.
But Goober is right, guitar sound can very significantly from one instrument to another. In a perfect world you would do exactly as he suggests, try multiple copies until you find the "one" that sings to you.
But in reality how are you gonna do that? Tell me where the store is that has multiple copies of $5000. + guitars. So, my own personal experience is that I buy on faith and recommendation. In the case of the Tak75, I trusted the opinions of Stephen and Bill very much. I figured that even if the sound varied +/- 20% from guitar to guitar it should still be great even if I ended up with the worst one of the bunch.
And the market for used instruments is HUGE, thanks to eBay. Worst case you sell it, maybe take a small loss, and move on. I bought a 00-18 on ebay that absolutely sucked soundwise. I turned it around and got something else. And on and on. For me, a guitar purchase is not a life time investment. If I end up not liking it, or lose interest in it later, or find something I like better... just sell it and try over. One exception would be my Collings CW-28. I don't think I would have spent THAT kind of money without playing it first.
The situation with the Tak75 is (to me) a little bit special because it's SO underpriced to begin with. It's really a "can't lose" in my opinion. Compare it to a $6000. Martin or Collings and maybe you'd say "hmmm, I don't know". But the damn thing is less tha HALF that price! Compare it to Gibson, Breedlove and Adamas and it's a no brainer. The fact that there are only 4-5 of these left available drives me nuts because I know friends of mine will shit when they hear mine and kick themselves. I called Brother Bobby and Sigler Music. Both have no more EF75 remaining.
OK, stepping off the soapbox. This born again wooden guitar fan will go back in his hole. Actually going outside to shoot some photos for the website.
Dave |
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Location: south east Michigan | Going to the tour is a great GAS manager.
Between the hotel lobby and the Mothership you get a chance to test drive about everything out there. Sometimes the guitar lives up to the hype...sometimes not. I played a UTE for the first time at the last tour. A few months later I had one. (Cliff's advice kepted on playing in the backround... "Brad... ya need a UTE!")
The #47RI had a lot of hype / mojo behind it. I had a chance to play a couple of them. The guitar proved worthy of the hype and de-mystified it at the same time. It is an awesome instrument, but realized it was nto nessesary to sell my UTE to get one.
So... This year I look forward to playing an OFC guitar. How much I like it (or not), at least it won't be this mystical, magical instrument that will instantly make me sound 10 times better.
If one of these TAKs show up this year...cool. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Goober, I agree, but also disagree about the HEADSTOCK. Yes, it's the same old size (too big) and shape as cheeepo Taks. BUT, it's bound in figured maple, faced in brazillian rosewood and the Tak logo is actually inlaid Koa. It's pretty freaking nice!
Dave |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Paul, sometimes decsions are based on availability.
The 1537's and 87C's are terrific guitars but they show up with regularity on ebay and through the OFC membership.
The EF75 will be the same as the #47 RI and the OFC guitar. Very few and far between and if they become as collectable as they should be, never this cheap again.
Maybe Al could work out something on a trade if you were really interested.
The Tak sounds better than either of the O's IMHO. |
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Location: Bluffton, SC | Great discussion, guys. |
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Location: Westchester, NY | Thanks for the reality check Goober.
I've been looking for an all wood guitar since picking up a Martin Backpacker, it sounds o.k. but smells great!!. My wife even noticed it. Ive always been an Ovation fan and been also on the hunt for an Adamas. I like the feel of the all wood guitar, tried a few in Sam Ash including Martins and Larivee's.
Thought for a couple of days about the Tak, but in a lucid moment I realized I couldnt drop 3g on a guitar I saw only pictures of. |
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Tak EF75 Hype...
