By Craver
I got excited when I heard that I'd be getting the latest high-end
offering from Takamine to 'test drive.' Having played Larrivee for
years, I had a good idea of what a premium guitar should sound like.
Takamine has long been known for their great acoustic/electric models.
Their pickups are tried and true with lots of user-friendly features.
The first thing that I noticed about this Tak, is that the headstock
bore a different logo. Prior to plucking the first note, an elegant 'T'
lends an air of dignity to the instrument. The 'T' denotes the new
Tradesman series.
The mid-sized classic body style is complimented with a sleek neck that
is topped by a stylish headstock.
I was intrigued to find out that the sides and back were made of solid
ovangkol. This is my first experience with this exotic wood from West
Africa. I must admit, it sounded very cool when I was telling others
about the guitar's construction!
The solid cedar top has a nice semi-gloss finish over a retro-style
sunburst design.
Takamine stayed true to its roots by making this guitar 'playable.' The
hand slides effortlessly up and down the neck while the fingers are
delighted at the ease with which they achieve their goals.
The acoustic tone of the guitar rivals similar styles by Martin, Taylor,
and Larrivee. By that, I mean that it sounds awesome! It has a rich
over-all tone with a slight emphasis on the highs. If you like a
'bright' sounding guitar, you'll love this Tak.
But wait, there's more!
The Singer/Songwriter is equipped with the latest preamp innovation from
Takamine, the CTP-1 Cool Tube.
This on-board preamp features a digital tuner, bass, mid, and treble
control, and the new 'Cool Tube.' The 'Cool Tube' warms and rounds the
guitar's tone. There's a control knob that allows for more or less of
the tube's influence on your tone. The tube itself runs at a very low
temp, so it doesn't damage the guitar with heat.
I let dozens of musicians play the guitar at the OpenMic.US open mics in
Atlanta. The most consistent comments were, 'The tone was amazing,' and
'It was very easy to play.' Those comments paralleled my personal
findings.
The Takamine Singer/Songwriter has now become my 'acoustic axe of
choice' for live-performances.
Specifications
| Body Shape: | NEX |
| Rosette: | Concentric Rings |
| Top: | Solid Cedar |
| Inlays: | MOP Dots |
| Back: | Solid Ovangkol |
| Sides: | Solid Ovangkol |
| Fingerboard: | Ebony |
| Electronics: | Cool Tube Preamp |
| Tuners: | Pewter with Amber |
| Suggested Retail: | $2289.00 |