Takamine C-136S

This Tak has a glossy finish and solid spruce top. I am certain that my Tak has laminated, Brazilian sides and back. The grain is too flamy and red for Indian. Don't know when this was made but am trying to find out. this is a very good looking/feeling guitar.

Has very well balanced sound that is improving with age. Nice bright trebles and a solid, supportive bass.

This appears to be a very well made, solid and I do mean solid guitar. Has a very classy appearance the gets lot of compliments. Great action, straight neck with lots of saddle.

I know this guitar has been arround for a long time and it still looks great. Great finish and I would gig with this anytime!

Haven't had to deal with Takamine so no thoughts here.

I would definitely replace this Tak with another if I could find one. I've played the C132S but it is not as good in my opinion. If you can find one of these, go for it, you won't be disappointed!

Bought used in 1976 with trade-in, not sure of cost, probably around $500 then. Made in Japan. Serial number indicates 1975 construction, I think. Has 19 frets, solid cedar top; mahogany neck with black (ebony?) center inlay and flat radius; nicely figured, well-matched Indian rosewood back and sides; rosewood fingerboard with bone saddle and nut. Standard 650mm scale with 52mm neck width.

Heavy lacquer finish contributes to healthy durability even after nearly 30 years. Has inconspicuous, unrepaired soundboard crack along treble edge of fingerboard, doesn't affect sound or playability.

Lyre-style, gold-plated tuners are of mediocre quality (two rollers are cracked, can't find replacements easily). As has been noted by others, model was discontinued.

I recently tried out a new, low-end Tak C-128 -- laminated top, etc. It had something of the same "healthiness" -- just a solid, confident playing feel -- plus, it sounded pretty good for a $200 guitar, I thought.

I prefer its sound to any non-concert-grade guitar I've tried. Very good responsiveness and projection. Deep, full basses. Trebles clear, although not particularly bright. Intonation is OK for a classical.

Action was originally a bit high. Neck angle is steep, so I've taken the saddle down about as far as it will go and still got 4mm on bass side, 3.5mm on treble. Which is about standard, although I wish I could take it down just a hair more. Workmanship is very good for a production guitar, better than new ones in this range.

Very durable. Indestructible finish.

I also have a 1969 Martin D-28 but don't play it much anymore, preferring classical.

I bought my Takamine C136S new in Palo Alto in 1977 for about $US375, I think. I also have a 1964 Ramirez and the Takamine is almost identical in construction except that the body is a bit less deep, the fingerboard is not ebony and the rosette is different. So, I have had both instruments for more than 25 years. I have a feeling that the Tak is getting better the more I play it, and I love it more and more with each passing yearT. Can guitars get better with playing, or is it just the player? As I neglect the Ramirez its sound seems to get worse. Is this just my imagination?

Absolutely superb classical instrument. I grow more fond of the Tak with each passing year and now prefer it over the Ramirez because the Tak has brighter and more intense trebles and greater sustain, particularly the first string on the 12th and higher frets. The bass strings are also excellent in tone, volume and sustain. The Ramirez sounds dull by comparison. The Tak seems less plagued by "wolf" notes than the Ramirez (dead sounding notes high on fretboard on top string).

Workmanship is superb.
Action is lower than my Ramirez and the Tak is easier to play, but there is no buzzing.
Intonation is close to perfect. I tune the G string slightly flat as it becomes a little sharper as you go up the fretboard, but I think this is the fault of G strings in general and not the instrument.

The finish is superb and my instrument is in excellent condition with just one small crack in the varnish. However, a fine classical guitar cannot be treated roughly!

The Takamine web site is useless regarding older instruments. The C136S is discontinued and the web site provides no information and they did not reply to an email query about this instrument. It looks like a copy of the Ramirez guitars of the 1960s. Although previous writers on this site have called it a "student" guitar, I'm not too sure what this means, because I think that it is better than my Ramirez in sound and playability.

I've been playing classical for 30 years. I love both my classical guitars but am leaning more and more towards the Takamine as the years go by.
I am curious about the newer Australian makers such as Smallman, Simon Marty and John Price. The only weakness of the Tak (like the Ramirez) is that the notes on the top strings above the 12th fret die away too quickly. I wonder if the newer designs are better in this respect?

I bought my used Takamine C136S after much consideration and comparison with other instruments. It was recommended as a first class student guitar but difficult to find because they are no longer produced. From what I can tell it is a 1981 vintage and was the top of the range model at the time.
The current top model is a C132S, which is not as good in my opinion. The S in C136S indicates it is a solid construction, which it appears to be with a closely grained Cedar top, with what I think is rosewood back and sides. Fretboard is too light in color to be ebony - not sure what it is - I would have preferred ebony. Bright intricate rosette. Transparent glossy finish. Mine is fitted with gold schaller machines with MOP buttons - very nice. A few bumps and scratches, acceptable considering it's age.

As a classical guitar player I think it sounds superb. I prefer the sound to many others I have tried from the spanish luthiers Rodriguez, Ramirez etc. It eventaully it came to a choice between the contreras c5 and the takamine - close call but the tak won.
It has great warm bases, but retains bright clear trebles with good separation. It seems to have a particularly good volume range, by this I mean it responds very proportionately to the degree of right hand attack - very responsive may be a better description.

The action has been professionally adjusted and is perfect for me now. Low enough to make for easier playing but no buzzes anywhere.
It is fitted with gold schaller machines which I don't think are standard. They are very accurate and stable - no tuning problems. The Intonation measured with a good electronic tuner shows it to be 100%.

At 20 years old and still looking good - I have no complaints.
It does feel very light so it may be fragile - but I an not planning to test it's tolerance to bumps!

Takamine site is not very informative and no use for older models.

I have been playing classical (mostly Baroque) for about 6 years. Although I played folk and rock for a number of years in my youth. I have been learning on a Yamaha CG100A, the Tak was my first upgrade - in search of a more precise sound. It has certainly done that! Despite some considerable bias towards spanish guitars from teachers and experienced players I think I have found a great instrument which will be with me for a very long time.

Made DEC 18, 1978 in Japan, this classical guitar has 19 frets, solid spuce top mahagony sides and back and rosewood fret board and a transparent finish.
I cannot locate the fair market value of this instrument. Purchased in March of 1977 for $379, this model appears to be discontinued.
We do know that this is a student model.
I am rating it an 9 for the quality in the price range.

The sound is clear rich and mellow at pianissimo and forte levels, essentially, all volume levels.
If you want to study classical guitar, this is just the ticket. When you can afford it, you trade up!

The action on this model is not optimal compared to other classical guitars I have plunked arround on recently. I think its a fair bet that the technology is getting better, but don't drop your guard. I have also played a few classical guitars that would make better firewood than musical instruments.
The action is such that when I switch to steel stringed guitars, the transition is very easy after a couple measures. And, of course, it is easy to negotiate almost any other well crafted guitar.
It is pretty good quality for a student instrument.

DO NOT USE THIS GUITAR AS A ROW BOAT PADDLE!
Is that what they mean by durability?
Just kidding. :^)
I have an odd problem and I am hoping someone will concur. I am having a bit of trouble tuning the instrument. We all know that humidity really affects stringed instruments. I am wondering if string manufacturing technology is different enough to affect whether the guitar tunes up correctly. New models of guitars all seem to have the bridge on the B string notched back. This guitar does not have this notch.
I have performed and my instructor seems to find it acceptable for recital.

Never had it worked on.
Takamine has a web site. But the site has nothing to do with their older models. I would like it better if their site had information regarding their older instruments. In fact, their web site was down while I composed this message.
It's obvious that the manufacturing operation does not want to deal with their pesky customers. You have to be a dealer/reseller for them to talk to you.
I find the local music shops to be far more helpful.
Just something to think about.

I think very highly of the craftsmanship of this guitar. However, if I were to trade up, I would have to consider different models and preferably a dreadnought series or better.
Ah, to dream.
Good value for the money I spent in 1977.
I am not interested in selling this guitar. I think I will hang on to it and perhaps hand it down to a relative if I trade up.
But I would be interested in other owner opinions if they have this model guitar.