Takamine EAN-70

I bought the guitar in October 2005, but I'm not sure what year it was made. I think it had been in the store for a while. The list price, with a very nice case, was just shy of $1500.00 and I paid $500.00 with a $200.00 trade-in. The guitar is a genuine Japanese-made Takamine with solid cedar top and solid mahogany back. The sides may be solid mahogany or a laminate. The fingerboard is rosewood with a rosewood overlay on the headstock. The EAN70 is a full-bodied OM model which is part of the "Natural" series. Takamine says it's devoid of anything that interferes with the natural acoustic sound (except the on-board electronics, of course!) The guitar has a very thin satin finish and a pinless bridge. There is no pick guard. In keeping with this theme aesthetically, the rosette is a simple concentric ring design in BWBWB. The binding is ivory with BWBWB purfling on the top. There are no fret markers on the fingerboard, but cheater dots on the side of the neck keep you from getting lost. The tuning pegs are gold with swirly caramel-colored tuning knobs. The Takamine logo, also in gold, almost seems a little much for this guitar. All in all, though, I really like the look. It's simple but elegant and really grows on you.

The Takamine website says the sound is so alive that the guitar practically jumps out of your hands. I haven't had to chase it down yet, so I may be doing something wrong. I will say, however, that the guitar has a great live sound with lots of wood in the tone. It seems to produce base and treble sounds equally well with a really solid midrange. I play it acoustically about 99.9 percent of the time. I play finger-style, primarily for myself and whatever captive audience I can find (relatives, pets, etc.) I really don't feel qualified to comment on the electronics, except to say that everything seems to work quite well, and the on-board tuner is accurate and convenient.

I have found absolutely nothing to complain about with this quitar. The action seemed perfect for me. I don't know if they adjusted it at the store or if it came from the factory that way. The cedar top is gorgeous, with grain so uniform and defined it almost looks artificial. I think cedar is much prettier than spruce and this guitar bears that out. The back, sides and neck are flawless as well.

I think this guitar would stand up as well as any other acoustic guitar. It doesn't have a pick guard, so that might be a problem if you play with a pick. The strap buttons (there are 2) are solid and the hardware seems to be of a high quality. If I ever have a gig, I'll probably take two or three backups, but that's a reflection on me, not the guitar. The finish, as I noted earlier, is intentionally thin, but the matte finish will not show minor dings and scratches to the extent a glossy finish would.

The guitar comes with a lifetime warranty from Takamine. I haven't dealt with the manufacturer or the dealer on repairs, but I am confident that the dealer would be helpful if repairs were required.
I was more comfortable buying from a local dealer than off the internet because I already have a good relationship with them.
I believe Takamine's reputation is also that they back their products well.

Even though I'm in my 50's, I've only been playing about 7 or 8 years. I'm not great, but I have my moments, and I think I can recognize quality in an acoutic guitar. I like this one a lot. The OM size is small enough so I can play it comfortably, yet large enough to produce quality sound. If it were lost or stolen, I'd happily replace it with the same model, especially if the insurance company is picking up the tab. There are no additional features I would wish for on this guitar. I also own an Aria classic guitar and Esteban's Granada model. I traded in a Korean-made Fender acoustic-electric for the Takamine.