Takamine EF-317S New Yorker

This is a Takamine New Yorker with Bearclaw Spruce top and Koa back and sides: all solid wood guitar. The bearclaw is medium tight in linear grain with the bearclaw markings all over. The koa is reddish brown , nicely patterned and bookmatched.. 14 frets to body junction. The finish is high gloss with no drips, runs. Made in Japan, came with a Takamine hardshell case, a microfiber cloth, and paperwork. This is a parlor. I measured 14 inches across the lower bout, and 10.25 across the top. Scale: nut to saddle is 24 inches.
It comes with an active pickup. No hole in the side of this guitar, the electronics are mounted inside. No pickguard

I play fingerstlye about 95% of the time. I did a lot of research on the web and decided I needed either an OM or parlor sized guitar. Before purchasing this guitar ( new) I played some other brands. I played a Tacoma parlor for a while before picking up the Takamine. The Tacoma was well made and a had a nice punchy/dry sound. I liked it. it was nearly $900 new. I put it up and the guitar shop owner asked if I wanted to play the "little slothead takamine". I told him yes, but I would probably like it and it was more than I wanted to pay. Sure enough I liked it. After having it home and going through all the catagories I check for sound, I think it is a balanced and intriguing little guitar. It has a resonant bass, I repeatedly plucked the bass E open just to hear the quality of the sound. Intonation seems perfect everywhere I fret a note. Bass notes are strong enough, rounded and a little punchy , mids are solid and the trebles are fat and brilliant. When I play a chord and just listen , the sustain is even , yet bottom, mid , and treble sounds are differentiated not muddy at all. This guitar produces some very sweet high mids and trebles. Individial notes have a steady decay rate. When fingerpicking rapidly, notes do not seem to interfere with each other. Overall this is a rewarding guitar to play. Strummed, it sounds good, not muddy. This is a 14 inch lower bout parlor, body depth is about 3 and 1/2 inches. It will not "blow away a dreadnought". I don't want it to. It has opened up since I bought it. With the high gloss finish and not too thin top, I expect it to continue. A ten for sound in this price catagory

The action is very low, but not flabby. The fretwork is great: one of the reasons I played the guitar for a long time before I bought it was the wonderful feel of the fret and neck; one of the most satisfing guitars to play.. Workmanship was very good. Bookmatching was right on. All edges, corners , material transitions are perfect. The slothead iteself is excellent. I did not take a mirror and examine braces and look for glue , but it looks good from what I can see. I did have a buzz/rattle that I determined was a sympathetic vibration type thing. The guitar store guy got it fixed, said it was probaly from the wiring "twist tie" inside. This is why it gets a 9.

This guitar seems well made. the solid top is not as thin as some guitars I have seen, and judging from the quality of seam matching and finish, it is well built

I havw been playing for about 40 years. I was thinking about a Martin 00-15, maybe a Blueridge 000, a Larivee parlor etc. I really wanted a spruce top, because I have a Seagull S-6 (cedar). I lowered the action on it and play a mixture of jazz and eclectic fingerstyle on it. The Takamine is so much sweeter and balanced.I plan to play the Seagull in open tuning, and as my glass slide guitar. If the TAK were lost or stolen I would be an unhappy camper. I would try to get another one. I have not seen these used, which is a good sign I guess. I did compare it to some more expensive and less expensive guitars: Larivees, Tacomas, Seagulls ( their folk sounds pretty good for the low price. So far I am completely satisfied with the sound, playability and looks of the New Yorker. The pictures I have seen of it are not very good. If you want a spruce top parlor guitar and don't want to break the bank for a new Martin, Santa Cruz, etc. Go find one of these and play it. The guitar shop I frequent is a busy place. They have background music ( no thanks) and usually someone picking an acoustic or electric. I could tell the guitar was nice at the store, but when I go it home, I could tell so much more. It is more of a subtle sound.

first of all sorry, but my english isn't really good.
I bougt a FP 317 S in 1996. It is the same one like the EF 317 S. Just the preamp is an
acuuracoustic.
I was looking for annother one, but i loved this small solidbody.

unplugged the guitar sound's a little thin, but plugged, wow, it sounds much better than all other guitars ( yamaha's, fender, taylor) i worked with. the preamp works fantastic and it doesn't need much battery.
i play live over 20 years, but since i have this takamine the soundcheck for the guitar needs less than a minute! it sounds just superb.
i'm a strummer and every note sounds like it should sound. no dislikes!

the factory set-up was perfect. i didn't change anything. - no flaws!

I play this guitar since 1996 live. (about 12o gigs a year)
belive me, i strumm it, i beat it on gigs in bars and openair.
it's normal that it has some scratches now, but it works and works and works......

never needet it.

it is my live-guitar. when a string broke i played a yamaha till the next break.
but these times are over, because last week i bougt annother EF 317S. So I have two
identic guitars!!! Now i'm realy happy :-)
If one of my two takamines is stolen or lost, i buy a new one.
when i bought my EF 317 s last week, i compared it with fenders, martins and other takamines. o.k. unplugged the martins sound really much better, but plugged for me the takamines soundet best. the ctb4 preamp sounds great and i like the tuner on board. i think i will chance the acuuracoust preamp of my fp 317s into a ctb4 because the tuner ist a super extra.
finaly i think, for that price you can't get better live-accoustic's than the takamines.
and i wantet to be critical and belive me i was!

Small New Yorker style bodied accoustic with Graph Ex Pre Amp. Solid spruce top and Koa Back and sides (laminated). Mahogany neck, Gold Gotoh tuners, takemine logo in pearl, wood inlays on fret board, rosewood board and bridge.

I went looking for a Jumbo or Dreadnought and came back with this. It was the price that first drew me to it I admit. The sound was something of a suprise. Not loud as you might expect from such a small body but sweet midrange sound the perfect match for vocals. I can't really say what the preamp sounds like as I bought this guitar for its accoustic sound, but takemine pre amps have a good rep. Its a great blueser. I used to have a Lowden and it was a great guitar but it could drown out a vocalist. This plays a lot better under a vocal line and adds to it rather than competeing with it.

There are one or two spots of glue on the inside of this guitar. Other than that the guitar is FLAWLESS. The set up is great and the playability is superb. The best playing accoustic i have played in 30 odd years.

This guitar is designed and built to be played live. No accoustic guitars are truly as tough as a solid body electric by virtue of their stressed construction but this is i am sure as durable as any.

Sent the Uk Agent an email and received a reasonably quick response. Other than that no dealings.

Been Playing 30 years mostly electric. This guitar has has reawakened my accoustic desire.