Takamine EF-340SC

Japanese made solid spruce top, cutaway dreadnought. Mahogany back and sides, gloss finish. Takamine dread seems slightly smaller than other makes, but I like this.

Sound Choice on board pre-amp and three way EQ with tuner. Really like the tuner which is very simple and gives you the option to mute the output when amped up.

Deal included Takamine hard case.

44mm neck at nut - why don't people measure this more - so lots to get hold of and easier for people with fat fingers, like me!

Would have preferred string-thru bridge as I change strings a lot.

I most play flatpick and sing in Church and this guitar suits me really well.

I love the Takamine sound, though I know people who dont.

To my ears this guitar sounds top banana, both acoustically and amped up. Acoustically the top notes really sing - which I love - yet there is a rich complex sound beneath if you want it. It takes hard rythmic playing well with a solid base response, but equally can be sensitive played quietly with a complex mid range.

Amped up I had quite a bit of trouble eliminating nasty twangy sounds with the top notes, but attribute this more to the amp (Trace Elliot) effects. Eventully achieved a superb sound with no effect and nearly flat EQ.

Came with Elixir strings on, but can't wait to get some Newtones on which will really bring out the singing top end.

Guitar came from Sheehans in Leicester and I know they wouldn't let a badly set up guitar leave the shop. Set up is top notch. Hard to find anything to criticise about the finish etc. Beautiful to handle.

Don't know yet. I tend to wreck my guitars so this will be a good test. I certainly bought this model in the belief that it would be a tough one. The gloss finish certainly looks much better than the finish on my last guitar (S&P 6) which I dug holes in after a few months. At this stage I would have no hesitation about not taking a back up.

Bought over the phone without ever playing it. But that's how much I trust the guys at Sheehans. Comes with a two year warranty. Can't see that I'll need it.

Have been playing for donkeys. Wanted to get away from the dread shape but couldn't resist the deal - Sheehans tell me Takamine have stopped producing these as they cant make money selling Jap guitars so cheaply. Main competition was from Avalon, but really couldn't go for a Korean factory made job. Also Takamine Sound Choice gives me the option to upgrade the pre-amp later without carpentry.

Love the action and the sound - especially amped, really rich and complex.

If it were stolen I'd try really hard to find another one the same. I suppose we all aspire to something truly hand-made (Lowden for me) but there is no comparison on price. Really pleased, hard to be critical.

Feature wise this is a pretty impressive product. Single cutaway, solid spruce top, onboard preamp with tuner. The tuner rocks! Came with really classy solid case - but at this price point it should!

Really focused midrange and quite articulately voiced in all the frequencies. Not as toppy as an Ovation though and lacks the bottom end chunk of a Martin or Gibson. I think this is probably a better guitar for fingerpickers than strummers but I do a little of both. Single notes ring out with outstanding clarity but I'm going to criticise a couple of things - There are a few not so sweet spots up and down the neck where chords can sound a little imbalaced i.e notes fretted on the D string ringing clearer than the A etc. The only other criticism is that unplugged it doesn't project a lot of volume. Overall though for the price its still pretty good.

Actions a little high but thats probably just my weak fingers from lack of practice! Apart from that, the detail and finish are flawless - this is a well crafted instrument and I think this is where Takamine have always impressed me with their guitars. I do have the same problem with the bridge pegs the other review mentioned though but again this seems to be a fairly common problem with a lot of acoustics.

Yeah I'd say with the well applied finish and the easy to change preamp this guitar will be around for a while.

I've been playing for around 20 years and I really wanted to buy a serious acoustic to replace my Yamaha F310. The problem is I have played quite a few top dollar acoustics (that I can't afford!) so I'm a bit fussy. It was a choice between this or a Martin DM - both comparable sound and playability wise but on features and construction the Takamine wins hands down. I'm probably about 99% satisfied with this instrument but if it were stolen I'd probably collect the insurance, spend a bit more and get a Gibson. I've only had it six months though and I must admit its starting to grow on me so who knows......

This is an awesome Japanese guitar, not Japanese in a bad way either because the crappy Taks are made in Korea and the good ones in Japan. Anywho, it was made in 2001 but I purchased it in May of 2002 off the rack at a local guitar shop, it had been there only a few days, as they seem to fly off the shelf. The onboard EQ is great, there's a tuner as well as Low Mid High and Volume adjustments which are very easy to use as well as pretty accurate and effective as far as onboards go. This guitar also seems to stay in tune exceptionally well. Great acoustic guitar on its own but the amazing built in pickup which works by sensing the wood vibrations rather than the string vibrations to keep a sweet acoustic tone even when amplified is totally rock.

Although it sounds great on its own, the true forte of this guitar is when it's plugged in. In my opinion Takamine has the best setup for electrified acoustic sound, there's a definite reason why Bon Jovi, Bruce Springstein, and tons of other rockin' artists use them faithfully for acoustic performances that still require amplification. The sound is very full, especially considering the cutout which can take away from the tone of lesser guitars.

This guitar came set up perfectly from the factory for my use. I use Elixer nanoweb medium strings and haven't had to adjust the action one millimeter. The only issue I have is with the string pegs at the bridge, they seem to want to pop out during string changes on the heavier (E,A,D,G) strings, but it's a pretty easy situation to deal with, considering most of the acoustic guitars I've changed strings on have had a bit of a problem in that department.

This guitar absolutely stands up incredibly. The battery in the onboard EQ seems to last forever. The finish is soooooo gorgeous it's got the deepest and most lustrous shine of any guitar I've played, let alone owned. The Japanese luthiers at Takamine go to exceptional lengths on the middle to higher end models to ensure a beautiful looking and sounding guitar, I am thoroughly impressed. I've gigged this guitar as my only acoustic and it is so reliable, it makes you feel like a busker who only needs one guitar, it can withstand anything from mid-set tuning changes to constant thrashing that would send other guitars out of tune in a heartbeat.

I haven't had any problems so far so I can't comment on how Takamine the corporation is to deal with. Sorry, folks.

I'm 22 and have been playing about ten years now and this is definitely the best guitar all around that I've owned and one of the top three that I've played. By far the absolute best value guitar I could find, compares well with guitars nearly twice the price. If this guitar was lost or stolen I would definitely buy another, after seriously maiming whoever was responsible for it's demise. If you gig live with an acoustic guitar, be it in bars, concert halls or huge arenas and amphitheaters this is a guitar that will never disappoint. This guitar sounds great whether you're unplugged with friends around a campfire or playing for an audience of thousands (or even just a few dozen, we all have our place.) Definitely one of the finest values on the market. By the way, don't let the Japanese manufacturing deter you, it's not sweatshop, they're pro.