Takamine EF-406 Limited Edition Hawaiian Koa

Mine is actually a 2000 EF-407 but it seems identical to the guitars described here. No need to start a new catagory. It is a OO-New Yorker size and shape and very much resembles Willie Nelson's famous guitar "Trigger". However, while Trigger is a rosewood and spruce nylon-string classical, this is laminated Koa with steel strings and a 14 fret neck. A slotted peghead rounds out the classical look. The on-board preamp makes it very versatile.

The small size and laminated Koa back, sides and top make for a bright sound. The bass is there but with a bright tone to it. The highs are very bright and the mids are strong. There are bell-like overtones that ring nicely. I play folk, blues, ballads, and tunes of all kinds and I love the tone. Played amplified, it sounds just like it does accoustically with EQ for bass, mid and treble plus a presence control. The on-board preamp allows me to control the volume of the guitar so I can plug the guitar and a mike into an amp for a rudimentary sound system. It works great and sounds great so I give it a 9 because my Martin sounds better. Nonetheless, I love this guitar.

I set up all my instruments. I set the bridge and nut actions for light guage strings. The neck is very straight and true and the intonation is great. I never have to retune when I capo. The high gloss finish is beautiful, flawless and very rugged. I routinely gig this guitar without a backup.

The whole thing is very rugged and dependable.

Don't know. I haven't had any problems.

Playing 50 years. I have had many Martins and other guitars both accoustic and electric. This is a great guitar and I play it all the time. The laminated wood and on-board preamp makes for a rugged and versatile traveling and gigging instrument. It looks sharp closeup and from a distance. The tone is bright and tight and it plays in great tune. Don't let the small parlor size fool you. The sound carries a room and if it doesn't, plug it in for unlimited volume. This is a keeper. I give it a 10.

20 frets. Highly figured laminated koa wood top. High gloss finish. Came with Graph-EX preamp with exciter. This is a parlor guitar with 14 frets to the body, giving almost as much access as a cutaway. It has a slotted head like the old style parlor guitars. It came with precision graphite tuners.

Excellent for fingerpicking, and also good for flatpicking. Very bright sound. Also sounds great strumming, but doesn't have a pickguard. I play it through a Marshall MG-30dfx and a Crate DX-212. It sounds great acoustically and through the amps.

I bought this guitar used, so I don't know how it came set up from the factory, but mine came with a low action and was properly intonated. No finish flaws except for a little overrun of laquer on the neck.

This is a finger pickers guitar.. There isn't any pick guard. It's a small guitar... (parlor guitar) smaller tha a OOO. The guitar looks like a classical guitar. slotted head stock. But it has steel strings and an adjustible truss rod. Tuners work great... I am a Martin Player... So if I like this guitar it's good...

It has a nice sound.... With my 1943 Martin being a "10" I would rate the Takamine at an "8".

I am quite pleased with my Takamine. I also have a OOO-28 Martin and the Takamine plays just as well. The Martin sound is better. The fininsh and workmanship are excellent. Electronics are good.

I purchased mine used... It was built as a limited edition in 1999... So It is holding up quite well.

The only Takamine suport I have used is their web page and it was lacking in information.

I have been playing for a long while. I bought this guitar for the road. Martins are too expensive to take on the road... So I think it's a wonderful guitar for the money.

The 1999 Limeted edtition EF 406 is a Hawaiian Koa wood New York/Parlor style acoustic steel string guitar. It was made in Japan. The neck clears 14 frets, with diamond shaped pearl inlays. The slotted head has open gears with gold tuners, and pearl buttons. Also, it has a gold inlay of the Takamine name. The back and sides are veneer falmed koa with natural koa color (no stain). From what I understand, the top is also veneer flamed Hawaiian Koa. The binding is brown with multiple black and white and the body of the guitar is high gloss finish. The electronics consists of a Takamine GRAPH-EX pre-amp system: peizo transductor, with "exciter", volume, bass, treble, and mid controls. The charge extra for a hardshell case.

I purchased this guitar to fit my fingerpicking slack key needs. This guitar sounds excellent in small rooms or quiet areas. It also sounds good with a acoustic DI plugged through an amp. The acoustic volume is soft, not much volume. If you use Elixrs it will be even more soft. If you strum the cords the sound is weak and muddy. This guitar works best for fingerpicking. Although it is laminated Koa, it still has that Koa wood warmth and delay. The sound is easy to phrase notes and strings for fingerpicking. Thus, it has a wide dynamic range of tones and volume. Unlike some guitars I have played, if you hit the bass to hard it cuts out the high. But not with this guitar. The bass maintains sustain without cutting out the highs. Also, the treble does not cut the mids or the lows. Very well balanced unplugged. I use the EF406 when I'm not playing my loud Martin OM-28H, it is easier on the ears. When plugging in a acoustic amp, the controls of the GRAPH-EX provide a wide range of sounds. The feedback is minimal, and tends to be on the low end.

The setup is great. even after 2 years, in a humid environment the action remains the same. The construction of this limited edition is well done. The bookmached Flamed Hawaiian Koa looks great, and the high gloss finish is durable. It was the look of this guitar that caught my interest. After changing strings a couple of times, there was a buzz in the bridg area. After re installing the strings, the buzz was gone. The only thing I didn't like about the EF 406 was the width at the nut. It seems that the strings were too close togeather. After installing a ne bone nut with strings spaced farther apart, the guitar felt better. Nevertheless, the thickness of the neck is thick, just the way I like it. The controls of the electronics are well placed and easy to operate.

Because I do most of my playing out of the house. I don't play this guitar much. No doubt that this guitar's materials, construction, hardware, and finish will endure the entire 21st century. Because of its size and sound, it is primarily a house guitar, and if kept in the house it can last a lifetime. However, if I were to use it on gigs in the outdoors, its lamanated sides and back would endure the natural elements. I prefer to use my Martins outdoors because it has volume. Because of the slotted head, the strings are harder to change. Thus I use Elixr strings which last a long time. Because I play in 5 different tunings, the tuners must work well this instument has very smooth tuners, and holds it tone.

These guitars cannot be found new. It was a limited edition in 1999 and retailed for $1199. If you are thinking of purchasing a used EF 406 make sure it is in mint condition. These guitars are fock solid, and well crafted. This is the ideal fingerpicking parlor guitar for the home, and for home recording. But for gigs, yse a Martin.