Takamine EF-444S TBS

Well I think it is a beautiful guitar and the best that I own. Awsome tobaco sunburst, spruce top , mahogany back and sides. Looks stunning. Nex body style - mini jumbo

The first time I played it I was floored the sound of a big body guitar in a smaller package that can really deliver

I bought mine used in mint condition. It was well taken care of. After it was manufactually perfected. Action great, especially with mediums or med/lights. Fingerboard & fret work are impressive.

It's crafted beautifully, bridge work is nice - no popping strings.
FX has battery check for your convienience. My only complaint no pickguard, definatly not the heavy metal delight. But for the acoustic singer/songwriter this is THE guitar.

Ive been playing guiatr about 4 years, Im a violinist for over 10 so the ease of playability is important to me.

I just bought a efs 444 tbs and with out doubt it has the warmest sound and best overall playability of any guitar i have owned. My last guitar was a taylor 512 ce I also have had gibson hummingbirds, guilds, 2 martins and a alvarez/yari. the efs 444 tbs is more bang for the buck. I contacted takamine for some info on this limited edition and was here is the email from takamine:
"It was very limited, but we brought in 500 pieces. There is no way to tell the sequence. We do that on the Steve Wariner model, but not on anything else. It is a peach of a guitar. It was indeed brought in as a dealer incentive."

with out doubt it has the warmest sound and best overall playability of any guitar i have owned

best overall playability of any guitar i have owned

have not had it long enough to rate this

have not had it long enough to rate this

I have been playing for a little over 30 years and somthing about this guitar makes you want to play it for hours.

I submitted something previously but this is an update. I contacted Takamine with some questions referencing a submission on this page explaining that the EF444STBS was a limited to 94 produced. Here is there response. The "cap in the ass" bit is a response to the humorous segment of a letter I sent to Takamine.


Kie,
Your e-mail was forwarded to me so that I can help you understand
your Takamine better. The EF444S-TBS is a guitar that we had for a dealer
incentive in the second quarter of 2001. There were 861 that we sold. The
top is spruce, the back and sides are laminated mahogany. It is a really
neat guitar with the striking tobacco sunburst. Your reviewer probably got a
cap in his ass for not knowing what he's talking about! The guitar is one of
my favorites. The NEX body really gives a nice response throughout the
frequency range and the neck shape is "comfortable" Enjoy your guitar, and
feel free to e-mail me with any questions.

Tim Campbell
Customer Service Manager

Not sure of the year but it is recent. NEX (mini jumbo) body shape with beatiful tobacco sunburst finish and graph-ex (I think that's what it's called) pre-amp. Dot fret markers on the fingerboard that increase in size as you get closer to the body. Solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides though they are laminated. Rosewood neck with quality chromed tuners. Pearlescent "Takamine" inlay on the headstock. Looks like a vintage Gibson or at least in the vein of the old west. Beautiful.

I have been playing guitar for about 17 years and have had several Takamine's during that time. When I was looking for a new acoustic having given my mother my Tacoma DM10 for Christmas, I had my heart set on a Taylor. Having managed a music store here in Asheville I knew the quality of Taylor and loved the sound. However, I stumbled upon this particular Takamine and fell in love with it instantly because of it's size, looks and sound. Very even response and very resonant for it's rather small size. Very impressive. My fear at first was that, like many other Tak's, it would sound great plugged in but would pretty much suck acoustically but when I strummed this guitar unplugged it was so rich sounding. Very comfortable and easy to sing with due to it's lower volume.

Very well made. I see no glue around the joinery inside the body and the finish is wonderful. You can see the indention of the grain under the glossy finish which tells me that it isn't too thick. Beautiful finish.

No problems and I don't expect any as it's a Takamine

Kaman is very slow at responding to questions but explained that they have a very small e-mail response team and move as fast as they can. That's acceptable.

I love it. I would buy another if I lost it.

LIMITED PRODUCTION FIRST RUN OF A NEW MODEL TAKAMINE.
ORIGINAL INTENT WAS FOR 100 UNITS, BUT THEY RAN OUT OF MATERIAL
SOMEWHERE AROUND #93
SOLID SPRUCE TOP, BLACK, SUNBURST FINISH
MOHOGANY BACK AND SIDES
NOT SURE ABOUT NECK, COULD BE SATIN FINSH MAHOGANY
CHROME TUNERS
GRAPH-EX ELECTRONICS
NEX BODY STYLE, NO CUTAWAY
CUSTOM CASE FROM SKB

I PLAY EVERYTHING FROM ROCK/ALTERNATIVE TO COUNTRY, FOLK, AND GOSPEL.
I PLAY THIS GUITAR EVERY WEEK IN MY CHURCH, PLUGGED DIRECT INTO PA, AND HAVE PLAYED THRU OTHER PA'S WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS

THE SOUND IS GOOD, EVEN FOR A TAKAMINE, VERY BALANCED AND WARM

THE EQUALIZER WORKS WELL, THE EXCITER IS ESPECIALLY NICE BECAUSE IT ALLOWS FOR ME TO ADJUST THE BRIGHTNESS WITHOUT MAKING IT TOO MUDDY,

I WOULD PREFER THE PREAMP TO BE A BIT MORE RECESSED INTO THE BODY.
THE CUSTOM CASE (SKB) THAT CAME WITH WITH GUITAR IS SHAPED PARTICULARLY FOR THIS MODEL AND IS SO TIGHT IT ACTUALLY WILL MOVE THE EQ SLIDES TO THE LIMIT EVERY TIME I PULL THE GUITAR FROM THE CASE.

I PLAYED SEVERAL MODELS WITH THE NEW DSP EQUILIZER AND I LIKE THE GRAPH BETTER, NOT FOR THE SOUND BUT FOR THE ERGONOMICS. THE SLIDES ARE MUCH MORE INTUITIVE (FOR ME)

GUITAR WAS SET UP WELL FROM MY DEALER, DON'T KNOW ABOUT FACTORY SET-UP
THE NECK WAS SIMILAR TO THE OTHER F SERIES TAKS, PERHAPS A BIT MORE ROUNDED, BUT I AM NOT SURE. THE KAMAN FACTORY STRINGS SUCKED AND WERE IMMEDIATELY REPLACED.

EVERYTHING WAS AS YOU WOULD EXPECT ON A LIMITED MODEL, ALMOST FLAWLESS
AS WITH ALL BLACK FINISHES, FINGERPRINTS ARE A PROBLEM, BUT A LITTLE POLISH TAKES CARE OF THAT.

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE GUITAR TO PLAY AND REALLY WORKS WELL FOR FLATPICKING AND FINGERPICKING.

NO PICKGUARD, TYPICAL OF TAKAMINE, BUT I DON'T COUNT THAT AS A LOSS. THE ROSSETTE AND SUNBURST ARE TO BEAUTIFUL TO COVER UP

ADDED A SECOND STRAP BUTTON

PLAYED LIVE 2-3 TIMES A WEEK NO PROBLEM/ NO BACKUP

I HAVE NO CONCERNS ABOUT THE LONG TERM PLAYABILITY OF THE GUITAR
WITH PROPER CARE IT WILL OUTLAST ME

NEVER DEALT WITH KAMAN/TAKAMINE HOPE I NEVER NEED TO

MY LOCAL DEALER HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL
NO REPAIRS OR CONCERNS AS OF YET

STANDARD TAKAMINE LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY

BEEN PLAYING FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS

I NEEDED A GOOD A/E FOR LIVE PLAYING. I CHECKED OUT MARTINS, TAYLORS, AND MANY OTHER F-SERIES TAKAMINES. THE CHANCE TO OWN SUCH A NICE LIMITED PRODUCTION GUITAR WAS TOO MUCH TO PASS UP.

I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT THIS GUITAR EVEN IF IT WAS A STANDARD MODEL. IT HAD ALL THE FEATURES I NEEDED, AND COST LESS THAN THE COMPETITION. IT SOUNDS GREAT LIVE!!!!!!!