Takamine EF349C

Full body cutaway, mahogany, Takamine Graph-Ex Pre-Amp.

This is a really good sounding guitar - deep and full bodied. It definitely has it's own character. Tak's are also known for their pickups and preamps which on this guitar are great.

This is a really well built guitar and I have used it just as it came for over 15 years - never even needed a set up.

As I said before, I've had this guitar for 15 years and I've never had a problem with it. It's probably played over 100 shows and has been recorded dozens of times.

Never had to contact them.

As has been stated previously on here, this is a pretty rare guitar. I stumbled on it over 15 years ago in a GC and it was on sale for some reason. It sounded remarkably better than every other guitar I played in their acoustic room, and even though it was like $650 (which was a lot for me at the time) I figured "buy once, cry once" and I bought it. This is the only acoustic I've ever owned since that day, which says a lot for a professional musician and producer. It's been to lots of states, recorded lots of songs and played lots of shows. Probably half of all the songs I've written in my life were on this thing. I wouldn't sell it at any price and if it were stolen I'd probably quit music. (just kidding).

Just received this guitar as a gift from my wife for Christmas. Bought used. I contacted Takamine and they said it was made in 1990, and it retailed for $CDN 880.

Same construction as other reviews. Got a beat-up old case with it that makes me look like I've been playing on the road for years...

Didn't come with a button on the neck base, so I just had one installed.

I've just started playing on a band, so I don't have a lot of experience to compare, but aginst the other guitarist who plays an Ovation, my guitar sounds deep and full. Sounds clean out of the amp. I have to keep playing with it to figure out how I like it...

I think it is me...but I get a buzz on high strings especially when I play my sloppy D chord. Other players have made my guitar sing, so I believe I am to blame a lot. The neck seemed to be a bit bent, but the guitar repair store (Griffiths Guitars in Newfoundland) told me the neck was fine and more an illusion that it was bent.
Since it was used, it has a few nicks and scratches that just add character. I will undoubtedly add many more...

The guitar repair dude said that the guitar felt "meaty" to him. I just feel like the other reviewer who said it is built like a truck. My other guitar, a seagull, has withstood the test of time and I feel like this guitar will also, especially if I take better care.

I got a response within 3 days from Takamine. I sent them serial number and told them I could not read model number (which I couldn't). They told me model and year and value (even though I didn't ask) and descibed construction. Excellent service when I'm just a used purchaser.

Overall I'm really pleased...I just wish I was a better player to be able to possibly appreciate better...

What a guitar. I've been playing 20 years (15 professionally) and I have never picked up an accoustic that sounded or felt like this. It was made in Japan around 1997-98 and I bought it new. Has a cutaway for high frets (indispensible, in my opinion), solid mohogany top, beautifully finished neck that's straight as an arrow. Jack is in the rear on the strap button, and there's another strap button behind the neck. Volume and EQ are on the top of the body.

They must have made some kind of mistake at Talkamine, because this thing sounds WAY too good for the price range. As time went on, all of the people I've played with (including very discriminating producers and engineers) could not believe the sound on this thing. It sounds deeper, fuller, broader and sweeter than any guitar I've ever played from $600 to $3000. For recording, there simply is no better accoustic guitar.

Great action, and I like it relatively low with 10's. The fretwork is incredibly accurate, the nut seems to have been set up with precision, the tuning pegs are smooth and everything on this guitar is tight as a drum. Neck is straight as an arrow. This guitar looks as rock and roll as an accoustic can, with dark mohogany finish and black trim/pickguard. The neck is also relatively thin and fast for an accoustic.

This thing is built like a truck. Nothing has ever needed to be repaced, fixed or even tightened on this thing in over 6 years. It's been through rehearsals, shows, recording sessions, and tours in a van and has always come through. So much so that I don't use a back up accoustic.

Never needed them, but I hear Talkamine is one of the best.

Unbelievable guitar. Very rare. I suggest you find a sucker who doesn't know it's value, buy it, and keep it as the accoustic which you'll judge all other accoustics against.

THIS GUITAR WAS DISCONTINUED IN 1998--- THE EF-349(NON-CUTAWAY) WAS DISCONTINUED IN 1995.. SUGGESTED RETAIL IN 1995 WAS $ 975.00.. IT WAS ALL SOLID MAHOGANY TOP, BACK AND SIDES FINGER BOARD WAS ROSEWOOD. iT IS A VERY RARE GUITAR AND IS A KEEPER IF YOU CAN FIND ONE..

W
WNECK IS THIN AND FEELS REALLY COMFORTSAELL BALANCED TONE.... GREAT FOR ALL STYLES OF MUSIC RICH AND FULL

WELL CONSTRUCTED IN JAPAN --- FINISH HIGHLIGHTS THE MAHOGANY WOOD AND IS VERY EYE CATCHING...

GEARED ENCLOSED TUNERS ARE SMOOTH AND PRECISE... NO GLUE BUILD UP VERY CLEAN CONSTRUCTION WITH MODEL # BURNED INTO THE MAIN BRACE

TAKAMINE HAS A WONDERFUL WEBSITE AND YOU CAN EMAIL ANY QUESTIONS R/T DATE OF MANUFACTURE OF YOUR SERIAL # WITHIN A DAY OR 2.. THEY ARE A GREAT COMPANY AND VERY RESPONSIVE TO CUSTOMERS AS EVIDENCED BY THEIR GROWTH OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS...

THIS GUITAR WILL ONLY GET MORE VALUABLE--- SAVE IT FOR YOUR G-KIDS....

The review below seems to cover this pretty well...please see below for details in this category.

This guitar seems to be very very rare. I played hundreds of models from all the major manufacturers and found that in the $500 to $800 range...this guitar seemed to literally blow away just about everything I played. It seemed to just sing and had an enormous low end punch that rattled your rib cage when you played it. Kind of like turning a good amplifier up loud and striking a power chord...it had a strong voice and just seemed to scream when I played it. It also stood out as being the only "all-mahogany" guitar that Takamine had manufactured (and that I saw) at the time. The finish and accessories were striking to behold combined together in this instrument and I just fell in love with it. It was very difficult to price shop though as not many dealers seemed to carry or advertise the model. I use it with a Crate CA60D amplifier and the marraige is a thing of sheer beauty. I have had the guitar for a few years now and it has held up remarkably. Not a tuning issue, dead spot, or buzzing fret to be found. It still has the original 9-volt battery that it came with and the finish is still lush and gorgeous. The guitar plays all styles well, especially if a deep and full low-end is desired. It doesn't sound tinny or airy like a lot of the guitars I played and can definitely carry it's own in the midst of a full band.

The guitar was set up very well and required no adjustments. The action was perfect and easy to play. The overall manufacturing of the instrument was flawless and after playing two or three of them I found around the northern part of the state I lived in, they were all consistent and well built.

Since I've had this guitar for a few years, I believe it is definitely well into it's settling period, and is still holding up exceptionally well. The tuners are holding very very nicely and all the electronics function without even a pop or crackle. The guitar could use a strap button mounted where the neck meets the body, but the other strap button also doubles as the output for your guitar cable...providing a lot of security when using a strap. I don't think I would ever gig without a backup instrument, but believe that I would probably never need to use a backup with this guitar because it is very reliable and well built.

never dealt with them

I've been playing for 13 years. I own a Fender Gemini II, a Takamine classical guitar, a Martin 12 string, and a Schecter C-1 Elite electric guitar. My amplifiers include a Crate GX40D for electric guitar and a CA160D for acoustic. I did a lot of research before buying this guitar and spent a considerable amount of time playing various instruments so I feel I made a very wise and sound decision when buying. There really isn't anything that I don't like about the guitar, but love the way it looks and the way it sounds. I love the incredibly strong voice it has and the sheer power it seems to have when being played. I think I might swap out the electonic portion on it someday to get one that contains a built in tuner...my classical guitar has one and it makes tuning so much easier.

This EF349C is a Japanese produced full size acoustic/electric Takamine with a cutaway body. It has built in electronics with a 3 band slider equalizer, a slide volume control and a switched battery strength indicator led. The guitar has 21 frets. The entire guitar including the top is mahogany with a high gloss finish and a black pickguard. The guitar has Tak original tuners, peg bridge and was purchased used with a hard no-name case. The amplifier connection is through the body strap button and therefore your connecting cord doubles as a strap lock. The output of the built-in pre-amp is strong enough to record directly into the line input of my MiniDisc recorder which results in a variety of audio advantages. The guitar had only 1 strap button and as a result I added a button at the neck joint.

I play primarily blues and traditional rock on a 1978 American standard Telecaster but use this guitar when I'm in the mood for a little Zeplin style acoustic. More often than not the guitar is played without amplification but when desired I use a Fender Super 210, 60w tube amp and occasionally add a Boss Chorus which replicates, if set up properly, a 12 string type sound. I have experience with both the SC noise of the Tele and this Tak and the Tak is remarkably noise free by comparison. The electronics in this guitar are superb and when run through the 210 the results are very close to the unamplified sound. I stated already that most of its use is as an acoustic and the voice-box sound from this guitar is excellent. The full mahogany body not only looks good but also delivers a very warm rich sound with lots of bass resonance. To compare it to a Martin or a Taylor would certainly be unfair but as a mid-priced acoustic guitar it shines and the electronics are second to none.

It was the appearance and action that first drew me to this Takamine. The full Mahogany cosmetic with the black pickguard makes this guitar very distinctive looking. The Takamine logo in the headstock is inlaid pearl. The action on this Tak is similar to my Tele and as a result is very comfortable to play. The finish is no longer perfect but the few dings add to the character of this instrument. When I purchased the guitar its previous owner had sanded down the neck and refinished it with a satin varnish. I re-sanded the neck and went back to the original high gloss, which is more in tune with my familiarity to the Telecaster. The Tak tuners are superb with a very slow, smooth and accurate cog ratio. I would exchange the tuners on my Fender in a minute for the feel and delicate accuracy of the Takamine.

Owned the guitar for a year now and haven't even replaced the 9v battery in the electronics. Assuming that I keep the moisture content appropriate and don't drop a hammer on it, I should own it for a lifetime. Should note however that the mahogany top and neck are certainly a soft wood and will if not treated properly will show their age.

Can't say that I am impressed with Takamine distributor in Canada. They had no information on this guitar whatsoever, be it year of production or even to be able to tell me if this was a solid or laminated top model. If anyone out there can answer either of these two questions please contact me. This is an older guitar so customer support from the manufacturer is not really an issue.

I've been playing very regularly now for three years and added the Tak about 1 year ago. The sound is obviously dramatically different from that of the Tele and I truly enjoy having the versatility in my playing. If it were lost I'd try to replace it as I truly love this guitar. I compared this to a variety of guitars in my price range and am very confident that I made the right choice. The only instrument that I have played to date that I preferred was a Taylor but my budget just wouldn't allow for that. I think that anyone who buys a Japanese Tak will be pleased with the results.