Takamine EG-334SC

Nothing new to add from the other reviews.

I've played this guitar in everywhere from a 1200 seat room to my living room with my buddys and have never been disappointed with the rich sound. Made a big difference in volume and tone with a heavier guage strings, but almost any guitar does. The spruce top gives it a very bright sound. I believe the quality of the tone and sound improves the more you play the guitar. To give a far opinion pound on it for a few years.

I usually take time to set up all my guitars after I buy them. This one was almost perfect right off the rack. The neck is very true. I lowered the action alittle but nothing major. I changed the way the pick up sits in the bridge. I found the high end was not as hot as it should be. Keeping in mind this a $600 - $700 guitar, I don't think anyone can complain about the quality. I'm not a big fan of "bling" on a guitar so the gold tuners I find alittle cheezee. I think the money could be better spent. I do like the inlay, very well done and not to much.

There is no dought this guitar is durable and solid. I've had it for 4 years and it still looks great. It stays in tune very well no matter how much you hammer on it. When you really boil it all down the 2 things that matter the most is that it has quality sound and stays in tune. This guitar does both.

No idea. never had a problem

I've been playing 30 years both rec and for food. I play mostly electric but have to break out the acoustic. I think I've played every guitar in every music store I've ever been in (just ask my wife) so I believe this is a pretty fair opinion. I started playing G&L guitars a few years ago, mainly because of the quality they put in their guitars and feel, that for the money Takamine is a good bargain. If was stolen I'm not sure if I would buy another one. Not because I don't like it but because there is just so much out there to try. My motto is "So many guitars......so little time."

Dreadnought, solid spruce top, laminated Okovangol (sort of like rosewood) back and sides, mahogany neck, bound fretboard, abalone inlay around soundhole and as purfling on front and back, gold hardware, NBT4 preamp with 3 EQ and volume, plastic pickguard and plastic bridge (!?!), 1/4 inch end-pin jack. Neck is Martin size and shape. Piezo pickup under bridge. Made in Taiwan, Takamine is affiliated with Kaman who also makes Ovation. I think they could have used solid Okvangol for back and sides and a wood bridge instead of the cheesy plastic bridge.

The EG334SC has an amazing rich, full sound across the board - high, low, mids. Unplugged the thing is a tank and is full and very loud. The acoustic sound is rich and sweet. Plugged in it is also very, very nice. At GC I played it through a Marshall acoustic amp which really brought out the full sound. I've run it through my quiver of amps ranging from a Roland micro-Cube right through to a Marshall AVT150 and it sounds great in each. The pre-Amp is very nice with 3 EQ and volume. Easy to adjust during gigs and not scratchy at all. Some Takamines come with on-board tuners, this does not for some reason and I was a little disappointed that it did not.

I've had it for a year and basically haven't played my Martin D-40 since. One of the best bangs for the buck around- really. I compared it to many at GC and it was perfect so I bought it right then and there. I was looking for under 1,000$ guitar to use for gigs and travel to save my Martin from abuse.

Set us was superb and right on. Frets nicely finished. Intonation dead on right up the neck. Outstanding neck is extremely comfortable (of course this is a personal preference). Tuners are nice, but worth popping on a set of Grovers to really round out the package. The bridge is PLASTIC?! Why, Takamine WHY? I don't think the plastic bridge adversely effects the sound, but takes away from the overall quality. Finish sparkles, nice and smooth and deep. Finish on the back side of the neck is buttery and adds to the comfort.
All hardware was perfectly fitted, joinery is smooth and perfect, wood selection is great, but the laminated back and sides have a bit of a micro-washboard effect. They do use some laminated braces, especially right inside the sound hole. I wonder why since this is immediately visible. The few corners they cut to save money (laminated top bracing and plastic bridge) could be avoided since a few strips of soild spruce and a wood bridge would only add a few dollars to their cost)

I've had it one year and it seems like a tank. I leave it on the stand so I can pick it up daily and it still looks, plays, and feels brand new. I've gigged with it and it really chunks along and takes a good pounding without going out of tune. Feels very solid.

Have not needed to contact them.

I give this the highest rating across the board and I am comparing it to my 2,500$ Martin D-40. These ratings are not inflated. I am continuously pleased with this guitar and play it for at least one hour a day. I bought as a beater and travel guitar...now it is one of my all time favorites. Compared to anything else in the price range, I think it is the tops. Of course handmade instruments vary individually, for sure I got a winner. If it was stolen, I would cry and gnash my teeth. Then i would go and buy another one and hopefully it would be as good. I compared this to Ovation (which I traded in partially for this), Fender, Yamaha, and others. None felt or sounded so good. I tried for one year to love my Ovation (also purchased as a beater) but nerver could get used to the round back or the funny shaped neck. The neck caused me tendonitis and I could not play for 2 months. The Takamine neck fits like hand-in-glove.

Solid Top Spruce, Ovangkol sides, Gold Tuners, Basic Preamp, Gloss Black Finish. Very cool looking guitar. I noticed that it is just slightly smaller then regular dreadnoughts.

The sound was very thin. I did buy it...but then returned it the next day. In the store, on THEIR equipment, it sounded nice and full. When I brought it home and compared it to my Alvarez DY-57 (see my review here on Harmony-Central)it paled in comparison. If I was to keep it I would never play anything smaller then MED gauge strings.

The action was a bit high, but Monmouth Music in Red Bank, NJ quickly adjusted the neck truss to allow for easier playability. Although, it came at a price, there was quite a bit of buzzing on the E and A strings up by the 1 thru 3rd frets. The sliders on the preamp/pickup were a bit wobbly to the touch. Otherwise, the guitar seemed well built and solid.

Only had it for a day.

I didn't deal directly with Takamine, the guys at Monmouth Music in Red Bank did. They seemed to be very accomodating. They shipped out a new Takamine EG523SC Jumbo that day. They also shipped out a new Pickgaurd, no questions ask. It appears I scratched it up a bit when I brought it home to play...although, thinking about it, it shouldn't have scratched that easily. I only played 3 or 4 songs on it before deciding the sound wasn;t right.

I needed a Guitar to by my performance guitar. I have an Alvarez DY-59 (Spruce top, rosewood back and sides) which I write and record with. That guitar stays home, since it doesn't have a pickup or a cutaway. In the store I thought this had a comparable sound, but once I got it home it paled in comparison, so I returned it. I exchanged it for the Takamine EG523SC Jumbo (actually less expensive too), which, believe it or not, is closer to the sound of my Alvarez, plus provides me with a cool new sound that starts getting me in the Gibson Jumbo arena.

It's an acoustic guitar with a pickup/pre-amp with EQ. As basic as it gets. I got mine from GC two years ago. I use light gauge strings because I like a bright/punchy sound.

While I use a lot of dynamics when I play, when I play hard I like the kick the crap out of my acoustic. That's where this guitar excels, especially in the context of a full rock band. The guitar is very bright with a very punchy/percussive sound that pumps highs and mids that cut right thru the mix of the other instruments. One of the reviewers below commented on the ability of this guitar to cut through the mix and he or she is right on. The brightness also allows finger-picking rus to step out into the spotlight even with a full compliment of drums and bass. I agree with some of the reviewers who think the sound comes out a little thin, especially when compared with more expensive acoustics . . . but I'd like to remind everyone that this guitar is not a high-end guitar. Though I've actually used in the studio and mixed it with my friends Lowden (which is an unbelievable guitar). The bright, punchy sound of the Talk sounded great mixed in with the round and full sound of the lowden. If you're gonna rip this guitar for being too bright, then you should have paid more attention to what you were buying before you bought it. The electronics are fine . . . if you want to help it out a little, using a little bit of compression (Boss, MXR . . . doesn't have to be expensive) can really help.

I cannot say enough about the action, fit and finish of this guitar. The display guitar was a little out of wack so I had the GC guys go into the back and bring me one. This one, out of the box, was killer. The intination was perfect. The action was low but there was absolutely no buzz. It plays incredibly well and is in tune at both ends of the neck. I can put a capoe anywhere and it stays in tune with perhaps a very slight adjustment, which is basically unavoidable as capoes actually slightly alter the pressure placed on the neck. I play a lot of weird chords and I generally strum pretty heavily. After two years, I have only made slight adjustments and the guitar plays even better now that it's broken in. It with stands everything I throw at it, which includes the occaisional alternate tuning as I'm too poor to afford another guitar. Of course, I also take good care of my equipment, but you can't beat the quality, especially for a mass produced guitar in the price range.

The guitar has withstood everything I throw at it, which includes playing every day, life in a college dorm room for two years, frequent gigging, plane trips, and frequent gigs. Oh yeah, and I haven't even changed the 9volt in the pick-up . . . which I can't believe considering how much I use the pick-up.

I registered it and that's it so I have no clue.

I have been playing for about six years when I got tired of the fact I couldn't take a piano everywhere I went. I have played in a number of bands of different types . . . sometimes I'm in the supporting cast, sometimes it's just me and my talkamine. I've got a lot of money going into college and I couldn't spend much on my guitar, so I needed a lot for a little with no catches . . . and this guitar delivers. It's reliable, sounds punchy and bright both acoustically and through the pick-ups. No, it's not deep and full like a Gibson, but this is a Talkamine, not a gibson. Unlike many gibsons, this Talk has a narrower, punchier frequency range that will cut right through the mix. As long as you have a good balance between the bass guitar and the Talk, it'll sound really good and there will be very little frequency over-lap, which helps the Talkamine stand out in band situations. I don't think this is the holy grail of guitars, or even close. I look at this like a Toyota. It's not all that classy, but it's solid, affordable, and will keep going for years with minimal hassle. If you like punchy, bright sounds, and you want a solid guitar and you don't have much money to throw around, this guitar is excellent. It has limitations . . . I wish I had more money to buy a fuller sounding acoustic . . . but it'll get the job done and you won't sweat over it. This is not a miracle guitar, but it definitely deserves an 8 . . . for what it is it might deserve higher, but an eight is what I'll say.

Made in Taiwan, Solid Spruce Top, Ovangkol back and sides, and a N4B preamp.

I love the sound. It has a brighter sound than most guitars which was exactly what I was looking for. I never really experienced the "dead" sound as mentioned in the previous reviews but I did notice that my guitar did sound a lot brighter than the display guitar at the shop. When I plugged it in, I was surprised at how great it sounded. This is my first acoustic electric but I can definitely tell the difference between the acoustic electric guitars my friends play.

The finish on this is great. I got a lot of compliments from the guitar's aesthetics and I love the look of the Ovangkol wood. The abalone is also a subtle yet striking complement, not too flashy but just enough to get the occasional "ooooh" from friends. The gold tuning pegs are also nice.

I just got this so we'll see how well it keeps up :)

This guitar is great. It looks and plays great. Sounds great as well and for the price you can't go wrong. I looked at a lot of acoustic electric guitars and I wanted a guitar that sounded a bit like a taylor- in which it somewhat does but of course isn't as crisp and full as a taylor. However, for me (as an intermediate guitarist), I would rather settle with this guitar and save $800. The sound is great and the guitar has it's own unique sound. If you're looking to get a quality acoustic electric that will play beautifully plugged or unplugged, then this is your best bet.

Ovangkol back and sides, solid spruce top. Made in Taiwan, I think. Gold hardware, N4B preamp. The features have all been listed previously. It's a beautiful guitar, my only feature complaint is that there's no onboard tuner.

The sound of this guitar is very rich, bright, and deep. I fell in love with the sound of this guitar when a friend of mine bought a very similar model 10 years ago. My opinion is that this guitar has the best sound of any guitar under $1000.00, based on the one's I've played. (Quite a few!). Of course, you can spend more $ and get a better sound with a Martin or a Taylor. I initially bought this guitar to replace my Takamine EG561C, which is a thin body, and has a really thin sound when played unplugged.

Here's my beef... I bought this guitar at Guitar Center, and of course it's loud in there, so when I got home and started playing, I noticed some fret buzz. No amount of tweaking would make it go away, also the intonation was WAY off. Took guitar back, the GC tech couldn't make it stop buzzing either. Tried another EG-334, and IT BUZZED TOO. In fact, every guitar (under a grand) that I tried buzzed when playing a 'D' or an 'E' on the 5th string. I usually play electric, so I'm not very used to Acoustics, maybe this is just a characteristic of acoustics, but I returned the Guitar.

Guitar was returned. Don't know. My friend's was stolen, so he doesn't know either.

Didn't deal with Takamine, but Guitar Center was fairly amicable. Of course they wanted me to "step-up" to a Taylor or a Martin, which I probably will... but couldn't afford to at the time. They didn't give me MUCH of a hassle for returning (within 30 days), but the guy who sold it to me was clearly upset that he lost his commission.

Been playing for 23 years. Gear: 1987 Japanese Fender Stratocaster... heavily modified with Floyd Rose and Duncan humbucker, on/off toggle; 2002 Eric Clapton signature Stratocaster (what an awesome guitar); 1967 Gibson 12-string (J-45 I think? something like that.); some Les Paul knockoff; Fernandez Bass; and a Takamine EG561C.

If I could find an EG-334 that didn't buzz, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. I'm really disappointed that I don't have the guitar, but I just can't stand that buzz! I'd love to give this guitar higher scores because aside from the buzz, it's an incredible sound, feel and look. Sorry Takamine!

Solid spruce top, laminated ovangkl(sp?) back and sides - a beautiful dark wood in mahogany family. neck binding and body binding with abalone. gold tuners. Great preamp with 3 band EQ. Natural high gloss finish. 2003 model

I just like the Takamine sound, and this guitar nails it. You don?t hear booming bass, but the sound is crisp and bright and full. Even aging for just 2 years, I am hearing more depth in the bass than when it was new. I recommend Martin SP Bronze light gauge strings or John Pearse strings. Actually I like the Pearse strings better, but they don?t last as long as the Martins. Everyone says these guitars are quiet unplugged, and I guess that's true, but not a problem.
If you buy this guitar learn to love the strong midrange. It has the NB4 preamp, which I truly believe is the same as the CT4B that Takamine uses on their upper end model, only without the tuner. Both are described in the catalogues as ?warm sounding?. At times I get annoyed with guitar?s ?warm? tone through a sound system, and have even said that it can sound like a ukulele. Sometimes I long for that deep bass and strong high end that Americans love in their stereos. BUT, when the rest of the band cranks up my Takamine sounds awesome! A friend has this same model and plays out a whole lot more than I do. He says the sound of a Takamine ?cuts through the mix? better than any other. You actually hear high quality well balanced acoustic guitar sound clear as a bell. He plays next to a guy with an $1800 Taylor, and they both agree that when other instruments start playing, the Taylor sounds like ?crap?.
Don?t get tempted to turn down the midrange to get hat ?scoop?. Use it. It is the strength of this guitar?s sound. It even helps bolster the sound of the lower 2 strings.
Most folks I talk to play their tak's straight to the board. One guy told me he has even stopped using reverb. I use reverb, but that's all. I run it through the Zoom pedal I use for my strat sometimes just for kicks (compression, chorus, etc.) but when it's all said and done I just end up running it straight to perform. This guitar just has an awesome full sound.

I have only found 2 minor flaws. The frets ends above the 12th fret are a little rough, and there's a slight flaw in the finish on the top near the neck. However, overall it's just beautiful. It looks like a much more expensive guitar.
I might point out that this guitar was made in Taiwan, whereas I believe most G series Taks are made in Korea. Could this account for the better quality?
Set up was a little high from the factory, but had that adjusted for free at the store where I bought it.

For 2 years it has been very reliable, and has held up well. The glossy finish will scratch easily, but not in a way that's very noticeable. It still looks new.

No need for customer support. I sent an email question to Takamine right after I bought it, and they responded the next day!

I?ve played guitar for 35 years, but really haven?t owned that many guitars. I bought a Takamine F360 (the lawsuit model) back in 1980, not really knowing what I was getting ? just that I loved the sound of it more than any guitar I had heard. I had it for the next 10 years or so until it was stolen. I was low on cash, so replaced it with a low end Ovation Ultra. It was OK, but I still wanted to get back into a Takamine. Finally 2 years ago I took the plunge again, and got this EG334SC. I payed $629 for guitar and case.
I chose this model because it reminds me in many ways of the F360 (which is still being made). It?s half the price, and probably doesn?t sound quite as good, but I?m still lovin? this guitar. I tried many others, and considered an Ibanez Artwood in a similar price range, but I definitely got a great buy on this Tak. You just can?t beat them. There?s a reason that so many people who could play anything out there choose mid-range Takamines ? the Eagles, John Jorgenson, etc.

It's a solid-top with laminated sides and back. It's got a beautiful appearance to it.

Unplugged this has a thin sound. I'm surprised that people haven't been super critical of how it sounds plugged in. I realized that this was a dud the moment that I bought a backup acoustic guitar (which was month later). I got this limited edition Yamaha FGX-04 and after realizing that it sounded superior to the Takamine, I did more comparsions after the fact and realized that I could've bought a better guitar for the same money. Luckily I bought it used for $400 at a store with a 75% reimbursement policy and got $300 back

But for what it's worth, the Takamine did sound better to me than the Ibanez acoustics, Fender acoustics, the Ovations, and other guitars around the same price range.

The action on mine was a little low. Maybe that's how Takamine sets their guitars up. If I had to choose, I'd rather have an action that's too low than too high. Its action made it an easy guitar to play.

The tuning pegs were jagged and difficult to deal with. Then again, it's had to tell if that problem is a result of problems that were caused by its former owner or if it came from the factory that way. I'm going to guess that the former owner might be the result of those glitches and overlook it and give the "action, fit & finish" a good rating here.

I only held on to this guitar for a month before I sold it back to where I bought it. But considering that it was used and all, I thought that it had good durability potential.

It irked me that the guitar didn't come with a strap button on the top, but no big deal--I simply paid a guitar repair shop $8 and, ala, I had a strap button on the top of the back.

I did email Takamine a letter asking them what type of wood the solid-top the EG334SC was made of. The emailed me saying that they were on vacation (it was New Years), but got back to me in a week with an answer. Fair enough considering the holiday season and all.

For the $550 new price, I think that this guitar is decent enough. Hey, I only bought it and all. However, I think that a buyer should buy one of the superior used instruments at a well know used music store or pawn shop. I realized I was in trouble with this guitar when my Yamaha backup that I bought for open tunings on stage sounded a lot better. I'd like to rate this guitar a "4" because of its thin sound, and because it set me back a hundred dollars (I got reimbursed from the place I bought it from at 75% of the purchase value). However, I did think it was a lot better sounding then the Ovations (which isn't saying much), Fender acoustics, and Ibanez guitars.

Since I sold this guitar back, I've discovered that even high grade Takamines (ones for $1500) pale in comparison to Yamahas, Taylors, and low line Martins. I've been playing guitar for 30 years and always had a piece of **** acoustic even though I was in bands. Due to my inexperience on the acoustic guitar matter, I made the mistake of picking this guitar up. However, I've been studying guitars ever since the purchase and would have to say, I don't care how tight budgeted you are, $550 is a lot of money, so:
1-Either by a superior used guitar for the same money.
2-Or take into consideration that you're already spending half a grand, so why be half-assed, why not spend the extra $200-$300 while your at it and get a real guitar.

I'm sorry, but this Takamine doesn't sound like the acoustic guitar that you hear on Pink Floyd, Radiohead records (those are my tastes). Instead it sounds like a good electric sound when it's unplugged and that's not the sound I picked it up for!

Solid-Top. and acoustic electric. Laminated ovalkang sides and back.

I thought that it's electronics weren't all that great. Yamaha, for example has a few low line guitars that sound vastly superior plugged in as well as unplugged.

The guitar did look good and I didn't see any rough edges. That was one of the few decent points about this mistake that I purchased.

I only owned it for a month and sold it back to the used shop I purchased it from so I can't really answer this durability question.

Takamine did answer a question in regards to the type of Spruce that it had through the Email. Based on that one experience, I'd say it's support was good.

I think that it sounded too thin. I bought it too quickly and it wasn't until after the fact that I did a thorough investigation of the other guitars. Granted, it did sound better than the Ovation, Fender, and Ibanez acostical guitars. I would recommend buying a fuller sounding guitar used for the same money as the new Takamine goes for. By the way, plugging it in and adjusting the bass frequencies couldn't salvage it's base-less tone. My $400 Yamaha FGX-04 sounds better, and that's my backup guitar. Luckily I got a 75% reimbursement due to the store policy where I bought it at, and got a Taylor.

Same as the EG 334RC and BRC. Spruce top,ovangkol sides and back. Ablone inlay,active NB4 pre-amp.

Very well, i play everything from folk,rock,mellow, and alternate tunnings. The guitar suits all styles well. It sounds great.. and will surley be a bit boomier with age.. (lacks a little bass).. but overall is good.

Action was a tad high for me.. as i like too play in some of the upper regions. However very good for the average player. Really easy to lower the bridge as it comes with removable shims. (handy handy). consistnet tone throughout the fretboard.

I have wacked it a couple times, and it stande up great. I think it will be great for the long run (like all guitars.. i keep it cased with a humidifier to protect it from wood crack ect.)

N/A.. there is not a whole lot out there for info on the net .. so i hope this will help others interesed in this guitar.

Very goood all purpose guitar. Sounds great plugged in or not . Will last a long time .. and is rugged. For the price range u cannot go wrong. Played many guitars and this guitar is unique and keeps up in quality and higher priced standards.