Takamine F-400 12-String

Dreadnought, Rosewood, 1977, made in Japan, no electronics

12 string not used very much these days. Use it in worship. Low tones not very full, but expect that with a 12 string using light gauge strings.

Have not had to adjust it at all after 30 years.

I have depended on this guitar since the day i bought it new, and it has never let me down.

32 years.

Built in 1978 in Japan. D style 20 fret. I believe it is a solid spruce top. Very nice looking 12 string with a Martin style headstock. Even the lettering looks like a martin. I got this with an aftermaket case.

Sounds very good when recording. I use two mics, one right at the sound hole and one on the 12th fret. Again, great tone when recording. By itself, it lacks a little on the bottom end and on the harmonics but other than that it has a very full sound.

Action and intonation is very good. It has a truss rod adjustment but I never had to use it. The wood grain is very nice looking but the finish is a little too yellow but not a big deal there. I do recomend using a light guage of string on this.

It stays in tune very well and it takes a good beating. The tuners are very rugged and after 25 years it has only a couple of dings. The frets stand up very good.

I did contact them by email to find out the history, giving them the serial number, and they promptly gave me the information I requested.

I have had this since 1989 and to replace it with something that sounded this good I would have to spend at least $800 in my opinion. It is very vintage looking and has a great overall sound for recording, live playing, or by itself. If you are in the market for a 12 string whether you are a beginner or advanced guitarist, I would highly recommend one of these. It is very comfortable to play and for the money it is very worthwhile.

Dreadnaught 12 Dated May 1978 made in Japan. Indian Rosewood (possibly veneer) & solid Spruce (probably Sitka) Harmonics a compromise but once you learn how to tune it is not too bad even if it does not stay in tune all that well. I have had it since new and have always been happy with it.

Good even spruce sound. Adequate volume for this price range but the solid build ultimately compromises the depth of sound especially the bottom end. Good in front of a microphone.

The action is near perfect for a 12, low with no buzzing good attention to detail. Only real gripe is the low frets require your fretwork to be spot on to avoid buzzing

24 years with me in a variety of use - say no more this guitar will live to 100 if nobody parks a truck on it. No sign of instability in the top and the neck is as straight as it was the day I bought it.

This was my second guitar. It was half the price of a Guild and twice the price of the cheapest 12 I could find. After 25 years it sounds better than most $1000 U.S. guitars. I have had a Les Paul Special and a mid seventies Strat. Last year I bought a 00 hand made by Jim Williams in Australia - Think of a Taylor 514 CE with more power and tone in a smaller body for $1500 US - what more can I say. If I had to replace the Takamine I would buy one of Jim's 12 string Jumbos - If I had the money I would buy three more of his guitars before I started shopping anywhere else! A Jumbo is probably the best shape for a twelve string anyway.

Late 70's when I feel the better guitars were made. It has no electronics. It looks and feels of high quality and doesn't go out of tune for months, it seems. That's important when you hate changing strings. I keep it in a hard shell case to keep it and the strings clean for as long as possible.

The sound is nice and only lacks the fullness of a regular six-string. I think the cancelling of strings creates that with 12 string guitars. Some people love 12-strings because of that but I don't. It's worth about $305 on the used market and $450 if it includes a hard shell case. That's what I would sell it for if the other person pays shipping. I'm at jorgana@yahoo.com

The guitar is almost immaculate. Someone took care of it. The action is really low yet doesn't buzz. It is a well made guitar though I find playing any 12-string guitar uncomfortable. Pressing down that many strings is a pain in the butt.

This thing is obviously well constructed since it's been around since the late 70's. I read other user's talking about how long they have used them on the road. I would feel very confident touring with it but I am a bedroom guitarist for now.

Never dealt with the company.

Solid spruce top 12 string dreadnaught guitar. I would only be guessing about the back and sides. Open tuners. It's MIJ, about 1977. It's definitely a law suit Martin looking headstock. It's bound all around with 3 ply binding. It has open tuners. I bought it used for $350 and it's well worth it. It's in excellent condition.

This has a nice sound to it. Not a full booming sound but very clear across the hole range.

This thing plays as easy as my Simon and Patrick six stringer. Its smooth easy and fast action. The finish is in great shape for this oldie. som very minor nicks and mars here and there. The neck is true.

I have to say for a guitar of this age it's in 9 out of 10 condition so it must be quite hardy and realiable.

I own several other acoustics. I traded in my Madeira 12 string on this and this is far superior.

Spruce top, 12-string, no electronics, D-size, made in '76 when I received it as a gift, replacing my old Fender 12-string.

Good, basic, strong 12-string. I have played it for 25 years, on n' off. Hopped freights with it, rode buses and hitch-hiked with it, played numerous gigs with it. It imitates some Martin 12-string and does a good job at that. Maybe not the big booming 12-string sound of some guitars that cost a couple thousand bucks, but it sounds good.

Decent action. Had the bridge worked on a few years ago. The tuners need work now after 25 years. So, what can I say, it's been a sturdy, dependable, play-able friend!

Oh yeah, 25 years of playing this thing...it holds up. Unlike big expensive tempermental guitars like GUild's JF-65 12-string (watch out on that rip-off!), this guitar is dependable, stays in tune, takes a beatin'...good job Takamine People!

Never dealt with the company once. Never dealt with the dealer once. Got it as a gift 25 years ago and only had it worked on once from a local friend.

If I said anything negative about this guitar, I'd feel like I was betraying a friend. It has grown up with me. If it was lost or stolen, I might buy a more expensive, upgraded 12-string with a bigger, louder sound...maybe.