Takamine FP400SC 12-String

Tak made in Japan in 1996 with a high gloss finish - 12-String Dreadnought w/cutaway, Solid Spruce top, Rosewood back and sides, Rosewood fingerboard, Takamine "Accuracoustic" pick up and gold hardware.

I'm not sure why a 12 string really needs a cutaway - I don't use it much but it had the spruce and rosewood that I was looking for.......besides I bought this new in a small guitar shop in northern Ontario (Thunderbay to be precise) and didn't have alot of other 12 strings to pick from.....but I've never regretted the choice!

Amazing - rivals the more expensive Martin's and Taylors that I have played over the years. I am mostly a strummer but mess around with some fingerstyle tunes, and find this a perfectly versatile guitar for both.

Perfect from day one - easier to play than some of the 6 strings I have....flawless finish. I also use a humifier for my guitars and have never had a finish issue with any of them.

I bought this new in the winter of 1997 - still like new except for the one ding I put on it several years ago. Have you ever seen someone toss a patch cable on the carpet only to have the jack bounce like a superball and strike the front of a guitar while sitting in a stand? I was lucky since the mark is near the binding and only 2-3 mm diameter if you look for it - oh well, it happens.

Never had to deal with them......

An amazing guitar. I realize now that if I had purchased it from a large music store and had it shipped to me, I would have saved hundreds of dollars (Like I did for my S1996 teve Wariner Takamine) but the guitar is worth the price regardless. I was in a local music store last week and played the 2005 or 2006 model of this same guitar. They seem to have changed the neck dimensions over the years, because the new one seems thicker and harder to play than mine. Coincidentally, it had a sticker price of $1500. I would recommend this guitar (especially a 1996 model) and would rebuy it in a heartbeat.

The only thing that could make the features better would be a peg at the neck for the guitar strap rather than having to tie your strap at the neck or put a peg in yourself. The rear peg doubles as a jack, which is great.

- Body Shape: 12-String Dreadnought w/cutaway at the 15th fret; 20 frets total.
- Rosette: Paduk/Ebony
- Top: Solid Spruce
- Inlays: Maple
- Back: Rosewood
- Sides: Rosewood
- Fingerboard: Rosewood
- Electronics: Takamine's "Accuracoustic"
- Tuners: Gold Plated
Came with a semi-parametric 3-band + master preamp.

This guitar has an absolutely beautiful sound. I use this instrument for jazz, blues, and folk tunes mostly, but will sometimes use it for funk as well just to add a different sound. Musicians as well as those who say they can't tell the difference between an old tape and SACD seem blown away when they hear the golden tones that come out of this beauty. I have heard its equal only in a top-of-the line Taylor, which costs about 3 times as much. If you ain't rich, don't be a sucker and buy this guitar rather than dump your cash into an equal or maybe incrementally better elite make.

Setup was great. Nut wasn't glued on, but that was intentional to allow the buyer to customize it. There was not a flaw that I was aware of when I bought it new.

Quite durable. It took eight years, but about 2 months ago I noticed a slight rattle in the electronics; I think a mounting screw is loose, but I haven't investigated (the rattle occurs whether playing through an amp or not). My drunken brother-in-law once accidentally kicked it across the room and into a brick hearth. And I had to hunt for the resultant ding. If it wasn't such a nice instrument I would have smashed it over his head, though. Also, it came with a ridiculously durable hardshell case. A buddy of mine's brother actually ran over it in his car, and althought the case is now cracked, the guitar was completely unharmed. Since at the time he was a drug dealer armed to the teeth, I didn't really have the option of smashing it over _his_ head.

Never dealt w/them.

I love this guitar. 8 years and running strong. Though I much prefer the aesthetics of a jumbo body to a dreadnought, there simply is no option but to love this guitar. As noted above, at times it has been mistreated by others, but has never let me down. I've played it through many amps and always sounds great. Since I keep it tuned down to D-G-C-F-A-D to save the neck from string tension and use a capo (Shubb -- it is phenomenal), the cutaway comes in really handy. (BTW, if you have a 12-string, don't use standard tuning all the time or in 10 years you'll be using your guitar for archery practice -- I've seen it and it ain't pretty.)

This instrument allows mere humans to make otherworldly sounds.

This twelve string has gold hardware, Parametric active eq, bound neck. This is a blonde guitar and a spruce top with rosewood fretboard. Pretty well loaded for an acoustic I suppose. Dreadnaught body style without a cutaway.

I am into anything that praises Jesus Christ but I do play alot of other music. It isn't too great for banging out power chords or barre chords but open chords sound great. I use an acoustic amp with no effects at all. Great sound plugged in. Maybe a tad weak unplugged compared to bigger bodied acoustics.

Action is nice. Finish is flawless. Looks great in every way really.

This things is a tank. It is heavy and the neck is thick. U play an electric for a while and grab this thing and you will swear it is like grabbing the trunk of a tree. I trust this thing will hold up. I leave it in tune and have never loosened the strings once. Stays in tune pretty well but I usually do need very minor adjustments.

I have a takamine repair shop locally and I have contacted him regarding a refret job(no need yet but I was just checking) in the future sometime. The warranty only covers original buyer so I am outta luck if something does come up. Great guy though. He loved talking with me about Gibsons as well.

Great guitar. I have owned a G-335 and I like this one alot more because of the cosmetics more than anything.

This guitar has "gold" tuning keys that are very solid. Having had the guitar for a few months now, I would say that the EQ amplifier is of superb quality. The guitar comes with a vey solid hard case.

It is a cutaway "dreadnought style". As 12 string electo-Acoustics go, there are none that really add more than this takamine.

The sound is fantastic both as an acoustic or used electrically. I have used it through Marshall AS100D and the AS80 and also directly through a fender PA system and it is quite brilliant.

The Marshalls elimate all background buzz but even through a PA system, there was very little background noise.

The action is very very good, There are no flaws, this is my 3rd Takamine and they all have superb finishing. All the controls are solid

Difinately a very dependable guitar, I treat my guitars very very carefully so they are not used to being bashed about but the finish and quality of the wood seems very good

Never had an issue with this.

Been playing since I was 8 years old (now 38!) I love this guitar its much better than my ovation and the only other serious acoustiv I have owned, other than my other three Takamine's was a gibson which had a lovely sound as an acoustic but was old and was not good enough as an electro!

I would buy Takamine again and again, I think that they put effort into finding the right wood and making the guitar feel very special. My six string looks and feels as good as the day I bought it (4 years ago!) its a Santa fe model but I believe these guitars will last for years.

I bought this Guitar on a business trip in Montreal. It looked like it had been in the shop a while and I got it for 979 Canadian Dollars. It is a 12 string with the usual quality Takamine electronics and a lovely acoustic sound. Solid Spruce top and rosewood back and sides. I would call it half ornate - nice edging and gold grover-live machine heads, but nothing too fancy.
Being a 12string the neck is quite wide but this is a really easy guitar to play. The action is great and of course everything you play is rewarded by the angelic sound - it really encourages you to play.

Sounds beautiful acoustically and with the pick up. I played it through a Trace Acoustic amp in the shop and I had to buy it!. The variety of tones with the EQ is great. This is a lovely intrument to play with no further accompnimnet - it is very flattering even if you're only strumming. If your are alternate picking it's awesome.
This weekend I had the honour of lending it to a freind for a recording session at Abbey Road. It was mic'd in the vocal booth and it makes the whole track sound special.

ONly concern is a slight blemish on the top - could be a crack in the finish or worse. But its very hard to spot and doesn't seem to affect the sound. Could be caused by being a demo in the shop for too long.
Otherwise its a beaut. Action is great for a 12 string

I've only had it a couple of weeks and its survived a transatlantic journey in the checked in Luggage hold. Its been around recording studioes and I've gigged iot at the local football club.
Only tricky bit is tuning it. It seems to have settled now - it staying in tune. But retuning it is timesonuming and tricky. Iguess that's the price you pay for a 12 string.

This is my first 12stringer and I love it and all my mates are very jealous. I own a Guild 6strng Jumbo and a baby Taylor. It is a very usefull addition and I can't wait to gig it again.
Finding a good electro 12 string is hard anyway. IF it dissappeared I would struggle to find anything as good for the money, and it would take some time to track down