Takamine GS-330S

I spent several hours and a couple of trips back and forth to guitar center trying to find an inexpensive acoustic just to play around with(I've been playing for 15 years and just recently moved without my instruments). It took me hours, I literally played every single acoustic guitar under 500$ on the wall, I even played some 2000$ martins and thought I might just go ahead and take the plunge because clearly the cheap guitars sounded like total crap.

THEN, on the other side of the wall, all by itself was the Takemine GS330S. it looked pretty plain, but I decided to try it out since it was the only inexpensive acoustic I hadn't played in the place. All I can say is for 300$ it is hands down the best acoustic I've played, it isn't even worth comparing to the disgusting sounding fender acoustics for $200,

don't throw away your money, spend a little extra and get the gs330s, its only $300 and you'll lovvvvve playing it,. it honestly compares closely to my friends 1000$ taylor and several martins.

great, the neck feels beautiful , not too thick, the fretboard is very smooth , you dont have to smash your fingers to fret properly like on the poorly crafted acoustics and this one isnt covered in gross looking gloss finish / glue.

its taken some abuse but not much, no live shows,

I am completely happy with my purchase, I would've spent double what I payed for this guitar happily.

Solid Top Cedar creates a beautiful full sound

Takamine GS330S is a dreadnought style, solid cedar top acoustic with light satin finish. Nato laminated sides and back with rosewood fretboard and bridge. No pickguard. String-through-bridge (no pins). Pretty much a basic guitar without bells and whistles, but that doesn't matter because this guitar is not meant to have a lot of features. I prefer that since thick gloss and pickguards only dampen tone.

This guitar sells because of its tone. Hands down, this is what makes this baby a great instrument. It has a crystal-clear, earthy and warm tone. The bass range is just gorgeous. I've never heard a more full and complete bass range on any guitar in any price range. This guitar also projects like a beast. It's so loud that my wife thought it was hooked up to an amplifier! I've heard people say this is meant for fingerstyle, but I think you could play anything on it. All I need to say is the first time I strummed a chord in the guitar store on this guitar, my head fell down limp and I just paused for a good 30 seconds to listen.

The factory set up was fine. Action was perfect; somewhere in the area of 3/32 to 4/32 inches. The neck was set up perfectly with just a hair of relief. All the wood fitting looks good to me. No rough spots. The satin finish is really nice and it allows you to feel the texture of the cedar. Just be very careful with the finish because it dents/scratches easier than any guitar I have ever seen.

The biggest downside is how easily this guitar scuffs and scratches. I've had it less than a month and it already has visible scratches on the top. It also shows oil and dirt very easily. But again, considering the sound of this instrument is BECAUSE of the satin finish, you can't complain. Look at Willie Nelson's guitar.

I've been playing for 14 years. This is my prime acoustic since my other got destroyed. If this Takamine were lost or stolen, I would buy it again. I love the way it sounds. That's why I bought it. I was truthfully disgusted with the sound of all other guitars under $500. They sounded like Walmart guitars. Except for this one. The salesman at the store even pointed this one out to me as being a standout. I like how it has no pickguard (adds to tone) and no fretboard dots (which are the stupidest thing ever added to guitars). The only other guitar I was considering was the Seagull S6 but I decided against it because it was $100 more and the fretboard was way too wide like a classical guitar.

cedar top ,looks like mohagany neck side and back,no electronics or cut away.Very nice binding on both the front and back of the body,there seems to be a dark wood binding on the neck and the headstaock has a nice piece of rosewood veneer on it.No bridge pins so its much easier to change strings.

at first I couldnt stand the sound ,it was very boxy and forward,but as the guitar aged the sound finaly smoothed out.Now I like the sound ,very nice bass good mids but a bit rough in the treble.

very good quality in the beginning, but as the guitar is getting older
there is slight bulge where the bridge is and this is causing the action to be too high for me.outside of that the fit and finish is very good.

I like the sound of the cedar top but it is extremely soft, I can literally dent it with my fingernail.Without any type of coating it also gets dirty too fast.I also dont care for the feel of the neck.

never had to deal with customer service.

overall its a very nice guitar.As mentioned before ,the top is very soft and dents very easily,the sound is nice especially in the bass.and the pinless bridge makes string changing very easy.since I bought this guitar only for experimenting with alternate tuning I break a lot of strings.

This is just a plane jane guitar for features, although I love the solid cedar top. Not sure about the tuners but this is the second one I've owned and they seem to hold tune well. Nato back and sides. Neck is nato as well. Rosewood fretboard, ebony bridge. Neck is thin and very playable even for small hands. Bought on ebay with nice hard case for $229.00. Removed the plastic saddle and installed a bone saddle first day. Installed Elixer nanoweb light medium strings. I would love to rate the features higher but they are not there.

This is where this guitar shines. Its hard to believe a inexpensive guitar that cost less than $250 could sound this good. After installing the bone saddle (which I do to all my guitars) this thing really came alive. I have a house full of guitars. Taylor 710, Martin D-28, Yairi's DY-51, DY-45, DY-55, I cant say it sounds better than any of them in all ways but it sounds as good or better in many ways and for hundreds even thousands less money. Its as loud as any with the exception of the D-28. The Taylor is more balanced but we're talking about premium priced guitars versus $250. Get one if you can find one. Its a steal for value.

The action was good when I received it but I lowered it some when I installed the bone saddle. The playability of this guitar is wonderful. It plays better than any guitar I own with maybe the exception of my Taylor 710. The nato back and sides have a almost ruff finish that probably could have been a little better. The solid cedar top is very nice grained and I am sure will sound even better with time. All in all a very nicely put together guitar. I have found nothing inside the sound hole, very clean construction.

The solid cedar top is very vulnerable to bumps and scrapes with the soft cedar. It will have to be protected from abuse. Like I said this is the second one I've owned. Gave the first to my son. I bought it off ebay as well. It has held up well in the 3 years we have owned it.

I have not had any contact with them because there has been no problems so far. So I don't feel I am qualified to make a judgement on that.

I would think for the money invested in this guitar it has to rate high with the sound, playability and all around considered. If I lost this guitar I would surely look for another. I take it anywhere. Camping, hunting trips, fishing trips, to the beach. When I play at home I seldom play my other guitars. This ole cheap GS330S Tak is what I reach for. Enough said.

Nothing fancy. Satin finish, no pickguard, no electronics, even no pins on the bridge. Only one strap button, on the end of the guitar. It has a truss rod inside. Cedar top and laminate sides/back. Kinda nice actually.

Sounds pretty good for this price range. The lows could be higher, but oh well. It's loud, clear, and resonant. Stays on pitch.

Everything seems pretty standard. Action is normal. It's put together well, no buzzing. It feels good; solid bit it's also really light.

It seems like it will last a long time. I don't trash my guitars so I'm sure it'll go for a while. Nothing wobbles or wiggles. Tuners are tight and have no rattling at all. I use it all the time in small groups, but it can't really be used at larger venues because it has no pickup.

I got this guitar because I gave my old Fender acoustic to my sister and I wanted something a little better. I'm not a crazy guitar player, I just like to have one around and play when the there's an opportunity. I didn't really want to spend more than three or four hundred bucks, since I don't plan on being a great guitarist anytime soon. I wanted one that was cheap, but didn't feel cheap when I held it and sounded as good as possible for the price. This one sounds really good for the price and feels great. All that's missing really is a strap button and a pickguard, but it's no big deal. I'd recommend it easily if you can get a good price on it.

Acoustic Dreadnaught guitar. Solid cedar top! Nato back and sides, good feel to the neck. Rosewood bridge (traditional pin type) and rosewood fretboard. Understated looks but nice.

Nice warm tone. This one has been well used so it is definately broken in but supposedly cedar doesn't need much aging to sound good. I have owned a LOT of acoustics including Larrivee(3 of them) Martin, and played many others, I know what I'm talking about. This doesn't sound like an all solid wood guitar, that is impossible with laminated back and sides but for a low end tak from the far east it sounds great. The tone is warm (thanks to the cedar) and is what prompted me to purchase this over the other several beat up old guitars in the shop. Like I said, I'm not going to give this guitar a really high tone rating because it simply cannot compete with standard and high end Martin, Santa Cruz, Larrivee, etc. etc. but for what it is, it's surprisingly good.

Pretty good overall, the action is low on mine but it is plenty old and looks like it has been fooled around with. It had a pickup screwed into the top and a hole for the jack in the side and lots of dings and crap but it seems like a solid enough guitar. The laminated back and sides actually make the guitar stronger which is the only upside to this feature.

I did notice a good amount of glue inside but that ain't no thang really.

On par with most of the others.

no idea, I'm sure it's not very good for a second hand guitar though.

I've been playing for 5 years. I've owned and played a lot of high end guitars and I know what I'm talking about so you can take me seriously. I was looking around the used room of a local music store and I saw this baby. I didn't know squat about it but it looked sexy. I figured it just had a really aged (dark) spruce top but when I got home and looked it up I found out it was Solid Cedar! (So that is what gives this mystery low-mid level guitar such a nice sound, I thought)

Satin finish dreadnought, solid cedar top. Nato back and sides appear to have a rougher, "open pore" finish. Very simple, no frills appearance. Made in Taiwan. Has classic rosewood bridge with pins. Basic enclosed chrome tuners work fine. Nothing fancy, but feels well-constructed and solid.

The reviews of this model and the solid cedar top caught my attention. Well, against my better judgment of buying an instrument without playing it first, I bought this off e-bay at a price that I knew I could re-sell it and not be out any money if I didn't like it. I originally bought it as a back-up, campfire-type guitar that I wouldn't have to worry about. When I got it, I fell in love with the sound. The warm cedar tone and the low end really shines on this particular guitar. I liked it so much that I eventually fitted it with an LR Baggs RT system pickup to use live. Others who hear it love the sound as well.

I bought the instrument used, so the only finish blemishes appeared to have come from use. Action was a bit high for my tastes, so I sanded down the bridge a bit and now it's perfect. The satin finish top is sensitive to skin oils and can develop shiny spots. At first, this bothered me a bit as I was only used to glossy finish instruments previously. But in light of the incredible sound, now I think the appearance just adds a bit of aged character to go with the nicely aging sound. It seems to be a simple design, simply well-constructed.

The instrument seems quite durable. I have used it live and would not hesitate to do so again, even without a backup. Although I originally bought it as a campfire instrument and a backup, I now like it too much and I don't think I would want to expose the satin finish to the outside elements too much. But for proper care of an instrument, I think it will hold up just fine. The tuners seem decent quality and hold tune just fine. For me, I couldn't ask for more. Were it not for the satin finish soft cedar top (which I think is a plus for sound), I would give it a 10 for this category.

No opinion here, as I have never had to deal with Takamine.

I have been playing over 25 years, mainly in church worship and for private pleasure. I have now had this instrument about two years. This guitar sits on a stand in the living room, accessible at all times. The simplicity of design, the beautiful wood almost makes it musical furniture, a joy to look at as well as play. I love the sound just for strumming and picking in a room. I love the sound for something different at a gig. My favorite feature? At $130 total (including shipping) I know I found a diamond in the rough. Now the rough edges are smoothed away, and the unique sound and beauty come shining through. If others are of similar build and tonal quality, I cannot recommend this model enough.

This guitar doesnt really have many features. It is a solid cedar top (which is a nice feature) nato back and sides, dreadnought body style, with cheap but effective tuners, rosewood fingerboard, pinless bridge, and not really much more to list.
Guitar was purchased as a beater, but seems to be of nice quality.

I have to say that this guitar sounds really good. I changed the light strings for mediums and adjusted the truss rod and this thing sounds beautiful. I really cant complain. The cedar top gives it a really nice woody warm tone.
Its great for all styles of playing. Country, folk, bluegrass, rock.

Well... the setup was pretty good from the factory. I had to adjust the trussrod when I put the mediums on it. It does tend to be a bit buzzy if played to hard, but certainly not a serious problem. With a little more tweaking, that will be fixed. A few finish flaws, but nothing to worry about for the price of this guitar. It has a satin finish which is pretty nice, and the wood looks good, nice grain. I am amazed at how cheap this instrument was.

I have only had it a few months, but it looks like its really built to last. My wife bought me this guitar because I was going to Steve Kaufmans acoustic Kamp in Maryville TN. She was tired of hearing me complain about bringing my Martin on the plane, so she suprised me with this guitar. At 250 dollars and an 80 dollar case, my mind was at ease. All and all the guitar held up fine throughout the travel. I now have a campfire, travel guitar.

I gotta give this guitar thumbs up. I am a long time acoustic guitar player, been playing for like 20 years. I have a Martin, Tacoma, Guild, Ovation, and others. This guitar is nothing to complain about and easily holds up to the others. This is now the guitar that I keep around the house out of its case to pick up when I get the urge to play. It will go on many more trips with me I am sure, and I dont have to worry about damaging any of my 1000 dollar and up guitars. Its perfect for the beginner or the guy that doesnt want to spend alot of money on a great sounding/playing acoustic.

The only signifigant feature to speak of on this guitar is the no-pin, string-thru bridge. I love that. I think in the future, you will see more guitars with this type of bridge. It makes re-stringing a breeze, and I would guess that it adds to the overall sustain. No pickguard, no high gloss finish, simple but adequate tuners, basic dreadnaught shape. I actually really appreciate the overall simplicity of this guitar

The sound is why I chose this guitar. I had just sold a Breedlove AD/25SM ac/el (which by the way is a fine instrument), but to be honest, I think the tonal quality of this $500 less expensive guitar is better rounded. The highs sparkle, the lows are pronounced without being boomy or muddy, and the mids cut through just right. I have also owned Martins and higher priced Tak's, but for the money, everything I could ever want sound wise in an acoustic guitar is to be had with this guitar. I was very surprised when I strummed the first chord.

The action is adequate. I have yet to do an adjustment, but I feel that I can probably lower it slightly without getting string buzz. I would not say that the action is high, but it definatly could use minor tweaking. That being said, it still plays very nice. I also believe that 90% of new guitars require adjustment to suit the playing style of the individual. As far as the fit and finish are concerned, this very plain guitar is actually very nice to look at. The plain finish gives it a natural look and feel. The binding is plain, but very well done. There are minor flaws in the finish, such as unfinised spots around the sound hole and very minor chipping where the sides meet at the lower bout, but nothing of any structural concern.

That remains to be seen

I have owned other Tak's, but have never had to contact customer service, so I have no opinion here.

I've been playing 25 years, and have owned dozens of acoustics. Martin, Gibson, Fender, Breedlove, Yamaha, Washburn, Alvarez. And others that I can't think of right now. I have gone through many guitars. It seems to be sort of a hobby of mine to cycle through many makes, and enjoy what each has to offer. While I have enjoyed almost all of them, I always end up selling them and moving on. For what I paid for this guitar, I know that it will be my mainstay while I continue to explore the acoustic horizon. There is no reason to sell it.

Cedar-Top (more on this later). No pickguard. Decent tuners.

One word - Wow. A friend wanted to learn guitar and I was helping him pick one out in Guitar Center. I was showing him the difference in sound between a $149 beginner guitar versus the more expensive ones. I played the Martin, Gibson, the higher end Takamine, and middle of the road Ibanzez, etc. Then I picked up the Takamine GS330S, listed at $220 used. I said to him, "You probably won't hear much of a difference between this one and the cheap beginner..." Then I strummed a few chords... and stopped. I checked the price tag again. Puzzled, I continued playing while my friend said, "It DOESN'T sound bad at all!" Not bad? It sounds better than the $500+ and $800+ Ibanez, Epiphone, Takamine, etc guitars that I tried. Is it better than the $2000 Martin? No. But it's close. And for a $200 guitar, That's damn amazing. The cedar-top gives it a strong and loud sound like all cedar-top does. But what makes it so good is the clarity. Cedar-top is strong but it's not clear, that's the rule. Even the most expensive cedar-top does not have the same clarity as an equally expensive spruce top. But the trick is, cedar can get away with the clarity issue by being fierce and loud... provided the clarity does not entirely get lost in the resonance. Which is exactly what the GS330S can do. It creates a wall of sound with enough clarity to sent chills down your spine or wraps the sound around you like a blanket. Wow. Needless to say, I bought the GS330S.

The action was too high, but that's fixible. The guitar is easy to play. Does not have a pickguard and it's just fine with me.

Have no problem with it. Like other cedar-top the top sheet is prone to chip and such.

For a guitar that lists at $299, it is absolutely a fantastic value. It plays like a $1000 guitar, it sounds like a $1000 guitar, and it cost you a fraction of a $1000 guitar. Yes the tuner could be better and it could use a pickguard, but that's not complaints you make on a $299 guitar.

Solid w.r. cedar top (not laminate, as one review says. Look at the wood grain throught the soundhole.) Nice wood binding, which I think is much classier that plastic. Nice satin finish, the spray-on which imitates oil. V straight, well-contoured mahogany neck, but a little shallower than my ideal. V. plain guitar: no fingerboard art, and a stenciled Takamine logo on the head. I personally prefer this plain look in an inexpensive instrument: cheap cosmetics look, well, cheap!

Fabulous sound! I visited a half-dozen music stores with up to $800 to spend for strictly the best sound, and bought this at a third the price. I needed another cedar-top for the warm, rich contrast to my bright Martin 000 spruce-top, but now I play the Takamine almost exclusively, no matter the sound I need. This is a dreadnaught, but since it doesn't have the bass-drum overkill on the low strings I use it for singing, accompanying singers, playing duets w/other acoustic instruments, etc.

I'm a tecnician, so I monkeyed with the setup, but it was fine. As usual, it was shipped with lousy strings. There a re a few minor flaws in the finish, notably some tool marks at the heel, but if that's the Takamine compromise to spend more time and care delivering a souns which is way above the price trange, good!

After a year, it's a standard open mic guitr, solo or in a duet. Though this is not its role, it soounds good playing barre-chord stuff all over the neck, (Current favorite: Sleepwalk. The high D-minor could use a cutaway, but this is one of about three tunes where I reach that high!) Ther was no heel-side strap button, which I like. I want to place mu own a little more under the heel than standard. Reliability: yes. Durability: Time will tell.

n/a

I play a Martin in a band, whre I'm essentially a drummer. Fabulous old Harmony (yes!) with the neck reset to the right angle, great wood and great for fingerpicking, or arpeggioing-along. (See if you have a local genius luthier who can do this!) I love my old, old Yamaha 401, and I keep a couple of other Yamahas around for experimenting with alt. tunings. I used to look for on-board electronics in an acoustic, but none of them souded decent so now I play only where the house can make me sound good. Plywood Yamaha FG-75 for the annual canoe trip! Had an Ovation, but sold it when I realized I no longer played it. (Fine for the harsh, overtone sound I use on about two tunes)

2005 made in taiwan

Rich, loud, best sound under $750 I could find

Set up PERFECTLY from the factory and my Tak GS330 has given me new respect for the made-in-taiwan label. Finish and joints was flawless. The case it came with (free) from an online site not affiliated with the current sponsors of Harmony Central made this an irresistable deal. If this letter doesn't get printed, then I'll let the newsgroups know about that too!

Would be fine to play live and the thing is built solidly.

Fantastic sound and value for money. Even if it cost 3x more than it does.

As an addon to my previous review. Have had this guitar two months now, and it is in my opinion the best guitar under a thousand bucks you can buy. I play music with guys that use Martins and Vintage Gibsons and this little gem more than holds its own! Don't know how Takamine managed to pull this off, but if you see one of these gems on E-Bay.....GRAB IT!!!! I'm not too sure Takamine is making them anymore. Peace and God Bless.

AWESOME

Used pledge furniture oil on it, brought out all the beauty of the blonde finish. I is kinda partial to blondes anyway))))))

Don't treat it like a rock in yo9ur backyard and it'll last forever.

Has a five year warranty. But hope I never need any customer support!

Get one

Made in 2004. Bought if off E-Bay . Cedar top, Nato, (Laminate?) back and sides and presumably a Nato neck. Plain jane, but that's how it's supposed to be. Has a nice old time understated look.

Sounds great. Came with D'adarrio strings which sounded so good, I haven't changed them out as I customarily do with a new guitar. I've had several high quality guitars and this one holds it own with anyone of them. High praise for a $200+ guitar, but it's true. Doesn't have a great deal of bass, but midrange is great. Has a cool woody sound to it. Must be the Cedar Top.

I was skeptical about setup coming from the factory, but lo and behold it came setup perfectly. Low action, but no buzz, frets easily, great factory setup. Whoever inspector 1245673333 is, he deserves two bowls of rice!

Seems OK to play live. I'm using it today as a matter of fact. Looks like it has good no name tuners, so far have held tune fine. Will switch out to Grovers if I have any problems. Of course this guitar is not built like a tank. Feels a bit light as I'm sure the wood is thin. I suppose this contributes to the overall excellent sound. Finish is a bit rough in a couple of places on the side of the guitar. I suppose if it bothered a person, maybe they could use some 000 steel wool on it. I pay it no heed though. Kinda rough around the edges myself))

Has a lifetime limited warranry. Hope I never have to call any customer support though!

I bought this guitar sight unseen and unplayed. I bought if from reading the recomendations on here. I wasn't disappointed! This guitar is a fantastic value. Takamine took a great Cedar Top and built a budget minded acoustic juggernaut around it. I say buy it.

Solid Cedar top, nato sides and back. Satin finished guitar with very good chrome tuners. A very light guitar for its size but seems to be very well built. A no frills, simple, solidly made guitar. Looks like a guitar made 40 years ago.

I have never heard an acoustic guitar under $1,000 dollars that sounds as good as this--and the GS 330S is only $300.00 dollars!
Very well balanced sound---across the spectrum. I used to have a Taylor Big Baby--which is a fine guitar--and about the same price.
But this sounds even better than the Taylor--and to be honest--it sounds better than any Taylor or Martin that I played under a grand. It is very easy and comfortable to play too!

The guitar was set up OK from the factory. But let's be honest--every guitar that you buy--no mattter what it costs--needs to be set up by a professional to play its best. Since I had it set up---it just plays like butter! The guitar is very well built and looks like a well-worn used guitar. Takamine has done a superb job with this guitar! A friend of mine who builds guitars for a living said to put
some liquid gold wood cleaner on the guitar every few months. It makes it look even better! Protects it too!

This is a very well built--and light guitar. It is extremely comfortable to play too! Everything seems just solid and built to last. As I mentioned before, it is important with satin finished guitars to properly take care of the wood with a good, non-abrasive cleaner that also "lightly oils" the wood. I use the guitar in church and people have commented on how good it sounds! I wish Takamine had included the second strap button (I had to have one installed when I had it professionally set up) and a clear pick guard (although, it may not sound quite as good with the pick guard. I'm debating whether to have one installed).

Takamine sent me an e-mail saying the had received my warranty registration (By the way, the guitar comes with a limited lifetime warranty) and thanking me for purchasing one of their products.

I've been playing the guitar for over 15 years. I primarily play the electric guitar. I have an Ibanez SA 220EX electric--a superb guitar that was especially made by Ibanez for Guitar Center. I have not played an electric that sounds as good under $1,000 dollars. The Takamine GS 330S is a well-built, superb sounding guitar for not much money. You really can't get a better sounding acoustic until you pay over $1,000 dollars. You can by the Takamine, get a good case and have it professionally set up for less than half the cost of a medium level Martin or Taylor. Save you money, and buy this--you won't be disappointed! Highly recommended!

The features are minimal, but that's how i like it. chrome tuners, cedar top, no dot inlays = great vintage look

you have to play one to beleive it. i was looking to get a martin or taylor in 1000 to 1200 dollar range until i read the reviews on this guy. the sound is warm and mellow, and it can get loud. for i bright sound i slap some elixir strings on it. it is a versatile balanced guitar.

the action was great. not as low as some of the martins i played but the price and sound were better. the satin fininsh is fantastic. it looks old and worn in. everything was in the right place and it was ready to play out of the box.

i work this guy over and it is holding up great. it has been dinged up a little and has some scratches but nothing too serious. i think this will last a long time.

it sounds and looks fantastic. i bought this one without playing it. i relied on the reviews from this site. nice work to everyone that contributed. this guitar is my favorite and is one of the best deals out there. i've been playing for years and this is one of the best acoustics i have ever played. and the price........ forget about it. it's a steal.

I'd imagine this is guitar was made after 2000, I do know it's from Taiwan.

Y'arrgh, there be 20 frets on the rosewood fingerboard, the body be made of Nato wood, also known as Eastern Mahogany and it's got a solid cedar top.

How does it suit my music style? Huh, that's tough because I'm not really sure what my style is. I play alot of Flaming Lips, Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac, Ryan Adams, etc... But it should be just fine for my wife, who is learning.
The Tak delivers a nice sparkly and jangly tone when strumming chords and a nice earthy, singing-tone when soloing. But hey, I've really got no business playing solos anyway.
As far as volume goes, this guitar has no pickups, but a round sound hole which projects a very nice volume. Especially compared to my Seagull (also a cedar top) which actually sounds weak compared to the Takamine. The Seagull was considerably more expensive too. Damn!
Oh well...

I bought this instrument used, but it was in near mint condition.
The action was just about right (for what I'm used to) and the bridge had been re-glued. But I only know that because the shop owner (Ron) told me so.
The finish is a beautiful clear satin, over cedar. Very plain, very natural.

If you tried to play this guitar live, you'd have to mic it, or get one of those pickups that fit in the sound hole. But I'm sure it'd be fine.
The hardware seems good enough for the pricing. The tuners could be a little better.
The strap buttons seem just fine.
I doubt I'd use it on a gig anyway, but I'd bet it would prove reliable.

I don't know about the factory support.
If I did need some work done, I'd take it to someone local.
Besides, I bought it used and it is likely out of the warranty period.

I purchased this guitar for my wife. She wants to learn to play a little. And I figure, she might really get into guitar, or she may get frustrated and hang it up. Either way, the Takamine G330 is a win-win. One of us will have a very good quality, solid-top acoustic to goof around with.

I've been playing 20 years or so, know a thing or two about guitar construction and consider this instrument a fine value.

My gear consists of a Cort - Hiram Bullock Signature, Dillion - Bryan May Copy, Seagull - cedar top 6-string with Baggs EQ, and a little Spanish number from the village of Paracho, Mexico. I play the electrics through a Music Man 212 HD-150 through an array of pedals (Ibanez Tube King Overdrive, DOD Chorus, Danelectro Tremolo and a Dunlop Crybaby).

I can't really think of anything I should have asked before buying the guitar. I mean, come on! It's a no-frills, quality guitar - which is what I like.

If it were stolen or somehow burn up or destroyed, it wouldn't be a huge tragedy, since I haven't had it that long. But I would be pissed.
Would I buy another just like it? Maybe, but this guitar is for my wife and that would be up to her

What I really love about this acoustic is that it's a no-nonsense, quality, solid-top instrument. It's got decent volume and a nice earthy tone (thanks to the cedar). Plus I love the price, $200.
The only thing I don't like is the lack of a cutaway, but I will admit that you lose tone when you go cutting holes in a perfectly good guitar.

I've never been real big on Takamines, maybe because the seem to be ubiquitous or that they focus so much on the electronics. But I do like this guitar alot and recommend picking one up.

This is a very basic 20 fret solid cedar top dreadnought. If you like the simple look it is fine. No flashy inlays or anything like that. This guitar is certainly not a showpiece. The colours are all very nice and that's about it. If it's features you want - get another guitar - unless of course you want simple.

If you want features, get something else, but if you want sound quality - look no further! The price tag falls well short of the sound. Going by the sound alone, this guitar ranks with other guitars well out its price league. Loads of colour and texture. Even and strong, rich and crisp. This guitar kicks butt like no other in its range. If anyone knows another gutar under #450 that sounds better - I'd like to now about it. I didn't give this 10 because nothing is perfect, but I would give it 95/100.

Factory setup was pretty crap. The action was uncomfortably high. Don't let this put you off. I had mine sorted, cost #20, now it's great. Nicely book-matched top, good straight and tight gran, no run-offs in the sound hole. No buzz or anything else.

The matt finish does not inspire confidence - it marks easily and doesn't cope with knocks well. If you get one, treat it with care and it will be fine.

Although this guitar doesn't take knocks well - that is cosmetically. It is fairly light weight - but very strong structurally. I know this because when it was 3 months old a 400watt PA speaker was dropped on it from a height. Some damage was sustained - obviously, but the structure maintained it's integrity. Some repair work was necessary and I got it re-finished with a sunburst gloss - now it is better than ever. Always us a back-up - I would with any guitar anyway.

Took it back to shop I purchased it from for repair and setup. They saved my guitars life and quickly too. however, that was not takamine so I have not rated it.

Been playing for 12 years. I would buy it again without question and would even pay more for it if necessary. I took my time buying and compared it to loads of other guitars in its range, seagulls, yamahas, fenders, Ibanez, ovation, tanglewood etc. Basically I tried every guitar in its range in every guitar shop from eastbourn along the coast to worthing. No other guitar compared. There is nothing I hate, I really like the slim neck, low action (now) but above all, i love the sound.This is a cracking guitar.

2002

For the money paid, the sound of this guitar is surprisingly good. It's not a big, projecting acoustic sound but it has a quality of tone that's warm and very pleasing to the ear.

No problems with the action - it frets very easily.

Hard to say at this point - I've only had the guitar a year but I can pretty much tell that, if it's not mistreated, it should last a long time. The only thing I'm concerned about as far as durability is the bridge pegs - they seem like they could break easily or slip out when tuning up new strings. I expect this may be the first mechanical problem I experience with this guitar.

For the price of this guitar, not only is it a great "beginner" guitar, I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a quality-sounding acoustic at a rock bottom price. The sales clerk at Mars told me when I was looking at this guitar that it was the best acoustic they sold for under $500 and I've come to find out, that he wasn't just handing me a sales pitch - it was a very accurate statement. I've tried out low-end Martins and Taylors (none of those can be had at $250, by the way) and I actually preferred this Takamine GS-330S. A friend of mine has an $1100 Taylor and I like the tone of my Takamine better. I've done some digital multi-track recording with this and it sounds beautiful on playback. I'm really excited about adding an LR Baggs pickup and then recording with it. Oh yeah, if stolen or lost, I'd definitely buy another one.

I think all the basic features have been covered, solid cedar top, nato back and sides, dreadnaught body shape, covered tunners etc. I'll leave it at that. It is a fantastic guitar in every aspect, but features are very, very basic. Not that it's a bad thing, it's just the way it is.

I took a big risk and bought this guitar based 100% on the reviews of others. I was not let down at all. I had played other Takamines with cedar tops in the 600-1000$ range and they have nothing over this one. It has that "punchy", woody sound. Great tight bass, but not overwhelming like the lower end Martins. Great highs to, it is basically a fill rich sounding, well balanced guitar. Really, any style of music could be played on this guitar, I play everything from Eric Clapton's blues (Driftin'), Bob Dylan, U2 and even some classical. It handles them all. It's a lot louder than I thought it would be too.

The factory set up was good. Not perfect but comfortably playable. The action was a little high, and the neck in need of a slight tweeking, but no other problems. The neck feels great, very comfortable and solid. No buzzing to speak of anywhere along the neck. I'll eventually make some standard upgrades, bone nut etc. Maybe add a pickgaurd, as I have heard the cedar isn't as resistant as spruce.

Some of the reviews mentioned that the guitar didn't weigh very much. but when I got it I was surprised it weighed as much as it did. I have yet to play live with it, the finish is the only thing that would worry me, the light matte finish seems like it would be very unforgiving to bumps and scratches. I would say it's a very dependable guitar, I'd always try and gig with a back-up, but that's usually just standard procedure.

N/A

I have been playing about 8 years now and have owned several guitars. I currently own a Gibson Les Paul Standard (my baby), Fender Standard Tele, Hohner 335 copy, and building my own custom Stratocaster. As for acoustics, I am very, very picky about my acoustic tone. I have owned various guitar from Ovation,Epiphone,Martin,Tanara(CRAP!),and Ibanez, all ranging from 200-700$. This one is the best I've found for my particulat tastes, and the value is absolutely incredible. If it were lost or stolen I'd get another, or consider moving up to the AN10 perhaps, ut for value alone, this guitar is awsome.

2000 model
Paid $180 on ebay. New but stamped used.
Standard dread. No electronics. 20 frets
No cutaway. Solid Cedar top.
Laminated Nato back and sides.
Black bound neck. no inlays.
Very plain looking guitar, which is not bad
by any means. This is a players guitar!
Not a show piece!

Style-wise, I'll play it all.
Blues, instrumentals, Spanish stuff.
Rock, and the pretty ballad things.
Has a bright mid-rangey sound.
Now lets get this out of the way right up front.
This is no $1500 Tak. This is a budget minded
entry level guitar.
That being said, this is one helluva guitar!
Now I own 2 other high end Taks. So I know a good sound,
and this isn't it, but I'll say this.....every time
I play this guitar, I enjoy the hell out of it.
It has great response and terrific projection.
Very balanced sound string to string.
The best way to describe it is this way. It sounds
dry and woody! Especially fingerpicked.
I love 'dry and woody' !!
There is nothing in this price range that can compare.
In fact, when compared to my 'good' gutars. The only thing this
is lacking is depth of sound. But after getting into
it for 5 minutes or so. I forget about that and I really enjoy
the sound and responsiveness.
This should say something about the sound.
I have those other high end Taks and for some reason this
GS300S still gets played alot! 'Nuff said!
So considering price and it's targeted audience,
I give it a solid 9

Action was decent enough when I got it.
I've filed in the bridge and tweaked the truss rod
and now it sits pretty good.
Neck feels good. I hate saying this but the
Nato wood is actually gorgeous. Flamed and everything!
Cedar top is solid and has great color. Satin finish is
holding up extremely well.
Many finish flaws though. Thats why is was sold
as a 'second', and 'used' So i have no problem with that!

I wouldn't use this on a gig but only because I
own better guitars. Considered all on it's own though,
I would not hesitate using it. It does have a lovely
sound. Plays very well and seems to stay in tune
indefinitely.
It feels very, very light but I know it's
built like a tank!

Who knows, who cares. If there ever was a problem,
which I doubt, I figure it was cheap enough to
just buy a new one.

20 years playing. Own lotsa good stuff.
'94 American Strat, 2 other Takamines
a '92 LTD, and a '97 LTD
Love 'em both. Fender Princeton Chorus Amp
Boss-BR532 digital recorder and CD burner.
This GS300S is a great guitar for the money.
I'm not much for dreads anymore, I like Tak's NEX body,
I'd definitely buy this one again. In fact I'm thinking of
sinking a little money into this one and getting a
bone nut and saddle, and maybe some tusq bridge pins.
Maybe it'll improve the tone a bit.
The biggest attribute of this guitar has to be the
solid cedar top. You can't beat cedar. right out of the
box it sounds aged and woody. Spruce just doesn't do
that for you.
So, yeah, I'd buy one again in a heartbeat if some
dirtbag stole it. And I'd recommend one to anyone,
especially a beginner, they play nice enough to
keep a beginner interested in playing. And sound nice enough
to keep 'em happy for a few years.

Features are already listed in other reviews. It's a pretty simple guitar. The solid cedar top is very nice-looking and evenly matched. I'd purchased this one for my son to learn on and bought an old Fender F-50, which I loved but found the neck too thick. So my boy, who has no trouble with the Fender, switched with me. I really wanted the older guitar but I can't complain about the look or sound of this one. I like the flat, satin finish. He added a pickguard. I preferred the look without, but I have to admit it's practical and still good-looking.

Excellent sound in all ranges. My son and I were in a guitar store recently fooling around with upscale instruments and an experienced player there felt the Takamine compared favorably with the more expensive lower-end Martins (selling for about $900). Not with the D-28s, though, or especially the 45 year old D-18 they had. But for the money this strikes me as remarkable.

Given my discomfort with the neck of the Fender, which I liked otherwise, this one seems much easier to play. Don't know who set the action but it seems fine. No flaws that I can see, and everything looks to be of good quality. I played autoharop off and on about 30 years and have met many 'harp luthiers so I've picked up a little bit about tonewoods and assembly. Custom harps top out at about $2 grand, but it's hard to get any harp of this guitar's quality for less than $500 or $600.

This is the big question, but I'm encouraged by the responses I see. In the few months we've had it it's held up fine but I'm told spruce is more durable than cedar, although I suspect cedar may produce a nicer sound without needing to be broken in. Live playing? Probably not a major issue.

NA

I bought mine brand new at a pawn shop (always check pawn shops right after christmas for kick ass gear) for 200 Bucks I'm assuming it was made in 2002 since it is brand new. It has 20 frets which is standard as far as I can tell. I also have a Takamine F-340s (List Price $400) from 1978 (well thats what the stamp says) which sounds great but is a little deeper than I like and feels a bit more stable. If this one wasn't so light I wouldn't worry about it but it feels more fragile even though I know its pretty solid!

This guitar is very well balanced in my opinion it has just the right amount of bass and treble the britness is a plus. Like I said I am used to my F-340s but this one is becoming my favorite! It stands up to PunkRock pretty well. Everything I write is on acoustic and this baby really works great even standing up to power chords!

I cant find any flaws accept for the cheap strings that came with it but then again every company puts those cheap o strings on to keep the price down.

I never play a gig without a backup but I could get away with doing it on this guitar although I would never recommend it. I treat acoustics more like a percussion instrument instead of a delicate flower type thing. And this thing seems to stand up to it.

I love this guitar and would recommend it to anyone. Great starter guitar and if it turns out your too rough on it your only out a few hundred bucks. I've had 2,000 dollar Gibsons break on me and that is a pain! I would buy this guitar again in a heartbeat if I lost it.

This dreadnought guitar was probably made in 2000. It was made in Tawain. There are twenty frets, soldi cedar top, satin finish, with no pickguard. The tuners are generic, but of good quality.

The tone with this guitar is very good. I tried out a lot of acoustics and this guitar sounded better than any I tried out that were under $400. I like the way this guitar projects its sound. It does not sound like a plywood guitar, as so many of the lower end guitars sound.

The set up fro this guitar was very good when I purchased it.The action is low. There are no noticable flaws in the construction.

I don't gig, so I do not need a backup. I think you could get by playing this one live though. I am not sure of the durability of this guitar or how it will age over time. I have had it for two years and have not had any problems with it.

Never need it.

This was my first real guitar. I have been playing for about two years. If it were lost ro stolen, I would probably buy a higgher end accoustic. But I would recommend this guitar to anyone. I looked at all of the other major brands. Thsi one felt mroe comfortable and sounded better than any in its price range.

Standard acoustic dreadnought features, except no pick guard

Stunning. I work in a music store, and have plenty of time to compare all different models, makes, styles etc. of guitar. I was originally thinking about the Taylor Big Baby, but it's overly bright for my taste. I never much cared for Takamine's, always found them too bright, until I played this and the EN10. The first thing that struck me was how clear the guitar is - reminded me of the first Martin I played. Far better than the Martin X range, which sound hideous.

Beautiful looking, although there's a little excess glue here and there.

As mentioned above, I work in a music shop - several people with cedar top guitars with no pickguard have mentioned that the wood is very easily worn, but since I don't strum hard, this is of no problem. However, if you do pick hard, it's probably best to stick on a pick guard.

Well, I work at the shop, but the service really is great.

Spent a lot of time looking for a good acoustic. This is a great one, and not only for the price. Whatever you own, check out this gem.

The guitar was made in 2000. It has a 21 fret neck. The case was bought seperately. It is a solid top guitar. The guitar is a price leader, and it is very pretty but very plain.

This guitar has a great, clear sound, probably because of the nice wood it is made of and the natural finish. Compared to my Guild D25M it is brighter, and has a clearer bass, but is not as loud. I play mostly with a pick and capo somewhere around the third to fifth fret,and use a lot of arpeggios. This is a great guitar for this type of playing. Because my finger picking is very limited, I will not comment on this. With the capo, you can emulate an Ian Anderson kind of bright sound.

The guitar did not have any flaws. I have not messed with the action because I found it to be very good, with no buzzes. I changed the strings to Martins.

I have not used this guitar for live playing. I think the guitar will last, but it feels very light. This may be because it does not have a heavy finish. I would recommend treating it with respect and not banging it around too much

I have been playing guitar for 35 years. I really bought this instrument for my wife, who has been learning for two years. I also own a Guild D25M, a cheap Ibanez acoustic, a gibson ESTD330, and two dearmond electrics. We also own a very old nylon string classical guitar and a Kay electric mandolin.
I tried out many acoustics when I bought this guitar, including some of the big names like fender and epiphone.
In this price range, I was unable to find a guitar with this good of a combination of sound and playability. If asked, I always recommend Takamine for these reasons.
Like more expensive guitars, this one is sounding better and better the more we play it. I would buy another one in a heartbeat!
I am also very happy with the music store. They did not try to influence my decision, but were very patient and gave me plenty of assistance, even though I wasnt buying a top dollar guitar!

New guitar, no idea when it was made. Made in Taiwan. Twenty frets. Solid top. No pickup installed, using a Dean-Markley magnetic soundhole pickup. Solid cedar top, no idea about back, sides, and neck (beautiful figured back). Satin finish. Dreadnought body style, no cutaway (unfortunately). Generic tuners, high quality. Medium width neck. No pickguard. Had Elixer lights on it when I bought it. Had a strap button installed on the heal.

I play in a church worship group that covers a lot of ground musically (some blues, pop/contemporary, rock, ballads, etc.). I play mostly rhythm and finger-picking. I run the Dean-Markley through a chorus pedal directly into the PA system. This guitar has a very balanced sound, good for strumming and finger-picking. It does not have quite the bottom end that I would like, but it is still very acceptable. Has good sound up the neck.

The action is a little high for my tastes, but very workable. The top does not have a perfectly even grain, but that in my opinion adds character to this guitar. Beautiful blonde finish, vintage-cream binding. Did I mention a beautifully figured back? There was some excess glue visible inside the guitar, but nothing major. Extremely well put together throughout.

My only major concern with this guitar is the lack of a pickguard. I am going to research getting a clear pickguard installed. Since it has the satin finish, I expect I will have to use lemon oil/wax more frequently than on my previous guitar. The rear strap button seams very solid, but I will have to talk to the guitar dealer about the one he installed. Once I have a pickguard installed I will feel confident about playing this guitar every service.

No experience in this area, hope not to in the future.

I have been playing for about two and one-half years. Up until now I have played a Washburn D-10. The D-10 has served me quite well, but did not have the sound I wanted. I traded it in to get this guitar. I have played many, many guitars (Taylors, Gibsons, Guilds, Tacomas... Yamahas, Fenders, Oscar Schmits...) before getting this one. The only other guitar I would even consider getting to replace this one is one of Tacomas dreadnoughts (better bottom end, overall sound and fit-and-finish). All the Martins, Taylors, and Gibsons I played did not have the extra-special sound to go with the extra-special price. I give this guitar a ten because, in my opinion, no other guitar comes close in sound-quality/value.

basic features. no frills. made in taiwan. solid cedar top (which i love - solid top is the way to go). resonates well because of the solid top.

deep and full/thick sound. i can only imagine that it will get better with age. sounded better than any of the other guitars that i had played - up to $500 (even other takamines up to that price)

the action is a bit high for my liking so im getting that fixed fairly soon. as with most lower end guitars, the company generally sets the action higher to avoid fret buzz. the 13th fret on my guitar buzzes and will probably need to be adjusted - which is pretty sad, i think, because of the high-ish action. this was the only one in the store so i had to settle for this guitar. however, ive played others and the action is pretty good on those.

no pick guard so its easy to scuff it up when playing. and the bridge needed to be reglued straight from the factory - ive seen a couple like this. but now that its on there, i think this will last a long time. can scuff it up and put nicks in it fairly easily since theres no satin finish or anything on it.

havent had to deal with them.

ive been playing off and on for about 5 years. if lost... i would definitely buy another - you cant get this kind of quality sound at this price in another guitar. i love the cedar look of the guitar and i like the full sound that the gs-330s has. its my baby. i compared it with a guitar that i already have (ibanez aw10 - which is one of the loudest acoustics ive heard and well worth the tiny bit of money that it costs if youre looking for a good guitar) and i think i love them both equally. the ibanez has a bright-ish sound. so im getting the best of both worlds.

Satin finish, standard tuning pegs, no pickguard but who cares!!!!
I agree with Dave Starns in saying the lack of pickguard actually plays a part in the beautiful sound this guitar has.

I play fingerstyle with the occasional strum. Folk, blues, bluegrass, country and this guitar still suits these styles. The volume and tonal qualities are well balanced... there is not a dominant string or extra sweet spot on the neck. I have been playing different guitars for about 12 years and I liked this guitar so much I bought it! My friends like it too because now they can play their own guitars!

This guitar needed a bit of work on the action. Intonation was fine out of the box but buzzing was inevitable given the lowwww action shipped from the factory (combined with a heavy handed playing style!!). It took two attempts to get this right... i'm not sure whether this is due to the guitar or the luthier who set mine and my friend's up.

I'm told the cedar top is weaker than spruce but Takamine have enough confidence to give it a limited lifetime warranty...nuff said. The top has withstood my tapping and scratching after about 6 months of playing (not Tommy Emmanuel league just yet though!). Tuners are good without feeling like they will last forever. I need to give this guitar a bit more time before I can give it a fair appraisal though. I'll let you know in 20 years or so... by that time it may even sound better than a Martin.

N/A yet...
Hopefully never.

I wish I had bought two (especially since I paid $500 A for it - being floor stock and a serious mistake by the salesman giving me the price for the inferior G-300s). My friend and I had both looked at the guitar one evening and had to fight each other to see who would get the particular one on display. My friend eventually tried to get the pickup/cutaway version (after suffering two black eyes and the threat of broken fingers) but when they had brought it in it wasn't a patch on the guitar I had commandeered. My friend was able to get another GS-330s after begging them to search the country for any that remianed unsold (a lengthy and arduous task, spiced by threats of boycotts and arson acheived the desired result and he is now the proud and happy owner of this fine instrument). I have recently played the Takamine 2000 limited edition worth $2000 Australian (yes I realise that is about $50 US!!!) and have been enamoured by it but I would have to sell my beloved beast (mother?!?) to afford the luxury of having a similar sound with the flexibility of a pickup and cutaway. Could any kind hearted benefactor please e-mail me their credit card number so I can purchase this legendary necessity.

This is a no-frills, straight-ahead dreadnought acoustic guitar. It's very handsome w/ a darker and flatter finish than most guitars. Didn't see anything under $800 that could touch it, and it sounded better than a lot of the Taylor's and Martin's in the shop.

Beautiful, first-class sound.

Takamine guarantees their necks for life. Can't beat that.

I've bought a lot of expensive guitars. My sister was looking for a good acoustic. After trying our luck at a second-hand guitar shop, we went across the street to Sam Ash. We stumbled on this Takamine that was at a much lower price than other Tak's I had seen. It's a beauty. If you looking for a guitar in the under $300 range - this is THE guitar. Nothing comes close. If you looking in the $700-$800 range, save yourself some money, and check out this guitar!

I've owned this guitar for about six months. It's a pure acoustic
plain guitar with amazing sound. There are really no exotic features
I could list other than pure acoustic sound at it's best.

This guitar though in a very affordable price range plays and sounds
as good as any guitar I've played. I've played Martin through Taylor
instruments and this takamine is nothing short of a quality instrument with very deep and rich tones. The harmonics of this guitar
are incredible!

The action is in my opinion dependent upon what guage and what brand strings you use. Mine is strung with Ernie Ball super slinkies (believe it or not) and the action is very good for an acoustic. The finish is natural with not laquer, not even a pick guard. A very plain guitar.

Don't know yet.

awesome guitar!!

You can't beat the sound of this guitar for the price. I'm glad to have found a starter guitar that sounds almost as good or better then some of the expensive guitars I tried.

The tops on these guitars vary in appearence. My guitar, for example, has a dark stripe of wood running from the bridge to the soundhole that is darker then the remaining wood, which is honey colored. The other guitars of the same model at the store had a more even color. I took the guitar with the stripe since it was the only one that didn't require a significant adjustment. The guitar will now be affectionately known as "the skunk." Overall a beautiful guitar with a classic look.

I just got this guitar so I can't say much about its dependability. My first impression is that this is not a flimsy guitar. Limited Lifetime Warranty on Takamine guitars is also a plus.

I'm a drummer who wants to learn how to play the guitar. For the money, I can only think of one other guitar that can compete with this model: the Simon and Patrick cedar top, which is in the same price range. The S&P is also worth a look if you are looking at the Takamine.

bought it for $190 NEW since it had a scratch on the back (a LITTLE scratch). This guitar is sweet and sounds like it cost 700 easy. Feels good, sounds great...I haven't seen the guitar in many stores, so I rec that you buy one if you see one.

6 String acoustic dreadnaught design. This is one of the "naturals" line. Solid cedar top, nato back and sides, nato neck, rosewood fingerboard. Tuners are generic high quality.

This guitar has an unbelivable sound for its price. Gorgeous tone. Rich and solid on the lower strings and clear and bright on the highs. The solid cedar top gives it a very mellow and full sound. It does not sound muted like many other guitars in the same price range. I almost hate to give anything a 10, but I actually feel this guitar deserves it. Very much an over-achiver in the tone catagory for the price range!!

Top is very nice. The cedar is incredably well book-matched. There is a pronounced streak of lighter grain on each side that is aligned such that the streaks run right under the bridge ends on either side. Gives it a striking visual appeal. The "naturals" line has no adornments like inlays or mother-of-pearl. The concentration is supposedly on the wood and fit and finish. I think Takamine did well here. My only complaint is that the neck needed a little adjustment. More than I would have thought normal from the factory. The lower four frets were very dead until I loosened the truss rod. Otherwise, plays fine and fast. Very low action with no buzz. The finish overall is exceptional for the price, a beautiful warm honey color, and has sort of a "antiqued" look from a distance. I cannot find any finishing flaws. Clean and simple satin finsh overall.

I've banged it around quite a bit in the past 6 months, left it in the burning Texas sun and humidity for the past couple of months longer than I care to mention... Sounds just fine. I expect it will hold up for a long time unless it gets run over or something. The only concern I might have is the lack of a pickguard that is a "naturals" feature. I suspect that some of the sweet tone is a little due to the absence of the pickguard. But, it might impact overall durability. I'd gig anytime or anywhere with this sweetheart.

Don't know yet.

I've been playing around with musical instruments for over 20 years. I am primarily a drummer. I just started taking real guitar lessons about 6 months ago and this was my "student" guitar. I honestly don't think I could have gotten a better guitar unless I spent at least $600-$700. This was an incredible deal. Look at the price!!!! I would highly recommend that anyone go down an try one out. These guitars are a steal. I also have a custom strat copy and a Peavey Dyna-bass that I adore. If I could wish for anything it is a cut-away, possibly. But, I'd want to see what that does to the tone. I tried upwards of 20-30 guitars before I bought this one. I was comtemplating a $650 Alvarez until I played the Tak GS-330S. Instant decision maker!