Members dadgad7 Posted May 18, 2006 Members Posted May 18, 2006 I love my Takamine....I know it's not a top marque name like Larrivee or Martin or anything, but I love it. Cedar top, NEX body, Koa back and sides (laminated)it's a fingerstyle dream for me, so there, I feel better about having stated that - back to work ....
Members Hudman Posted May 18, 2006 Members Posted May 18, 2006 I never thought I would hear anyone call Larrivee a marque name. I consider Larrivee to be a "cult favorite".
Members dadgad7 Posted May 18, 2006 Author Members Posted May 18, 2006 I've always thought of Larrivee as one of the best made, I guess that's what I mean...what model do you have?
Members DonK Posted May 18, 2006 Members Posted May 18, 2006 I never thought much of Takamine until a couple of months ago when I went shopping for another auditorium-size guitar. I wanted something with electronics for about $700. My first thought was a used Martin 15, as I'd had a couple and loved them, but then I happened upon a new Tak EAN70 (clearance priced at $730) and was blown away. I don't know if it's the cedar top or something else, but it's probably the best sounding auditorium guitar I've ever played (and I've owned a 000-28, 00-15, OM-15 and two previous Taylor 414's in addition to my current one). No more dissing Tak for me. And I agree with Hudman. Though worthy of being a marquee guitar, I regard Larrivees as a bit of a "cult favorite" just because their owners are such fierce advocates for them. I had a D-05 and thought it was an excellent guitar, but it wasn't the religious experience for me that it is for some (ducks as Hudman and Kwak load up their bows).
Members Hudman Posted May 18, 2006 Members Posted May 18, 2006 Originally posted by dadgad7 I've always thought of Larrivee as one of the best made, I guess that's what I mean...what model do you have? I own an L-03. The 03 Series are high quality guitars at a nice low price do to the lack of bling (abalone, gloss finish, gold hardware, fancy binding, etc.). It plays nice and smooth. It sounds great and looks good too. The funny thing is many people never heard of Larrivee. My mother's boy friend is a life long Martin guy (He's 55 years old). He was blown away when he heard my Larrivee. He never heard of them before. Now he wants one.....
Members kwakatak Posted May 19, 2006 Members Posted May 19, 2006 Originally posted by dadgad7 I love my Takamine....I know it's not a top marque name like Larrivee or Martin or anything, but I love it. Cedar top, NEX body, Koa back and sides (laminated) it's a fingerstyle dream for me, so there, I feel better about having stated that - back to work .... I love my Takamine too, though not because of the name on the headstock. It's more because of the miles and years that are on it that in my mind translate to mojo and comfort. I love it for every ding, crack and chip on it that has its own story. I love it for the warm vintage tint on its laminated top. I love it for the beautiful brown, black, purple, and rose-colored grains on its laminated rosewood back and sides. I love it for the gauges in its rosewood fretboard that's the result of 30+ years of playing it. I love the way the lower strings just seem to ring forever and the way putting a capo on it makes it sounds and respond to my touch like a different guitar. I mentioned that it has miles on it that go even beyond the distance between where it was made and where it's ended up. It's only been with me for less than half of its years since it left the factory at the base of Mount Takamine in Saka{censored}a, Japan but that just adds to its mystery. I know that the original owner originally lived in California but had to skip town over a debt and he ended up in south Florida with it. That's where he parted ways with it and left it with my uncle's younger brother who kept it in his attic for awhile. Yeah, it's got miles on it and I put even more on it lugging it back and forth to college for 4 years and experimenting with all different styles and tunings with it - from fingerstyle to banging on it like a drum of all things. Hey, it was a freebie and it had already been broken in so I had no reservations about putting it through its paces! So is this guitar the Holy Grail for me? I would say no. It's more like an old friend who's seen things and taken the experiences into its very fiber and getting a measure of mojo out of it. I've since discovered guitars that are better fits to my playing style but my old beaver-gnawed Geisha will always have a place in my harem. Of course, now I have a new French-Canadian mistress who's currently seducing me with her husky voice, satin touch, comforting curves and fragrant perfume! Meanwhile the Geisha reclines nearby without her jewelry on and nursing her age and neglect-induced wounds! Strangely I feel unfaithful! Damn! d03nut's post today has had a real effect on me today!
Members JasmineTea Posted May 20, 2006 Members Posted May 20, 2006 Kwak's Tak is the exception, otherwise I'm certain all other Taks are demonic. Btw, I'm starting a cult. I own a Larri but I don't worship it or anything. It's awfully hard to find anything wrong with Larrivee guitars.
Members kwakatak Posted May 20, 2006 Members Posted May 20, 2006 Originally posted by JasmineTea Kwak's Tak is the exception, otherwise I'm certain all other Taks are demonic. Btw, I'm starting a cult. I own a Larri but I don't worship it or anything. It's awfully hard to find anything wrong with Larrivee guitars. +1 Every day I find something new to like about my new OM-03R. When I first got it the spruce top looked pretty ordinary. Now I'm starting to see more pronouncement in the silking and even a couple of hints of bearclaw. Of course, my eyes could be deceiving me, but as long as they aren't dings I don't mind a surprise or two. BTW, JT - nice freakin' sig! (I cleaned up my PM box again - sorry! )
Members JasmineTea Posted May 20, 2006 Members Posted May 20, 2006 Ok, I gotta new sig... The top on mine is kinda strange. It's got silking and bearclaw, but it's also got redish stripes in it. The b&s are matched nicely when you look close, but from a distance they don't look matched at all...what a freakin' beautiful guitar... I added the Larri p/g and some ebonoid buttons, also from Larri (best buttons ever, btw. Spring loaded) Also got ebony pins with abalone dots from Larri. Waaaay cool looking git.
Members Cldplytkmn Posted May 20, 2006 Members Posted May 20, 2006 anybody need this demonic tak i've got sitting here? sounds ok i suppose... just don't want to be possessed this week, i've got alot going on...
Members kwakatak Posted May 20, 2006 Members Posted May 20, 2006 Originally posted by JasmineTea Ok, I gotta new sig... The top on mine is kinda strange. It's got silking and bearclaw, but it's also got redish stripes in it. The b&s are matched nicely when you look close, but from a distance they don't look matched at all...what a freakin' beautiful guitar... I added the Larri p/g and some ebonoid buttons, also from Larri (best buttons ever, btw. Spring loaded) Also got ebony pins with abalone dots from Larri. Waaaay cool looking git. And here I thought at one point you were gonna get rid of it...! Yeah, mine's got those reddish-orange stripes too and no, it doesn't look perfectly bookmatched either. There's lots of silking (that has that magic eye effect when you turn the guitar in the light) and I'm tempted to buff out the satin finish to see if a gloss would show them off better. As for what I may be mistaking for bearclaw, there's an area above the soundhole and on the edge of the lower bout that are extra-shiny but it ain't from my greasy fingers, that's just the way the wood is. I need to take some pics but I'm too tired to do anything but sit here and play Freecell.
Members Michael Martin Posted May 20, 2006 Members Posted May 20, 2006 I love both my Takamines. I have a late 70s F395 that is gorgeous and sounds every bit as good as the Guild it was copied from. The other is an EF350SMCSB, with the DSP pre-amp. Highly recommend either one.
Members Michael Martin Posted May 20, 2006 Members Posted May 20, 2006 PS: Just listened to Kwakatak's "Angelina"--lovely! Sweet! Tasty!
Members kwakatak Posted May 21, 2006 Members Posted May 21, 2006 Originally posted by Michael Martin PS: Just listened to Kwakatak's "Angelina"--lovely! Sweet! Tasty! Thanks! My F-360 is no slouch for fingerpicking, but the Larrivee is just plain better at it. Here's an A/B comparison: http://media.putfile.com/Guitar_comparison
Members Andrewrg Posted May 21, 2006 Members Posted May 21, 2006 Back in `79 I had a Takamine F330S lawsuit model. Dont remember much about it other than I traded a Fender F75 for it.
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