Tacoma JM16C

If I just had style.... good for Isaak, Beatles, country. The sound is piano like, rich full wonderful. The only drawback is amped up it is easy to get feedback with that jumbo body. And the soundhole is a tad larger than usual, so rubber stoppers need to be modded. Notch filter works, but then you lose some of that incredible bass.

Here is the downside. I've played live with it many times, no problem other than feedback. BUT I live in Thailand now. These babies don't do well in a hot humid environment, more so than any of my other guitars. The top swelled up first, so much that I had to cut grooves in the bridge and almost remove the saddle just to get passable action. That seems to have settled down somewhat now so I can live with that. The tuners rusted up. The worst cosmetically is that the finish is coming off the sides in big chunks like celluloid or sunburned skin!!! I'm talking 3-4" chunks! and it is all pulling away around the tuners... So finish doesn't wear off, it peels off. I do not suggest you get this if you live somewhere hot and humid!

I've been breaking strings around 40 years. Other gear: larrivie D03 (it's tuners rusted too), Breedlove AD25SR+ (gold tuners a little corroded); Ovation VXT (fantastic guitar and seems to be holding up); hagstrom 2DF (chrome tailpiece problem); Guild Starfire IV (Minor pitting), etc etc. Amps are washburn WA 40 acoustic amp, Micro cube, Vox da-5.

I wouldn't buy this again... maybe. There don't make em anymore (thank you Fender NOT!) So it is battered by the elements, but still sounds great, and that is what's important, but.... it once was such a beauty.

I got a Takamine jumbo first, took it home, tried it and took it back for this.

In spite of it's flaws, I give it a 7. If I lived in a reasonable climate it would get a nine or ten.