Takamine was originally founded in Japan during the early 1960s and is named from the mountain near their factory in Sakashita, Japan. Mass Hirade, who has a line of classical guitars named after him in Takamine's line, came to work for Takamine in the late 1960s, and it was at this time when Takamine began to take off. Originally, Takamine built guitars for Martin's Sigma series through the Coast distributors. Kaman Music Corporation bought Coast in the mid-1970s, which forced Martin to contract their Sigma guitars to another company. At the same time Kaman/Ovation encouraged Takamine to start building guitars under their own trademark. Soon thereafter, Kaman started importing Takamine-branded guitars into the U.S. (Takamine was also distributed in many other countries). Most early models were copies of popular American designs - especially several Martin models. Not only are many of these guitars similar in design, but the logo was a near match other than the name. In the late 1970s, Takamine, along with many other Japanese manufacturers, were sued by a few American guitar builders, including Martin, for trademark infringement. Takamine agreed to stop using Martin's logo on their guitars and came up with their own. Guitars from this era are known to most guitar collectors as the pre-lawsuit era, and many of these instruments have become extremely collectible today.
Takamine continues to produce a wide variety of acoustic instruments ranging from entry-level guitars to highly ornate and limited edition models. While most guitars were produced in Japan, Takamine has shifted some production to Korea and China in the 2000s. Also, Takamine briefly entered the electric market with a few models in the 1980s. Takamine is still part of Kaman Music and is viewed as a traditional alternative to Ovation's bowl-back guitars. In late 2007, the Fender Musical Instrument Corporation (FMIC) bought Kaman Music, which included the Takamine brand. For more information, visit Takamine's website or contact them directly.
Instruments currently manufactured in Japan, China, and Korea since the early 1960s. Distributed by ESP Guitars in North Hollywood, CA.

TAKAMINE Acoustic Guitars Models

TAKAMINE TF340SBG Image

TAKAMINE TF340SBG

- similar to the EF340SBG, except has CTP-1 Cool Tube preamp/electronics, available in Gloss Natural finish, mfg. 2007-2012.

TAKAMINE 1999 LIMITED EDITION  Image

TAKAMINE 1999 LIMITED EDITION

- single cutaway NEX body, solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with mountain rosette, rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret mountain inlay, three-per-side tuners, rosewood bridge, DSP electronics, chrome hardware,...

TAKAMINE EG-40C Image

TAKAMINE EG-40C

- NEX single cutaway body, solid cedar top, Sepele mahogany with solid back, rosewood fingerboard, N4B electronics, available in Gloss Natural finish, disc. 2003.

TAKAMINE EGS430SC Image

TAKAMINE EGS430SC

- NEX single cutaway body, solid cedar top, nato back and sides, rosewood fingerboard, N4B electronics, available in Satin Natural finish, disc. 2005.

TAKAMINE TB-240SC Image

TAKAMINE TB-240SC

- jumbo style single cutaway body, solid cedar top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole, abalone rosette, rosewood fingerboard, Cool Tube electronics, rosewood bridge, chrome tuners, available in Satin Natural finish, mfg. 2010-12.

TAKAMINE EG Mini Image

TAKAMINE EG Mini

- similar to the GS Mini, except has V+T pickup/electronics, available in Gloss Black or Satin Natural finish, gig bag included, mfg. 2011-12.

TAKAMINE C-132S Image

TAKAMINE C-132S

- classical style, solid cedar top, round soundhole, five-stripe bound body, wooden rosette, rosewood back/sides, mahogany neck, 12/19-fret rosewood fingerboard, three-per-side gold tuners with nylon buttons, rosewood bridge, available in N...

TAKAMINE PSF-48C/DSF-48C Image

TAKAMINE PSF-48C/DSF-48C

- single cutaway NEX-style body, solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, round soundhole, wood inlay rosette, multi-bound body, mahogany neck, 21-fret ebony fingerboard with green abalone eagle inlay, rosewood headstock overlay with abal...

TAKAMINE GN-20 Image

TAKAMINE GN-20

- NEX-style body, solid cedar top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot inlays, three-per-side chrome tuners, rosewood bridge, no pickguard, available in Satin Natural fi...

TAKAMINE GD-30 Image

TAKAMINE GD-30

- dreadnought-style body, solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with pearloid rosette, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot inlays, three-per-side chrome tuners, rosewood bridge, black pickgu...

TAKAMINE G511SS Image

TAKAMINE G511SS

- dreadnought-style body, solid cedar top, solid Sapele back and sides, round soundhole with herringbone rosette, cream body binding, herringbone purfling, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, rosewood headstock o...

TAKAMINE P1M Image

TAKAMINE P1M

- OM-style body, solid cedar top, sapele back and sides, round soundhole with concentric rings rosette, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, three-per-side chrome tuners, rosewood bridge with split bone sadd...

TAKAMINE 2000 LIMITED EDITION  Image

TAKAMINE 2000 LIMITED EDITION

- single cutaway NEX body, solid Sitka spruce top, rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with olive branch rosette, rosewood fingerboard with dot and olive branch inlay, three-per-side tuners, rosewood bridge, Graph-EX electron...

TAKAMINE NV-340S Image

TAKAMINE NV-340S

- dreadnought style, solid bear claw spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides, abalone rosette, abalone binding, ebony fingerboard with snowflake inlay, three-per-side tuners, ebony bridge, tortoise pickguard, gold hardware, Natural finish...

TAKAMINE KENNY CHESNEY KC70 Image

TAKAMINE KENNY CHESNEY KC70

- Orchestra Model-style body, solid cedar top, solid mahogany back, mahogany sides, round soundhole with custom Kenny Chesney graphic rosette, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret custom inlays and 16-19th fret Kenny Chesney signa...

TAKAMINE EG-45SC Image

TAKAMINE EG-45SC

- small body acoustic electric with cutaway, solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, N4B pre-amp system, gold tuners, Sante Fe position marker at the 12th fret, available in Natural finish, disc. 2003.

TAKAMINE TB-250SC Image

TAKAMINE TB-250SC

- jumbo style single cutaway body, solid spruce top, flamed maple back and sides, round soundhole, abalone rosette, rosewood fingerboard, Cool Tube electronics, rosewood bridge, gold tuners, available in Sunburst finish, mfg. 2010-12.

TAKAMINE EG430SC Image

TAKAMINE EG430SC

- NEX-style body, single cutaway, solid cedar top, flame mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with abalone rosette, white body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, black headstock overlay with vertica...

TAKAMINE FD-340SC Image

TAKAMINE FD-340SC

- similar to EF340C model except, has solid spruce top, DSP preamp, chromatic tuner, 10 factory presets, 10 write-your-own settings, dual digital reverb, bass, treble and parametric EQ, feedback absorber, available in Natural finish, disc.

TAKAMINE EC-132C Image

TAKAMINE EC-132C

- similar to C-132S, except has single rounded cutaway, spruce top, crystal bridge pickups, 3-band EQ, mfg. 1980s-2012.

TAKAMINE EAC-48C Image

TAKAMINE EAC-48C

- NEX style body, solid spruce top, solid rosewood back, rosewood sides, semi-precious stone rosette, rosewood fingerboard with semi-precious inlays, three-per-side tuners, rosewood bridge, CT4B electronics, chrome hardware, Natural finish,...

TAKAMINE ETN-10C Image

TAKAMINE ETN-10C

- dreadnought style body with single cutaway, solid cedar top, round soundhole, three-stripe bound body, multi-wood rosette, solid mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard, rosewood strings through bridge, CT4B preamp, thre...

TAKAMINE EGS-330SC Image

TAKAMINE EGS-330SC

- similar to G-330S, except has single round cutaway, crystal bridge pickups, 4-band EQ, available in Satin Natural finish, mfg. 1994-mid-2013.

TAKAMINE 2001 LIMITED EDITION  Image

TAKAMINE 2001 LIMITED EDITION

- single cutaway NEX body, solid spruce top, solid rosewood back, rosewood sides, round soundhole with dolphin rosette, rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret dolphin inlay, three-per-side tuners, rosewood bridge, electronics, gold hardwa...

TAKAMINE STEVE WARINER SW-341SC Image

TAKAMINE STEVE WARINER SW-341SC

- single cutaway dreadnought body, solid cedar top, solid mahogany back, mahogany sides,round soundhole, abalone rosette, abalone binding, rosewood fingerboard with snowflake and 12th fret SW inlays, three-per-side tuners with pearl buttons...

TAKAMINE G-440C Image

TAKAMINE G-440C

- grand auditorium NEX single cutaway style, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, rosewood fingerboard, gold hardware, available in Natural finish, mfg. 2006-mid-2013.

TAKAMINE H-8SS Image

TAKAMINE H-8SS

- similar to H-8, except has solid spruce top, solid rosewood back and sides, no electronics, available in Natural finish, mfg. 2000-present.

TAKAMINE G-116 Image

TAKAMINE G-116

- classical body style, spruce top, nato back and sides, rosewood fingerboard, available in Gloss Natural finish, disc. 2005.

TAKAMINE F-341 Image

TAKAMINE F-341

- dreadnought style, spruce top, round soundhole, black pickguard, 5-stripe bound body and rosette, campnosparma back/sides, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, rosewood bridge with white black dot pin...

TAKAMINE EG511SSC Image

TAKAMINE EG511SSC

- similar to the G511SS, except has a single cutaway and TK40 electronics, available in Satin Natural finish, mfg. 2010-11.

TAKAMINE P1NC Image

TAKAMINE P1NC

- NEX-style body with single cutaway, solid cedar top, sapele back and sides, round soundhole with concentric rings rosette, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, three-per-side chrome tuners, rosewood bridge...

TAKAMINE GD-30CE Image

TAKAMINE GD-30CE

- similar to the GD-30, except has a single cutaway and TP-4TD electronics, available in Gloss Black or Gloss Natural finish, mfg. summer 2013-present.

TAKAMINE P2DC Image

TAKAMINE P2DC

- dreadnought-style body with single cutaway, solid spruce top, sapele back and sides, round soundhole with concentric rings rosette, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, three-per-side chrome tuners, rosewo...

TAKAMINE 2002 LIMITED EDITION  Image

TAKAMINE 2002 LIMITED EDITION

- single cutaway dreadnought body, solid Sitka spruce top, solid Indian rosewood back, Indian rosewood sides, round soundhole with whale rosette, ebony fingerboard with 12th fret whale inlay, three-per-side tuners, ebony bridge, CT-4B...

TAKAMINE EN-12C-12 Image

TAKAMINE EN-12C-12

- dreadnought body with cutaway, 12-string, solid cedar top, Silky Oak back and sides, rosewood fingerboard, Graph EX pre-amp system, available in Natural finish, disc.