1986 Takamine EF-341 Acoustic/Electric Guitar

Vintage Japanese build from the pioneers of acoustic/electric preamps

Without a doubt, my favorite brand of acoustic guitar is Takamine. The first guitar that I ever bought brand new was a 1994 G334, which has seen plenty of playing time and is still in the rotation today. Since then, I've seen at least a half dozen other Takamine acoustics pass through my hands and this one is among the best.

I picked this up from Clay at Beach City Pawn and Guitar, he gave me a sweet deal on the price and did a great job setting up the guitar. The action is nice and low and it sounds beautiful as a naked acoustic guitar. I'm not really a fan of acoustic guitars that are plugged in, something just gets lost in the sound for me.

But, I bought this one because it was a great price for a vintage Japanese Takamine and I didn't have an acoustic/electric in my collection, so this will be what I take with me if I ever hit an open mic or something. One thing that strikes me is how thin the neck is. It plays fast to begin with, but when I have it hung up on the wall next to the G334, you can actually see that its smaller from a short distance. This model is still in production as the EF341SC and its a popular one that goes for a pretty penny...

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1987 Takamine G330 Acoustic/Electric Guitar

Classic vintage lawsuit model, Martin dreadnought copy, modified with a pickup for plug-and-play

This is the first of these Takamine lawsuit models that I've been able to take home. I'd really been looking forward to grabbing one and it's as advertised, super sweet. The only thing that it's lacking is a solid top, but I was told that one of the previous owners was a guitar tech and it is setup beautifully. The action is real low, which makes it easier to play, and what appears to be a bone saddle gives off a nice tone.

An under the saddle pickup was also installed at some point, so this one has the added acoustic/electric feature. On top of playing and sounding great, this one is still in real tip-top shape. The only blemishes are some real small, barely noticeable marks on the top of the headstock and there is minimal wear on the first three frets.

Now that I've been able to jam on one of these, I want to find an old F series Takamine lawsuit model even more. Those generally go for at least $400, I was able to get this one for a little less and it's definitely worth every penny.

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2000s Jasmine By Takamine ES33C Acoustic/Electric Guitar

Newer Chinese cutaway acoustic guitar, but surprisingly of good quality

The second Jasmine that I've acquired in the last few months is another solid player, going against everything that I had read when browsing internet forums regarding these models made in China.

It looks like this model was built in 2008. Someone decided to paint the face red and it looks alright, but they didn't cover the soundhole when they did it. Another thing that stood out to me on this one was the tortoise shell binding along the body and fretboard, looks real sharp.

This guitar plays real easy and projects very well, along the lines of the older Takamines that I've played from Taiwan and Korea. The electronics seem to be above average too, with an EQ and two settings for the pickup. If you're in the market for an A/E and looking to spend around $150, it's a real good buy for a used guitar.

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2000s Sunlite GCN1640 A/E Classical Guitar

Chinese acoustic/electric cutaway classical, good beginner or throw-around guitar

Sunlite is known more for making drums and hardware than stringed instruments, but it seems they made a foray into guitars at some point and I found this little guy not too long ago.

It's pretty much an entry-level guitar, the acoustic/electric and cutaway features make it a popular choice. It plays pretty easily, stay in tune well enough and sounds decent.

Not something you'd want to gig or record with, but if you need a cheap guitar to take to the beach or carry around in the trunk of your car, this one is perfect. About $150 is the most one should spend on one of these.

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2009 Esteban Crystal Star Acoustic/Electric Guitar

Acoustic/Electric guitar, limited run, part of the Rock On Collection 

 

These were limited to 5,000, feature artwork made of shiny bead-like objects on the body and headstock and has the artist's signature on the back.

This guitar plays real nice and both the acoustic/electric and cutaway features make it a very popular choice. These Esteban guitars get a bad rap on many guitar forums, but the 4 that I've had my hands on over the last few months have all been decent players.

That being said, they're still not worth paying too much for, about $150 is the absolute most anyone should ask for one of these.

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2000s Esteban American Legacy Acoustic/Electric Guitar

Surprisingly nice guitar, in great shape and upgraded with new Ping tuners  

This one was found at the same time as the limited edition Black Silver model and wouldn't you know it, this is the better player by a country mile.

It looks great, with just a couple of nicks by the cord jack and on the headstock.

It plays real nice and projects the best of all the Estebans that I've had over the last few months.

On top of that, this one had a busted tuning peg when it arrived, so I replaced the whole set with brand new Ping chrome tuners.

This really is a decent guitar and would be a perfect beginner or something to take along to the beach or church.

If you'd be embarrassed by the Esteban brand, you could just cover the logo on the headstock with something and tear off the label inside, no one would ever know, it plays that well...

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2006 Esteban Black Silver Acoustic/Electric Guitar

Sharp-looking guitar with upgraded fretmarkers and artwork on the back, limited run of 15,000  

 

This is the second Esteban guitar that I've had in the last few months and this one definitely catches the eye.
The flowered inlays on the frets look great and the black/silver color scheme will never go out of fashion.

As far the guitar itself, it plays easy enough and sounds ok. Doesn't really project as well as others at this level, but the inlays, the cutaway and the acoustic/electric feature make it a popular model.

Thank you for looking. More high-resolution pictures here.

2000s Esteban American Legacy Acoustic/Electric Guitar

Esteban American Legacy, Model AL-100 Acoustic/Electric Guitar

 

This was one of those guitars that you saw on informercials about 10 years ago for the classical guitarist Esteban. These were made by QVC and are not great guitars by any means. That being said, this one does play nice and easy, doesn't sound horrible and the black gloss finish looks sharp enough to give it the thumbs-up.

Every one of these guitars that I've seen also has the acoustic/electric feature, which is always a popular draw.
Despite the fact that it was a TV special, this still rates better than budget models from brands like Harmonia and Ariana. Not a bad option if you're in the market for a used A/E and don't want to spend much, they generally run between $80-$150 secondhand. 

Thank you for looking. More high-resolution pictures here.