1970s Taka Model No. TA501 Acoustic Guitar

Vintage Japanese dreadnought, sweet natural dark stain and old-style plastic tuning pegs

Well, I was able to find another nice Taka acoustic, but still no information on them. This one is nearly identical to the TA500 that was featured a few weeks back, only that one has a natural blond finish. The darker finish on this one looks sweet and the plastic tuning pegs give it an older feel.

When I got my hands on this one, it had a set of electric guitar strings on it and was a little dirty. I cleaned her up and put a new set of D'Addario acoustic XLs on last night. The tone isn't as nice as the TA500, but I think if I put a bone saddle, this one will come closer to that sound.

It's a little beat up, with some small nicks along the body, but it's structurally sound. The neck and bridge don't show any signs of giving anytime soon, so at around 40 years old, this one looks like it still has lots of life left.

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution photos here.

1970s Taka Model No. TATG-300 Classical Guitar

Another nice Japanese import, this one in very good condition

This is the 3rd Taka guitar that I've found recently and the second of this particular model. In a strange series of events, I ended up finding one online and then another one locally before it arrived in the mail. What are the chances?

That local piece had a small crack and some discoloration to the chrome on the tuners, but this one here is in excellent condition. A few small scratches and even smaller nicks are sparsely scattered throughout and that has to be expected for a guitar of this age.

It was also set up with some new LaBella strings, but these were the flat clear strings. I prefer the Folk Singer strings, with the dark colored nylon on the higher strings. It's nice having both setups on the same model though.

I've never really been much of a classical player, but I'm always looking to pick up any old Japanese or Korean guitar that is reasonably priced, just to hear what they sound like. These Taka classicals don't seem to be as nice as the dreadnought that I've found recently, even though they look to be from the same period.

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution photos here.

1970s Taka Model TA500 Acoustic Guitar

Rare vintage dreadnought, sounds and plays beautifully, made in Japan

Here is another great little guitar that is at least 40 years old, still in great condition and sounds absolutely beautiful. There isn't much information at all available on this brand that I've been able to find online, but I have seen them selling at some auctions for as much as $700.

This particular model sounds great, I installed a new bone saddle on it and it projects really well. Both the high and low ends are very clear. That new saddle did raise the action a little and once this set of strings is worn out a little, I'll make some adjustments to bring it back down.

This is something that if you stumble upon it and the price isn't outrageous, you should pick it up. Not sure if it's an early version of a Takamine or maybe a knock-off, but it's certainly a quality guitar. Most of these no-name vintage Japanese and Korean imports generally go for around $100-$200.

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution pictures here.

1970s Taka Model No. TATG-300 Classical Guitar

Vintage Japanese classical guitar, shows some wear and tear, but rock solid and well-aged

Now that I've been on the lookout for Taka guitars, they've been popping up all over the radar. This is the 2nd that I've gotten my hands on in the last couple of months and the first classical. This one has a TG distinction in the model number, but I'm not sure what it means yet.

There is a small crack on the bottom-right side of the body and a little chip in the binding along the fretboard. The crack doesn't go all the way through though, so there are no holes in the guitar and the sound is not effected at all. There is also a bit of discoloration along the tuning pegs, but these flaws are purely cosmetic and also don't really jump out at you.

I set it up with a set of LaBella Folk Singer strings as soon as I got it and it plays and sounds really nice. Once again, these can sometimes be found for as little as $50-60, but they play at the level of at least a $200 guitar.

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution photos here.