Well here we are on the "you're full of it thread." My first message to invite that comment is on Takemine. I have played a few new ones and they seemed to be quite decent guitars. I'm not big on amplification so the electronics are not important as I'd rather be sure with a Shure, so to speak. Bought at the best price, they're good value for the money. But I do own one Takemine currently, and it is, hands down, the sweetest sounding guitar...a truly lovely voice. And I bought it out of "desparation." I'd just been burgled and now had precisely zero guitars. A friend called and said that the music store next to where his wife worked was going out of business and were "giving stuff away." Not a guitar shop, just a little generic store, but I went over anyway. After looking, I tried the only thing that they had and it sounded really nice. After "negotiations" I brought home this Takemine...for $125.00...didn't even have a case! Fortunately my friendly neighborhood thieves had left me a gigbag and there she took up residence. Although it looked, played, and sounded like a D-18, my intent was always to trade as soon as I found something else. This was 1981.

The Japanese may not be great innovators, but they are the world's BEST copiers and perfecters. Back then Tacs were direct and perfect Martin copies. I mean like bring your inspection mirrors and you will see that the bracing isn't just like Martin's, it looks better. Right down to the last detail, these were dead ringers...including the "Takemine" script on the peghead that looks like it says CFMartin from 6 or 7 feet away. Probably because I couldn't take it seriously, this poor old girl got the worst treatment of any thing I've ever owned for many years. And even today, although I try to treat her as the lovely thing she is, I'm still superstitious enough not to buy a hardshell case, but I did get her a new gigbag (on sale from Elderly---has C.F.Martin embroidery work, how fitting).

This guitar has aged very well, never been string sensitive, and has never been repaired in any way. I did replace the machine heads and pickguard, and I made a new saddle and nut out of antler. I feel silly defending her as her playability and voice speak for themselves. The new Tacs are nice as I stated above, but cannot compare to my Martin forgery, and most Martins don't either...including my D-28. Other guitars have come and gone while my cheap fill-in is, and will be, still here.

catspaw