Takamine EG330SC Natural

 Excellent guitar for an excellent price
The price:
Last summer, I purchased my Takamine EG330SC from a local music store for $560 (it was a special order because of the "ocean burst" finish, model# EG330SCOBB: http://www.takamine.com/?fa=detail&mid=883&sid=69 ). There's a black Takamine similar to this one that has the onboard tuner, but ultimately I decided I preferred the color over the tuner. I also purchased a hard shell case for another $100. To get everything for the $503 price here (and no tax!) is amazing.

The guitar:
I researched a lot of different guitars and found Takamine to be a good combination of quality and price. It's a much "basier" sounding guitar than the Sigma acoustic(made by Martin) that I had been playing on. The body is nice and big, the top really vibrates when you play the strings. String action is very good as well- not too hard to hold down, neck is slim, easier for the those of us with small or average sized hands. I love the cutout- wish I'd insisted on that with my last guitar. I can finally get down to those last few strings and play around some more.

The electronics:
Fantastic. I've tried all kinds of pickups to make my old one sound good on the church sound system, but nothing quite worked - until I got my Takamine. Boy, this thing sounds great, and it should- Takamine guitars are well known for their high quality electric-acoustic sound.

The finish:
The natural finish shown here is just fine, but the "oceanburst" blue I ordered is gorgeous. I get a lot of compliments on it. (You can find pictures of all the "G" series guitars: http://www.takamine.com/?fa=series&sid=69). It really reflects the light beautifully. I felt it was worth waiting for and fondly refer to this as my "blueberry" guitar.

How I use this guitar:
I'm not a professional player (though many Nashville musicians use the higher-end Takamines- take a look at Tak's website.) I write, sing, and play mainly for the praise and worship team at church (here in the Midwest). We play a wide variety of Christian rock, as well as some traditional and occasionally some folk/country stuff. I do a lot of pickin' and grinnin', and my Tak suits me just fine. Plugged or unplugged, this guitar sounds beautiful and is a joy to play.

Note on the hardshell case:
It's solid and well made, very upscale looking with the "Takamine" name engraved on the front. Wherever I take my guitar in this case, people ask if I'm a professional player.

Ultimately, the best way shop for a guitar is to visit a few music stores and get your hands on as many models as you can (a quieter store helps too- some places are so loud you can't hear the guitar, even when it's plugged in and turned up!) Then come back here to get the best price.

I hope this review helps as you choose the perfect guitar for you!