Post by grayn on Apr 12, 2013 17:32:41 GMT
Takeharu Guitars were a brand of the Kiso Suzuki Violin company made between 1973 and 1979.
The Takeharu name comes from Yamamoto Takeharu (b. may 22, 1925) a guitar player and composer who played a large part in the spread of the popularity of guitar music in Japan.
swapped this guitar, for a tenor mandola, with forum member, Fliss. She had had it from new and I’d seen it before, at her house, at a forum based get-together. I’ve always had an interest in the less well known Japanese made acoustics and have toyed with the idea of collecting some, over the last few years. Makes like K’Yairi, Cat’s Eyes, Yasumi, Yamaki, Daion and some high-end Yamahas, amongst others, have a mystique that appeals to me. Well, this Takeharu falls into that camp.
There is a fair amount on the internet about these guitars but I can’t find a definitive list of models and what they were made from. Most of it is educated guess work. So I’m going to have to guess about this guitars woods/design.
My guess is that this dreadnought is all laminated but the top could be solid. Spruce. A mahogany body, with a mahogany neck. The fretboard and bridge look like ebony but they don’t feel like it. So it’s anybody’s guess really. The dimensions are: Nut width – 1 11/16 ins. Scale – 25.5 ins. Overall length – 41 ins. Body length – 19.75 ins. Lower bout – 15.8 ins. Upper bout – 11.75 ins.
Overall this is quite a nice looking dread. Very tidy, with a nice grain to the golden coloured soundboard. The semi-opaque scratchplate looks more like wood grain, rather than tortoiseshell, which is a little different. With the heavy(ish) gloss, it’s hard to determine if the binding is dark wood, or dark-brown plastic. The truss-rod plate, on the head is tortoiseshell(like), which again, is unusual. The headstock is attractively shaped but I’m not so sure about the gold transfer “Takeharu” logo, on the front of it. The saddle has adjusting screws, at either side. Rather mechanical looking but they could be useful. Along the centre of the back is an attractive strip. Again, I’m not sure if this is maple/ebony parquetry, or a transfer.
Sound wise, this guitar surprised me. It’s bright and sparkly, with some penetration. It doesn’t have the bottom end I’d have expected from a dread. But overall the tone is quite pleasing. Better for flatpicking but it fingerpicks OK. The only time it disappoints, is when pushed hard. The tone then becomes harsh and a little brash, loosing definition.
But when used for arpeggios, light strumming and single note lines, it does a very nice job, with a shimmering sparkle.
This Takeharu has really stood the test of time well. The neck is straight, with intonation that only starts to go wayward above the 10th fret. The frets have some wear but have stayed put. Overall then, the build quality is good and has lasted better than many, far more expensive guitars. This is/was a low priced guitar and in that bracket it’s hard to fault. I couldn’t say it wholly suits my style of play, because I like to push my guitars, at times. But it has some character, in looks and sound, it’s kind of collectable and has been around for some time.
The Takeharu name comes from Yamamoto Takeharu (b. may 22, 1925) a guitar player and composer who played a large part in the spread of the popularity of guitar music in Japan.
swapped this guitar, for a tenor mandola, with forum member, Fliss. She had had it from new and I’d seen it before, at her house, at a forum based get-together. I’ve always had an interest in the less well known Japanese made acoustics and have toyed with the idea of collecting some, over the last few years. Makes like K’Yairi, Cat’s Eyes, Yasumi, Yamaki, Daion and some high-end Yamahas, amongst others, have a mystique that appeals to me. Well, this Takeharu falls into that camp.
There is a fair amount on the internet about these guitars but I can’t find a definitive list of models and what they were made from. Most of it is educated guess work. So I’m going to have to guess about this guitars woods/design.
My guess is that this dreadnought is all laminated but the top could be solid. Spruce. A mahogany body, with a mahogany neck. The fretboard and bridge look like ebony but they don’t feel like it. So it’s anybody’s guess really. The dimensions are: Nut width – 1 11/16 ins. Scale – 25.5 ins. Overall length – 41 ins. Body length – 19.75 ins. Lower bout – 15.8 ins. Upper bout – 11.75 ins.
Overall this is quite a nice looking dread. Very tidy, with a nice grain to the golden coloured soundboard. The semi-opaque scratchplate looks more like wood grain, rather than tortoiseshell, which is a little different. With the heavy(ish) gloss, it’s hard to determine if the binding is dark wood, or dark-brown plastic. The truss-rod plate, on the head is tortoiseshell(like), which again, is unusual. The headstock is attractively shaped but I’m not so sure about the gold transfer “Takeharu” logo, on the front of it. The saddle has adjusting screws, at either side. Rather mechanical looking but they could be useful. Along the centre of the back is an attractive strip. Again, I’m not sure if this is maple/ebony parquetry, or a transfer.
Sound wise, this guitar surprised me. It’s bright and sparkly, with some penetration. It doesn’t have the bottom end I’d have expected from a dread. But overall the tone is quite pleasing. Better for flatpicking but it fingerpicks OK. The only time it disappoints, is when pushed hard. The tone then becomes harsh and a little brash, loosing definition.
But when used for arpeggios, light strumming and single note lines, it does a very nice job, with a shimmering sparkle.
This Takeharu has really stood the test of time well. The neck is straight, with intonation that only starts to go wayward above the 10th fret. The frets have some wear but have stayed put. Overall then, the build quality is good and has lasted better than many, far more expensive guitars. This is/was a low priced guitar and in that bracket it’s hard to fault. I couldn’t say it wholly suits my style of play, because I like to push my guitars, at times. But it has some character, in looks and sound, it’s kind of collectable and has been around for some time.
Jo whoever he is.
