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Takamine AN10 Acoustic Guitar

 

Takamine AN10 Acoustic Guitar Review by The Man in the Jar

This instrument comes with its own very robust hard case. From the moment I flipped the clips and opened the lid the Takamine exuded a air of unassuming elegance. It is an immediately appealing instrument.

Features of the Takamine AN10 Acoustic Guitar

Tuners - Sealed gold Gotohs branded with the Takamine logo. The tuning knobs themselves are of an unusual marbled brown effect that Takamine calls Amber Pearl. These add a nice touch of class and balance to the overall visual effect. Amazingly this guitar came straight out of the case in absolute, spot-on, perfect tune straight from the factory.  

Headstock - An elegant 3-a-side design faced with a millimetre of darker wood. The truss rod is accessed via the sound-hole so the simple lines of the headstock are not cluttered with a truss rod cover. 

Nut - The white plastic nut is cleanly finished.

Neck - The neck is a joy. It has nicely figured grain and is very smooth playing. The heel looks a little sharp at first but it is contoured smoothly into the neck where hand contact is likely to take place. 

Fretboard - The rosewood fretboard has no fret-markers on its face. This adds to the classic look but is a bit scary at first for "dot-watchers" like me. However the markers along the side of the neck are still there and I very quickly got used to this setup, in fact I'm sure over time it helps you to "learn" the fretboard.

Frets - Medium thin frets compliment well the playability of this lovely neck.

Action - A good medium low action ensures good playability right up to the 12th fret.

Body - The AN10 has a solid cedar top and solid mahogany back and sides, bound back and front. The back is formed from two pieces between which runs a thin strip of the ivory binding. The body is deeper at the bottom (bridge-end) than the top (neck-end) so the back curves in gracefully from the waist to the heel. This makes the guitar extremely comfortable against your body when playing. The sound-hole sports a simple rosette of tinted woods. The satin finish on this creature is light and the pickguard is missing - both conscious decisions by Takamine to prevent any element of the finish interfering with the soundboard vibrations.

Bridge - The saddle is split with an offset section that carries the top two strings. This delivers a more accurate intonation than a single saddle and is a nice innovation. Also impressive is the method used to dispense with bridge-pins. This bridge has a carved "notch" that runs behind the saddle. Holes have been drilled from the base of the bridge (nearest the bottom of the body) that run up into this notch. The strings are loaded through the holes and dive up from the notch across the saddle and up towards the neck.
This is the acoustic version of a classic electric stop-tail. It seems to increase the tension and stability over the saddle and because there is no possibility of movement from a loose bridge-pin, the reliability of the tuning is improved. 

Pickguard - Not fitted.

Strap-buttons - One bog-standard plastic strap button on the bottom of the body. The other end of your strap will attach to the headstock with ties.

Finish - The overall finish is understated. But, perversely, that adds to my impression of luxury. There's no brash shiny lacquer to reflect the stage-lights, this is a lady with perfect skin. 

 

Sound of the Takamine AN10 Acoustic Guitar

The promise of the good looks is delivered in the form of the sound. Lovely bell-like mids and controlled bass tones combine to make a really satisfying playing experience. I found myself concentrating on accurate fingering and revelling in the tonal response that rewarded my care. On the other side of the coin this same tonal separation allows powerful strumming to remain tight and defined.  

 

Overall Impressions of the Takamine AN10 Acoustic Guitar

This guitar started to charm me from the moment I set eyes on it. The quality of the instrument is apparent as soon as you pick it up and the sound is brim-full of character that constantly rewards and refines good playing technique. It is by no means a cheap guitar, but the pleasures of ownership are certainly worth the outlay. I want one.     

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