This one is super special! Beautiful sounding, playing, and looking Dreadnaught all the way from the amazing Japanese Rokkomann factory!
This guitar rules, and the Japanese Rokkomann factory that made it totally rules. Before Takamine that we know of today was Takamine they were a factory of really talented luthiers that would make guitars for other brands. Anyone with a dream and a will (and funding) could call them up and presto you could have whatever name you wanted on the headstock of really nice guitars by the end of the week. They made some fantastic different guitars under many different names, I’ve played a ton of them and they all have that particular early Takamine character to them that feels so good. The early Takamines were so great, they were super spot on versions of classic American Martins, Guilds, Gibsons, and I think a few others. You mostly see the Martin versions they made but it’s a trip when you see the others that they did. At a time where American guitars were struggling, Japan stepped in and filled the void. Takamine has remained a really innovative and cutting edge guitar maker to this day with really great designs of their own, and I still think they really do sound the best plugged in! This one is kind of like a pre-Takamine Takamine if you can picture that, made by the talented people who worked at Takamine, but producing guitars for a different label and name.
As an instrument, this thing is gorgeous. Wonderful low action, beautiful neck, every by note is vibrant and in tune, and fantastic sound. Feels wonderful and inspiring to play. This guitar has elements and inspirations from both Martin and Gibson, it’s like finding a lost pyramid under Antarctica that looks both Egyptian and Mayan. The body shape and general vibe is definitely Martin inspired, but that adjustable bridge and red sunburst has some more 60’s Gibson vibes. The Adjustable bridge has it’s own tone and I love it, I think they record super well. Especially when played with a pick the adjustable bridge gives off that classic Rolling Stones adjustable-bridge dreadnaught tone, very percussive and cutting. I’ve always found that percussive edge from the adjustable bridge helps the guitar to sit in a mix better, but maybe that’s just me. It sounds killer when fingerpicked too, it can do it all.
That logo on the headstock is so well done! This was WAY before CNC machines were routing out inlays with computers and lasers, that’s all done by hand with a lot of care. This factory did that the best, the other ones that I’ve seen also have really great inlay work that’s precise and flawless. I love the finish, that cherry red sunburst is so classic early 70’s and it’s a pretty rare color to see on a guitar! That would look stunning on stage, it would be eye catching from anywhere in the room. I can’t say enough good things about this guitar as a playing and sounding instrument, I totally love it.
Condition wise it seriously looks like it was never played! There’s a few minuscule little dings from what I imagine being shuffled around in storage, but it’s undeniably beautiful and it’s survived awesomely. On the treble side of the top along the binding there’s a little clear coat missing, but graded on the whole you can’t believe the guitar is in as good of shape as it is. It’s a killer guitar with some awesome history, sound, and playability. Great guitar!
