RARITY - TAKAMINE'S ALL TIME BEST - No15 1980 - ROBERT BOUCHET STYLE CLASSICAL CONCERT GUITAR - SPRUCE/BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD
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YOU ARE LOOKING AT A WORLD CLASS INSTRUMENT PRICED AT THE BARGAIN LEVEL. CURRENTLY MADE IN JAPAN BRAND NEW GUITARS OF THIS CLASS MADE WITH FIGURED OLD GROWTH BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD ARE PRICED MINIMUM $18000USD. DISCONTINUED IN 2025 YAMAHA GC70 WAS PRICED AT THAT LEVEL.
The guitar was made in 1980 under the supervision of Takamine's Headmaster Luthier Masaichi Furui however greatly inspired by blueprints provided by world famous luthiers Robert Bouchet and Antonio de Torres. The headstock, bindings, multilayered purfling and rosette are identical to those used by Bouchet on his famous instruments. However, the bracing system is practically identical to Antonio Torres’s from 1860.
In the past I have sold made in 1978 guitar of similar design labelled “Luthier M. Furui” by Takamine model No10. These Bouchet style Takamine models were made in very limited numbers.
In Takamine’s classical guitar lineup of 1980 the highest model was No15 (priced 150 000yen) followed by models No10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 40, 30 and 20 (priced 20 000 yen). In the early 1980s that lowest model 20 was discontinued and the (new) model 20 became the highest one. It was very much the same class as model 15 from 1980, also made with solid BR b/s while model No15 was made with solid IR b/s. However, this model 20 was made with figured BR for just couple of years, and later made with straight grain BR or other Latin America Rosewoods. Also, around the year 1985 the construction of Takamine guitars was again based on Masaru Kohno designs, with his style rosettes and bridge decoration on high end models (10,15,20). Model 20 was the top of the line until the late 1990s. In early 2000s model 20 was replaced by model 25 made with Madagascar Rosewood b/s (although some Japanese experts say that it was initially made with figured BR b/s).
By the late 2000s model 25 was replaced by model No39. Sold in recent decades Takamine No39 sounds like a toy compared to model 20 from early 1980s or this No15 from 1980.
This guitar you are now looking at is of the highest class ever made by Takamine. It can easily challenge guitars sold for twice that much (Masaru Kohno No30 1980, Yamaha GC30A, Sakazo Nakade 3000, Hiroshi Tamura 30 etc.) during the same era. But as of today, this guitar can easily challenge all guitars sold in USA for $15000. To my ears it represents the same high class as Yamaha’s top of the line model GC70. It is the second Takamine model made with solid figured Brazilian Rosewood b/s I have seen during my 12 years of intensive research.
In the spring of 2025 Yamaha discontinued manufacture of models GC82 and GC82C (made with Madagascar Rosewood b/s and priced $9,999), GC70 and GC70C (made with Brazilian Rosewood b/s and priced $18000). Yamaha will likely introduce a new lineup of higher priced models. Since the fall of 2024 other prominent Japanese makers have increased the prices of their top models by at least 25%. In September 2024 Takamine discontinued their entire classical guitar lineup.
If this was still possible for you to order a brand new Takamine classical guitar of the same class, made using 50 years old woods (Spruce and Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood) and the same finish, it would cost you a minimum of $15000. If French Polished it would cost $18000.
This terrific and powerful instrument certainly deserves the title of Grand Concert Guitar. This gorgeous instrument offers superb response, very impressive volume, depth, combined with sweet and very soothing tonality that easily challenges higher priced models made by Japanese elite luthiers of that era. Basses are relatively deep, rich with overtones but also focused and clean. Trebles are sweet, clear, and ringing like piano keys. While individual treble notes sound “crisp” in chords they sound way mellower, making the overall tonality of this Spruce top guitar only moderately bright. All notes are well balanced and well separated, all magnified by great sustain. It simply is a "joy to play" guitar.
While overall condition of this guitar can be described as “excellent for its age” its surfaces show some very minor cosmetic imperfections: few tiny dents along the edges, and couple very light scratches on the top, and one light scratch on its side (being the most “serious damage”. Some traces of cloudiness within the finish are a result of covering shellac with thin layer of lacquer. Despite these few imperfections, excellent condition of the neck, fingerboard and frets prove that this guitar has been played very little over its lifespan. Its original tuners still work fine.
Specifications:
Top: Solid Yezo Spruce / fan of 7 braces / thin coat of lacquer over shellac (French Polish)
Back & sides: Solid Brazilian Rosewood / thin coat of lacquer over shellac (French Polish)
Fingerboard: Ebony
Neck: Mahogany
Scale 650 mm
Width at Nut: 52 mm
Strings: Aranjuez Concert Silver Set 700 Low Gauge
Its action is set to 4.00 mm under E6 and 3.50 mm under E1 with practically no extra room on the saddle.
This guitar will be shipped in brand new hard shell case.
THE ONLY PURPOSE OF THIS CASE IS TO PROTECT THE GUITAR DURING SHIPMENT. I WILL NOT PROVIDE ITS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OR MAKE ADDITIONAL PICTURES, NOR I WILL ACCEPT ANY COMPLAINTS. IF YOU DON’T LIKE THIS CASE YOU WILL NEED TO BUY A DIFFERENT ONE.
WHEN YOU BUY ANY GUITAR, YOU MUST ANTICIPATE TAKING IT TO YOUR LOCAL GUITAR SHOP FOR FINAL ADJUSTMENTS CALLED “SETUP”. DEPENIDNG ON YOUR PLAYING TECHNIQUE, THIS SETUP ON USED GUITARS MAY INCLUDE NEW CUSTOM-MADE NUT AND SADDLE. IF YOU HEAR STRING BUZZ IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT GUITAR IS DEFECTIVE. IF YOU PLAY HARD ENOUGH ALL BASS STRINGS WILL BUZZ OVER THE FRETS, UNLESS THEY ARE SUSPENDED VERY FAR FROM THE FINGERBOARD. UNLESS YOU PLAY QUITE GENTLY, YOU CAN’T HAVE LOW ACTION AND NO BUZZES. KEEP IN MIND THAT CELLO-LIKE BASSES ON HIGH GRADE CLASSICAL GUITARS HAVE THEIR NATURAL “BUZZ”.
YES, YES, I KNOW THAT “TAKAMINE” SOUNDS FAMILIAR TO YOU. BUT IF YOU ARE OPEN MINDED AND NOT AFRAID TO STEP INTO UNKNOWN, YOU WILL BE GEATLY REWARDED.
While you are thinking about this Takamine guitar, you should also take a look at few higher class Japanese made guitars from the same era (all priced 2 times higher than this Takamine 15):
You may also consider a few other higher class Japanese made guitars made in different years (all effectively priced 50%-100% higher than this Takamine 15):
You can also consider a couple of similar class Japanese made guitars from that era (all priced the same as this Takamine 15):
If you'd like a decisively higher class brand new Spruce top guitar you should consider:
Takamine History.
Takamine Gakki was founded in 1962 and during its first few years of operations, it wasn’t considered as leading Japanese guitar manufacture. It all changed in 1968 when Masaru Kohno took this company “under his umbrella” (most likely be became its owner or co-owner) and his pupil Mass Hirade became its director and leading Master Luthier. Until late 1970s Masaru Kohno personally supervised guitar production at Takamine Co. Right after this transition in 1968 Takamine Gakki adopted ne guitar designs launching 3 series of guitars: Elite, TG and the most precious Yamato guitars (by early 1970s renamed to Aranjuez).
Elite series had Ramirez style headstock and Ramirez style bracing. TG series guitars kept old style Takamine headstock but also had Ramirez style bracing. Aranjuez guitars had Takamine’s unique design headstock (used on Takamine guitars until today) and Kohno style bracing (which is nothing but simple lattice bracing). American luthier & guitar importer (also manufacturer of Luthier & Aranjuez strings) Juan Orozco invested and was deeply engaged in creation of Aranjuez guitar brand, even though these guitars were made only for Japanese domestic market. The truth behind Aranjuez guitars is that right from the start they were designed to satisfy less wealthy Japanese guitar enthusiasts, who couldn’t afford guitars made by Masaru Kohno or other Japanese elite luthiers. Aranjuez guitar have always offered exceptional value for the money. The bodies of all models were made by Takamine workshop. Top Aranjuez models were being finished at Kohno workshop and equipped with soundboards made by Masaru Kohno or his associates. Traditionally the very top Aranjuez model was assembled personally by Masaru Kohno. These very top Aranjuez models were nothing but Kohno guitars priced 50% down. Aranjuez 7 made in 1973 was decisively better than Kohno #10 from the same year and could easily compete with Kohno #15. Aranjuez 720 (priced 200 000 yen) made in 2000 could easily compete with Kohno model Professional R (priced 450 000 yen). Until 1976 all Aranjuez guitars had Kohno stamp on their labels. Starting in 1977 Kohno stamp was no longer used on Aranjuez guitars, even though their production was still closely supervised by Masaru Kohno’s workshop.
In the same late 1970s Takamine Gakki launched new series of guitars named simply “Guitarras Takamine”. These “new” Takamine guitars had the same construction and looks as “old” Aranjuez guitars. The lower Takamine models 20,30 and 40 had their own unique rosettes, while higher models 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 had Kohno style rosettes. The very top Takamine models 15 & 20 had Kohno style purflings and Kohno style decorated bridge. This classical guitar lineup remained unchanged until late 1980s.
Since early 1980s bodies of Aranjuez guitar were made by Ryoji Matsuoka, while the very top model still assembled at Kohno’s and later (after Masaru Kohno’s death in 1998) at Masaki Sakurai/Kohno workshop. After Matsuoka’s workshop was closed in September of 2014, bodies of Aranjuez guitars are again made by Takamine co. while the very top Aranjuez 725 is assembled personally by Masaki Sakurai who also makes its soundboard all by himself. Just like in the early days of Aranjuez guitars this model 725 is of the same grade as sold at 100% higher price Masaki Sakurai model Concert R.
Real Value of Japanese Vintage Guitars
The key to understand value of vintage Japanese guitars is to acknowledge galloping price inflation throughout the late 1960s and 1970s with its peak of 25% in 1974.
During 1960s and most of 1970s model numbers of Japanese guitars were strictly connected with their prices in Japanese yen.
The same class guitar sold in 1970 for 100 000 yen (labelled as model 10), would be sold for 150 000 yen in 1972 (labelled as model 15), 200 000 yen in 1974 (labelled as model 20) and 300 000 yen in 1978 (labelled as model 30). Therefore, you shouldn’t be surprised that two Yamaha GC10 guitars made 10 years apart are two instruments of totally different class. The same rule applies to all guitar models made by all other Japanese makers.
Japanese inflation slowed down in the 1980s. By the early 1980s and during following decades model numbers were no longer strictly associated with their prices. Some Japanese guitar makers introduced model names instead of model numbers. For several economic reasons, since 1980s Japanese made guitars were becoming more and more expensive, while their exports slowing down. Today (2025) Japanese high end classical guitar models are priced at $20000USD level.
| Listed | 2 years ago |
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| Condition | Excellent (Used) Excellent items are almost entirely free from blemishes and other visual defects and have been played or used with the utmost care.Learn more |
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