TAKAMINE'S TOP OF THE LINE 2022 - MODEL No39E - CONCERT LEVEL CLASSICAL GUITAR - SPRUCE/MADAGASCAR ROSEWOOD
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Takamine No39E 2022
The guitar was manufactured based on Masaru Kohno blueprints following the same methods as Takamine luthiers used since the early 1970s. It was the highest model in Takamine’s classical guitar lineup of that era.
In the Summer of 2024 Takamine decided to discontinue all their classical guitar models. It seems that they have no plans to resume their production. Within the last few years, the prices of Takamine guitars made for export have jumped up by nearly 100%. By the end of 2025, very few are still available on US market.
In 2022 model No39E was priced nearly 4.5 times higher than model C132S, which is currently sold in USA for $1,950USD. It is rather obvious that if distributed on US market in 2025 model No39E would be priced at a minimum $5500USD. Yet it was never sold in the USA and surely never will.
This terrific instrument is of decisively higher class than Takamine models ever distributed in the West. Takamine “Hirade” models made exclusively for export are no match to guitars made for Japanese domestic market. These highest Takamine models could easily compete with much higher priced guitars sold by world famous individual Japanese luthiers. This guitar represents very similar class to Sakurai/Kohno model “Special” that in the early 2025 was priced at $8500 level.
Masaki Sakurai passed away on July 20th, 2025, and it is Kohno’s grandson, So Kimishima who leads the workshop since. Currently (December 2025) all their guitars are priced 25%-30% higher than they were just a year ago, with top models priced at $15000 level. Yet, other prominent Japanese luthiers price their top models at $20000 level. You may therefore grasp the real value of the guitar you are looking at.
Model No39E was the only Takamine model with potential of reaching a Concert level. Even though the body of this guitar bears few very minor cosmetic imperfections, this guitar hasn’t been played much in the past. It therefore needs to be systematically played for a few years to reach its full tonal potential.
This guitar is relatively loud and produces sweet mystical tone with great level of transparency, with round colorful and brilliant (yet only moderately bright) trebles and deeply resonating, relatively warm and full of overtones basses, with all notes magnified by very impressive sustain.
Despite being owned in the past, this guitar remains in excellent overall condition. While its fingerboard and frets are in near mint condition. The only “signs of use” are few very small and light scratches within the finish on its top, and few tiny abrasions along its edges. The original basic Gotoh tuning machines were replaced with Gotoh’s highest end tuning machines.
Specifications:
Top: Solid Spruce/Kohno style bracing/ lacquer
Back & sides: Solid Madagascar Rosewood/lacquer
Fingerboard: Ebony
Neck: Mahogany without the truss rod
Scale 650 mm
Width at Nut: 51.50 mm
Strings: Aranjuez Concert Gold Set 700 LG
Factory action is set to 4.00 mm under E6 and 3.00 with lots of extra room on the saddle. I have made a second (visible in the pictures) saddle that sets the action at 3.30mm E6 and 2.80mm E. I have also made a third saddle that sets the action to 2.50mm E1 and 2.00m E1 but this action surely means diminished volume, dimished tonal depth and buzzes.
This guitar will be shipped in an original Takamine archtop case in still excellent condition.
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, 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 look at few much higher class Japanese Spruce top guitars made in earlier decades:
If you'd like a similar class brand new Spruce top guitar you should consider:
If you'd like a decisively higher class brand new Spruce top guitar you should consider:
Takamine Guitars 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 he 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 guitars have always offered exceptional value for 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 stamps 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.
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| Listed | 6 months 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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