Acoustic guitar brand Takamine is celebrating its 60th birthday with the launch of the new Takamine LTD2022. The guitar draws on the brand’s early instruments for inspiration, and also uses a preamp system that evokes the sound of Takamine’s old FET-based preamps.
The guitar’s x-braced concert body is built with a koa back and sides, along with a solid Sitka spruce top. The mahogany neck is topped with an Ebony fretboard. As a special touch for the anniversary guitar, it bears a diamond-shaped inlay on the 12th fret, matching the “vibrant” abalone purfling and rosette.
The guitar’s preamp also pays tribute to Takamines of old – it is a FET-based preamp voiced after those found in the brand’s early instruments, known as the Brownie. The voicing aims for a warmer sound than modern preamps. It does add in a couple of modern quality-of-life features, such as a chromatic tuner and a notch filter to prevent feedback.
No pricing has been revealed yet, not how many units the limited-edition run will cap out at. It’s set to be available worldwide through all Takamine dealers. Find out more at esptakamine.com.