Impressive factory tour video of Takamine

[fazool]

There's so much in common with guitar-factory tour videos that they all start to be similar. You've got your wood stores and drying, top cutting, side bending, braces vacuum setting, binding, neck carving, etc.

I thought this one from Takamine was very interesting. I Know they make quality instruments with a great performer acceptance of their pickup systems. I was impressed by how much old-school hand work goes into these.

The skill of the craftsman carving the braces was incredible to watch (starting at 6:39) - and they only had four of these craftsman that touch every guitar.

[RussL30]

The attention to detail is impressive. I enjoyed watching this video back when I was researching Takamines last spring. I’ve had my GB7C for about 6 months now and I’m constantly picking it up over my Taylors. I still love the Taylors but the quality, workmanship and acoustic tone of the Tak gives up nothing to the Taylors.

I really hate they have the only good for plugged in tone reputation on these forums.

[Hey_day]

thanks for the video, so interesting to see their process.

[Robin, Wales]

Thanks! I really enjoyed watching.

I was interested particularly in the section at the beginning on wood in light of the BRW thread ongoing here at the moment.

The skill of the crafts folk was lovely to see.

And the section on the neck to body stability, using maple box rods, reminded me of the solution Godin uses and a couple of other makes. It does confuse me why brands persist with a neck to body attachment for a steel strung acoustic that's such an obvious design flaw and a historical hangover from gut strung guitar days. I like the approach of Takamine shown in this video: build it right in the first place and it will never need a neck reset.

[Kevin Bishop]

Yes sir, I watched this a few months ago and it was very impressive for sure. I do remember this section you point out specifically. I think I stopped and backed it up around five times. Those are some awesome tools. Probably very high quality chisels like their great knives and swords.