# Question about Takamine EF341



## jazzereh (Oct 25, 2016)

I have been trying to find out what this guitar is made from and have conflicting info. According to the serial number it was made in 1990 and what I have read on various sites so far indicate that it may have laminate sides or solid sides. Same with the top, either solid or laminate and I've read info about different woods used. Even the Takamine site does not have info as far as I can see. This is an all black, no cutaway, 6 string dreadnought style

Can anyone point me to correct info or knows for sure?
Thanks


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

I think it should have an “S” suffix if it is a solid top. E = electronics, F = Japan, 3 = dreadnaught, not sure about the 4 and the 1. I used to have an F-360S and the S was for solid spruce top. The 4 might mean Mahogany sides and back.


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## Blind Dog (Mar 4, 2016)

(Removed, with apologies for redundancy.)


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Blind Dog said:


> Being a 1990 it won't have an S designation for solid top. The C is for cutaway, but later the C can denote Cedar top -- _after_ the S came to be used for Solid. If the spec's are the same for the non-cutaway, the EF341C spec's may be of some help. I would guess it's a spruce solid top. Only way to be sure imo, would be to expose some of the edge of the sound hole, but I don't recommend.


I purchased my “S” model new in 1979. It was one of the “lawsuit” models. I still think the one in question here is probably laminate top or it would have the “S”. I’m not an expert though.


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## Blind Dog (Mar 4, 2016)

(Removed, with apologies for redundancy.)

Best of luck with your search.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

FWIW, My '81 Tak also has an "S" for solid. (F-350MS)


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

In my experience if it doesn't say "solid", it's not.


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## jazzereh (Oct 25, 2016)

Thanks for the responses so far, guys, but this just leaves me in the same place. Other models don't help much since each model seems to have its own specs about using an S or not and even the C version of this model has different specs. I have read in other research that this series/year had solid top, either spruce or cedar and possibly maple sides that may or may not be laminated. I think I'll have to contact the company as noted above.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Have you tried contacting Takamine? They should have the specs available. But as for the top, looking at the edge of the wood in the sound hole you should be able to tell if it is solid or laminate. If there is an end pin in the body, you might be able to remove it and determine the same thing with the back and sides. The EF series is quite a good guitar and I would be surprised it the top is not solid.


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## jazzereh (Oct 25, 2016)

In order to close off this topic with some factual information about this guitar, I did get a response from Takamine through the Canadian distributor and here is the info. 

First of all to be clear this is noted in the guitar as being an EF341, no S, not a cut away. Takmine has confirmed that the top is solid Cedar, the back and sides are laminated Maple, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard and bridge.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I have an EF360-SC (so electric, Japanese dreadnaught with RW back and sides, solid top and cutaway, if you decode the model number). I suspect the back is laminate but I've been told both stories. It's a decent guitar (although not nearly competitive with my good guitars - it serves it's purpose).

If you aren't aware, Takamine got caught up in a scandal where they indicated solid wood on some models and it was shown to be laminate, so as always --- buyer beware. A search on a few guitar forums will give you the details if you want them.


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## Sketchy Jeff (Jan 12, 2019)

I have an FP 360S from '90 or '91. In that era my understanding was that the P stood for pickup and S stood for solid top. It was the first run of the upgraded preamp with notch filter and parametric EQ and isn't much different from the one they still use. It was a fairly expensive guitar at the time and it's a good solid instrument but not exceptional acoustic sound. 

It has a bit of that Takamine played-through-a-rubber-band amplified sound but remains a good sounding pickup over all even these years later. A bit of compression helps it out quite a lot. I can thump pretty hard on the bridge while mute strumming and I've split the top from the 6th and 5th strings all the way to the butt. It doesn't sound any different than it ever did. I took the pickguard off the week after I bought it and I recall that making quite a good difference in how it sounded acoustically. I'm sure it's worth $50 on a good day by now but it's got a very good neck and decent preamp and I like it. 

j


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## OttawaGuitarGuyGSA (Jan 13, 2020)

Thank you for the information , even thought it was an old post it is very valuable information.
I just bought one of these at the local L&M
used for a couple hundred dollars with a case.
Same year 1990 in black non cutaway version of the EF341

Had to replace the saddle and pins and do some nut work as the nut was cut too low.

Really nice player now that it has had a bit of work.

she is a keeper


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