A good look at Takamine's all mahogany GN11 acoustic / electric guitar. Theme music 'Mustang,' from my album, 'Warbirds,' by Harpaxe. Available from Amazon & i-tunes.
Many thanks for this review. I've been looking at a lot of videos on Takemine's with a view to buying soon. You're the first person that has actually adjusted the Equalizer so we can sample the difference. Really pleased to hear that. 🤗
Always informative, always enjoyable. A very knowledgeable and very lovely fella. I love John's videos as there is no ego attached what-so-ever and no salesmanship, just good, honest opinion and advice. Thanks John. x
One week ago, I was scrolling down on Facebook, when I saw this beauty, and immediately fell in love with this same exact model. This will be my first guitar, I'm so excited. Greetings from Colombia
Great review - cheers! Great playing too. Strongly considering this guitar and looking forward to trying one out for myself soon. Been sold on Takamine as a company lately as they seem to make quality instruments at affordable price points. It's either a Takamine or a Tanglewood for me. Recently watched the Takamine factory tour on Premier Guitar's CZcams channel and, while I recognise it is a PR opportunity for them, just got a good vibe from it.
I have played and sold loads of Taks and never met a bad one. Back in the 90's I had just sold a Yamaha acoustic and went into the storeroom to fetch another. The first one out of the box of 4 said Yamaha on the head and inside but the scratchplate sticker said, 'Takamine!' Sometimes they forget who they are making them for.
Top of the range review cheers. Just got a new takamine gj72cebsb it's a beaut . I'm just a late beginner but loving it. I'm on the local church choir ,we're lucky to have a pipe organ. Thanks a mill
@@JohnCouplandguitar the only thing I would have done is also check the intonation using harmonics on the 7th fret. My current Tak is perfectly intonated on the 1st and 2nd strings at the 12th fret but I tiny bit off on the 7th.
Im choosing.between gn10ce gd10 and this. Id choose this because of.this review. Your video is spot on. From intonation to action. Thank you very much kind sir.
I often watch John's uploads when I see that he's demonstrating an instrument that I'm interested in but more often I just enjoy his uploads anyway. This excellent review is a case in point. Very enjoyable as always. Many thanks. Just out curiosity - what strings do prefer like, John? I usually use Elixirs gauge 9 or 10.
@@JohnCouplandguitar Thanks John. I have Chromes on a Strat because I like the more 'mellow' tones, even though I also like the classic sharpness that's usually associated with a Strat.
The acoustic sound is just being picked up by the Zoom camera which i have been using for a year or so. The pick up is recorded via a Tascam 8 track which has been used many times in these videos. The pick up does seem to be noisy when it is pushed to either extreme but as I say in the video, in a live situation with everything around half way, it seems fine.
Lovely the way you can change the tone so easily, probably out of my price range, I have the gs220, I've had it for 8 years and its exactly how it was when I bought it (or maybe better), Takamine must send their guitars out with a slightly high bridge because I had to lower mine as well.
@@flippergd nut end was fine, just the bridge was high, more so on the first string which was annoying as it made the E ring out more than the rest. Sorted now though.
Hi John, I'm one click away from buying this as a Corona companion - thanks for the review and sound clips. A quick question... The shim you mention that helped lower the height. Do you have to remove all the strings and remove the bridge to get at it? I had a Takamine Jasmine which I liked the finish on, but always felt I was fighting the action on it after playing electrics. Thanks for any thoughts and tops on this lower action you mention. Have a nice weekend :)
Hi James, Just loosen the strings, remove the bridge pins, then the saddle. If there is a shim turn the guitar over and it should fall out but if not you can poke it out with a needle.
Hi John, got the same guitar, any new tips you could give in improving this guitar, stings saddle nut, I was think of getting a higher end guitar but I'm sure this guitar has more potential if I replaced and changed a few parts
A bone saddle is always good while a bone nut only works of course on open strings and if you use a capo, not at all. Experiment with dearer strings, Elixir and Daddario Chromes will both give the guitar a warmer sound but at the expense of the treble end.
Yes, it does have a small amount of bass end hum. It is not a problem when playing live as I do not need to push the bass tone above 50% but it is something to be aware of.
It depends on the individual guitar, no two will be exactly the same. A lower saddle may be possible. I usually take the action on a guitar down until it starts to buzz, then take it back up a tad.
Good review. This guitar seems to hit that sweet spot between a Dreadful and a Parlous. Has a really mellow and balanced sound without sacrificing clarity. Mahogany can sometimes lose that pristine treble amidst the mid range grrrr. Impressed. John, based on your experience, how does it compare with the Epiphone Hummingbird/Dove which I know has a shorter 'Gibson' scale?
It is a long, long time since I played a dove but I think it was a little warmer in the bass however such things cab depend on the maturity of the individual instrument.
@@JohnCouplandguitar Thanks for the reply. Can I ask a further question. What is the depth of the body? I have tried the Takamine website but they do not appear to include any dimensions which is unusual. Given it's shrunken 'Jumbo' heritage, I would prefer to avoid a rib digger if possible. Everything is now internet driven so much harder to test drive. Many thanks.
Ah, now here we have a problem. Like many of my guitars I review, it got swapped for another, the Sigma 000MC 15E which is a fair bit smaller all round. czcams.com/video/WI6EIpauPu4/video.html
I'm a year into learning, I have an immaculate 1994 FG-301 Yamaha Dreadnought (too big) and a Freshman Renegade (bit cheap feeling). I want to move up to something of quaility. Is this a good choice? I was looking at an Epiphone J200. My budget is £450. Any advice gratefully received. Great review btw.
The pick up was plugged into a Tascam DP-01fx 8 track with a bit of reverb added and using one of its presets called, 'Moody.' The acoustic sound was captured by a Zoom camera which was muted during the plugged in section.
Mate had a similar shaped late 90s Jasmine by Takamine. I reckon Jasmine was/is the entry level brand by Takamine, possibly made in China or Indonesia but no flaws at all, nice tone and way easier to pronounce.
Hi Romy, If you are playing instrumentals or just accompanying yourself singing then the GN-11 is better. The GD is louder and will probably drown out a solo voice but it is better for a group of singers.
The slightly smaller GN11 is better for instrumentals and of course more comfortable when seated. The Dreadnought style GD 20 is (Theoretically) louder and has a deeper bass. If I was intending to lead several people singing e.g. a class of children or a house church then I would choose it.
Thanks Sir. Great video. Your narration feels warm.
My pleasure
Thanks for sharing your opinion and your song! I found myself drawn to worship through your music!👍🙏
Thanks Joe, God bless.
Another lovely video John, welcome back, brilliant review as usual, with your lovely gentle humour, just the ticket, some really nice playing
Most thorough review I've seen for this model of Takamine. Thanks John.
Glad it was helpful!
Many thanks for this review. I've been looking at a lot of videos on Takemine's with a view to buying soon. You're the first person that has actually adjusted the Equalizer so we can sample the difference. Really pleased to hear that. 🤗
Glad it helped Darol.
Always informative, always enjoyable. A very knowledgeable and very lovely fella. I love John's videos as there is no ego attached what-so-ever and no salesmanship, just good, honest opinion and advice. Thanks John. x
My pleasure Peter.
One week ago, I was scrolling down on Facebook, when I saw this beauty, and immediately fell in love with this same exact model. This will be my first guitar, I'm so excited. Greetings from Colombia
Hello from Scotland. Hi Sebastian, Good choice, you wont be disappointed.
Great review love the sound of the guitar👍
Oh my what a beautiful guitar! Sounds great :D Lovely review once again. I could just watch you play all day.
Thanks, much appreciated.
is Takamine GD11MCENS like this ?
@@evaristphi Yes it has the same electronics but the larger body should give it a deeper bass.
@@JohnCouplandguitar Thank You Sir
great video as always john
Glad you enjoyed it
Hey John love ya reviews mate just picked up a g series great guitar thanks for the review and great song at the end !!!
God bless
Thanks Pete, you too!
Great review - cheers! Great playing too. Strongly considering this guitar and looking forward to trying one out for myself soon. Been sold on Takamine as a company lately as they seem to make quality instruments at affordable price points. It's either a Takamine or a Tanglewood for me. Recently watched the Takamine factory tour on Premier Guitar's CZcams channel and, while I recognise it is a PR opportunity for them, just got a good vibe from it.
I have played and sold loads of Taks and never met a bad one. Back in the 90's I had just sold a Yamaha acoustic and went into the storeroom to fetch another. The first one out of the box of 4 said Yamaha on the head and inside but the scratchplate sticker said, 'Takamine!' Sometimes they forget who they are making them for.
What a pleasent review. Dats so great....❤️✌💓
Its superb mr. Coupland. Thank you so much...
Glad you liked it Kavin.
Very good review, the guitar sound really nice!.
Glad you think so!
Thanks Brother. I just got the same guitar today it is perfect.
You are going to receive a Crown of life.
You are a great testimony for Jesus.
Thanks John, blessings.
Great review sir, thanks for that.
Glad it was helpful!
Top of the range review cheers. Just got a new takamine gj72cebsb it's a beaut . I'm just a late beginner but loving it. I'm on the local church choir ,we're lucky to have a pipe organ. Thanks a mill
Hi JJ, i first met Takamines when I worked for Ivor Mairants in London back around 78. Brilliant guitars.
Finally a guitar review where intonation is checked. Bravo!
It is important. In fact it is wise when buying a guitar to check that first before you hit the first chord and fall in love!
@@JohnCouplandguitar tone, action, and intonation. Top three things I look for in a guitar.
@@JohnCouplandguitar the only thing I would have done is also check the intonation using harmonics on the 7th fret. My current Tak is perfectly intonated on the 1st and 2nd strings at the 12th fret but I tiny bit off on the 7th.
Im choosing.between gn10ce gd10 and this. Id choose this because of.this review. Your video is spot on. From intonation to action. Thank you very much kind sir.
Glad it was helpful!
You play very very clean! Like your presentation style!
Thanks Aminul and God bless.
Great video as always John.
Thanks Alex.
Great review. Bought this as a 2nd guitar to support my daughter taking mine to “further her interest”.. it’s a good mid budget guitar.
Good choice!
Very nice playing John . I wish I could play like that
It's easy, just practice for half a century!
@@JohnCouplandguitar He's messing with with you.
Impressive intonation in the dusty end
I often watch John's uploads when I see that he's demonstrating an instrument that I'm interested in but more often I just enjoy his uploads anyway. This excellent review is a case in point. Very enjoyable as always. Many thanks.
Just out curiosity - what strings do prefer like, John? I usually use Elixirs gauge 9 or 10.
For acoustic I prefer Ernie Ball Earthwound 11's although I am going through a phase of sticking flatwound chromes on anything that will take them.
@@JohnCouplandguitar Thanks John. I have Chromes on a Strat because I like the more 'mellow' tones, even though I also like the classic sharpness that's usually associated with a Strat.
Great video! As always! Did you change the recording devices? I hear buzzing at high frequence. Maybe noise gate or eq would help.
The acoustic sound is just being picked up by the Zoom camera which i have been using for a year or so. The pick up is recorded via a Tascam 8 track which has been used many times in these videos. The pick up does seem to be noisy when it is pushed to either extreme but as I say in the video, in a live situation with everything around half way, it seems fine.
i enjoyed the review!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very good Sound
Nice guitar John. I am thinking of getting the Gn11 dreadnought.
Good choice!
Gee that pickup sounds good , John. You could overlook no solid Mahogany top on this model. Awesome song too! Cheers from John in Brisbane, Australia
Thanks John, God bless.
Thank You 👍
You are welcome!
Lovely the way you can change the tone so easily, probably out of my price range, I have the gs220, I've had it for 8 years and its exactly how it was when I bought it (or maybe better), Takamine must send their guitars out with a slightly high bridge because I had to lower mine as well.
were the nuts filed well?
@@flippergd nut end was fine, just the bridge was high, more so on the first string which was annoying as it made the E ring out more than the rest. Sorted now though.
@@pauln2141 the saddle isn’t connected to the pickup right?
@@flippergd nope, just sits in the groove, you can pull it out with pliers (gently). No pick up on a gs550. Just acoustic.
Hi John, I'm one click away from buying this as a Corona companion - thanks for the review and sound clips. A quick question... The shim you mention that helped lower the height. Do you have to remove all the strings and remove the bridge to get at it? I had a Takamine Jasmine which I liked the finish on, but always felt I was fighting the action on it after playing electrics. Thanks for any thoughts and tops on this lower action you mention. Have a nice weekend :)
Hi James, Just loosen the strings, remove the bridge pins, then the saddle. If there is a shim turn the guitar over and it should fall out but if not you can poke it out with a needle.
@@JohnCouplandguitar Super - thank you very much! There's one in the post now. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on it :)
would love to learn from you
hi there im new to takamine i have a d series ed5nc-bsb and wondering if the g series are a better guitar?
Hi John, got the same guitar, any new tips you could give in improving this guitar, stings saddle nut, I was think of getting a higher end guitar but I'm sure this guitar has more potential if I replaced and changed a few parts
A bone saddle is always good while a bone nut only works of course on open strings and if you use a capo, not at all. Experiment with dearer strings, Elixir and Daddario Chromes will both give the guitar a warmer sound but at the expense of the treble end.
I think I found my guitar! I love this guitar and the review you made.. Only one question John, the model name it’s “gn11mce ns/“? Thanks!
No M on this one!
@@JohnCouplandguitar there is any difference? With the M or without? Thanks
@@iCraken They look identical and the spec seems the same. Puzzling.
My man
Greetings from Germany - enjoying presentation - i always thought, piezo PU have no Hum at all, but this one have? Am i wrong?
Yes, it does have a small amount of bass end hum. It is not a problem when playing live as I do not need to push the bass tone above 50% but it is something to be aware of.
Oh and sorry about Brexit, I voted to stay!
Hello john! May I ask can I lower the action on this type of takamine?
It depends on the individual guitar, no two will be exactly the same. A lower saddle may be possible. I usually take the action on a guitar down until it starts to buzz, then take it back up a tad.
Good review. This guitar seems to hit that sweet spot between a Dreadful and a Parlous. Has a really mellow and balanced sound without sacrificing clarity. Mahogany can sometimes lose that pristine treble amidst the mid range grrrr. Impressed. John, based on your experience, how does it compare with the Epiphone Hummingbird/Dove which I know has a shorter 'Gibson' scale?
It is a long, long time since I played a dove but I think it was a little warmer in the bass however such things cab depend on the maturity of the individual instrument.
@@JohnCouplandguitar Thanks for the reply. Can I ask a further question. What is the depth of the body? I have tried the Takamine website but they do not appear to include any dimensions which is unusual. Given it's shrunken 'Jumbo' heritage, I would prefer to avoid a rib digger if possible. Everything is now internet driven so much harder to test drive. Many thanks.
Ah, now here we have a problem. Like many of my guitars I review, it got swapped for another, the Sigma 000MC 15E which is a fair bit smaller all round. czcams.com/video/WI6EIpauPu4/video.html
@@JohnCouplandguitar Ah, OK! :)...
I'm a year into learning, I have an immaculate 1994 FG-301 Yamaha Dreadnought (too big) and a Freshman Renegade (bit cheap feeling). I want to move up to something of quaility. Is this a good choice? I was looking at an Epiphone J200. My budget is £450. Any advice gratefully received. Great review btw.
This guitar would be a good choice. The J-200 is even bigger than your Yamaha!
@@JohnCouplandguitar Thanks very much.
i love it,but can you tell us what sort of amplifier you are using with the Takamine gn11ce-ns?
The pick up was plugged into a Tascam DP-01fx 8 track with a bit of reverb added and using one of its presets called, 'Moody.' The acoustic sound was captured by a Zoom camera which was muted during the plugged in section.
that guitar shines when its amped. acoustic sound is very gentle tho.
Yes, with some large guitars I have to cut their volume when editing the video but not with this one.
Mate had a similar shaped late 90s Jasmine by Takamine. I reckon Jasmine was/is the entry level brand by Takamine, possibly made in China or Indonesia but no flaws at all, nice tone and way easier to pronounce.
Exactly right Jo, Jasmine was to Takamine what Epiphone is to Fender.
Or better still Epiphone is to Gibson.
@@JohnCouplandguitar you are a grand gent John
what about the acoustic bass frequency response?
Not as deep as a Jumbo or a Dreadnought but quite well balanced.
Hello
What's the difference between GX18CE NS and GN11MCE NS?
The GN 11 is a 3/4 size version and has a spruce top.
@@JohnCouplandguitar Many thanks. God bless you
I notice how easy you can cover a 4 fret span. Wish I could..
There are two ways to improve:- Play ever more challenging pieces or buy a ukulele.
What kind of strings does it use
It comes with D'Addario EJ11s but for the video I am using Ernie Ball Earthwood 2004 (11s)
which amph is used in this video?
None, I am playing straight into a Tascam 8 track that way you only hear the pick up and not the acoustic sound as well.
What size strings does this guitar have?
Fitted with 11s.
11s
Thank you very much.
Good health.
hes a highlander with an acoustic guitar!
I love Jesus too. He will back soon! :)
Very soon.
Hesus is on his way on a back of a pickup
Gd11 or gn11?
Hi Romy, If you are playing instrumentals or just accompanying yourself singing then the GN-11 is better. The GD is louder and will probably drown out a solo voice but it is better for a group of singers.
Okay. Thanks John. God Bless
God bless you John!
Gd20 or Gn11 ???
The slightly smaller GN11 is better for instrumentals and of course more comfortable when seated. The Dreadnought style GD 20 is (Theoretically) louder and has a deeper bass. If I was intending to lead several people singing e.g. a class of children or a house church then I would choose it.
@@JohnCouplandguitar thank you so much
@@JohnCouplandguitar Well, if we compare it to its amplifiers ?
@@akbabos3201 They both have the same electronics fitted.