Takamine EF360SC-TT Gloss Natural Dreadnought Cutaway Thermal Top Acoustic/Electric Guitar w/Semi-Hard Case

Crafted at the Takamine factory in Japan, the Takamine EF360SC-TT is an exceptional value for a Rosewood and Solid Spruce Dreadnaught. Using their Thermal Top aging process the EF360CC sounds broken-in from day one, and Takamine's precise craftsmanship and exclusive Takamine electronics will make this your your go-to guitar. 

The Thermal Top process -- also know as Torrification -- is a high heat/low atmosphere process intended to bake out all the moisture and impurities in the wood and rapidly "age" the top to respond more like a vintage instrument. Acoustic guitars almost always get better with age, and the Thermal Top is intended to get you there quicker. And the baking process imparts a nice toasty finish, also much like an older guitar. 

The Dreadnaught body style dates back over 100 years and was originally developed by Martin guitars. Much larger than other guitars of the day, the Dreadnaught's square shoulders and "fat" waist develops a lot of volume and midrange emphasis. Intentional or not, the "Dread" style became the darling of the bluegrass groups that needed a strong acoustic presence to drive the band. It's been the most popular body shape for decades, but with the advent of good built-in electronics smaller body styles have somewhat eroded it's popularity. 

The Takamine EF360SC-TT does not have the booming bass/mid presence of a classic Martin Rosewood Dreadnaught, trading some of the Martin heft for a more detailed high end and articulate midrange. If you are not the engine behind a bluegrass band, this is all good; and the Takamine will appeal to players who want a big sound but are just as likely to be performing solo.  With small acoustic acts on open mic nights continuing to grow in popularity, good electronics are a must. Since the late 70's, Takamine has made a name for itself as a leader in quality acoustic guitar electronics. And as with other Takamine Japan guitars it includes their CT-4BII electronics with their "Palathetic" bridge transducer. In Takamine's own words, the Palathetic pickup is not your usual under-saddle piezo:

"Using six individually shielded piezo-electric elements, one for each string, the Palathetic pickup is not a just a UST (under-saddle pickup). In fact the Takamine design employs twelve times the element mass of the typical under-saddle pickup. The six elements penetrate the bridge plate, soundboard and bridge to make direct contact with the saddle creating a sonic linkage with the string. The pickup casing is mechanically attached to the guitar's top and bridge creating a sonic linkage with the soundboard. The result of this design is a signal that possesses the articulation of an isolated string signal and the rich harmonic content delivered by the resonating soundboard for a full, complete and accurate acoustic guitar tone at high sound pressure levels."

The proprietary Takamine electronics excel in live settings and the CT-4BII system with Palathetic pickup has strong output and excellent sonic detail. The coupling of the piezo elements to both the bridge and soundboard eliminates the need for a separate internal microphone. It's no mistake that performers like Bon Jovi, The Boss and Garth Brooks have been loyal Takamine players for years.

The Takamine EF360SC Thermal Top is a meticulously constructed interpretation of the classic Spruce/Rosewood Dreadnaught design. But rather than imitate the original, the EF360 has it's own voice. It excels as an instrument for soloists and performers that need a balance of volume, projection and detail capable of handling a wide variety of music. If that sounds like you, then the EF360SC-TT is your guitar. 

The Takamine EF360SC-TT features:

• Dreadnought cutaway shape
• Solid Spruce Thermal top
• Solid Rosewood back
• Rosewood sides
• Multi-layer body binding
• Bound Mahogany neck, joined at the 14th fret
• 12" radius Rosewood fretboard
• 1.67" nut width
• Split saddle for accurate intonation 
• Rosewood bridge
• CT4B II electronics with 3 band EQ and tuner
• Takamine hybrid hard case
• Made in Japan