Fact: different types of guitars offer different tones, different vibes, and different ways they can inspire you to play at your best. We all start the same way… with one guitar that we get to know and hopefully love. But then — if you’re like most players — you find another guitar that provides something your first one doesn’t do. Maybe it’s the sound. Maybe it’s the feel. Maybe you find yourself more easily able to write new songs, or explore entirely new playing styles, with this new addition to your arsenal. In any case, Takamine makes a very wide variety of guitars for this very reason… allowing you to have the right tool for the job no matter what musical endeavor you’re trying to accomplish.

1. The Big Voice
There’s no question that the all-time classic acoustic guitar shapes are the dreadnought and the jumbo. The reason is very simple: these large-bodied guitars were designed before amplification was an option, and it was very difficult to achieve the volume necessary for live shows, especially accompanied by bands with horns and piano and such. The large bodies of these guitars project sound with the pure intent of being heard loud and clear. That’s one reason why they’re the iconic instruments for folk singer-songwriters who perform with the guitar as their only accompaniment. Another choice here: Takamine’s well-liked NEX shape, which delivers the volume and articulation in a body shape that’s more comfortable for many players.

Try These: G Series GD51CE, G Series GD34CE, G Series GN73CE, Pro Series P3DC, Legacy Series EF508KC, Signature Series EF360GF

G Series GD51CE

Pro Series P3DC

Legacy Series EF508KC

2. The Travel Guitar
It’s pretty typical that your second acoustic has a specific purpose. You’re heading out for a trip, and you don’t want to risk anything happening to your main guitar — which is also big and bulky, and doesn’t fit in your car along with the luggage and other vacation gear. Enter the travel guitar, or as we call it here, the Taka-Mini. It’s a 3/4-sized guitar that’s built to the same level of quality as our other G Series models, and is perfect to grab and go when you head to the beach, to the mountains, to the desert, or wherever you go to get away from it all. But here’s the funny thing: Taka-Mini models have a terrific sonic character and comfortable playability on their own, so even after the vacation is done, you will likely find yourself reaching for it for songwriting, recording, and straight-up fun. Another note: these guitars are fantastic for use in high-strung “Nashville tuning,” where the guitar's lower four wound strings are replaced with lighter gauge strings (often from a 12-string set) for a bright sound that has a beautifully unique sonic character.

Try These: G Series GX11ME, G Series GX18CE

G Series GX11ME

3. The 12-String
The jangly, shimmering, chorusy sound of a 12-string acoustic is unmistakable, and impossible to replicate on a 6-string model. Takamine has long been regarded as the world leader in 12-strong acoustic guitars, so when it’s time to add this sound to your bag of tricks, there are plenty of Takamine models to choose from. If you’ve never played one before, we promise — it’s not any more difficult than playing the familiar 6-string. Each of the fingers on your fretting hand are pressing down on two closely-spaced strings (called courses) at once. And even if you think you’ve never heard a Takamine 12-string before, it’s very likely that you actually have… perhaps on the iconic introduction to “Hotel California” by Eagles, and many other huge hits. When strung up in unison courses, a Takamine 12-string becomes an essential character in Regional Mexican music, providing a great growling sound.

Try These: G Series GD30CE-12, G Series GD37CE-12, G Series GJ72CE-12, Legacy Series EF381CE, TT Series EF400SC TT

G Series GD30CE-12

G Series GJ72CE-12

TT Series EF400SC TT

4. The Classical
Let’s start by dispelling a myth: nylon-string guitars aren’t only for classical guitarists. The fact is that the beautiful tone of nylon strings is a huge departure from the crisp attack of steel-string models, and can be tremendously inspiring for any style of music. Obviously, if it’s your intent to learn the fine art of classical guitar, a nylon-string model is the only choice for getting the proper articulation when using your fingers to pluck strings. But every style of music from pop to country to jazz and more can benefit from this sweet tone.

Try These: G Series GC3, G Series GC5CE, Pro Series P3FCN, Hirade & Classical Series EC132SC

G Series GC5CE

Pro Series P3FCN

Hirade & Classical Series EC132SC

5. The Couch Favorite
As we mentioned up top, different guitar body shapes can inspire you to write and play in ways that are delightfully unexpected. And another point: not all people are comfortable wrapping their arms around a guitar with the thickness of a big dreadnought or jumbo. Those are both great reasons to add a smaller-bodied — but highly inspirational — guitar to your collection, like a Takamine New Yorker or FX Cutaway. Not only are these guitars incredibly comfortable to play, but the tones they provide will almost certainly help you break out of any musical ruts in which you may find yourself. These are often referred to as “couch guitars” because they’re always out of their cases and accessible when you need to pick them up and play.

Try These: G Series GY21E, G Series GF30CE, G Series GF49CE, G Series GY93E, Pro Series P3NY, Thinline Series TSP100

G Series GY21E

G Series GF49CE

Thinline Series TSP100