Takamine

Thirty years into producing guitars, Takamine was looking to further establish their unique identity in the acoustic guitar community. After already releasing the FXC shape, Takamine upped the ante and introduced the NEX shape in 1992.

The NEX solves some issues that users have with some traditional guitar shapes. The venerable dreadnought shape is a great, booming percussive box that, for some people, is somewhat uncomfortable to play seated. Similarly, the jumbo is a great shape that holds up to hard strumming, but is giant... especially when sitting. The NEX is essentially a jumbo that is shrunken down to the dimensions of a dreadnought. Its slimmer waist makes it very comfortable to play while seated, and it has the totally classic vibe of a jumbo shape.

Here are a few of Takamine's coolest NEX-style guitars.

Limited-edition LTD-2018 Gifu-Cho. Solid "whitewashed" cedar top, ovangkol back and sides.

Thermal Top Series EF450C TT BB (Transparent Blackburst finish). Thermal spruce top, flame maple back and sides.

Pro Series P3NC.  Solid cedar top, sapele back and sides.

Legacy Series TSF48C "Santa Fe". Solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides.  

Legacy Series EF508KC. Figured Hawaiian koa top, back and sides.

Tonally, the NEX shape gives you a very glossy, strong strumming sound without much physical effort. There is less percussion than a dreadnought, so it is better suited for fingerstyle. With its deceptively larger body, it still provides plenty of overtones and fullness. It has a contemporary sound that supports vocals well, making it a great guitar in a band setting, or for solo singer-songwriters. If you're looking for a guitar that sounds great "in the mix" or center-stage bold, check out one of our many NEX-shaped guitars at your Takamine dealer!