1979 Takamine F360 Value???

[the dude]

Hey, I ran into a guy selling this guitar and he is asking $300. found alittle about it but not a lot. Saw one for sale for $450.00, another for about $250. anyone own one or ever play one. I read great reviews about it and it is compared to a martin of that time which i guess sued takamine because of the likeness and quality. just thought I'd see what everyone has to say. I own a new Takamine EF350 acoustic electric and LOVE IT! by far the best guitar i have ever played! (in my opinion peace J!

[Treeline]

Double check the patterning on the sides and back to ensure that you have a solid wood guitar. If there is a variation between the pattern on the outside and that visible on the inside at the same spot, chances are that it is laminated, which would lessen the value (even though it would be a stronger guitar). Older Taks sometimes had spectacular patterning. The more spectacular, the greater likelihood that it is a multiple ply back. That's not a bad thing (might be a good thing) but make sure you know what you're buying. A few used Brazilian Rosewood for backs and sides (they called it Jacaranda), but that was rare and early in the game. That's prized wood. You're probably looking at Indian rosewood. TAMA did that for a few years in the early '70s and tried to outdo Martin. They used some scary wood - just enough to get subpoenaed.

Put the guitar on a stand (or hang it up) under strong oblique light and walk across the room. Is there a marked difference between right and left side coloring on the top? If so, you have severe runout in the spruce and a really weak top. That's a deduct even if it looks good.

Check the setup, neck, bridge, saddle, and fret condition. If it needs new frets, factor in the cost of a set. If you can slip a piece of paper under the trailing edge of the bridge, it needs a bridge reset, etc.

The guitar will probably max out in the $300 - 400 range in good shape. Laminated woods = less money. Runout = less money.

If you really love the guitar, it may be the perfect thing for you and you certainly aren't going to get hammered for a couple hundred bucks. But it's not a holy grail.

[the dude]

cool, man,. thanks for the info. I have not seen the guitar yet but he emphasized that it is a "solid" guitar and that it is in near mint cond. no scratches or dings what so ever. thanks again. josh