Different Strokes

TAKAMINE TC135SC & CRN-TS1 £1,700 & £1,499

CONTACT Korg UK Ltd PHONE 01908 304600 WEB www.takamine.com

Another 60th anniversary – albeit an altogether quieter affair in terms of decibel levels – is being celebrated this year by Japanese acoustic maker Takamine. From humble beginnings at the foot of the mountain that lent the company its name, Takamine has established itself as one of the world leaders in the acoustic field.

Here we have a pair of contrasting instruments: the slope-shouldered dreadnought CRN-TS1 and the crossover hybrid nylon-string TC135SC. The former features a thermally treated top. This is in order to produce the sound of an acoustic guitar that is in the process of opening up to its full sonic potential. The latter, meanwhile, forms a line behind a new breed in nylon-strings that we began seeing on these shores only a few years ago.

So, what exactly is a ‘crossover’ or ‘hybrid’ nylon-string? Well, imagine that