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Takamine EF450C TT
Takamine P6NC
VS
Playability
77
Sound
85
Build
89
Value
69
Score
84
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Playability
77
Sound
85
Build
87
Value
73
Score
83
FIND IT ON:
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Side to side spec comparison >

Takamine EF450C TT vs P6NC

Reasons to Get
Takamine EF450C TT over P6NC

Release Year
2018 vs 2013
From a more recent year

Reasons to Get
Takamine P6NC over EF450C TT

Value Score
73 vs 69
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Takamine EF450C TT vs P6NC

Sides Material
Flame Maple vs Maple
Different Sides Material

Shared Features
Takamine EF450C TT vs P6NC

Back Material
Flame Maple
Same Back Material
Saddle Material
Bone
Same Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Fixed
Same Bridge Material
Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.673'' (42.5mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
25.4'' (645.2mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Neck Profile Type
Asymmetrical
Adapts to the natural shape of your hand
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Solid Side Wood
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Takamine EF450C TT is probably the better product overall with its final score of 84 compared to the Takamine P6NC's 83 score, although not by a lot.

The Takamine EF450C TT wins when it comes to build quality. On the other hand, the Takamine P6NC has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Takamine EF450C TT
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Takamine P6NC
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Takamine EF450C TT Overview

  • From Takamine's 2018 TT series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.4"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Thermal Spruce top
  • Solid Flame Maple back
  • Flame Maple sides
  • Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: TLD-2 Line Driver (Preamp/Active)
  • Fixed bridge
  • Acoustic Asymmetrical C Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Takamine tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Takamine P6NC Overview

  • From Takamine's 2013 Pro Series 6 series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.4"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Spruce top
  • Solid Flame Maple back
  • Maple sides
  • Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: CTP-3 CoolTube (Preamp/Active)
  • Fixed bridge
  • Acoustic Asymmetrical C Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Takamine Gold tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

Woods Used in Both

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce
Flame Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Flame Maple

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

This wood has beautiful patterns only found in specific types of maple.

Winner: Tie.

Electronics

Both come with electronics that allow you connect them to an amplifier or interface for recording.

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Takamine EF450C TT
Sustain 85
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 85
Takamine P6NC
Sustain 85
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 85

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Takamine EF450C TT compares to the Takamine P6NC.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Japan.

Japan has a long history of high-quality guitar building. Little has changed in terms of their manufacturing and quality control over the years. Many guitars made in this country can be compared—and even beat—others made in the US.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

In this case, both have Bone nuts. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Takamine EF450C TT's are Takamine while the Takamine P6NC's are Takamine Gold

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Takamine EF450C TT
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Takamine P6NC
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Takamine EF450C TT
Quality of materials 81
Features 85
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 89
Takamine P6NC
Quality of materials 81
Features 85
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 87

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Takamine EF450C TT Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42.5mm (1.673'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

Takamine EF450C TT and Takamine P6NC's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.4".

This is considered a long scale, but slightly shorter than what's commonly found in acoustic guitars.

Since the distance between bridge and nut is relatively long, strings will feel stiff and more difficult to bend, but the tone will feel brighter. It will also be less likely to produce fret buzzing and rattling when strumming hard.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Takamine EF450C TT Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Takamine EF450C TT and the Takamine P6NC have a Asymmetrical-shaped neck. Even though this neck shape looks like a poorly-made job, it's, in fact, the neck that most naturally adapts to the arc of your hand when grabbing a guitar neck. You'll notice that the lower part of your palm makes a more pronounced, deeper curve while the upper part makes a more subtle arch. This is the shape that adapts the best to that natural arch your hand makes while playing.

Fretboard Radius

Takamine EF450C TT Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Takamine EF450C TT and the Takamine P6NC have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Takamine EF450C TT:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Takamine P6NC:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Takamine EF450C TT and Takamine P6NC Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium fret size

Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

Final Playability Scores

Takamine EF450C TT
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 85
Solo Playability 70
Playability 77
Takamine P6NC
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 85
Solo Playability 70
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Takamine EF450C TT vs P6NC
General Takamine EF450C TT P6NC
Brand: Takamine Takamine
Year: 2018 2013
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Japan Japan
Series: TT Pro Series 6
Colors: Black Burst Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Thermal Spruce Solid Spruce
Sides Material: Flame Maple Maple
Back Material: Flame Maple Flame Maple
Bridge: Fixed Fixed
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Takamine Takamine Gold
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Custom Mother-of-pearl Snowflake
Scale Size: 25.4" 25.4"
Shape: Acoustic Asymmetrical C Acoustic Asymmetrical C
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Bone Bone
Nut Width: 42.5mm (1.673'') 42.5mm (1.673'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: TLD-2 Line Driver (Preamp / Active) CTP-3 CoolTube (Preamp / Active)