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Takamine GN71CE
Takamine GN51CE
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Playability
77
Sound
84
Build
74
Value
83
Score
78
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Playability
77
Sound
84
Build
74
Value
83
Score
78
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoAmazon logoMusician's Friend logo
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Takamine GN71CE vs GN51CE Specs Comparison
Takamine GN71CE GN51CE
General
Brand: Takamine Takamine
Year: 2017 2014
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: G G
Colors: Sunburst, Natural Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Spruce Solid Spruce
Sides Material: Walnut Walnut
Back Material: Walnut Walnut
Bridge: Fixed Fixed
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Takamine Die-cast Takamine Die-cast
Fretboard: Laurel Laurel
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration: Abalone Dots Dots
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: Synthetic Bone Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 42.8mm (1.685'') 42.8mm (1.685'')
Electronics
Pickups: TK-40D (Preamp / Active) TP-4TD (Preamp / Active)
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Gold Gold

Reasons to Get
Takamine GN71CE over GN51CE

Release Year
2017 vs 2014
From a more recent year

Reasons to Get
Takamine GN51CE over GN71CE

Other Key Differences
Takamine GN71CE vs GN51CE

No Key Differences Found

Shared Features
Takamine GN71CE vs GN51CE

Back Material
Walnut
Same Back Material
Sides Material
Walnut
Same Sides Material
Saddle Material
Synthetic Bone
Same Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Fixed
Same Bridge Material
Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Laurel
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Synthetic 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
1.685'' (42.8mm)
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
  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

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

Takamine GN71CE:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Takamine GN51CE:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

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 GN71CE
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Takamine GN51CE
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

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

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce
Walnut wood pattern used for guitar building
Walnut

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

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.

It's a hard wood with a chocolate color that is often used to give an elegant finish. Since it's quite expensive and rare, it's mostly used for guitar tops. Find out more about Walnut.

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 GN71CE
Sustain 80
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 84
Takamine GN51CE
Sustain 80
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 84

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 GN71CE compares to the Takamine GN51CE.

Country of Origin

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

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

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 Synthetic Bone nuts. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

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. Both come with Takamine Die-cast.

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Takamine GN71CE
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Synthetic Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Takamine GN51CE
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Synthetic Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Takamine GN71CE
Quality of materials 76
Features 85
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 74
Takamine GN51CE
Quality of materials 76
Features 85
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 74

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 GN71CE 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 42.8mm (1.685'').

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 GN71CE and Takamine GN51CE'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 GN71CE 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 GN71CE and the Takamine GN51CE 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 GN71CE 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 GN71CE and the Takamine GN51CE 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.

Fret Size

Takamine GN71CE and Takamine GN51CE 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 GN71CE
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 85
Solo Playability 70
Playability 77
Takamine GN51CE
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 85
Solo Playability 70
Playability 77