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Takamine GN71CE
Yamaha CPX600
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Playability
77
Sound
84
Build
74
Value
83
Score
78
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Playability
77
Sound
81
Build
60
Value
83
Score
73
FIND IT ON:
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Takamine GN71CE vs Yamaha CPX600 Specs Comparison
Takamine GN71CE Yamaha CPX600
General
Brand: Takamine Yamaha
Year: 2017 2018
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: G CPX
Colors: Sunburst, Natural Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Spruce Spruce
Sides Material: Walnut Tonewood
Back Material: Walnut Tonewood
Bridge: Fixed Rosewood
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Takamine Die-cast Die-Cast Chrome (TM29T)
Fretboard: Laurel Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany Locally-Sourced Tonewood
Decoration: Abalone Dots Pearloid Dots
Scale Size: 25.4" 25"
Shape: Acoustic Asymmetrical C Acoustic C
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 15.75"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Plastic
Nut Width: 42.8mm (1.685'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Pickups: TK-40D (Preamp / Active) SYSTEM65 + SRT Piezo Pickup (Preamp / Active)
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Gold Chrome

Reasons to Get
Takamine GN71CE over Yamaha CPX600

Neck Profile
Acoustic Asymmetrical C vs Acoustic C
Adapts to the natural shape of your hand
Pickups Brand
Takamine vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Plastic
Good quality nut with rich tone
Top Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Nut Width
1.685'' (42.8mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
25.4'' (645.2mm) vs 25'' (635mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 15.75'' (400.1mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Yamaha CPX600 over Takamine GN71CE

Release Year
2018 vs 2017
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Acoustic C vs Acoustic Asymmetrical C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs None
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.685'' (42.8mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 25.4'' (645.2mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
15.75'' (400.1mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
Takamine GN71CE vs Yamaha CPX600

Back Material
Walnut vs Tonewood
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Walnut vs Tonewood
Different Sides Material
Saddle Material
Synthetic Bone vs Plastic
Different Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Fixed vs Rosewood
Different Bridge Material
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Tonewood
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Laurel vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Takamine GN71CE vs Yamaha CPX600

Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
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
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • 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

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Yamaha CPX600 favors large hands more than the Takamine GN71CE. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Takamine GN71CE:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Yamaha CPX600:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Takamine GN71CE meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Yamaha CPX600 meets only 4. 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.

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

Yamaha CPX600
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • 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

Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce

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.

Woods Used in the Takamine GN71CE

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel
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.

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.

Woods Used in the Yamaha CPX600

Tonewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Tonewood
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

This is just a generic wood whose origin hasn't been disclosed. Commonly found in cheap guitars.

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

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
Yamaha CPX600
Sustain 65
Versatility 95
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 81

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 Yamaha CPX600.

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.

The Takamine GN71CE has a Synthetic Bone nut. 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.

On the other hand, the Yamaha CPX600 comes with a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.

Winner: Takamine GN71CE.

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 GN71CE's are Takamine Die-cast while the Yamaha CPX600's are Die-Cast Chrome (TM29T)

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
Yamaha CPX600
  • Expensive Wood
  • Electronics
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • Low-Quality Material Saddle
  • Laminated Top Wood
  • 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
Yamaha CPX600
Quality of materials 45
Features 80
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 60

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
Takamine GN71CE Nut Width
Yamaha CPX600 Nut Width
Yamaha CPX600 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Yamaha CPX600 has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42.8mm (1.685''). This is a 0.2mm (0.008'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Yamaha CPX600, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Takamine GN71CE's Scale Length
Takamine GN71CE's Scale Length
Yamaha CPX600's Scale Length
Yamaha CPX600's 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.

The Takamine GN71CE has the longest scale: 25.4". The Yamaha CPX600 is only 25" long. This is a 0.4'' (10.2mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

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
Takamine GN71CE's neck profile
Yamaha CPX600 Neck Profile
Yamaha CPX600's 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.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Takamine GN71CE has a Asymmetrical type of 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.

The Yamaha CPX600, on the other hand, has a C neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Takamine GN71CE Fingerboard Radius
Takamine GN71CE's Fingerboard radius
Yamaha CPX600 Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha CPX600's Fingerboard 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.

In this case, the Takamine GN71CE's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Yamaha CPX600's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Yamaha CPX600.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

Fret Size

Takamine GN71CE and Yamaha CPX600 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
Yamaha CPX600
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77