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Takamine GN75CE
Takamine GN20CE
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Playability
77
Sound
84
Build
74
Value
83
Score
78
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Playability
77
Sound
84
Build
72
Value
83
Score
78
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoAmazon logoMusician's Friend logo
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Takamine GN75CE vs GN20CE Specs Comparison
Takamine GN75CE GN20CE
General
Brand: Takamine Takamine
Year: 2016 2018
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: G G
Colors: Brown, Red Natural
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Spruce Solid Cedar
Sides Material: Quilted Maple Okoume
Back Material: Quilted Maple Okoume
Bridge: Fixed Fixed
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Takamine Takamine Die-cast
Fretboard: Laurel Ovangkol
Neck Material: Maple Mahogany
Decoration: Abalone custom Dots
Scale Size: 25.4" 25.3"
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: 42.5mm (1.673'') 42.8mm (1.685'')
Electronics
Pickups: TP-4TD (Preamp / Active) TP-4TD (Preamp / Active)
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Gold Chrome

Reasons to Get
Takamine GN75CE over GN20CE

Nut Width
1.673'' (42.5mm) vs 1.685'' (42.8mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
25.4'' (645.2mm) vs 25.3'' (642.6mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Reasons to Get
Takamine GN20CE over GN75CE

Release Year
2018 vs 2016
From a more recent year
Nut Width
1.685'' (42.8mm) vs 1.673'' (42.5mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Scale Length
25.3'' (642.6mm) vs 25.4'' (645.2mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone

Other Key Differences
Takamine GN75CE vs GN20CE

Back Material
Quilted Maple vs Okoume
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Quilted Maple vs Okoume
Different Sides Material
Body Wood
Spruce vs Cedar
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Laurel vs Ovangkol
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Takamine GN75CE vs GN20CE

Saddle Material
Synthetic Bone
Same Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Fixed
Same Bridge Material
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
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
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

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 GN75CE:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Takamine GN20CE:
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 GN75CE
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Takamine GN20CE
  • 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 the Takamine GN75CE

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce
Quilted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Quilted 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.

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.

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

Woods Used in the Takamine GN20CE

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Ovangkol wood pattern used for guitar building
Ovangkol
Cedar wood pattern used for guitar building
Cedar
Okoume wood pattern used for guitar building
Okoume

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.

Ovangkol is a beautiful wood that's popular for acoustic guitars. Its tone sits somewhere between rosewood and mahogany, meaning it has a punchy low-end and nice mid-range. Find out more about Ovangkol.

This is a softwood that is commonly used for acoustic guitars. It's known for its warm tone with strong overtones. However, there are many species so the tone and look can vary a lot.

Okoume is an affordable wood and one of the first to replace Mahogany when the prohibitions started. It's generally softer than Mahogany and the tone has warmer lows.

Winner: Takamine GN20CE.

Electronics

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

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Takamine GN75CE
Sustain 80
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 84
Takamine GN20CE
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 GN75CE compares to the Takamine GN20CE.

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. The Takamine GN75CE's are Takamine while the Takamine GN20CE's are 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 GN75CE
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Synthetic Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Expensive Woods
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Takamine GN20CE
  • 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 GN75CE
Quality of materials 76
Features 85
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 74
Takamine GN20CE
Quality of materials 71
Features 85
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 72

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 GN75CE Nut Width
Takamine GN75CE Nut Width
Takamine GN20CE Nut Width
Takamine GN20CE Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Takamine GN20CE has the wider nut with 42.8mm (1.685'') vs 42.5mm (1.673''). This is a 0.3mm (0.012'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Takamine GN20CE, 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 GN75CE's Scale Length
Takamine GN75CE's Scale Length
Takamine GN20CE's Scale Length
Takamine GN20CE'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 GN75CE has the longest scale: 25.4". The Takamine GN20CE is only 25.3" long. This is a 0.099999999999998'' (2.5mm) 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 GN75CE 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 GN75CE and the Takamine GN20CE 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 GN75CE 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 GN75CE and the Takamine GN20CE 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 GN75CE and Takamine GN20CE 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 GN75CE
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 85
Solo Playability 70
Playability 77
Takamine GN20CE
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 85
Solo Playability 70
Playability 77