Takamine GN77KCE vs Gibson Slash J-45
Reasons to Get
Takamine GN77KCE over Gibson Slash J-45
Reasons to Get
Gibson Slash J-45 over Takamine GN77KCE
Other Key Differences
Takamine GN77KCE vs Gibson Slash J-45
Shared Features
Takamine GN77KCE vs Gibson Slash J-45
Common Strengths
- Top Pickup Brand
- Expensive Wood
Common Weaknesses
- 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 Gibson Slash J-45 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 84 compared to the Takamine GN77KCE's 76 score, although not by a lot.
The Gibson Slash J-45 wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality. On the other hand, the Takamine GN77KCE has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.
If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Takamine GN77KCE is easier to play.
Which One is Better for Beginners?
If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Takamine GN77KCE is the better choice.
The Takamine GN77KCE meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gibson Slash J-45 meets only 3. 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 GN77KCE- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
- Soft Strings
- Locking tuners
New Player Friendliness
Gibson Slash J-45- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable shape
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- 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 GN77KCE Overview
- From Takamine's 2020 G series
- Made in China
- 6 strings
- 25.4"'' scale
- 12" Fretboard Radius
- Koa top
- Koa back
- Koa sides
- Mahogany neck
- Laurel fretboard
- Bridge pickup: TP-4TD (Preamp/Active)
- Fixed bridge
- Acoustic Asymmetrical C Set neck
- 20 Medium frets
- Takamine tuners
- Weight between 4.7lbs (2.1kgs) and 4.85lbs (2.2kgs)
- Compare Specs >
Gibson Slash J-45 Overview
- From Gibson's 2020 Artist Collection series
- Slash Signature
- Made in United States
- 6 strings
- 24.75"'' scale
- 16" Fretboard Radius
- Solid Sitka Spruce top
- Solid Mahogany back
- Solid Mahogany sides
- Mahogany neck
- Rosewood fretboard
- Bridge pickup: LR Baggs VTC (Preamp/Active)
- Traditional belly up bridge
- Acoustic Slash Custom C-Shape Set neck
- 20 Medium frets
- Grover Rotomatics tuners
- Weight between 4.35lbs (2kgs) and 4.5lbs (2kgs)
- 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
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.
Woods Used in the Takamine GN77KCE
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 type of wood native to the Hawaiian Islands, where it's pretty common. Its musical properties make it a great wood for making guitars, but it's especially popular for building Ukuleles. Find out more about Koa.
Woods Used in the Gibson Slash J-45
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.
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.
Winner: Gibson Slash J-45.
Electronics
Both come with electronics that allow you connect them to an amplifier or interface for recording.
Winner:Tie.
Final Sound Quality Scores
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 GN77KCE compares to the Gibson Slash J-45.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Takamine GN77KCE is built in China while the Gibson Slash J-45 is made in United States.
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.
The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.
Winner: Gibson Slash J-45
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 GN77KCE 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 Gibson Slash J-45 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 GN77KCE.
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 GN77KCE's are Takamine while the Gibson Slash J-45's are Grover Rotomatics
Winner: Tie.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Takamine GN77KCE
- Expensive Wood
- Synthetic Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Synthetic Bone Saddle
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- Laminated Top Wood
- Laminated Side Wood
- Laminated Back Wood
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Gibson Slash J-45
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No High-Quality Nut
- Low-Quality Material Saddle
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Final Build Quality Scores
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
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gibson Slash J-45 has the wider nut with 43.8mm (1.725'') vs 42.5mm (1.673''). This is a 1.3mm (0.052'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Gibson Slash J-45, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.
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 GN77KCE has the longest scale: 25.4". The Gibson Slash J-45 is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.65'' (16.5mm) 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
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 GN77KCE 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 Gibson Slash J-45, 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
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 GN77KCE's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Gibson Slash J-45'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 Gibson Slash J-45.
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''.
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.
And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Gibson Slash J-45 favors large hands more than the Takamine GN77KCE. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.
Takamine GN77KCE:
Gibson Slash J-45:
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.
