Takamine

Takamine
Takamine Guitars was founded in 1959 by the Ohzone family, at the foot of Takamine Mountain, (hence the name), Sakashita, Gifu Japan.

Originally the name was Ohzone Musical Instruments and was based in Nagoya, but a few months after starting this workshop was destroyed by a Typhoon and a new workshop was started in Sakashita. In 1962 the workshop started producing Guitars branded Takamine and in 1987, Ohzone Musical Instruments changed its name to Takamine Musical Instruments.

They may have had Ukuleles as part of their catalogue in the 60's, (they certainly had Mandolins as well as Guitars), but if they did I have never seen one.

Takamine were producing a laminate, (I believe), koa Soprano with friction tuners in 2009, but for sale only in Japan. This had a TU 1KG model number but I don't have any more information on the range, when production started? If there were other scale lengths or anything else? Again only in Japan, Takamine started production of a much higher quality, (and price), Japanese made range of solid koa Ukuleles under their own name with an T model number initially in 2018 the TUK-S1 Soprano but since then it has expanded include a higher specification Soprano, plus Concert and Tenor Models too

In 2009 Takamine teamed up with Jake Shimabukuro and his Music Is Good Medicine organization to produce a "good cause" special MIMG Soprano Ukulele.

After this Takamine started the G series range of laminate mahogany Soprano, Concert and Tenor Ukuleles that were made in China. From following their International website, in 2013 all Ukuleles were removed from the range but they came back in 2018.

It appears, though there is no mention of it on their website, that Takamine have made Ukuleles in Japan under the brand name Kiso These are of a far higher standard that the G series and are all solid koa and electro acoustic. I have seen Concert and Tenor models on sale in Japan. Beyond seeing them for sale and Bruce Shimabukuro having a prototype Tenor in 2009, I have found no information on them.