Takamine

Founded in 1959 as a family-run workshop in Sakashita, Japan, Takamine is named after the mountain at whose base it resides. Under the leadership of luthier Mass Hirade, the company transitioned from a small local shop into a global leader in acoustic guitar manufacturing by the mid-1970s. 

Takamine is most renowned for its pioneering role in acoustic-electric technology. In 1978, they introduced the revolutionary Palathetic pickup system, which allowed for high-volume performance with minimal feedback—a breakthrough that made them the "workhorse" for professional touring artists like Bruce Springsteen, Garth Brooks, and the Eagles.