Jasmine acoustic guitars. You either love them or hate them. And that depends on the model, I guess. I have had three Jasmine guitars over the years, and only one has really impressed me.
Jasmine started out as being marketed by Takamine Guitars to be a low-cost alternative to its acoustic guitar lineup. They were made during the 1990s and early 2000s in China. About 10 years ago, Jasmine was created as its own separate brand by KMC Music, and most of the guitars are manufactured in Indonesia. Early models will have "Jasmine by Takamine" on the headstock, while more recent models will just state "Jasmine."
My first Jasmine was a 12-string (I don't remember the model number) that was purchased used back in the mid-1990s. My pop-punk band The Masons (of detroit) (yes, that is how we spelled it) were doing some acoustic shows, and since it was just single guitar/bass/drums, I wanted to fill out the sound more with a 12-string. I remember that the thing was a pain to stay in tune, even after I replaced the tuning gears. The nut was not sturdy, moving about if you loosened even one string. Even though it had a dreadnought body, it wasn't every loud. I actually trashed it after a few years because it was falling apart so much. Its legacy still lives on, as the headstock appears on the cover of the CD compilation that I produced in 1997, Boombacoustic!
Just prior to the COVID pandemic, I was shopping around for some acoustic guitars that I could bang around at jam sessions and such, not wanting to take my prized Martin or Blueridge guitars to get damaged. I came across a Craigslist ad that someone in town was selling a Jasmine S341 with case real cheap. He was leaving town and wanted to get rid of everything except the clothes on his back. I gave him $50, I figured that the hardshell case was worth that. I probably was not that far off with that thought. The S341 was a model that Jasmine put out in the mid-2000s to be a somewhat total package for a beginning guitarist. It retailed for about $250.00, and came with that hardshell case covered in faux leather with a big brass-like badge showing "Jasmine by Takamine" on the side. The dreadnought guitar has a black finish, something that I have never been a big fan of (apologies to Johnny Cash). The previous owner must have not played it much, or even pulled it out of the case often, as the guitar still had that glue smell to it that newer, cheaper guitars give off. Like my previous experiences with Jasmine guitars, the tone was not that great, typical of acoustic guitar bodies made almost entirely of laminated wood finished in a opaque paint. It plays well, the neck is pretty comfortable, but other than playing it solo, it wouldn't cut through too well in a jam, especially a bluegrass setting. I played it once at a Songwriters Anonymous meeting, and then the pandemic kicked in, so it has sat in waiting ever since. I plan on selling it off soon, hopefully to someone who could appreciate it more than the previous owner or myself.
Two weeks ago, I purchased a Jasmine S35 off of eBay. I was a bit sorry at the time, as although I got a decent final bid price, the shipping was higher than the price of the guitar. It totalled just under $70, and without a case or gigbag. I received it a few days ago, and I have been surprised by the sound of this beginner acoustic! It has a dreadnought body, although at first glance, it looks a wee bit smaller. This is one of the newer models not marketed by Takamine. It has the specifications of most lower-cost acoustics (spruce sitka laminated top, mahogany sides/back, rosewood fingerboard), but the sound is much more loud than I expected, and has a much richer tone than most beginner guitars. I don't plan on keeping it, but after a clean up and bridge modification, I am sure that I can find an interested customer. I have seen this particular model going anywhere from about $80 used to $150 new, and if all of them sound as good as the one I have now, it is a good buy.
Chew on it and comment.
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