Takamine Guitars is proud to welcome Miguel Montoya, founder of the iconic and legendary musical group Miguel y Miguel, to our artist family. 

Born in Angostura, Sinaloa, Mexico, Montoya established Miguel y Miguel in 1983, and the group became the pioneers of campiran sierreña music with guitars — a genre that revolutionized the regional Mexican music scene and transcended borders. Already stars in Latin America, in 1996 their album Cruz de Madera crossed over into the U.S. market on the strength of the hit "Sonora y Sus Ojos Negros."

With more than 50 albums recorded throughout his career, a Grammy® nomination to his name, and standing as the undisputed reference of his style, Miguel Montoya has become an inspiration for new generations of musicians. His unique sound has been adopted by artists and groups around the world, cementing him as one of the most influential icons in norteño and sierreña music.

Montoya is also the musician who — looking to develop his own immediately recognizable sound — decided to modify the string arrangement by stringing the 12-string guitar in unison pairs rather than octaves. This seemingly simple modification became one of the most influential moments in Regional Mexican music, with entire generations of players adopting the same stringing technique. Montoya's search for the perfect guitar, finding in the Takamine Legacy Series EF381SC, an instrument that provided the tonal characteristics his music demanded. From that moment on, and to this day, Takamine has been Montoya's guitar of choice and an inseparable companion on stage.

Takamine is overjoyed to now have an official relationship with Miguel Montoya, an artist who has inspired generations of young guitarists. We are equally proud that Montoya considers his Takamine guitars worthy, delivering his tone, continuing his legacy, and being accepted as an instrument truly worthy of a living legend.