Greetings, Shredderz! We’re back with another great Donald Takayama shape from his influential and decades-long career. Shout out to the two people who were kind enough to send me the board featured here.

Pictured above is a Donald Takayama Jacobs Surfboards 60’s Model. I believe it was likely shaped in the late 90s or early 2000s. The current Surfboards by by Donald Takayama website lists a board called “The 60’s Donald Takayama Model”, which clearly has the same outline as the one you see here.

I believe the Jacobs 60’s Model was later rebranded as The 60’s Donald Takayama Model, ditching the Jacobs Surfboards reference. The Surfboard Collective currently has a board that’s more or less listed as both, and you can see the same outline on the board, with the pulled in nose and the squash tail.

This Takayama Jacobs 60’s Model was recently listed on Craigslist. It measures 10’0″ x 23″ x 3 1/8″. The listed price was $2,200. I don’t have any way of knowing the exact purchase price, but given that the ad was only up for a day or two, I think it’s likely the board sold for somewhere in that neighborhood. North of two grand for a used surfboard is a lot of money, but I also happen to think this price isn’t that crazy. First, the board is obviously in great condition. Second, the board was signed in pencil by Donald, and while it’s no secret that he employed production shapers, I think you’d expect to pay a premium given his involvement. Finally, given the current environment, where custom board wait times are insane and the used board market is red hot, you could definitely do worse, especially given the Takayama 60’s Model’s pedigree.

Prices aside, this particular board is gorgeous. I believe that surfboards were meant to be ridden, but I couldn’t fault anyone for buying this board strictly for its looks. I mean, look at that ruby red glass on fin. This is just a sick board. There’s no two ways about it. From the triple stringer, to the subtle laminates, the little red touches throughout…I could go on. The more I write about this board the more I’m kicking myself for not at least throwing in a lowball bid.

But this beauty has some brains, too. As far as surfing and shaping resumes go, it’s hard to do better than Donald Takayama, whom Joel Tudor calls the best longboard shaper of all time. The Jacobs Surfboards reference in the model name is a nod to Takayama’s early career as a Jacobs team rider.

I believe Takayama’s Jacobs 60’s Models were based off the signature model he had for Jacobs Surfboards. The outline looks the exact same and the laminate on the newer 60’s Model is clearly based off the original board. See below for some photos of an original Jacobs Surfboards Donald Takayama Model that I wrote up a while back. Jacobs and Takayama also collaborated on a Hawaii Model, but I’ve only see a handful of those.