Takamine TriAx 2 Acoustic Guitar Pickup / Modified Baggs M80 / Authorized Dealer

Description: Shipping time: AddictedToToneInc ships very quickly, usually the same day an order was placed excluding weekends, USPS holidays, inclement weather events that adversely affect road conditions and orders received after 3:00pm EST. Items are inspected, tested and well packaged by me personally after the item is handed over to the shipping agency delivery is out of my control. AddictedToToneInc has changed its handling time from same day to 5 days to reflect the possibility of a shipping delay after the item has been shipped. Thank you for understanding, your order will be appreciated; well packaged and dispatched very quickly. As a gigging and touring guitarist I understand how important these items are! William “Bill” Sutherland / AddictedToToneInc AddictedToToneInc places 35+ Years of Takamine Repair and Sales experience behind every shipment! Please take the time to read the entire listing, the information it contains can answer many questions you may have; if you are still unsure about a detail please contact me; I will help you! William “Bill” Sutherland / AddictedToToneInc NOTICE: The Takamine Tri Ax 2 Pickup is designed to work most efficiently without the "B" string pole piece installed. This is not a mistake; the "B" string pole piece is not missing. READ THE DESCRIPTIONFOR MORE DETAILS WHY! Takamine Tri-Ax 2 Magnetic Field Soundhole Pickup With Tri-axial Dynamic Body Sensor For Acoustic Guitar Photographic and written work presented in this ad are property of AddictedToToneInc. Any portion of its use without permission is copyright infringement / stealing and will be reported to eBay as a violation of eBay posting regulations. The TRI-AX 2 pickup represents the ultimate in the uncompromising search for a truly acoustic guitar sound capable of high sound pressure levels without feedback! ~ This sell is for 1 (one) TRI-AX 2 Pickup, the most current and up to date version. (Other items shown are for display purposes only and are not included) The TRI-AX 2 is New In Box Comes with special gold-plated cable to connect directly to a Takamine CTP-1, CTP-2 or CTP-3 CoolTube Preamp,this cable is $28.00 sold separately. BONUS FEATURE: The TriAx 2 written tutorial "How to get a GOOD tone quickly with the TriAx 2 Pickup" - an AddictedToToneInc exclusive! The written tutorial is only available with the purchase of appickup, it is not available for purchase separately This TRI-AX 2 pickup is covered by Takamine Electronics One-Year Limited Warranty and will be sent with warranty registration card. The TRI-AX 2 pickup easily installs with no modifications needed to your guitar. The TRI-AX 2 will fit most guitars with a sound hole larger than 3 1/2” that is centered beneath the strings. Exact measurements are shown in photographs; please use these measurements to determine if the TriAx 2 will fit your guitar. If you are considering the Tri Ax 2 pickup for a NYLON String guitar please vies this listing for the Takamine Acoustic Soundboard Transducer: https://www.ebay.com/itm/222290676559 ~ Your Tri-Ax 2 purchase from AddictedToToneInc will include: One Tri-Ax 2 Body Sensitive Sound hole pickup. One Pre-wired Strap/Jack assembly for installation of Tri-Ax 2 on any brand of guitar. One CoolTube connection cable. One 3/32” Allen Wrench for adjusting pole pieces. Two spare 3/4” pole pieces. One spare 3/8” pole piece. Two self stick wire clips. Takamine One Year Electronics Warranty. Warranty Registration Card. Tri-Ax Users Guide. Tri-Ax Installation Guide and Owners Manual. ~ TRI-AX 2 Pickup FEATURES Sound board sensitive, dual-coil magnetic pickup. System matched to Takamine CoolTube™ preamp. Adjustable pole pieces for perfect balance with smooth, threadless tops to protect fingernails. Quiet and highly feedback resistant.116db before feedback. A snow mobile or motorcycle engine is usually around 100db, physical pain begins around 125db… Provides fantastic reproduction of harmonics since it is getting the “chime tones” directly from their source. The perfect tool for capturing the lower spectrum of signal without being prone to feedback. Passive/active switch. 1000 hour battery life with CR2032 coin cell. A built-in fingertip volume control. Built-in Class A all discrete preamplifier/line driver delivers superb noiseless performance with the CoolTube preamp or directly into any outboard equipment. “System Matched” to augment the Cool Tube™ preamp. Adds a brilliance to the mid range and fattens up the sound of the treble strings, especially beyond the seventh fret. ~ Just sayin... “The TriAx pickups sound great as a stand alone pickup and I have often remarked that for guitars without any electronics the TriAx is the easiest way to get a great plugged in sound with a minimum amount of hassle and the least amount of potential feedback during performance!” - Bill Sutherland / Tone Specialist AddictedToToneInc ~ The Tri-Ax 2 comes with a cable-to-end-pin jack connection for use when installing in an acoustic guitar. In active mode the Tri-Ax 2 delivers a full, robust signal that is capable of being plugged directly into an amp or mixing console. The triaxial design outperforms the other magnetic-only pickups on the market.~ The Most Advanced And Intelligent Design In Soundhole Mounted Pickups. The TRI-AX2 design employs L.R. Baggs exclusive patented Tri-Axial Dynamic Technology,which senses both the string and body vibrations. It is important to understand that the TriAx is NOT simply an L.R. BAGGS M1/M80 pickup with the word “Takamine” stamped on it. The TriAx is a FREQUENCY MODIFIED version of the M1/M80 formulated to work specifically with the Takamine Palathetic Pickup and Cool Tube system. ~ What is a “Tri-Axial Dynamic Body Sensor” and how Does it work? The hum-canceling coil of the Tri-AX 2 is suspended under the main coil by a tuned support that responds in three dimensions (3D!) to the vibrations of the guitar. This additional body response brings the guitars sound to life with a richness and complexity far beyond that of other sound hole pickups. The Tr-Ax 2 is designed to capture the not only the string vibration energy but also the wood energy* produced by the vibration of the guitars top – it lets your guitar sound like your guitar when it is plugged in! * longitudinal, transverse and planar waves A true testament to the accuracy of the Tri-Axial Dynamic Body Sensor is that it will work on a nylon string guitar! (NOTE: Most Nylon string guitars DO NOT have a sound hole large enough to accommodatethe TRI-AX 2 pickup and I am not recommending the TRI-AX 2 for nylon string guitars I am just pointing out its top referencing capabilities.) ~ L.R. Baggs / Sunrise vs TRI-AX 2 This is not really a “versus” situation - All three are great pickups! The TRI-AX 2 has a lot of technological, frequency and tone similarities with the Sunrise pickup; and is a frequency compensated “tweaked” version of an L.R. Baggs that has been developed with more of a nod towards use with the Takamine CoolTube preamp. ~ More Information you may find interesting: If you are currently using a guitar equipped the Takamine Palathetic pickup (located on your guitars sound board beneath the bridge) you are referencing string energy and the wood vibration of your guitars top which is a great tone but still prone to low end feedback. If you have a conventional “under the saddle” style pickup then you are hearing only the energy of the string directly translated into the saddle which is very thin and still prone to low end feedback. Combining the under the saddle/soundboard style of pickup with the TRI-AX 2 gives you a much truer audio snapshot of what your guitar sounds like acoustically when it is plugged in. It is as if you are bi-amping the guitar! Think of it this way: The TRI-AX 2 will be used to reference the guitars low mid-range and bass while the bridge pickup you are using will be capture the upper mid-range and treble. No single pickup element can capture the complete tone structure of an acoustic guitar; it is far too complex, this is why musicians go crazy trying to find the “right” pickup and fall short time and time again. It takes at minimum TWO separate elements to reference the whole spectrum of sound produced by an acoustic guitar, one element to capture the string energy and another to gather the wood energy. Believe me I know, I have tried everything and this is the best way I have found to achieve a killer realistic acoustic guitar tone! Using the TriAx in this manner is an excellent way of adding LOW and LOW MID frequencies to the guitars plugged in tonality because it focuses primarily on string vibration and references the up and down movement of the guitars top in an area that the Palathetic under the soundboard pickup does not. The TriAx is rated for an 116db before feedback, this makes it the perfect tool for capturing the lower spectrum of signal without being prone to feedback. A snow mobile or motorcycle engine is usually around 100db, physical pain begins around 125db… The TriAx also does a fantastic job of reproducing harmonics since it is getting the “chime tones” directly from their source. Another interesting auditory event occurs since the strings are being referenced at two different places in their motion (phase), there is a slight time difference, very slight just a few millisecondsbut enough to make it more “exciting” to the human ear as it adds a decided articulation in the “realness” of the texture of the guitars sound. Research the Haas Effect / The Principle of First Arrival to understand this little better. ~ “Where is the B String pole piece?” There is not an adjustable B string pole installed in the TriAx 2. The Ti Ax 2 comes with this way because of the way the B-string interacts with the magnets inductive field,the mass and tension of the B string is “viewed” by the magnetic field of the Tri Ax 2 more predominantly than the other strings. The TriAx 2 is shipped from Takamine with with two extra “TALL” pole pieces and the “missing” B string pole piece. TriAx 2 users sometimes change to a more magnetically reactive set of strings that incorporateNICKEL wound E, A D, G strings – this brings the wound string's output up considerably. Most feel the NICKEL wound string has a more toneful quality when plugged inthough acoustically less output is generated due to the decreased string tension. Most guitarists continue to use their favorite brand and set of tried and true of acoustic guitar strings which are most often wound with bronze. The bronze alloy is not interactive with the Tri Ax 2’s magnetic field and is essentially invisible to it;only the core wire of the wound string is reactive to the magnetic field and is “viewed” by it. A magnetic soundhole pickup only “senses” steel, it does not “sense”the bronze alloy extrusions used for the wrap wire on the wound strings. The only part of a wound bronze string that is read by a magnetic field pickup is the thin steel core wire. There might be a fat low E string vibrating away acoustically,but the magnetic field Tri Ax 2 pickup is only referencing the thin steel core wire inside of the string. Because of this phenomenon the Tri Ax 2’s magnetic field senses the B string more strongly than all the other strings. The TriAx 2 comes with its pole pieces set up with a good normal balance from Takamine. Personal attributes of an individuals playing style may influence a need to adjust the pole pieces. ~ Please check out my AddictedToToneInc eBay store for other unusual hard to find and custom made items! ~ Sometimes in this fast paced electronics driven world we lose touch with the “humanity” that is represented by all of the internet listings, fax and e-mail numbers. I am a real person; I am not just a number. I welcome your questions and speaking with you personally. Tonefully – William "Bill" Sutherland / AddictedToToneInc. ~ I only use sturdy shipping boxes to prevent damage to the item you have purchased. As a consumer I understand the desire to save a couple dollars whenever possible, please understand that I have tried alternative “cheaper” shipping methods and was not pleased with the result – to much damage! I do not make any “extra” money on shipping. The shipping price is calculated to include the carrier delivery fees to your specific location and fees imposed on the item by eBay and PayPal. I package items VERY well and ship very promptly! ~ RETURNS & SHIPPING AddictedToToneInc does not accept returns. The item listed in this ad is designed to improve the tone of your Takamine guitar or for replacing a defective component. I can help you diagnose the problem with your Takamine system. Please contact me before you order an item you do not actually need. AddictedToToneInc does not accept returns because of a third parties ineptitude, specifically “repair technicians” that do not know how to properly diagnose possible defects of the individual components used in the Takamine electronic system. AddictedToToneInc checks each component for possible electronic defect when the new product is received from Takamine and verifies its working condition once again before it is shipped. ~ ”If it is new, why is it tested?” / Tested 100% The item you are purchasing is inspected and tested before they are shipped to make absolutely sure everything is working 100% Time is taken to check new product when it arrives from Takamine; electronic components pass through another more thorough audio and electronics test before being packaged and shipped. The vintage preamps and used components sold by AddictedToToneInc pass through this same testing process. Non electronic parts like Tuners, Nuts, Saddles are carefully inspected and tested; any part that requires assembly is assembled. Many sellers do not possess a working knowledge of the Takamine equipment they are selling and simply send merchandise without examining the item being sold. As a guitarist, artist and former touring musician I understand how important this equipment is to the individual purchasing it; most of my customers are casual players but for some of my clients the part being purchased is needed for work and making a livelihood - an extended downtime can make for some potentially hungry days! My endeavors are not approached as a mere "numbers game" or how many boxes of product I can move, for me it is much more personal, most of my clients work very hard for their money; I appreciate and respect the fact they have chosen me to do business with. Takamine does a fabulous job with their electronics and there are very few incidents of manufacturer defect; very, very few incidents but it does happen. It is much easier for me to check the product for the customer before it is sent rather than wasting time discovering a defective part after it has shipped; this is how I have always operated; it takes more of a commitment but my clients appreciate it – they know they can trust me to do the job right! The testing process was originally started for the sake of my over-seas patrons but I quickly realized the value of it for all my clients! Maybe I am just "old school" but this is the way I feel it should be done. I have designed, created and employ special testing equipment for the Takamine preamps and electronic components because it is your reputation as well as mine at stake when you walk on stage! AddictedToToneInc hosts a special Facebook page that specializes in the science and use of the Takamine technology exclusively for our Takamine clients. Thank you, William “Bill” Sutherland / AddictedToToneInc ~ Addresses outside the United States will be responsible for shipping fees to be calculated specifically for individuals delivery address. The shipping fee does not include any tariff, import duty, value added tax or other fee charged to an imported good by a sovereign entity. If you are having your item delivered to a temporary living address: Hotel, Motel, Day Suite etc. remember to notify the front desk receiving personnel of the expected delivery. Make sure the name listed on the package is also attached to the establishments guest registry. If the recipients name on the package does not match a name in the guest registry there is no way for the establishment to know who the delivery is meant for. Addicted To Tone Inc will only ship to an eBay approved address. Make sure the address you have given eBay as your shipment destination is correct and contains no mistakes. Changes to a shipping address or the recipients name cannot be made after an item has been purchased. Providing the proper shipping information is the responsibility of the purchaser. I ship very quickly, after the package has been processed changes to the shipment cannot be made. ~ FAQ’s Here are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions I have received regarding the TRI-AX 2: TRI-AX 2 Pickup Question: What is the difference between the original TriAx and the TriAx 2? Answer: The TriAx 2 is a refinement of the first TriAx. The original TriAx was tailored for the CTP-1 preamp which debuted in 2004 there have been substantial improvements since then. I am unable to include a side by side comparison of spec sheets; Takamine is very "guarded" with technical information - it is never possible to get a schematic from them but I can say the TriAx 2 sounds more "acoustic" almost like high definition compared to the older TriAx unit. Its frequency response both in the High and Low frequencies are extended. The TriAx 2 has a quicker transient response and is quieter. The original TriAx was a great unit – the TriAx 2 is an improved version of that original pickup, these changes were needed to keep in step with the Cool Tube Preamp improvements. There was a two year gap between the TriAx and the debut of TriAx2 pickup. The TriAx 2 also has a battery check feature too which is nice, the original TriAx did not have that. ~ Question: If the TriAx 2 pickup is added via the Cool Tube Preamp and is run in passive mode does it need a battery installed? I would not be fond of having to uninstall / reinstall this pickup for battery changes! Answer: When using the TriAx 2 in PASSIVE mode it is not necessary to have a battery installed. An installed battery will not be drained in PASSIVE mode. NOTE: The volume control on the TriAx will work only in active mode. When the pickup is in PASSIVE mode, the volume will not function. ~ Question: What is that button next to the “Low E” pole piece for? When I press it Green lights come on... Answer: It is a battery check function. ~ Question: Will the TRI-AX 2 pickup fit into an “OM” style guitar without modification? The soundhole is a little smaller than normal. Answer: The TRI-AX 2 needs a 3 1/2” opening to slip into without touching the sides of the soundhole. I once put a TriAx into a Takamine TC132 Classical which has a smaller sound hole. We had to slightly “notch” out the soundhole for the TriAx clamping screws but not much. Sometimes it is easiest to just take the mounting platform of the TriAx off before you place it in the guitar, this gives you a lot more "clearance" but does make putting the bottom clamp back on a bit difficult - but it can be done. ~ Question: I will be installing the TRI-AX 2 in a Takamine TAN15C by plugging into the CTP-2 AUX input. In this mode do all the EQ and Mid range controls in the preamp affect both the TriAx and the bridge pickup as mixed? Answer: No, the TriAx is separate from those controls, only the AUX volume will affect the TriAx. ~ Question: What is the best way to set my TriAx with the CTP-2 pickup? Answer: An easy way to start is set all of your controls on your amp and guitar "flat" - do not boost or cut any frequencies. Now on your Takamine preamp slide the bass EQ slider all the way down, leaving only the mid and treble frequencies at the "0" mid point. Now use your TriAx to supply the low end, keep turning it up until the "low-end" is equal in volume to the mid and treble frequencies. If you are experimenting with two separate channels you can now begin to exaggerate the "bi-amping" effect by adjusting the channel controls of your amp or p.a. to get the best clarity. Keep in mind you are not trying to make one element do all the work but are tweaking them separately within their own strength: Magnetic field (TriAx) for low mids and bass response, transducer (palathetic) for upper mids and treble. You can get a lot more volume and clarity this way. ~ Question: Which is the best TriAx mode to combine with the Cooltube - Passive or Active? Which gives the best results? Answer: Passive. The active setting is several dB hotter and would produce too much gain and create distortion. Try it both ways - trust your ears. "if it sounds good, it is good". ~ Question: When operating the TriAx together with the CTP-2 what gives the best sound quality? Answer: After much experimentation I have decided the sonically superior way to run this type of "two part" system is to keep the elements separate. This requires two channels, one for the magnetic field pickup (TriAx) and one channel for the transducer (palathetic). You can try this pretty easily as I send the TriAx with a cable that allows it to be used completely on its own. Install the TriAx in your guitar but leave the cable hanging out of the soundhole so you can plug a cable into it. A piece of painters tape to hold the cable in place on the surface of the guitars top makes things a little "safer". Now plug the TriAx into your P.A. or acoustic amp. Using a separate cable plug your palathetic pickup into a different channel of your P.A. or another acoustic amp channel. Use the TriAx to capture the low mid and bass frequencies of your instrument and use the palathetic to capture the high mids and treble. By using two separate channels you can really EQ these elements to their best result. Two channels also allow an artist to do some interesting stereo imaging or effect processing. I do not run stereo live but I do mix my mag field and transducer pickups a little to the left and right when I record in the studio, it is much more exciting to the ear. I also like to add a hint of chorus on the mag pickup and a touch of reverb on the transducer. ~ Question: Is the Takamine TriAx pickup just a “re-labeled” M1 Pickup? Answer: The Takamine TriAx is NOT simply an M1 pickup with "Takamine" screen printed on it. The Takamine TriAx pickup IS a tweaked version of the M1 made specifiaclly to work with and enhance the frequecy points of the Takamine palathetic pickup system more efficiently. "TriAx" specs are nearly identical to the Sunrise pickup. The M1 and Sunrise pickup are both awesome pickups that I also highly recommend. The TriAx will work wonderfully on ANY brand of guitar but it is especially effective when used with the Takamine Palathetic pickup system. ~ Question: Will any sound hole pickup work with the Cool Tube Preamp or does it have to be a Takamine Tri-ax? Answer: Yes and No. In theory anything you can solder an RCA plug on and plug in will work - mic, keyboard, bass guitar, C.D. player... BUT since the ohmage and resistance of different pickups may not match what is required by the system there would be the risk of a very bad hum and or distortion being present. I would use the TriAx - it sounds great and is designed for the CTP-2. If you already have a pickup and you want to try it would be quite easy to put an RCA jack on the pickup lead and plug it in. If it sounds good it is good! ~ Question: When using the TriAx in conjunction with the CTP-1/2/3 and the batteries go dead in the preamp will the TriAx still work via the Aux control? Answer: No, but I would not worry about the batteries suddenly going "dead" in the middle of a song or even the middle of a set, the system gives you plenty time to replace batteries before it stops functioning. When we tested this situation we performed our experiment using a CD player playing a music sampler disc through the AUX input of the CTP-2 preamp. We noticed a subtle difference in the volume of the system when the batteries reached about 1.25 volts each. This slight reduction in volume would probably not have been noticed in a "real life" situation but since we were measuring things electronically we did "catch" it. The system did continue to work quite tonefully for nearly 2 1/2 hours after this point and stopped producing sound about 15 minutes after the "battery" indicator light had come on. The batteries measured 1.12 each volts at this point. ~ Question: Hi, I currently own a Takamine TAN15c and have installed an L R Baggs made Triax. Is the Triax the same as the M1 or is it the same as the M80? If the M80 is different would it be possible to match it with the Takamine Cooltube Preamp the same as the Triax? Answer: The Triax is similar to the M1 Passive, but not exactly the same. It’s the same pickup, but with different features – it has been “tweaked” to work with maximum efficiency and headroom with the Takamine CTP-1, CTP-2, CTP-3 preamps. The M80 has a Passive/Active switch like the Triax, but the body sensitivity on the M80 is a little more “ramped up”, since you are using the Takamine palathetic pickup this is not needed, the palathetic pickup does an incredible job referencing the guitars top. Too much body resonance will produce feedback at louder volumes. Because of the M80’s Passive side, it can be used with the CoolTube preamp with no issues. ~ Question: What is the difference between the “Sunrise” pickup and Takamine’s TriAx Pickup? Answer: The TriAx is very similar to the Sunrise in its magnetic structure, almost identical in fact. Unlike the Sunrise the TriAx picks up the wood vibration from the guitars top as well as the strings energy, so well in fact I just had a customer a couple weeks ago have me modify his classical guitars sound hole a bit (it was ever so slightly to small so I made two little notches in it so the TriAx pickup screws could fit) so he could use the TriAx pickup in tandem with his CTP-2 preamp and Takamine palathetic pickup which is located under the bridge. This is a big deal because a “normal” magnetic field pickup such as the Sunrise and others, will not work on a nylon/plastic string instrument - there is nothing for the magnetic field to "see"! The TriAx on the other hand references the top movement enough to make it a valid choice on a nylon string instrument especially if one were to be using the CTP-2 preamp. Most classical players would balk at a sound hole pickup – it is just not traditional and certainly they would not want the sound hole modified! As the "math" of the TriAx and Sunrise are nearly identical and the fact that the TriAx references the movement of the guitars top and the Sunrise does not, I have to officially tip my hat to the TriAx as being the tonefully superior unit. A friend of mine had me install a Sunrise (I used to sell them) in his guitar several years ago and after a couple of years of playing gigs with it he somehow managed to lose it. When he came in for another Sunrise I talked him into trying the new (at the time) TriAx pickup. He called the next day to report that at his band rehearsal the previous evening his band mates kept remarking about how much better his guitar sounded… I still use my Sunrise pickup in a separate jack from the Takamine CTP-2 preamp… ~ Question: What is the purpose of having no pole piece in the “B” string location and a deeply-seated pole piece in the high E position, and extra pole pieces of various sizes? Answer: Those really show off how deeply (pun) they have thought about the design of the TriAx pickup! The "B" is recessed farthest because its tension and pitch produces much more volume than do the other strings. The high "E" is set a little lower as well (not quite as low as the "B") because of the same effect. The extra pole pieces are for when we have to reverse the pickup for left handed players. ~ Question: Will The TriAx pickup work with my CTP-1 / CTP-2 / CTP-3 preamp? Answer: Yes. The TriAx pickup will work with the CTP-1 / CTP-2 / CTP-3 preamp without any modifications. ~ Question: I really liked your information about how these pickups work best - a blend as in understanding- mic + mag. I would like to know how does it compare to the Sunrise pickup? Answer: A friend of mine somehow lost his Sunrise pickup right before a gig and replaced it with the TriAx, he said that all night long his band mates commented on how good his guitar sounded... true story. I love the Sunrise and have used them for years preceding the TriAx. The TriAx is very comparable to the Sunrise in terms of its tonality and sonic capabilities. I believe their both rated for 116db before feedback - a snow mobile or motorcycle engine is usually around 100db, physical pain begins around 125db... More db before feedback means more tone and tone is what it is all about! ~ Question: Hi, You might recall I recently bought a Takamine Tri-ax acoustic pickup from you and am just now getting around to installing it in my guitar. I wonder if I can ask a technical question of you. I am not using a Cool Tube with this, just installing it direct into my guitar. I notice the mini jack to 1/4" strap jack output has a stereo connection into the pickup, but the lead from pickup to Cool Tube is just a mono mini jack into pickup. I am very interested to know why that is? One is stereo, the other mono? Answer: The TRS ("Stereo") jack/plugs are a constant source of confusion because they can be wired for a variety of different purposes. In the case of your TriAx jack the "RING" connection is not used to create a stereo image but to activate the battery of the TriAx pickup. When you plug in, the barrel of the cables 1/4" male phono jack "grounds out” the "RING" connector and completes the "POSITIVE/HOT" side of the battery - pretty clever! It is best to unplug your guitar when not in use if it is plugged in the battery is activated... We once did a cool modification for a fellow that employed a mercury style switch on the battery connection - the battery would come on automatically when he held the guitar in the playing position, kind of weird but he liked it... CTP-2 ~ Question: Is it hard to switch from the CTP-1 to the CTP-2 preamp? Does it need soldering? Answer: It is very easy to switch preamps, it requires no soldering. ~ Question: On the CTP-1 / CTP-2 do the batteries last longer if the Tube is turned down or off? Answer: Not really. The circuit is still “busy” keeping the tube warmed up and performance ready. ~ Question: What is the difference between a CTP-1 and a CTP-1R? Answer: There was never really a “CTP-1R” preamp BUT there was a CTP-1 Battery Replacement tray – CTP-1R. The more robust battery tray was one of the first improvements manifested in the CTP-2 preamp. ~ Question: I have CTP-1 and on the back there are two switches . One is P.W.R and the other is HIGH. .Do you know what these do ? Answer: The PWR (Power) switch allows one to keep the power on so the tube is continuously warmed up and always ready for performance - you will go through batteries a lot with this switched on. You probably don't want to do this until you are using the Takamine DI+ to provide phantom power to your CTP-1 unit. The "High" switch gives you more gain. The CTP-2 has a much faster warm up period (well under a minute) and features a switch marked “Artist” to keep the tube performance ready at all times. This is really a great concert feature that allows guitarists to change instruments quickly during a live performance on stage where seconds tend to feel like hour! You probably do not need it on at home… ~ Question: Will (high quality) rechargeable AA batteries work as efficiently as normal AA batteries in the CTP-1/CTP-2? Answer: Yes. ~ Question: Can I swap tubes in the CTP-2? Answer: Yes, you are able to swap tubes. ~ Question: How long does the 12Au7 tube last before it needs to be replaced in the CTP-2 preamp? Can I change to NOS tube when the tube is blown? Answer: How long does the 12Au7 last? The voltage to the tube is nowhere near that of a guitar amplifier. I would say in your lifetime you will never have to change the tube. I have been selling these units for nearly 14 years now and have never heard of anyone having tube problems... Can you change to NOS tube, when the tube is blown – Yes. If it ever happens... ~ Question: I have a Takamine EG523SC with TK4NT. I would like to replace the pickup and preamp. What alternative do you recommend as the TK4NT is no longer available? Answer: There is no easy solution for you. The TK4NT is a different size than the CTP-2 and all of the other current Takamine preamps. If you just want to upgrade into a better sound you would have to first change the mounting bracket that is in your guitar, the mounting bracket that you currently have will not fit. The correct mounting bracket is a different size and shape so you would have to cut a new opening for it. Perhaps now is a good time to upgrade guitars! ~ Question: You mentioned about an RCA adapter needed for plug upgrades from TP4T and TK40 model preamps – how come that is needed? Answer: The RCA "upgrade" is only needed for the old style preamps that plugged the guitars pickup into the preamp via a 3.5mm plug. These 3.5mm plugs look like a miniature version of your 1/4 jack that you use to plug your guitar into an amp. Since the CTP-2 requires an RCA style plug like you would use to plug up a VCR or DVD player you have to replace the 3.5 mm style jack. It is a very simple modification to do, you simply cut the old style 3.5mm plug off and solder on the RCA style jack. Ultimately it is just a different style plug, the 3.5mm jacks were kind of delicate and prone to shorting out, the RCA jacks are much more sturdy. The main reason the 3.5mm plug was used on the more economical guitar models is a manufacturing detail: they could be soldered together and then passed through the top of the guitar with no additional work making them easier and faster to use, thereby lowering the cost of each unit. Just look inside you guitars sound hole at the back of the preamp and you can see which style you have. Addicted To Tone has heavy duty, well shielded gold plated RCA jacks available for $6.95. ~ Question: How long does the 12Au7 in the CTP-2 preamp last? Answer: The voltage to the tube is not anywhere near what an amplifiers would be, I would say in your lifetime you would probably never have to change the tube. I have been selling these units for nearly 14 years now and have never heard of anyone having tube problems... ~ Question: Is the tube in the CTP-2 replaceable? Answer: Yes. ~ Question: Does the CTP-2 unit you sell use the same electronic contacts as the factory designed pre-amp? Answer: The CTP-2 is a Takamine factory designed preamp… Takamine uses the same mounting bracket on all of its guitars making it possible to interchange them and upgrade them quite easily. The CTP-2 preamp has a 3.5 output and two RCA style inputs for pickups. All of Takamine preamps use the same 3.5 output. ~ Question: I think there is something wrong with my preamps cables – how can I check the cable when its inside the guitar? Answer: The next most common problem is the 3.5 mm output plug from the preamp. These plugs have no outer protection so it is easy to short them out. Try this: Remove the preamp from its holder and place it on top of your guitar put a cloth under it so it does not scratch the guitars surface. Now plug the input from the pickup and the output to jack so you have a fully functioning system OUTSIDE the guitar. Put some tension on the strings, they do not have to be tuned but they will need enough to put pressure on the saddle and the pickup beneath it. Now turn the preamp up and gently move the input and output jacks from side to side, you should be able to deduce the offending component pretty easily. Have you or someone else ever removed your existing preamp? A large portion of the time acoustic guitar "preamp" problems are a result of the end pin jack going bad. ~ Question: I got my CTP 2 yesterday. I installed it on my guitar and it works fine when I plug it into my amp. There is one problem however. The "oper" green light stays on even when it is plugged out which means that my battery will run out if I don't remove the battery pack after each time I plug in. It also means that I won't be able to use the tuner every time that I want because the battery pack will be plugged out if I don't use my jack. Is this normal?? Do you think that the unit may be a dud? Please get back to me as soon as you can. Answer: Thank you for contacting me quickly - there is no cause for alarm... There is a switch on the back of the CTP-2 called the "Artist Switch" when it is engaged it keeps the CTP-2 on and warmed up constantly. In concert this is a benefit because the guitar is ready to go at all times. You do not want to use this feature until you get the Takamine DI box which powers the CTP-2 via the guitar cable. ~ Question: Where is the “Artist” switch? Answer: The Artist Switch is located above the RED RCA jack on the BACK of the CTP-2. It is a simple "press and release" button made of black plastic. ~ Question: I have a “G” series Takamine - do I need to upgrade my whole inner cable, too? You said I need to change to a RCA male jack, but I don't know what it is. My current preamp is connected with two cable lines from the pickup. Answer: You do not have to change the whole inner cable, just the connectors on it. Currently your system has 2 mini male jacks – they need to be changed to 1 RCA male plug. ~ Question: I currently have a CT-4B II pre amp and I would like to change to the CTP-2 - what modifications are needed to do so? Inside of my guitar are 2 cables that you can connect and disconnect from the pre amp - one for the jack and one for the pickup. The cool tube has three connections. I do not understand – help! Answer: You would not have to modify anything. The CTP-2 has two RCA jacks: 1 RED and 1 YELLOW. The pickup you have now in your guitar plugs into the RED jack. The YELLOW input is for an auxiliary pickup like the TriAx. The 3.5 mm output is where you plug in your guitar jack. ~ Question: Do you recommend removing the pickup from inside the guitar to do the modification to its wires, or can you just leave it where it is and run the wires out the hole in the guitar top? If so, how do you remove the pickup? Answer: There is enough wire to leave the pickups in place. Usually they are wrapped together and held in one spot so you will want to "untie" the bundle so to speak. Put a little cosmetic mirror in the sound hole and look around - you will see it. ~ Question: I have a CTP-1 that uses a lot of batteries, there is no “Artist Switch” to turn off, what is going on? Answer: 4 Things perhaps: 1) The CTP-1 was noted to go through batteries pretty quick - usually 5 -6 hours. This was one of the first revisions made with the CTP-2 - longer battery life. Later revisions also included faster warm-up time and the addition of an “Artist Switch”. 2) Your end pin jack may be wired incorrectly or be "damaged" in such a way that the preamp/batteries are on even though the guitar is un-plugged, which normally turns the system off. 3) If nothing is technically wrong with your system you could upgrade to the 4-pin jack and start using the Takamine Acoustic DI box (which sounds great) it will power the CTP-1 externally so you do not have to use batteries. 4) On some of the early CTP-1 preamps the tuner must be turned off manually after activating, leaving the tuner on for an extended period of time will drain the batteries. ~ Question: Thanks for the pictures on how to wire the RCA solder. In the third pic it shows the two wires and the RCA male plug. 1. Do you have to cut the ends off those two wires and strip them to the bare wire before you solder them to the RCA plug, or do you just solder them as they are? 2. Is there a specific spot each of those wires needs to go to inside the RCA plug, or do you just solder them both to the RCA soldering port in whatever position or order? Answer: Each of the cables have 2 wires inside 1 hot, 1 ground. You cut the old ends off and then strip the wires to expose the two wires. The 2 hot wires will be wired together going to the "tip" of the RCA jack. The 2 ground wires are combined and are soldered to the "ground" of the RCA jack. Should take about 7 - 10 minutes, pretty easy. ~ Question: Does the CTP-2 have to be plugged into an amp to enjoy the sound differences? Answer: Yes, you must be playing through an amplifier or P.A. to realize the sound quality of the CTP-2. ~ Question: If I wanted to fit this into a non Takamine guitar. What would I need to make this work? Answer: You MUST have a Takamine mounting chassis, without it your only other chance for installation is duct tape – and I do not recommend that. Sometimes we are able to locate these mounting chassis and when we do we put them on eBay with the following information: These are not normally available as a separate item, sometimes due to a badly damaged Takamine guitar we are able to “salvage” its mounting chassis and offer it as an “up-grade” to non-Takamine users. This chassis will NOT accept other brands of electronic preamps; it is for Takamine guitar electronics only. ~ Question: The tubes in my guitar amplifier get very hot, won’t the Cool Tube heat up my guitar and damage it? Answer: No. The techs at Takamine named the Cool Tube very appropriately it operates at just 3 volts and warms only about 2 degrees over room temperature; chances are your body temperature will heat your guitar up more than the CTP-2. The only thing that will get hot is your tone! - and maybe your love-life…! ~ Question: What kind of tube is in the CTP-2? Answer: 12 AU7. ~ Question: I have been told that the first two numbers of my Takamine guitars serial number reflect the year it was made. Is this true? Answer: The first 2 digits of the serial number is the year the guitar was manufactured. 1998 = 98, 2006 = 06 2011 = 11 etc. ~ Question: How do I wire the 3.5mm output jack of the preamp? Answer: You need to use 3 wires: 1) for the TIP connection (hot) 1) for the RING (activates the battery in the preamp) 1) for the GROUND. You need to use a shielded cable. If you use a 2 wire connection your battery will be on all of the time, even when you are unplugged from the guitar. ~ Question: I have a Takamine that is 15 years old and I installed the CTP-2 cool tube preamp. I am in addition to the preamp adding a condenser mic to the aux input of the CoolTube preamp. This mic uses battery, will the 4-pin upgrade jack also supply power to the mic? Answer: No, It will not. From the wording of your question I am curious if you have the Takamine Acoustic DI box – the 4-pin upgrade jack will not translate the phantom power needed to operate the CTP-2 preamp without the Acoustic DI. ~

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