FAQ’s

Here are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions

I receive regarding the CTP-2, CTP-3 PreAmps

and their companion components the TriAx, Acoustic DI

+ Box and 4-pin Upgraded Phantom Power jacks:

CTP-3

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Question: What is the difference between the CTP-3 and the CTP-2 preamp - do they have the same tonality?

Answer: The CTP-3 has the same great tone musicians have come to love about the CTP-2 but with an additional parametric control. (Think of the CTP-3 as a marriage between the CTP-2 and the CT4-DX preamps.)

Personally, I love the parametric control - I understand how to use it and get great results, some musicians do not know how to use a parametric control properly and their tone suffers.

Parametric control in this scenario is best used to isolate and remove pesky frequencies that are creating feedback issues - using it to simply adjust your tone is not the best use for it.

Parametric EQ allows the user to “zero” in on problem frequencies that are creating feedback and with pin-point surgical accuracy remove them by reducing the gain associated with the particular cycle leaving the surrounding frequencies unaltered and natural sounding.

Slider style “Graphic EQs” do not offer this kind of precision.

If you are currently having feedback issues I would definitely recommend the CTP-3 instead of the CTP-2.

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CTP-2

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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.

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Question: What does REV 6 mean?

Answer: Revision 6 is the current most "improved" version.

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Question: Do I have to assemble the CTP-2 preamp myself? In one of your pictures it shows the preamp in pieces.

Answer: No assembly is required; it will come brand new in box fully assembled.

I included the dis-assembled pictures so curious people (like me) could see what they look like inside.

The disassembled model was an older CTP-2 Takamine sent me to do "experiments" with. It helps me to know the equipment inside and out!

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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.

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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.

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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…

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Question: Will (high quality) rechargeable AA batteries work as efficiently as normal AA batteries in the CTP-1/CTP-2?

Answer: Yes.

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Question: Can I swap tubes in the CTP-2?

Answer: Yes, you are able to swap tubes.

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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...

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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!

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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 $8.95.

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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...

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Question: Is the tube in the CTP-2 replaceable?

Answer: Yes.

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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.

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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.

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 endpin jack going bad.

ADDITIONAL:

How to check your Takamine jack and preamp using common things from around your home.

What you will need: CD player or MP3 player, I-phone, – something that produces sound that you can listen to with headphones.

The Takamine jack terminates with a 3.5mm TRS male jack – this exactly what current headphones and ear-buds for your CD, MP3 player etc use.

Here is how to check your jack:

Remove the preamp from its holder (The preamp is very easy to remove, you may want to just take it out to do this), and place it on top of your guitar put a cloth under it so it does not scratch the guitars surface.

Now plug back in the input from the pickup and the output to jack so you have a fully functioning system OUTSIDE the guitar.

There are some metal tabs that hold the extra cable length against the side of the guitar, you should unfasten those so you have more cable to work with.

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.

Plug your guitar's cable into an amplifier or P.A and tap on the 1/4” cable end with your finger before you plug it into the guitar to verify you have signal to the audio system. Once you have established connection plug the cable into your guitars endpin jack.

Now turn the preamp up and gently move the input and output jacks that are connected to the preamp from side to side, you should be able to deduce the offending component pretty easily.

If this does not identify the offending component unplugthe3.5mm plug from the preamp and plug it into your CD or MP3 player so audio is being produced.

Now with your guitar plugged into an amp or PA like you normally would do to play you should hear what the CD / MP3 player is producing – if the jack is good... Gently move the guitar cable around in the jack to make sure it is not shorting in and out, this is very common...

If you have the correct adapter you can check the preamp in much the same way.

AFTER you have verified that the jack is good plug it back into the preamp output and plug your CD, MP3 player into the preamp via the RCA input.

To do this you will need a TRS 3.5mm male plug (coming from the headphone out of your CD player) to a RCA male plug (To plug into the preamp). This cable is a little less common so you might have to get one at Radio Shack... Usually they are sold as a “Y” cable...

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 auxillary pickup like the TRiAx.

The 3.5 mm output is where you plug in your guitar jack.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

(Sigh...)

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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 for sale. This chassis will NOT accept other brands of electronic preamps; it is for Takamine guitar electronics only.

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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…!

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Question: What kind of tube is in the CTP-2?

Answer: 12 AU7.

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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.

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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.

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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 ctp-2. 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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TriAx Pickup

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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.

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Question: Will the TriAx pickup fit into an “OM” style guitar without modification? The soundhole is a little smaller than normal.

Answer: The TriAx needs a 3 5/8 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.

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Question: I will be installing the TriAx 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.

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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.

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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".

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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.

You may want to re-read the description here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vke

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Question: Will any sound hole pickup work with the Cool Tube 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!

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Question: When using the TriAx in conjunction with the CTP-1/2 and the batteries fail, 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.


You might want to check out the Takamine Acoustic DI + Box in my eBay store - it will supply power to the preamp via phantom power so no batteries are needed.

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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-2 preamp.

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 resosnance will produce feedback at louder volumes. Because of the M80’s Passive side, it can be used with the CoolTube preamp with no issues.

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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…

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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.

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Question: Will The TriAx pickup work with my CTP-1 preamp?

Answer: Yes. The TriAx pickup will work with the CTP-1 or the CTP-2 without any modifications.

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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 preceeding 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!

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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...

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Question: Will the Takamine TriAx pickup work on a Takamine TC132 classical model w/CTP-2 preamp? I have heard that sound hole pickups do not work on classical guitars.

Answer: The TriAx needs a 3 5/8 opening to slip into without touching the sides of the sound hole; classical guitars usually have a slightly smaller sound hole than a dreadnought instrument.

I once put a TriAx into a Takamine TC132 Classical which has a smaller sound hole. We had to slightly “notch” out the sound hole 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.

With regard to magnetic (sound-hole) pickups: since this type of pickup is designed to pick up string energy via the pickups magnetic field; sound hole pickups are usually NOT a good choice for classical / nylon string instruments.

Nylon strings will not be registered in the P.U.s magnetic field; one might say the nylon string is "invisible" to the magnetic field OR that the magnetic field is "blind" to the energy created by a non-metallic string.

SIDE NOTE: This is why I use nickel strings on my performance guitars with magnetic pickups - the nickel strings energy is much more pronounced in the magnetic field more so than bronze - and under less tension!

BUT!

Remember that the TriAx also references the guitars top vibration! - The horizontal and the transverse waves created by string movement translated through the neck and bridge into the guitars top along with the string energy of metal strings on non-nylon guitars gives us the 3 components of sound re-production suggested by the "TriAx" moniker.

I did an experiment recently with a Dean Markley Artist Transducer in comparison with the TriAx on a nylon string Takamine with CTP-2 preamp - I am a big fan of the Artist Transducer, they're cheap and I have used them on everything from a hamster cage to a musical saw to a African Kalimba! The TriAx was substantially louder (especially in active mode) and much, much quieter.

You can gently place the TriAx on a guitars top (nylon or metal string) and actually hear it without placing it into the sound hole! This is a useful trick to do BEFORE you modify your guitars sound hole opening.

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3 Pin Upgraded Jack

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Question: How can I tell the difference between the Takamine 3 Pin Jack and the 4 Pin Jack?

Answer: Look closely at the mounting flange of the jack that is on your guitar now, it will have "Takamine 4 P" or "Takamine 3 P"stamped on it?

If it is not stamped this way your guitars jack may have been replaced with a generic after market plug for some reason.

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Question: Does my guitar need the 4 pin upgrade jack?

Answer: You only need the 4 pin upgrade jack when the Phantom Power feature of the Takamine Acoustic DI box is being used – the 4^th pin is to translate power to the CTP-1, CTP-2, CTP-3 preamp instead of using batteries.

4 Pin Upgraded Jack

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Question: How can I tell the difference between the Takamine 3 Pin Jack and the 4 Pin Jack?

Answer: Look closely at the mounting flange of the jack that is on your guitar now, it will have "Takamine 4 P" or "Takamine 3 P"stamped on it?

If it is not stamped this way your guitars jack may have been replaced with a generic after market plug for some reason.

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Question: Do you think I need the 4 pin upgrade jack now or when I upgrade my preamp?

Answer: Realistically you only need the 4 pin upgraded jack when and if you ever start using the Takamine Acoustic DI box – the 4^th pin is for the Phantom Power feature only.
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Question:  How do you tell the hot wire apart from the ground wire?

Answer: Hot wire is on the inside, ground wire "surrounds" it - which also helps deflect noise...

Question: Is the shape of the 4 Pin Upgrade Jack the same as the “old style” three pin Takamine jack?

Answer: They are almost exactly the same. I say almost because the three screw holes are ever so slightly different in their placement. When you place the new 4 pin jack into the guitar you will see only about half of the previous screw hole. You can either put the screws back in at a slight angle or spin the new jack a little bit and start new holes.
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Question: Will the 4-pin upgrade still work with older (1995 and older) Takamine guitars (pro series not 'G' models) with the original older style preamps without being connected to the Takamine Acoustic DI box and/or without the CTP-2 Preamp?

Answer: Yes, The 4 pin upgraded jack will work for those guitars. The 4 pin upgrade jack is electronically compatible with all the Takamine style guitars.

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Question: Where do I get the upgraded 4pin jack?

Answer: You can purchase one from me - just go to the AddictedToToneInc ebay store.

Question: The Upgraded "4-pin" jack appears to be wired to the cable exactly the same as the old 1990 vintage jack that we are removing and replacing. Is that correct? I'm not clear on what the difference is and how the phantom power from the Takamine Acoustic DI + is going to function any differently than with the old vintage style jack I already have.

Answer: Yes, they do appear nearly the same on the outside as the old jack but contained inside the upgraded jack the pins are arranged differently to supply the phantom power. When I get a chance I am going to cut the two jack styles in half so people can more easily understand the difference.
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Question: Would the 4 pin jack enable my CTP-2 Preamp to be powered by a harmony machine that provided phantom and not need batteries?

Answer: Here's the response I got from Mike at Takamine: The CTP preamps will not work with standard phantom power. The issue is not voltage, it is current. Standard phantom does not supply enough current to power the tube properly. That is why we developed the DI+ to provide a dedicated power supply. Mike

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Question: Does the 4 Pin Upgrade Jack for CTP-2 work with a normal passive DI and/or other brands of Direct Boxes other than Takamine?

Answer: Yes, they will work perfectly BUT you will not be able to take advantage of the phantom power that the Takamine DI provides to power the CTP-2, you will have to continue to use batteries to operate the CTP-2.

I would like to offer two additional remarks about the Takamine DI box –

1) I have heard DI’s that sound as good but not better and they are nearly double the price.

2) The CTP-2 is a very advanced circuit that does tend to use a lot of battery energy, the cost of battery savings alone makes the Takamine Acoustic DI a great choice. It sounds and looks fantastic and of course tone is the main factor to an acoustic artist.

SIDE NOTE: The Takamine Acoustic DI box is terrific for bass guitar!

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Acoustic DI+ Box

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Question: What is that weird piece of metal that came with my Takamine Acoustic DI+ box used for?

Answer:  The "Mystery Metal" is more properly referred as the "Takamine CTP-1 Preamp Battery Replacement Clip" (- more fun to call it the "Mystery Metal")

The "Mystery Metal” is only for when you want to run the CTP-1 unit without any batteries at all, this requires the artist switch to be clicked inward to the "ON" position - the switch is "taller" when the function is turned OFF and “shorter” when it is turned ON.

Most of the players I know run the unit with the artist switch OFF and batteries still in the battery tray, this way you can still use the tuner when your not plugged in AND when the phantom power is turned on there is no battery drain.

The Mystery Metal is just to complete the - / + connections made by the batteries so conceivably you could use some other conductive material to make the connection.

Some players have constructed their own “Battery Replacement Clip" connector using 2 wooden dowel rods and a piece of wire...

The next time I am able to get hold of a battery replacement plate I am going to experiment with a cardboard version covered in shielding tape, which I believe would work - BUT as mentioned before most players leave the batteries in...

I verified with Takamine that there is no battery drain when used this way.

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Question:  Does the Acoustic DI+ come with all the items in the box such as the stereo guitar cable, power supply and manual.

Answer: Yes, it will come the Acoustic DI box, TRS ¼ cable, battery adapter plate for the older CTP-1 unit, AC adapter, AC adapter two blade insert and the owner’s manual. It is new in the box just as it was sent to us from Takamine.
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Question: When using the Acoustic DI to power the CTP-2 and the preamp still has batteries in it, will the batteries still have a draw?  In other words if not in use and plugged in w/batteries in the preamp but plugged into the DI will the batteries still be in the circuit and die after a while of non-use? I want to be able to use the on board tuner when not plugged in.

Answer: No problem - no battery draw!

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Question: I have a LR Baggs Para DI Box, that has phantom power supply – can I use it to power the CTP-2 preamp if I am using the 4 pin upgraded jack?

Answer: No. Only the phantom power supply in the Takamine DI box will do that via the 4 pin upgrade jack. The Takamine Acoustic DI is quite different from other units that supply phantom power it is the only thing that will power the CTP-2 correctly and safely. It is a proprietary circuit available only from Takamine.

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Question: Can I plug another brand of pickup into the CTP-2 without effecting the tone?

Answer: Anything you can plug into the CTP-2's RCA jack would technically "work" electronically, even a CD player.  

Tones are very opinionated.  What one person likes another may hate.  For most players I believe their "tone choice" is a matter of what ad copy they have read and has appealed to them on some conscience level rather than what they have heard.

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…

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Question: I have a LR Baggs Para DI Box, that has phantom power, will it operate the CTP-2 preamp?

Answer: No. The power supply in the Takamine DI box is different (and proprietary) it is the only unit that will power the CTP-2 correctly - I just verified this for another customer last month.

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Question: I was told that the CTP-2’s battery should last about 24 hours and i was worried that the battery might go flat in the middle of a gig. With the Takamine DI Box plug into phantom power in a Mackie mixer that will not happen - am i correct. Thank you for the wealth of correct info.

Answer: The battery life has been extended from the original 6 - 8 hours to 20 – 24, 25, 26,? How long the batteries last are dependent on a few variables - the brand of battery you use and how "hard" you run the system (how far up you turn the tube). If you use the tube lightly you probably can get 24 – 26 hours out of the batteries, running it hard will probably be more like around 16 - 18.

I always suggest the DI box because not only will it pay for itself quickly in battery savings it sounds GREAT! Remember: ONLY the Takamine DI box will power the CTP-2 other sources of phantom power are not appropriate and do not have the right amount of voltage to run the system.

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Question: Hi I just received my Takamine Acoustic DI and I like it very much, thanks a lot!

One question: It seems like the boost switch does nothing even at MAX boost. Also, the loop switch seems to do nothing, the unit seems to be looping always and the only way to stop it is by turning the loop return gain all the way down.

It does power up my cool tube amp with no problem but the foot switches seem faulty.

Maybe I am doing something wrong.

Thanks a lot, K- - .

P.S. The Tri Ax makes this sound amazing with the cool tube pre-amp!

Answer: These units are built like tanks – I think I know what might be happening:

You should have your guitar plugged into the input of the Acoustic DI. On the opposite side of the pedal is located the Unbalanced OUTPUT (1/4") and the BAL LO Z XLR output. These are the only two outputs connected to the boost and FX Loop - the BUFFERED OUTPUT is not.

The FX loop trouble may be associated to the same event: If you have your guitar plugged into the input and are coming out of the BUFFERED OUTPUT to go the amp then you are essentially by-passing the footswitch features.

Try it this way:

Your guitar is plugged into the input. LOOP SEND should go into the input of your FX unit. You come OUT of your FX unit and plug it into the LOOP RETURN. If you notice, the LOOP footswitch is connected to the LOOP RETURN GAIN control, this controls how much signal is returned back into the system and is very handy for unifying your gain structure.

Come out of the UNBALANCED OUTPUT (1/4") and go to your amp. You can now come out of the BAL LO-Z OUTPUT and go directly to your PA or recording console. This is the most popular way to run the system.

The BUFFERED OUTPUT is basically a special send coming right from your original guitar signal. There are some special occasions where this will come in handy for you - but maybe not right now.

The Acoustic DI is a cool unit but a little confusing a first because you can do some many "tricks" with it.

You can call me here at the store if you would like 502 964 3342. If there is something wrong with the unit I will take care of it so do not worry. At this point maybe spend just a little more time with it.

You probably should have the -12bD PAD button off right now...

Let me know how that works out! Thanks, Bill.

Response: Thanks! It works perfectly when I ran it that way. It was buzzing kind of loud and I pushed the ground lift button and - perfect silence. This is an amazing box!

Thanks again!

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Question: Does the 4 Pin Upgrade Jack for CTP-2 work with a normal passive DI and/or other brands of Direct Boxes other than Takamine?

Answer: Yes, they will work perfectly BUT you will not be able to take advantage of the phantom power that the Takamine DI provides to power the CTP-2, you will have to continue to use batteries to operate the CTP-2.

I would like to offer two additional remarks about the Takamine DI box –

1) I have heard DI’s that sound as good but not better and they are nearly double the price.

2) The CTP-2 is a very advanced circuit that does tend to use a lot of battery energy, the cost of battery savings alone makes the Takamine Acoustic DI a great choice. It sounds and looks fantastic and of course tone is the main factor to an acoustic artist.

SIDE NOTE: The Takamine Acoustic DI box is terrific for bass guitar!

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