THE ART OF INNOVATION

The Takamine story started four decades ago in the town of Sakashita, Japan, with a small group of luthiers crafting modest numbers of high quality acoustic guitars following established designs and using traditional methods. Forty years on, and Takamine guitars are cherished by thousands of players the world over and championed by some of the most talented and celebrated musicians on the planet.

And in this time we’ve introduced technological innovations in order to meet the needs of musicians who are themselves constantly pushing the boundaries of acoustic music. Carefully selected tone woods are stacked, turned and gently seasoned for many months in precisely controlled atmospheric conditions before use. We check guitar tops for resonance, grain and quality, while different levels of flexibility are compensated for by subtly varying the dimensions of the bracing. And whilst we’ve always held the traditional skills of the luthier in the highest esteem, we’ve never been afraid

to advance the art of guitar building by embracing new technology and ideas.

These guitars incorporated the first incarnation of the now legendary palathetic pickup, which set the standard for the industry. Unlike the retro-fit pickups used by other manufacturers, our pickup is an integral part of the bridge assembly, collecting both string and soundboard information. Now in its latest state-of-the-art form, it continues to be highly revered by the acoustic guitar connoisseurs.

B R I N G I T T O L I F E

CONTENTS

Timeline

05

Takamine TLC

 

 

- Care of your instrument

06

- Strings & action adjustments

08

- Troubleshooting guide

11

Pre-amps

 

 

- Cool Tube and CT4-B pre-amps

12

- TK-40 and TP-4 pre-amps

16

- TRI-AX

18

Frequently asked questions

20

Servicing your Takamine

22

Owners information

22

Luthiers checklist

23