THE
CTP-1 COOL TUBE PREAMP
After
over two years of research and design time,
Takamine has once again demonstrated their
leadership in acoustic-electric guitar
amplification technology.
The
CTP-1 "Cool Tube" preamp introduced at the
January 2004 NAMM show in Anaheim, California is
the most significant development in "on-board"
acoustic signal processing since Takamine
presented the Acoustic DSP, the industry's first
on-board "digital" acoustic guitar preamplifier
in 1998. The Takamine CTP-1 "Cool Tube" preamp
is an on-board acoustic- electric preamp that
utilizes a 12AU7 dual triode vacuum tube. The
CTP-1 packs a huge amount of features and
amazing tone into a compact package that fits
neatly into Takamine's "SoundChoice" docking
port. This new "Cool Tube" preamp joins a range
of five distinctly different preamps that are
all interchangeable, giving the Takamine player
several great options to fit their personal
style and taste.
The
CTP-1 "Cool Tube" preamp gets its name from
Takamine's unique and new technology that runs
the Tube at very low voltages, therefore the
tube does not glow or produce high levels of
heat. The tube actually runs at only two or
three degrees above ambient, so there is no
concern over the delicate tone woods being
affected by radiant heat. With the Takamine
CTP-1 "Cool Tube" preamp, the playing will be
hot, the tone will be warm, and the tube always
remains cool.
Cool
Tube Features
Takamine
players will find a most useful array of
features to enhance their recording or live
performance applications:
A
chromatic tuner available at your fingertips
keeps the guitar in tune. The tuner is
capable of being calibrated from A438, to
A445. An LED display reveals the note being
played and directs the player with
illuminated arrows that show sharp and
flat.>
The
EQ section utilizes a shelving, graphic EQ,
which can cut or boost bass and treble
frequencies. The mid range is shaped using a
semi-parametric EQ section comprised of a
rotary knob used to choose the mid point of
the midrange frequency. The midrange
frequency can be cut or boosted with the mid
slider. The range of frequency covered by the
rotary knob is 200hz to 8.5Khz.
The
tonality of the preamp is further enhanced by
the use of the rotary knob labeled "Cool
Tube" With this control, the player chooses
the depth of effect the tube places on the
signal generated by the proven Takamine
"Palathetic" pickup. With this knob the
player can choose from a high degree of "CUT"
for aggressive strumming; expanded
"sweetness" and harmonic density with fatter
lows and rounder highs; or levels of
rewarding richness for finger style
players.
An
auxiliary input jack and volume knob, which
can control an additional add-on pickup of
your choice. This facility can accept a
magnetic sound hole pickup, or a soundboard
transducer. The AUX control knob is used to
blend the add-on signal with the Takamine
pickup. A small switch in the back of the
preamp can be used to match the varying
outputs of different pickups with the preamp.
The output volume slider can then control the
blended signal. The CTP-1 is powered by 4 AA
batteries, which will deliver approximately
24 hours of playing time.
Currently
the CTP-1 is only available as original
equipment in select Takamine models. In the
future it may be purchased separately for
upgrading older guitars.
