Best Takamine CT4-DX Preamp Alternatives

Based on 4 reviews

Wonderful! I really can not find anything wrong! I used it on my violin with piezo pick up in a recording studio. It gave me the natural, warm and sweet sound I was looking for, but it has the ability to make another hue. I was very satisfied with the eq and the filters helped me a lot in shaping the tone of my violin! Having a second channel is very helpful as you can combine the microphone sound at the same time. I have not tried it but I believe that the result will be even better. Also, xlr in helps with this. Excellent sound quality. It also provides a fairly strong signal. Strong DI. Very positive that you can handle each channel separately. You can also choose whether to use one or two channels! For me, it is a great quality tool. I do not think anyone has anything to fear from...

Based on 2 reviews

My 40 year old preamp in my Ovation 1618 12 string had gone bad. I found the original Ovation replacement part to be ridiculous expensive. The MicroPre in combination with a stacked potentiometer is a very cost effective alternative, provided you are not scared using a soldering iron. Installation: instructions are available online. For me a huge plus, cause it allows you to assess it pre-purchase. Diagrams are well documented and showing different installation options (volume only, volume + tone control). If you know how to solder, you can install it. Only downside is that the instructions don not include the tech specs for the volume/tone potentiometers and tone capacitor. Based on the pots sold by Schatten seperately I figured out that both volume and tone pot need to be 500K Ohm log...

Based on 8 reviews

As you would expect with anything Takamine, this product is quality in every way. First off, the preamp has a solid, well-built quality feel with all of the components well made. The sliders are smooth to operate and give the impression that they would remain solid and functional after loads of gigs. Fitting the preamp is very easy, with only two holding clips to release. The wiring contacts are super easy to fit and the whole process should only take a couple of minutes. In operation, the preamp does exactly what it is supposed to do! The EQ section is sheer class and has a neat subtle effect on the guitar's sound. The tuner is acceptable and accurate enough for live performance. However, if you want more accuracy when setting-up the guitar you might want to use a dedicated tuner. The...

Based on 3 reviews

I used this kit (along with Graph Tech?s Ghost saddle set), to make a nylon string Stratocaster! It sounds very good, just as an acoustic classical nylon string guitar. I also like that there?s an option to add the ?Hexpander? kit, which gives MIDI output as well. It was relatively easy to install. The only soldering required is the cables to the output jack. One thing I dislike though, is that the 9V battery only lasts about 6 months. In my case I had to place the battery under the pickguard, which makes it kind of a hassle to replace.

Based on 5 reviews

My "old" Takamine had a standard preamp (CT4B) and I was using it for about 4 years on stage. I (or better foh) always had to equalize the guitar signal to get a "meaty" and at the same time crispy signal. Now the new CTP-3 came up and I read just overwhelming reviews - watched some videos on YT and came to the conclusion: I need to try this. Ordered - next day it has been deliverd (thanks to the T-Team - always great and fast work). I just had to "unplug" the original preamp, plug the existing cables to the CTP-3 and slide it in - done. After a short (30sec) warmup of the tube: there comes the sun - a sound what I never expected from my guitar. No equalizer - straight through - perfect sound. My personal opinion: highly recommended - but don't forget the...

Based on 4 reviews

I bought this as a replacement for my previous OP-PRO. I can't speak for how long it will last, as these are notorious for going bad. But when they work, they are some of the best sounding preamps going. There's almost zero noise and the pre-shape Ovation has incorporated is so good, you almost don't even need to tough the EQ. It's actually good enough to record direct, which is rare for an acoustic preamp. Ovation has excelled at their preamp tech, hopefully with this newer version, the problems the older one had (bad volume control) will be a thing of the past.