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Q. What strings do Takamine use?

A. Takamine use their own brand strings and D’Addario EXP strings.

The gauge for steel strings is .012" to .054". Nylon strings are
normal tension.

Q. I think the neck might need adjustment, should I adjust the truss

rod myself?

A. You probably can if you are careful. A quarter of a turn may be all

that is needed. Remember the adjustment you are making so that
you can reset it to the original position if needed. Be sure not to
overtighten the rod, if it feels tight seek advice. 

Q. I would like to fit a strap button rather than tie the strap at the

nut. Where is the best position to fit it and what is your advice?

A. Most guitar repairers will supply a button and do this job for you.

It’s a small job but requires a lot of care in positioning the button
and fitting it. Probably the best position is a location on the heel
taking into account the curvature of the neck, how it balances the
guitar, affects on playing the higher position frets and fitting the
guitar into a case.

Q. Can I take my guitar abroad?

A. Yes. Takamine guitars are sold all over the world. Just bear in

mind that changes in humidity will almost certainly affect the
action/neck settings once adapted to the new environment.
Adjustments may be needed. Avoid the jungle!

Q. I think my guitar needs a service, 

any suggestions?

A. There are plenty of very competent guitar

makers around and it would be best to take
it with you to demonstrate problems. Try the
shop where you purchased it first though, as
they might be able to help. Be aware of the 
length and conditions of the warranty. 

Q. I have noticed some small playing marks appearing on the front 

of my guitar. Should playing marks appear so easily? I am not a
heavy player.

A. Unfortunately it is fairly easy to mark softwoods such as Cedar.

Marks caused by picks or fingernails are quite commonplace
unless a pickguard is fitted.

Q. It seems that the sound of my guitar has changed from when 

I bought it, is this possible?

A. Hopefully the sound will have improved as the woods age. If the

sound of your guitar has deteriated then it could be due to old,
damaged or poor quality strings, fretwear or wear to the saddle
or nut. It is recommended you seek help if changing the strings
doesn't fix it.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

www.takamine.co.uk

 

Summary of Contents for TK-40

Page 1: ...B R I N G I T T O L I F E www takamine co uk Owners Manual ...

Page 2: ...t 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 ...

Page 3: ...nning new palathetic pickups 1986 The first Natural Series guitar is launched and receives plaudits the world over 1987 Takamine introduces its first Limited Edition model to celebrate 25 years of master luthiery 1988 The Takamine Parametric EQ pre amp is launched and immediately becomes the standard by which others are judged 1989 Takamine develop the replaceable pre amp package system featuring ...

Page 4: ...fitting hard case for carrying and storing If travelling by air slacken off the strings as changes in temperature and altitude can damage the top or neck if tuned to pitch If possible take as hand luggage Keep your guitar clean use a soft clean cloth and avoid any polish that might be slightly abrasive Take special care with satin finishes Changing strings regularly or as soon as they loose accura...

Page 5: ...itarists and retains optimum volume and tone When changing strings do not wind on too many turns 3 or 4 is usually sufficient with wound strings and 4 to 5 turns on plain Too many string windings can cause tuning stability problems If you are changing to a different gauge of string it may be necessary to adjust the truss rod to balance the change in stress on the neck to restore the previous actio...

Page 6: ...er if necessary Care must be taken as the action cannot be properly raised afterwards without replacing either of these integral parts Again an authorised retailer or guitar technician should be able to make adjustments Takamine do not guarantee guitars against string or fret buzz because the action is set too low If you wish to have a very low action set on your guitar this can usually be done bu...

Page 7: ...ry easy to use The tuner is activated by pressing the TUNER POWER button To tune your instrument simply pluck any open string The tuner will then display the name of the note that has the closest frequency of the string played The amount of deviation from the note higher or lower is displayed by red arrows indicating sharp or flat When only the green center light illuminates the note indicated in ...

Page 8: ...hooses 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 ...

Page 9: ... pre amp has been activated If the LED glows dimly this indicates that the battery level is low and due for a change Additional features of the TK 40 pre amp EQ Bypass Bypassing EQ is desirable in some studio or live environments where external EQ is preferable It s also useful in that it allows you to compare your EQ adjustments to your unaffected amplified tone With the switch in the depressed p...

Page 10: ...lt in Class A pre amp make for superb noiseless performance whether in the studio or on stage It s also highly resistant to acoustic feedback which of course is just what you need for playing live You can choose to run the TRI AX in either active or passive modes When connected to the Cool Tube select passive mode and use the Cool Tube s Aux control to blend with the Palathetic pickup for a greatl...

Page 11: ...s are sold all over the world Just bear in mind that changes in humidity will almost certainly affect the action neck settings once adapted to the new environment Adjustments may be needed Avoid the jungle Q I think my guitar needs a service any suggestions A There are plenty of very competent guitar makers around and it would be best to take it with you to demonstrate problems Try the shop where ...

Page 12: ...ATION Model Serial No Purchased from Date Other information This owners manual is produced by Korg U K It is for general guidance only No liability is accepted for misuse or misinterpretation of its content Takamine may change or upgrade model specifications LUTHIER S CHECKLIST Each and every guitar that passes through our warehouse is individually checked by qualified luthiers to ensure they meet...

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