Old Takamine with (apparently) dead preamp

[jfp69]

I have a 1982 Takamine EF400C that I bought new, and used for several years playing with various garage bands. I haven't plugged it in in many years, but I've recently started jamming with friends who want to form a band, so I want to amplify it again. I expected the 9v battery to be dead, which it seemingly was, and thankfully there was no corrosion. I replaced the battery, plugged it into an amp and got no sound whatsoever other than a scratching sort of sound when I moved the "gain" slider (the other two sliders being treble and bass). I squirted WD-40 into the sliders (mistake?), which did away with the scratching noise, so now there's no sound at all.

 

I noticed a double-spade plug which inserts into the base of the battery holder, which seemed loose but firmed up once the battery assembly was re-installed. The strap button, which is also the quarter-inch plug, has always been loose, but I got it finger-tight again, and which presumably wouldn't explain the scratching sort of sound in the first place, since it wouldn't even have done that if something had come completely loose.

 

I've looked at Takamine's website, and it appears that my particular preamp assembly is not being used any more and is presumably obsolete. Is it fixable? Any ideas? Thanks!

[smatel]

 

I have a 1982 Takamine EF400C that I bought new, and used for several years playing with various garage bands. I haven't plugged it in in many years, but I've recently started jamming with friends who want to form a band, so I want to amplify it again. I expected the 9v battery to be dead, which it seemingly was, and thankfully there was no corrosion. I replaced the battery, plugged it into an amp and got no sound whatsoever other than a scratching sort of sound when I moved the "gain" slider (the other two sliders being treble and bass). I squirted WD-40 into the sliders (mistake?), which did away with the scratching noise, so now there's no sound at all. I noticed a double-spade plug which inserts into the base of the battery holder, which seemed loose but firmed up once the battery assembly was re-installed. The strap button, which is also the quarter-inch plug, has always been loose, but I got it finger-tight again, and which presumably wouldn't explain the scratching sort of sound in the first place, since it wouldn't even have done that if something had come completely loose. I've looked at Takamine's website, and it appears that my particular preamp assembly is not being used any more and is presumably obsolete. Is it fixable? Any ideas? Thanks!

 

 

Yeah. A better soulution will be contact cleaner. You're going to have a bitch of a time getting the lube out of that preamp. At this point, I'd recommend taking it to the shop.

[smatel]

Contact Cleaner

[keyshore]

I have bought in Dec 2006 a 2005 EF400SC, it a great guitar and they now have the CT4Bii preamp, as your 1982 model is a japanese version your pre amp can be fitted with the new version preamp which includes the cool tube CT1 preamp, however Takamine seem to be extreamly hesitant to sell their preamps, what you can do is to call up their US distributer Kaman Music and speak to Jeremy Faucher at Takamine customer care, he will give up some options.

Keyshore

[Terry Allan Hall]

 

I have bought in Dec 2006 a 2005 EF400SC, it a great guitar and they now have the CT4Bii preamp, as your 1982 model is a japanese version your pre amp can be fitted with the new version preamp which includes the cool tube CT1 preamp, however Takamine seem to be extreamly hesitant to sell their preamps, what you can do is to call up their US distributer Kaman Music and speak to Jeremy Faucher at Takamine customer care, he will give up some options. Keyshore

 

 

Or call Mark Makure, same place...he's usually a very helpful guy.

[denvertrakker]

 

Contact Cleaner

 

 

Try this - much better, same price. The gold standard of contact cleaners:

 

http://www.mcminone.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=MCMProducts&product%5Fid=200%2D040