2003 Takamine TAN15C, CTP-1 Cool Tube

🎸 Takamine TAN15C (2003) – MIJ SuperNatural Series w/ Cool Tube Preamp – Player Grade Mojo

Up for grabs is a 2003 Takamine TAN15C, built in Japan during Takamine’s golden-era Pro Series run—when these were serious stage and studio weapons.

This is not a closet queen. This guitar has been played, loved, and broken in exactly how you want a cedar/rosewood dreadnought to be.

And the big headline here…

👉 CTP-1 Cool Tube preamp — one of the most unique and sought-after acoustic preamps ever put in a guitar.

🔥 Why This One Matters

The TAN15C sits in Takamine’s SuperNatural Series, featuring:

• Solid cedar top (warm, responsive, touch-sensitive)
• Solid rosewood back (huge low end + projection)
• Rosewood sides
• Scalloped bracing
• Abalone rosette, gold hardware
• Pinless bridge (fast string changes)

This combo gives you a deep, broken-in low end with a sweet, compressed top—perfect for singer-songwriters and live players. 

⚡ The Cool Tube (CTP-1) – The Real Star

If you know, you know.

Takamine’s Cool Tube preamp is legendary because it actually runs a real tube inside the guitar, giving you:

• Warm, studio-like tone plugged in
• Natural compression
• Way more “mic’d” character than typical piezos

🛠️ Condition (Player Grade – Read Carefully)

This guitar has earned its tone:

• Noticeable fret wear (still completely playable, but worth noting)
• Dings, chips, and scratches throughout
• Cloudy lacquer on:
  
• • Front of headstock
  • Back
• Typical cedar top wear in the strumming zone (these tops are soft by nature)

👉 It’s structurally solid and plays well, but this is not a collector piece—it’s a working musician’s guitar with real character.

⚠️ Electronics Note

• The battery compartment is currently broken
• Preamp is present, but will need repair/replacement to be fully functional

💡 I’m actively looking for a replacement and will update the listing if resolved—but for now, selling AS-IS electronically

🎯 Who This Is For

This is perfect if you:

• Want a pro-level MIJ Takamine for way less money
• Value tone and vibe over cosmetics
• Plan to gig, record, or upgrade the electronics
• Understand how rare the Cool Tube system is

Given:

• Player-grade wear
• Non-functional battery compartment

👉 This is priced to move but not rushed—a killer deal for the right buyer who gets it.

📦 The Details

• Model: Takamine TAN15C
• Year: 2003
• Made in Japan 🇯🇵
• Electronics: CTP-1 Cool Tube (see note above)
• Case: maybe original, but period hard shell case

🧠 Final Word

This is one of those guitars where the tone is already there.

It’s open, warm, and seasoned in a way new guitars just aren’t.

Fix the battery box, level the frets down the road, and you’ve got a serious stage instrument for a fraction of its original caliber.