From 2003 through late 2006 Brad Davis' main acoustic guitar has been a Takamine Nashville Model guitar (he has the TNV340 and the TNV360). Since late 2006 his main guitar has been the new Takamine Bluegrass Model (EF360/BG). Brad first became interested in using the Takamine guitar when he was trying to find a guitar that would work for the Sam Bush gig. He tried using his Collings, his Merrill, and his CA (playing through a mic, a pick-up, or both) and they each were just not cutting it with that band. With a drummer in the band, the volume was too loud for those guitars to perform optimally. Brad tried the Takamine and the Tak's cool-tube pick up system was the only thing that he tried that he felt could handle that job. He tried four different guitars with that band and solicited feedback from the band members and sound men. Brad, Sam, and Sam's sound guy (Rick Martini), all liked the Takamine's sound the best with that band. Since then, Earl Scruggs has told him the same thing. Earl said it was the best acoustic guitar he has heard on stage in years. Part of the reason is the unique sound reinforcement system that Brad designed and uses with the Takamine (more on that later).

The story behind the particular Takamine guitar model that Brad first played is an interesting one. Brad heard Mike Markure from Takamine talking about a new guitar that he had designed for Takamine's line. It turns out that the guitar was voiced to match a guitar tone on a solo that Mike had heard on a movie soundtrack. Mike was watching a movie, heard a killer guitar tone, copied the soundtrack and had the design guys at Takamine voice the guitar top to match the tone of the guitar in the soundtrack. When Brad heard Mike tell this story he asked which movie the guitar solo came from. Mike said that it was Steven Segal's "Fire Down Below". It turns out that Brad was the person who played that guitar solo in that movie and he had used his Merrill C-28 guitar. So Brad's first Takamine, the one he started using with the Sam Bush Band, was voiced to match his Merrill before Brad had any contact with Takamine.

The pickup system in Brad's Takamine is a combination of the Takamine Cool Tube, a Tri-Ax, and a Joe Mills mic all configured together. Brad configured this system himself. The Takamine comes with the cool tube system. Brad added the Tri-Ax magnetic pickup in the sound hole. He also added a Joe Mills mic inside the guitar. The real trick was blending these three systems together. Brad said, "Takamine said that it couldn't be done. My tech in Nashville said that it couldn't be done. But Sam Bush's sound guy, Rick Martini, is a genius and he said, 'No problem.' He ordered a jack and wired all my guitars. Takamine was kind of blown away because they thought that, electronically, it couldn't be done." Brad runs the tri-ax through the cool tube and then runs the mic through the endpin and directly to the house. Those who felt that it couldn't be done told Brad that there was not an endpin jack that could handle all of that, but Rick Martini found one and soldered it all together. Brad said, "The mic goes right to the house, I don't have any control over it, although I could put an attenuator on there. I can control the tri-ax and the cool tube. The way I run it is 60% cool tune, 20% tri-ax, and 20% mic. It is the best pick up system." Brad runs the cool tube and tri-ax to a Ultrasound amp that sits behind him on stage, and then it runs out to the house.

Although Brad is a Takamine clinician, he does not play the Takamine just because of the endorsement deal. Ever since he got his first Takamine guitar he has truly felt that the Takamine is the easiest to play, stays in tune best during a live performance, and sounds the best on stage. He still uses his Merrill, Collings, and a Breedlove (owned by Billy Bob Thornton) in the studio when the colors and textures that those guitars provide are required, but on stage he always picks the Takamine.

Brad has had several other acoustic guitar builders approach him with endorsement deals and he tells them flat out that he is going to play the Takamine on stage (Brad's deal with Takamine is not exclusive). Brad plays in a lot of situations and in a variety of settings. On one road trip this year (which required 12 plane flights in 7 days) he played a couple of solo gigs, played on the Henry Rollins show with Billy Bob Thornton, played with a four piece acoustic band, conducted workshops, and played on television with David Lee Roth. He can only afford to take one guitar on the plane with him and he feels the Takamine is the most versatile guitar for the variety of jobs that he plays. View Brad's Takamine Cool Tube Demo!

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