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Location: Maple Shade, NJ. | HAs anyone ever tried any aftermarket Pickups in an Ovation? I was thinking of tring either a Fishman "Rare Earth" soundhole humbucker, or their Matrix Natural I undersaddle w/preamp.
I play thru a PA and the volume levels need to be pretty high to keep up with the rest of the band, any thoughts? |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | I take it you have an acoustic O?
Try the fishman. |
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Location: Maple Shade, NJ. | They are both Fishmans |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | The RareEarth Blend (Humbucker & CondenserMic) sounds very good in both my Lowden and FD14... |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Yeah, OK, I wasn't thinking. The rare earf soundhole is what I meant. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Did n`t someone mention once that the Humbucker/Condensor was Feedback prone..?.
Vic |
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Location: Maple Shade, NJ. | How does it sound with some volume behind it? |
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Location: Maple Shade, NJ. | Thats what I'm afraid of (feedback), maybe the undersaddle would be better. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | ..plus it`s a pain to fiddle with that Condensor mic. , Undersaddle would be my choice..not too fiddly and less prone to feedback..
Vic |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | IMO it has a very natural warm, slightly compressed tone. I used in my 12 string on the tour stage (the only time I've used it outside of just my GenzBenz Shen Jr and it performed well with no feedback issues... |
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Location: Maple Shade, NJ. | Jeff,...was that the undersaddle? |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | naw... the "Blend" |
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Location: Scotland | I used to use Fishman RareEarth pickups (actually they were the original UK-made pre-Fisman licence Vanden Mimesis) and Sunrise pickups on my acoustic slide guitars, but I think the Baggs M1, especially the M1-Active, blows them both away. The bugbear for me on the Vanden/Fishmans was the lack of adjustable pole-pieces. I'm really anal about string-to-string balance, and if you use anything but a standard gauge set the balance is off.
For a blender pickup the Seymour Duncan Mag-Mic is killer.
As for feedback, you'll generally get a lot more useable gain before feedback with a magnetic than an undersaddle. As soon as you put an internal mic into the equation you start to lose headroom, regardless of the main pickup source. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | P T : As soon as you put an internal mic into the equation you start to lose headroom, regardless of the main pickup source.
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..for once do I agree with P T.. |
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Location: Maple Shade, NJ. | OK, so do you think I would be better off with the soundhole w/preamp?
http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-FSM-PREP102.html |
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Location: Scotland | Originally posted by HumblePie aka Solid Top:
P T : As soon as you put an internal mic into the equation you start to lose headroom, regardless of the main pickup source.
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..for once do I agree with P T.. ON MY GOD!!!!! I am SOOOOO relieved. At last I have some validation and my self-esteem has been restored. My work here is done. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | P T : ON MY GOD!!!!! I am SOOOOO relieved. At last I have some validation and my self-esteem has been restored. My work here is done.
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..I will still seat myself at the head of the table.. |
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Location: Scotland | Apparently sarcasm hasn't reached Denmark yet..... |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | it's back ordered....... |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | P T : Apparently sarcasm hasn't reached Denmark yet.....
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..it is being recognized as a French invention.. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Sorry FUZZMAN ,
..did n`t mean to involve U in a tribal -feud , the P U that U mention would require strings for an Electric guitar , which , I dare say , do not sound that well on an acoustic , the " rare earth " , only means a magnet of high strength i.e , strong magnetic properties , imo , the undersaddle would be the better choice to amplify an Acoustic , having the Advantage to use Acoustic strings , and , here is where the Gentleman residing in Scotland shines , he obviously has used/burned himself on those ones on occasion.
Vic |
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Location: Scotland | Vic, I'm not going to get into a pissing match with you, nor will I enter into a battle of wits with someone who is so patently obviously unarmed.
Fuzzyman, I suggest you read through the archives on this subject, there have been some informative posts in the past. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Well now P T ,..
..sorry to hear that U take it this way , I do recognize that U are being held in High Esteem here on the board , the Tribal feud I referred to , was , U mentioned Danmark , I mentioned Scotland , ...the " Sarcasm " U `ve displayed over the last bit of time , directed towards me , and some others , I would compare to " Spitefullness " , I can take it , some others can n`t , including y`erself perhaps , I find that to be a Pity , as I do Recognize that U are rather knowledgable in certain fields , sorry old man , No harm was meant.
Vic |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Sorry about all this FUZZMAN ,
..in my opinion the undersaddle PU would be the best ( acoustic ) deal..
Vic |
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Location: enid, ok | Who's afraid of a little feedback? Wussies! |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | ..is n`t that Whoo -sees...or Wuh -zeez.. |
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Location: Maple Shade, NJ. | Humblepie, where did you get the info that Electric guitar strings need to be used?
Fishman says "Each magnet in the Rare Earth is voiced for precise balance with Bronze or Phosphor-Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings" |
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Location: Utah | I've used phos-bronze acoustic strings with a magnetic pickup in my 12 string just fine. It's a German unit about 25 yrs old, with a humbucker and a piezo dot that can be individually controlled and mixed. Sounds fine with acoustic strings through the humbucker. |
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Location: Warren,Pa. | Humble Pie (and anyone else),
You can't even begin to compete with Temp on this subject.
However, I do have a suggestion: Let's set up a mud wrestling pool in the hotel lobby this fall.
John <>{ |
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Location: Scotland | They all say that their pickups are "balanced for Phosphor Bronze" And some are, but only up to a point. To me it makes as much sense using phosphor bronze strings on an acoustic guitar with a soundhole pickup as it does putting phosphor-bronze on a strat. That said, the Rare Earths are better than most pickups of this type at producing an acceptable (but to my ears no more than acceptable) tone with acoustic guitar strings of standard off-the-shelf guages. The bottom line is, phosphor-bronze is a non-ferrous metal, which means the wrap wires are ignored by the pickup magnets which only see the core wires. They may achieve balance by playing around with polepiece magnet strength but it's hardly presice. Using nickel strings increases output significantly, but without adjustable poles the balance can be off. I find that regardless of what the manufacturers claim, I get beter results with nickel strings and a pickup with adjustable poles, especially with the very heavy gauges I use for my lap guitars. |
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Location: Cork, Ireland | There are some that combine a magnetic and an undersaddle? Or your could relatively easily buid your own hybrid if you can do basic electronic assembly. For what it's worth, I have an Artec single coil which compares favourably (and sometimes better) with the high end ones (for a fraction of the price) in reviews on www.harmony-central.com. I use it on a cheap guitar (Applesauce) on a basic home-made amp myself and also through the home hi-fi. Apparently soundhole pickups have come a long way since the basic ones of the 60's. I know Richard Thompson uses a Sunrise and he's a serious player of acoustiic guitar. |
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Location: Scotland | When I had my old company I used to import the Artec 3-way blender systems (Mic, mag and undersaddle) Artec stuff is exceptional value. I have a shipment of their magnetic pickups on the way, they are ridiculously good for what they cost.
Combining a magnetic with an undersaddle is a good way to go. Solid bottom end from the magnetic, sparkle from the piezo. Works great. Even better on separate outs. |
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Location: Cork, Ireland | Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
When I had my old company I used to import the Artec 3-way blender systems (Mic, mag and undersaddle) Artec stuff is exceptional value. I have a shipment of their magnetic pickups on the way, they are ridiculously good for what they cost.
Combining a magnetic with an undersaddle is a good way to go. Solid bottom end from the magnetic, sparkle from the piezo. Works great. Even better on separate outs. Yes - about a 3rd of the price! And of course you can fit it and try out the sound without cutting or drilling anything. On my basic system the bass strings sound great - very 'acoustic' but the trebles less so. The piezo might pick up these better. |
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Aftermarket Pickup