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July 2007
Posts: 16
Location: Stockholm, Sweden | I´ve read that a lot, or at least that some, adamas player uses external preamps for stage and recording. One example is the L R Baggs used by Kaki King for example. Now I lift this question to the wise men and women of OFC.
Why would I need an external preamp to my ovation guitar?
Has this something to do with feedback issues on stage or/and soundcontrol in the studio with additional eq´s etc. What about OP-pro and the new vip-5 what´s missing?
I can understand vocals with a micpre for sound control and volume - what I don´t understand is op-pro plus LR baggs = preamp + preamp :confused: .
//Strepin |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Everyone uses an external pre-amp on an ovation/adamas guitar (unless you're plugging straight into a power amp). Usually it's the mixing board. But it's just a question of what control you want on the guitar body itself (I prefer none), what control you want close by on stage, and what control you want to leave up to the board op. Dave |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | To color your sound. Kaki King used to use a Sans Amp DI-Box plus an optical compressor. So I suppose this is less complicated and cheaper, one less piece of kit to carry around.
Since I'm a coffee house player, I don't need it, and if I do need something, I use my alesis 6fx, which I also use if I'm recording. Some people need it, I don't want to be bothered lugging it around. |
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September 2005
Posts: 3619
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | I'm definitly not an expert on this one, but I have been using an external preamp for the past 8 years. I currently use the Zoom A2.1u Acoustic Effects pedal (I know it may be considered a cheapo to some) but I can get just about any sound or mixed effects I could ever want from it, and it even has built-in drum kits, a tuner, and automatic feedback control. I love the sound of an Ovation/Adamas, but sometimes I want something different. So it comes with an arsenal of different modeled guitar sounds (Martin D-28, Gibson Jumbo, etc...blah, blah, blah) and different amp models, including lots of self-assignable storage banks to make your own sounds and save them. To coin a phrase... "it's like a box of chocolates" (: HEY MAN ... Variety is the spice of life!!! OK ... I'm off the soap box. |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Yeah, that`s about it.. variety :)
Vic |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | There's no reason why you cannot use additional preamps, but you need to know what you are doing as stacking gain-stage upon gain-stage can be asking for trouble, potentially producing noise, distortion and encouraging feedback, The latest Ovation preamps, especially those with balanced outputs, are more than adequate. Your playing style, the situations you play in and the volume you need to play at will determine if you need anything more.
I use a bunch of stuff after the onboard preamps. This is my current stage rig
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Looks like a rig from Mission Impossible..will it self-destruct afte two chords... :)
Vic
..Looks Neat though.. |
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July 2007
Posts: 16
Location: Stockholm, Sweden | Paul, impressive little case you got there.
Do you use two lr baggs - is it the para acoustic - one for each channel - or are you stacking them on each other in a chain?
Would it be possible to describe what just these two boxes do with the sound as the LR baggs are not - as a lot of many things - not available here in Sweden. I have read a lot of good things about the LR baggs and on the Sans amp as well.
//strepin |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | The reason for this rig is because I play several instruments over the course of a show and this allows me to EQ and add reverb to each instrument independantly and then sub-mix to a single channel on the main PA. Another huge plus is that it can be set up and ready to go in seconds flat.
On the shows I've been playing lately I've been using a couple of EA Vipers (1 steel, 1 nylon) an Ovation Mandolin, a lap steel, a Weissenborn replica and a dulcimer. A Boss AD5 takes care of the Ovations. It has Roland's COSM mic modelling which is pretty good and a decent digital plate reverb simulation. The Ovations are so predictable and reliable that they are never a problem. The lap steel goes through the Boss FDR1 (Fender deluxe reverb amp modeller) The Weissenborn and dulcimer have a Baggs para-acoustic DI each. Neither of these instruments have onboard EQ, hence the Baggs. All the DI's go to separate channels on a Behringer Xynx mixer with digital reverb, then to a DBX compressor and finally a Behringer Shark feedback destroyer.
The Baggs Para-Acoustics are among the best DI's out there. The Sans Amp is very good also. The Aphex pedals are worth checking out. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Paul, very nice rig my friend! I really like the compact nature and the Behringer Xynx is really cool...how do you like the new Boss FDR1? I have not had a chance to hear one yet...I am building a small pedal board for use with my electrics as well as my Ovations...I agree, the O's are extremely reliable and always feel like a pair of favorite shoe's: so comfortable! I am looking at a Boss CE-20 Chorus Pedal, RT-20 Rotary Ensemble, and BF-3 Flanger...I plan to route through a Direct box to my HR Deluxe for the Strat; and to the main Carvin XP880 PA for the Ovations; I also use my POD w/floorboard as a sub for the Fender/Boss rig depending on the venue. My O's sound great run through the PA and EQ'd onboard...I am experimenting with running the O's through the CE-20 and RT-20 for thicker richer effect...But my rig is not as compact as yours...very nice! :cool:
Blessings... |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Here is one possibility: under $90 Behringer Xenyx 1002FX
Blessings... |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | The FDR1 is awesome!
If you heard Paul playing the LapSteel at the HotelJams, he was plugged into the FDR1 and then into my little bi-amped monitor.
He made it sound like a MUCH bigger rig! . . . |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Thanks Cliff...I didn't know the rig at the hotel...it was awesome!
Blessings... |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Originally posted by MusicMishka:
[QB] how do you like the new Boss FDR1? I have not had a chance to hear one yet...QB] Yes you have Mike, I picked up up my FDR1 while I was over in May, and as Cliff said, that's what I was playing Lap Steel through during the jams. Either into his little Fender monitor wedge or Mitch's Epi Valve Jnr. At the ski lodge it was going through Kim's Bruno, which was a killer combination.
I'm not really using it the way it's intended. It is designed as a front-end for an electric guitar amp, and as such it does a pretty good job of imparting some of the character of a Deluxe Reverb. I'm using it direct into a Bose L1 rig, in an attempt to get an overdriven lap steel tone without lugging an electric amp to acoustic shows. It's not a perfect solution, but it's pretty damn good. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Paul, did you play JB's Viper III through it as sell...that sound was fantastic! (of course, the picker was no slouch either...lol)
Blessings... |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | I'd forgotten about that. Yes I did. That was a killer tone. It was set-up for a pretty filthy lap steel sound and all I did was back off the volume on the Viper a little to clean it up. The nice thing about the FDR1 is that it responds well to changes in guitar volume or picking strength, just like a real Deluxe. That Viper of John's is a stunner. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Well, ok then, I stand corrected...I have heard the pedal...and it is great! I plan to drive up this year to the tour and if so...I'll bring a little bit more "stuff" with me...
Blessings... |
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Joined:
July 2007
Posts: 16
Location: Stockholm, Sweden | Thanks Paul for sorting it all out - that
was quite a complex set up and everything was there for a reason - great. If geography wasn´t an issue here it would be great to come to one of your shows. Put up a big sign here at OFC and let me know if you plan to play in Sweden or Scandinavia.
Regards
//strepin |
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external preamps and ovation guitars?