X7 with K&K pure mini amplified

[ceciltguitar]

What am I doing wrong? Admittedly, I am NOT a sound engineer. Not even close.

For 15 years my wife has played a Taylor 312 CE. We use a Fishman 2008 SoloAmp (before they changed the name to SA 220, but I think that it is the same amp).

I bought her an Emerald X5 a year ago. "Too small", she said. "No low end". So Alistair was kind enough (well aren't we all kind when we are well paid? Alistair IS very kind and patient with me, though) to build her a custom woody X7 with K&K pure mini. We tried it twice in a gig situation. The first time the X7 had a low frequency hum that I could not get rid of. So I bought a L.R. Baggs Para Acoustic DI with a notch filter. No more hum today. But at BOTH of the gigs that she played the X7 (different venues) the amplified X7 sounds like a tin can. Very muddy sound. The Taylor sounds MUCH BETTER through the SoloAmp with the same lack of expertise that I bring to the gig.

She says that the X7 sounds like a tin can NOT plugged in too. I beg to differ. I like the unplugged sound of both the X5 and the X7, ESPECIALLY the X7. And I don't even play steel string guitar, just nylon string.

She loves the size and ergonomics of the X7, and she likes the shorter scale. And we both agree that the X7 stays in tune better than her Taylor throughout the gig, especially when she uses a capo bar, especially when using the capo bar above the 5th fret.

With all the glowing reviews that I have heard of the X7, both amplified and not amplified, it is perfectly reasonable to believe that the poor quality sound is the fault of the sound man: Me.

Any suggestions to improve the amplified sound of the X7? Any suggestions for an alternative lightweight CF or non CF short scale instrument? Journey OFF660? (Did I get that right?)

I might be selling BOTH the X5 and the X7 soon.

[Barb1]

My X7 has an Anthem SL and sounds great when amplified as long as I roll back the bass so it is not boomy.
Barb

[Captain Jim]

My X7 has the B-Band pickup, and it kicks! I know the K&K gets a lot of love on the AGF, but it really does need a preamp. I'm guessing the issue lies in the use of the L.R. Baggs Para Acoustic DI. There are a lot of EQ options with that, so I'd suggest setting up your rig at home and working out the sound there, instead of during a gig. Start with the controls zeroed out, and make small changes (one dial at a time) until you hear an improvement in the output.

Sound/tone is a personal taste. You've had plenty of time to get the 312 dialed in the way you like. If she isn't happy with the sound of the X7 unplugged, I can understand why she'd feel the same when plugged in. Give it some time and experimenting.

What strings is she using? Have you checked the mounting/gluing of the K&K?

[Song]

It's not the guitar. Emeralds are especially well suited for amplification.
As Captain said, check your signal path, eq, batteries, cables, pickups, etc..
Check the guitars PUs through a different amp or speaker system.
If the PUs are an issue and you can't reach them have a tech check it out.
Make sure your equipment works and your tone is good before a performance (sound checks).
Good luck! (Let us know what happens)

Amplified X7:

[JimCA]

Originally Posted by Song

It's not the guitar. Emeralds are especially well suited for amplification.
As Captain said, check your signal path, eq, batteries, cables, pickups, etc..
Check the guitars PUs through a different amp or speaker system.
If the PUs are an issue and you can't reach them have a tech check it out.
Make sure your equipment works and your tone is good before a performance (sound checks).
Good luck! (Let us know what happens)

Amplified X7:

Sounds so good! What strings do you use?

[dadio917]

The K&K in my 000ec had a buzz that came and went. I sent K&K an email and they suggested checking is the wiring came in contact with the body. Sure enough. they said to loosen the plug connector and twist it and the wires to get them suspended. Sounds great now!

Another idea is that the pickups are not secured to the bridge plate. You can easily pull them off and reattach with some CA glue.

I added a k&K to my RS and it sounds wonderful.

[Song]

Originally Posted by JimCA

Sounds so good! What strings do you use?

I should have noted that it is not me.
It is a vid I found to demonstrate what the OPs guitar should sound like through an amp.
retroblue says: "Jazz-It Blues" is a tune I wrote some years ago that I often use as a break song between sets with my band. Here I'm trying it out on my carbon fiber Emerald X-7 OS guitar with a Boss RC-3 Loop Station for looping the parts. This was amplified through a Fishman Loudbox Mini." https://youtu.be/Vx65UE6FVU0
By just looking and listening to these strings they appear to be electric.

I use electric strings on both of my Emeralds and they sound great plugged in, or not.

[DHart]

Originally Posted by ceciltguitar

Any suggestions for an alternative lightweight CF or non CF short scale instrument? Journey OFF660? (Did I get that right?)

I might be selling BOTH the X5 and the X7 soon.

I have a new RainSong CH-OM1100NS (short-scale, 12-fret) and a new Emerald X7 Artisan. I don't play either of them amplified.

They're both pretty cool guitars! Both are keepers for me.

If it were to come down to picking one or the other for acoustic tone and range of tone, the RainSong CH-OM1100NS would be the very clear, very easy winner, and by a considerable margin!

There is a significant difference in acoustic tone between these two instruments, in part -of course- as you would expect comparing a somewhat larger instrument to a somewhat smaller instrument. But I think there is a little more to this conclusion of mine than simply instrument size.

I think RainSong has found a way to make a top that is exceptionally responsive, yielding a very full, well-balanced, and brilliantly sparkly tone which I find delightful! Beyond that, the CH-OM1100NS is very light weight, relatively compact, and priced wonderfully. This guitar is a home-run!

I would REALLY love to play a CH-PA1100NS (the RainSong Parlor size) back-to-back with the X7... those two would be quite close in size for a comparison.

If you are considering purchase of another carbon fiber guitar that is compact, nimble, and sounds FANTASTIC... take a good, long, and very close look at RainSong CH-OM1100NS, or the Parlor version.

I like my X7 Artisan for its very compact and comfortable form factor, and the tone is pretty good. But I feel its very small body holds it back from delivering the range and tone that guitars such as the CH-OM1100NS offers. The difference in sound IS significant, but the size difference isn't all THAT much.

RainSong has really hit a huge high point with their CH-series of instruments which sound phenomenal, play very well, and are priced quite reasonably.