Pick Up The World -- Anyone Own One???

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by sdelsolray

I've used a PUTW #54 for a long time, coupled with an internal or external condenser mic (solo fingerstyle). It's an excellent pickup and I've found no reason to replace it with anything else. It requires proper installation and requires locating the first gain/impedance buffering stage close to the pickup, neither of which is much "trouble" at all, as those requirements are quite mundane and only need to be done once.

In my opinion, it has better sonic and behavioral performance than any other SBT I have experienced, at least for my ears and uses.

Thanks for your post. That jibes with what I'm hearing out there.

thanks again,
scott

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by guitaniac

I'm really liking the results of blending the PUTW I/O UST with the iRig mic, especially for recording. The iRig preamp is designed for blending in a second source if desired. To my surprise, it works well with the passive I/O UST. The caveat is that its a weak signal out which must be boosted at another point in the signal chain.

It should be mentioned that the I/O UST puts out a much stronger signal than the SBTs. It sounds pretty good as a single source pickup, and I have no noise problem using it with an outboard preamp and relatively short (10') instrument cable.

Thanks for the info and appreciate the tips. I probably won't have time to install these for a couple weeks or even months, but my nature is to be methodical, thorough, and exacting.

Thanks!
Scott

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by guitaniac

If you want to get as close as possible to an SM57 sound, I'd think that ToneDexter plus a guitar with a good pickup (PUTW I/O UST or PUTW #27) would be your best shot at that goal. USTs and SBTs just don't listen from the same perspective as a mic, but ToneDexter does a good job of simulating a mic's perspective.

BTW, PUTW pickup designer David Enke has a new company. You might want to contact him directly to discuss your plans.
https://opentosourcesensors.com/

Great info. I will definitely contact him.

On the ToneDexter thing: I already own a Fishman Aura, and this sounds like a similar digital imaging approach. I'm generally opposed to that. In a perfect world, the entire signal chain would be pure analog, start to finish, with NO processing other than increased gain. I want a guitar to sound exactly the way it sounds, only loudly. I realize this is almost a physical impossibility, and that live performance, due mainly to feedback issues, makes this impractical. But that is my goa.

The closer I can get to that, the happier I am.

My view is that things like the Aura and ToneDexter take me in the opposite direction I want to go, taking nothing away from those excellent products. Just not my thing, so I do everything to avoid that approach.

Yeah, I'm stubborn.

Thank You,
Scott

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by MrErikJ

It just depends on what you prefer. The Radial PZ preamps are very powerful, adjustable, and transparent preamp/DIs. They do not color your sound as much as amplify your pickup cleanly and provide you a great deal of control over EQ and feedback. Your PUTW would probably sound great with it. It's a godsend preamp for passive piezos like the Baggs LB6 and the K&K Pure Mini.

The Tonedexter uses modelling to "correct" your pickup's sound to better resemble its mic'd tone. It probably isn't as "powerful" as the Radial but its intention isn't transparent amplification like the Radial's is. It is using digital modeling to shape your pickup's sound whereas the Radial just (cleanly) turns up your pickup's power and gives you a powerful EQ to adjust it to your needs. I think you'll have exceptional tone with either.

Folks, sorry to appear to dominate this thread and keep "bumping" it. I just wanted to make sure, now that I have the time, to respond directly to each post. The whole electronic thing is for me a black hole. I've been playing more than forty years, but I've never played electric.

To Clarify: I am much more interested in a flat, transparent approach to the signal path, at least for my current experiment with the PUTW rig. My ideal situation would be invisible electronics that do nothing more than add gain. The Radial sounds like the best approach for me, since there are always factors of different rooms sounding differently and therefore at least some minor tonal adjustments.

If I had to choose one word to define my approach, I'd say "purist." I'm old-school and devoted to an approach that is analog in nature.

Thanks So Much,
Scott

[guitaniac]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Folks, sorry to appear to dominate this thread and keep "bumping" it. I just wanted to make sure, now that I have the time, to respond directly to each post. The whole electronic thing is for me a black hole. I've been playing more than forty years, but I've never played electric.

To Clarify: I am much more interested in a flat, transparent approach to the signal path, at least for my current experiment with the PUTW rig. My ideal situation would be invisible electronics that do nothing more than add gain. The Radial sounds like the best approach for me, since there are always factors of different rooms sounding differently and therefore at least some minor tonal adjustments.

If I had to choose one word to define my approach, I'd say "purist." I'm old-school and devoted to an approach that is analog in nature.

Thanks So Much,
Scott

Since you're avoiding the digital route altogether, it should be mentioned that the iRig Acoustic Stage system (which I referred to in an earlier post) employs some digital processing within the little preamp.


BTW, I wouldn't speculate much on ToneDexter's effectiveness based on what can be done using the Aura Spectrum and the stock sound images that are stored in the Spectrum or available in the Aura Gallery. ToneDexter enables the user to create custom WaveMaps by using his/her own particular guitar in creating the WaveMaps. In any event, I think you'll find that some of the ToneDexter users here are former Aura users who much prefer what can be done with ToneDexter.

[RandyOK]

David Enke he was with PUTW but now has his own company "Open to Source Sensors" https://opentosourcesensors.com/prod...olsFocus=false

He makes a pickup like the SM 54 check it out

[Charmed Life Picks]

Last two posters, thanks. I've heard about David's company and will be contacting him at some point. Someone had already mentioned this to me, but I appreciate the heads up nonetheless.

thanks,
scott memmer

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by RandyOK

David Enke he was with PUTW but now has his own company "Open to Source Sensors" https://opentosourcesensors.com/prod...olsFocus=false

He makes a pickup like the SM 54 check it out

Randy, will indeed contact him.

Thanks So Much,
Scott