#16
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Save yourself further disappointment and put in a K&K Pure Mini. There's a very good reason why they are such a popular pickup!
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#17
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I just had to comment on this. IMO and others might disagree, but the Aura isn't going to make an OM sound like a dread or a Martin sound like a Taylor. It's true that an OM image might just work on a dread but it's not as if you are going to completely alter the sound of your guitar. I have no doubt that the Ovation sounds better with the Guild image but that's most likely because the piezo quack and unnatural characteristics have been limited. I highly doubt anyone would mistake the Ovation for a Guild plugged in. I think the aura technology is incredible but I have come to the conclusion that unless you have an exact image of your guitar, it's never going to sound its best. The best aura samples I have heard were from Martin guitars that had exact images of that guitar installed. That's not to say you won't have good luck (I used random images with my Taylor for years), I just wouldn't expect a miracle cure. |
#18
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__________________
"Lift your head and smile at trouble. You'll find happiness someday." |
#19
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And you don't need to take my word for it. Go to the Audio Sprockets site and listen to the videos. Read the threads here about it. It's new, and it's a game-changer. |
#20
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Before you spend any money, take it to a guitar store and have their tech or most technical guitar salesman, put it through its paces with one of their amps. A Matrix stand alone should sound pretty good. If yours doesn't sound right to those independent ears, bring it back to the guy who installed it for a check. If it sounds OK then go ToneDexter or Aura. I've found anything less than an Aura (and there are a lot of them) not really all that useful (one man's opinion).
I'm a retired EE and lifetime electronics tinkerer. I've probably installed something approaching 50 PUPs in my guitars and friend's guitars. I consider my work very good and I take my time. That said, I made a freshman error in my last install and did not notice until I took the guitar to a gig (when tying down the Element UST inside the guitar I pulled it slightly into the guitar and left the high e sounding weak -- the Element is active over its entire length which means you can't leave it flopping around and in-theory improves the UST tone with some inside the box "air"). So give that tech another go if the guitar store trip confirms it is not up to snuff. Things do go wrong.
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jf45ir Free DIY Acoustic Guitar IR Generator .wav file, 30 seconds, pickup left, mic right, open position strumming best...send to direct email below I'll send you 100/0, 75/25, 50/50 & 0/100 IR/Bypass IRs IR Demo, read the description too: https://youtu.be/SELEE4yugjE My duo's website and my email... [email protected] Jon Fields Last edited by jonfields45; 09-16-2017 at 03:07 PM. |
#21
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My luthier simply filed a shallow notch in the bridge under the b string. You migh also flip the bass boost switch to the opposite position. These things made me enjoy playing that guitar plugged in.
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A bunch of guitars I really enjoy. A head full of lyrics, A house full of people that “get” me. Alvarez 5013 Alvarez MD70CE Alvarez PD85S Alvarez AJ60SC Alvarez ABT610e Alvarez-Yairi GY1 Takamine P3DC Takamine GJ72CE-12-NAT Godin Multiac Steel. Journey Instruments OF660 Gibson G45 |
#22
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another one here for "not a fan". i had that Matrix system installed in two guitars .... i hate too!!!
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#23
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Appreciate all of the input. I am going to start working through this one step at a time.
I did find a great deal on the Aura pedal, so I'm going to let that play out and see how it is. My main thing at this point is to get the quacking/kazoo thing to stop. Played it again in church today. Man, that sound is all I can hear. If the Aura fixes it, and even if the Aura makes it sound close to the original sound (or the sound I hear when it's just me and the Guild in my living room) my search is over. I'm really not that much of an audiophile -- which is what makes this all so frustrating. I have an old sound-hole pickup that I bought 30 years ago called a silencer. That thing sounds better than the Matrix does. So it is possible there is something off with the install. I don't need it to sound just like a Martin, or a 12 String Guild. I just need it to sound like a 6-String Guild Acoustic. But I am taking notes of all of the suggestions! Keep them coming! |
#24
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+1 for the Aura Spectrum to solve the quack issue. My Taylor 614 has the older Fishman barn door system, which is basically the Matrix with extras. I too play in church, and the quack was so bad and distracting I considered selling the guitar. I tried the Aura Spectrum based on comments in this forum, and problem solved. Didn't worry about matching the image - just spun the dials until I found a good sound. Turn up the Blend dial just enough to cut the quack, about 10 - 11 o'clock. Just make sure your Matrix is installed with even saddle contact. Good luck and keep playing!
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#25
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"Winner, winner. Chicken dinner"...
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#26
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¿ EQ ?
Excerpt :
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¿EQ - What do you use to begin with on it before your friend hooked you into the Fishman amp ? Piezos can sound different in different amps true . Amping an acoustic has always been fraught with pitfalls and incongruities up the wazzu . My Washburn D46SCE's Eqi-Plus is a decent pre amp/EQ on that dreadnought and the cheapie on my acoustic nylon Lucero is good too , but , mic'ing a acoustic guitar is probably unbeatable as I have been told and learned . I'm using the BodyRez on my T.C. Helicon Voice Live 3 X and it seems to make acoustic piezos sound better than other amps with limited EQ control . I have tried a few pedals , those expensive $300.00 to $600.00 acoustic stomp pedals are good no doubt , but for the money they are way out of control price wise to my wallet bang for the buck pre requisite . I've a Samson C01 & a Shure SM57 to record my resonator and other acoustic instruments . With FX added to this set up it is really cool . To try to do this live is another story but doable , you need feed back suppressors and the like added to the chain of equipment . My portable Mackie FreePlay P.A. has feed back suppression as my T.C. Helicon does and I have a two channel Behringer feed back suppressor/EQ . These things help you when your live with an acoustic instrument , in fact they are essentials to the solution you are seeking . :Good luck man . EZ : HR
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It started for me with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in 54 on a Blues Harp and progressed , then life .....some death ....Evolving as I went like a small rock in a stream rounding out as I went with the flow as I go through the white waters and waterfalls of life . Life has always been interesting to me |
#27
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First off thanks again to everyone who gave advice and opinions.
I found a Fishman Aura Spectrum DI for half-price (used) on the GC web page. It came and I am loving it. No packaging, no cables, no manual. Luckily, packaging gets thrown away, I'm a tech geek so I have cables and AC power galore, and the internet is the world's best manual anyway. The quack-quack is gone gone. Of course, now I have all of these images to play around with. I am finding that the images that are supposed to be exactly my guitar don't sound like it (to my ear) -- but with all of the variety to choose from, I have several that sound clean and pure. I have some Aura questions, but I'll put that in a separate thread. Some parting thoughts (Things I think I think):
Thanks again everyone! |
#28
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We are overdue for a new video that shows exactly the minimum you need to do train and get great results. We'll have something up soon. In the meantime, glad you have something that is working for you.
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James May Audio Sprockets maker of ToneDexter James May Engineering maker of the Ultra Tonic Pickup |
#29
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I do like the sound I am getting -- but much of that is relief the quack is gone. It doesn't sound exactly like "My GUILD but louder" which was the original goal. My goal changed when I was having all of the problems finding a sound that was "An amplified version of my GUILD's sound that doesn't make me grind my teeth." |
#30
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Regarding quack, as I understand things, it is as a result of the piezo-electric effect where the resulting signal is not linearly proportional to the vibrations due to the element being under pressure (pushed down by the saddle). The Pure Mini (which sits inside the guitar on the bridge plate) and the ES (where the pickup elements press up against the side of the saddle, not squashed underneath) have much less if any quack. So, although delay, reverb and chorus etc won't tame the quack it may be worth trying a gentle compressor to even out those peaks!
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Gibson ES-335 Studio 2016; Furch OM34sr 2015; Fender MiJ Geddy Lee Jazz bass, 2009; Taylor 414CE 2005; Guild D35 NT 1976; Fender MIM Classic 60s Tele 2008; Fender US Standard Strat 1992; G&L ASAT classic hollowbody 2005; Ibanez RG350MDX 2010(?); Ibanez Musician fretless, 1980s; Seymour Duncan Tube 84-40; Vox AC4TV; Ex-pat Brit in Sweden
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