Soundhole Pickup Through Tonedexter

BluesKing777 · #1 03-08-2018, 03:13 AM

You never know until you try it!

I tried some other soundhole pickups (RE) I have, but didn't like it. But today I thought to try an old passive Fishman Neo-D Humbucker. Now, I put it in my 1993 Lowden LSE1, which has an undersaddle pickup that is woeful, and then ran it to Tonedexter using it like a modeller, I guess.

So after trying a few of my existing wavemaps, I put on the one I made of my 1935 Gibson L50 and ...I love it! The Lowden sounds not one thing like itself and not one thing like an old Gibson L50, but it is a really nice sound....40 times better than the pickup already in the guitar and way better than the Fishman Neo-D direct. I don't like them at all, but who knew? Tonedexter polished up the soundhole pickup very nicely.

So here is my short solo vocal/guitar version of Dylan's "I Shall Be Released" (there is spill in to the vocal mic of course):

https://soundcloud.com/bk7-3/released-lse1-td77

BluesKing777.

Murphy Slaw · #2 03-08-2018, 05:24 AM

Nice........

Groberts · #3 03-08-2018, 07:29 AM

Very nice sound and a delicate, wonderful performance.

BluesKing777 · #4 03-08-2018, 08:15 AM

Thanks Murph and Gary!

I have owned the pickup for quite a few years - never really disliked it but never played it live or ever wanted to. But with Tonedexter giving a bit more....life?, I would at the least, have it in my bag of tricks as a spare. I mean, it is a humbucker so it is quiet, won’t hum, won’t buck? I don’t think you could get it to feed back if you wanted it to! Seconds to install. Sold! Oh yeah, I already own it... I don’t imagine it would need much work to get it going nicely in a live gig, it seems to sit well with vocals and all eq on the track above was flat.

A good compromise option!

BluesKing777.

noledog · #5 03-08-2018, 10:37 AM

Nice BK and way cool experiment! ...the Fishman Prefix in my Lowden LSEII went kaput years ago I guess from the salt air playin' on the coast here. It was my main workhorse since '97 when I bought 'er new. I gutted it and put a Baggs in it, worked nicely and gifted it to my son who wanted it after a re-fret. Excellent sounding & playing guitar...best sitka top I ever laid eyes on and played, cross-silking out the wazoo!

BluesKing777 · #6 03-08-2018, 03:46 PM

Thanks Eric!

I read your Lowden exploits when I was looking for info on mine after buying it. There isn't a lot of stuff on LSEs, mainly yours!

I mailed Lowden at the time and got a little bit of info..that I already had. But nevertheless, who cares, it is a great Lowden guitar from 1993!

I had the 1 1/16" nut stretched out for better fingerstylin', sort of worked but the slots are a half mil higher now...and I don't know if it is any different, truth...so I may put the original nicely worn one back on.

BluesKing777.

BluesKing777 · #7 03-08-2018, 08:26 PM

Here is another track - my version of Not Fade Away by T Hardin, played through the same set up as the previous track but now I have a cut on my right thumb and have installed Plan B - playing with my middle and index finger. Sometimes Plan B is better than Plan A!

I needed to turn the vocal up from the previous slow song level, but...didn't.

https://soundcloud.com/bk7-3/fade-lse1-td77b

BluesKing777.

Groberts · #8 03-08-2018, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluesKing777

Here is another track - my version of Not Fade Away by T Hardin, played through the same set up as the previous track but now I have a cut on my right thumb and have installed Plan B - playing with my middle and index finger. Sometimes Plan B is better than Plan A!

I needed to turn the vocal up from the previous slow song level, but...didn't.

https://soundcloud.com/bk7-3/fade-lse1-td77b

BluesKing777.

I could listen to your music anytime! I love your musicianship and pure talent. Well done! I would come hear you play whenever possible. (Eric too)

PS; I LOVE Lowden’s. They exude a level of quality and craftsmanship that seems so ‘master grade’ to me. Super great guitars. I played a cutaway F35 that blew my mind, but its price tag was out of my tax bracket and that was that. But what a magnificent instrument!

BluesKing777 · #9 03-09-2018, 01:58 AM

Very kind comments, thanks Gary!

Lowdens are made by angels somewhere. You could get possibly 3 used ones for the value of your beautiful Outlaw. They are still guitars as such and all the used guitar rules apply. I don’t think current electronics are good enough yet to capture that sound in a live environment, being honest...but there is nothing on this Earth like playing my great big O22 in DADGAD on a weekend morning...or my S35 Tasmanian Blackwood/Cedar anytime but late at night when the world has gone to bed!

I feel a bit guilty now putting a crummy old soundhole pickup in the LSE1. It deserves a beautiful sound in a nice mic......

I am trying the same pickup in my old L0 now.....

BluesKing777.

Murphy Slaw · #10 03-09-2018, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groberts

I could listen to your music anytime! I love your musicianship and pure talent.

He has a HUGE fan club, including myself...

BluesKing777 · #11 03-09-2018, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murphy Slaw

He has a HUGE fan club, including myself...

Kind Murph, but untrue. There are zip in the fan club. Lots in yours though!

Had to get a day job. Not complaining, I have a house full of guitars to learn, enjoy and appreciate immensely that I would never have had playing live. Plus a house to put them in!

BluesKing777.

varmonter · #12 03-09-2018, 06:55 AM

Very nice rendition. I Really loved the sound of that guitar. I have done the same
with my TD. James May recommends NOT using
a mag pup to actually make the wavemaps
And there was an exlaination why somewhere
on the forum can't recall exactly what it was
but i know it made sense to me. something
to do with individual pole pieces as compared
to SBT taking a more whole picture of the sound.
if that makes sense.
But i play out live all the time using my
sunrise equipped martin through the TD using
a wavemap made with my kk equipped Taylor adi over madi
custom shop model and it works great.

BluesKing777 · #13 03-09-2018, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varmonter

Very nice rendition. I Really loved the sound of that guitar. I have done the same
with my TD. James May recommends NOT using
a mag pup to actually make the wavemaps
And there was an exlaination why somewhere
on the forum can't recall exactly what it was
but i know it made sense to me. something
to do with individual pole pieces as compared
to SBT taking a more whole picture of the sound.
if that makes sense.
But i play out live all the time using my
sunrise equipped martin through the TD using
a wavemap made with my kk equipped Taylor adi over madi
custom shop model and it works great.

Thanks!

I am glad you are having success with the Sunrise through TD. Cool, eh?
I have made wavemaps with various mag pickups and it doesn’t really work properly, also takes a long while for training.....waste of time. But if it can sweeten a pickup sound live, all is well in the world!

Playing live can be less pedantic than recording direct, and the louder you play, a humbucked soundhole pickup could be crucial...

BluesKing777.

gfirob · #14 03-09-2018, 11:22 AM

This is very interesting Bluesking. I have two acoustic guitars with magnetic pickups in them, a 1937 L4 Gibson and a 30's Gibson square-neck Hawaiian guitar (basically a Kalamazoo KG 11 with a mahogany top) with a lipstick pickup in it. I have not used the Tonedexter with these two guys because the advice was that the TD is a dud with magnetic pickups, but your sample suggests otherwise. My TD is loaned out to a friend to use in a performance, but when it comes back I am going to give it a try. And I'll try wavemaps made from my other guitars too. Thanks for the trailblazing...

varmonter · #15 03-09-2018, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gfirob

This is very interesting Bluesking. I have two acoustic guitars with magnetic pickups in them, a 1937 L4 Gibson and a 30's Gibson square-neck Hawaiian guitar (basically a Kalamazoo KG 11 with a mahogany top) with a lipstick pickup in it. I have not used the Tonedexter with these two guys because the advice was that the TD is a dud with magnetic pickups, but your sample suggests otherwise. My TD is loaned out to a friend to use in a performance, but when it comes back I am going to give it a try. And I'll try wavemaps made from my other guitars too. Thanks for the trailblazing...

again ymmv but actually making the wavemaps
with a mag pup has had not so good results.
in my case using a mag pup thru a K&k generated
wavemap worked fine..