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  #16  
Old 09-17-2014, 06:59 AM
Petty1818 Petty1818 is offline
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Originally Posted by Doug Young View Post
? Can you explain why a satin finish guitar and a mic is a bad idea? Maybe you're assuming something like the Meridian or DPA 4099 that mounts on the guitar? Otherwise, I'm puzzled...
I am just assuming here but I think he is referring to the added noise that can come from a satin finished guitar. My Larrivee has a satin finish and when my shirt, body or arms rub the top, back or sides it creates a louder sound than with my gloss finished guitars. I wouldn't say an internal mic is a bad idea for a satin finished guitar, it just might pick up more of those sounds.
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  #17  
Old 09-17-2014, 01:49 PM
simondylan simondylan is offline
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Originally Posted by Doug Young View Post
? Can you explain why a satin finish guitar and a mic is a bad idea? Maybe you're assuming something like the Meridian or DPA 4099 that mounts on the guitar? Otherwise, I'm puzzled...
Yes happy to Doug. One of the guys above, I forget who now, was talking about getting a lot of unwanted sound from his shirt buttons against the body of his guitar or something like that. I've just found that that effect is much more of a problem with satin finish guitars. They are more sensitive to handling with microphones and or SBTs installed. I had a Lyric in a Seagull w/satin finish and it wasn't good but I have a Lyric in a 60's Martin, w/gloss finish and it's glorious! I've experienced this on other guitars I've worked on with other mics. If you rub you fingers across the top of a satin finish it produces a lot more sound, plugged in it's just amplified. It gets in your head and requires you to EQ out highs that you might otherwise want, plus it effects the way you play! That's all.
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  #18  
Old 09-17-2014, 02:31 PM
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Doug Young Doug Young is offline
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Originally Posted by simondylan View Post
Yes happy to Doug. One of the guys above, I forget who now, was talking about getting a lot of unwanted sound from his shirt buttons against the body of his guitar or something like that. I've just found that that effect is much more of a problem with satin finish guitars. They are more sensitive to handling with microphones and or SBTs installed. I had a Lyric in a Seagull w/satin finish and it wasn't good but I have a Lyric in a 60's Martin, w/gloss finish and it's glorious! I've experienced this on other guitars I've worked on with other mics. If you rub you fingers across the top of a satin finish it produces a lot more sound, plugged in it's just amplified. It gets in your head and requires you to EQ out highs that you might otherwise want, plus it effects the way you play! That's all.

Ah, I never would have thought of that. I guess I never rub my fingers across a top when I play! The only time I've encountered issues with this type of noises is with the mounted mics, like the DPA 4099. It tends to pick up everything due to it's position - breathing, for example. I've not had any problems with picking up unwanted noises with the Lyric, or other internal mics - one of the reasons to use a mic is to pick up body sounds, percussion, etc , so I guess whether this is a problem or a feature depends on your needs.
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  #19  
Old 09-17-2014, 03:46 PM
chocolatebear chocolatebear is offline
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Originally Posted by djwayne View Post
I'm looking at a guitar that has one of these pickups in it...What would I be getting into if I bought it...a good pickup or problem pickup ?? I know it's an active pickup so I'd have to keep a fresh battery on hand. Do they wear down fast ?? How's it sound compared to passive pickups ?? Would I be better off with another type of pickup ??

I've gone to the LL Baggs website and heard their demo's...it sounds pretty good to me. I like the idea of a mic inside the guitar, makes sense to me....but then again I don't know everything...thanks in advance for any responses...
I just purchased LR Baggs Ibeam pickup and was not very happy with it. I have heard better things about the Lyric though. What kind of pickup do you have now. Do you play gigs? Size of band? Those are things to consider.
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  #20  
Old 09-17-2014, 04:07 PM
Yamaha Man Yamaha Man is offline
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Originally Posted by chocolatebear View Post
I just purchased LR Baggs Ibeam pickup and was not very happy with it. I have heard better things about the Lyric though. What kind of pickup do you have now. Do you play gigs? Size of band? Those are things to consider.
I have a few different pickups. A Martin GoldLine in my Taylor 12 string, a LR Baggs M1A in my D-18. I also have a disconnected old under bridge pickup on the D-18, I think it was an old Fishman.

I use the pickups to record directly into my computer for making recordings, and into my Roland MicroCube for practicing around the house. I don't play out anymore due to health reasons. It's just a hobby to occupy my time. I used to play out but not anymore...but lately I've been requested by neighbors to play a few songs for them. Sounds like fun. Sometimes I'll jam with friends, and having a pickup is very convenient just to plug in.

I heard the demo's of the Lyric on LR Baggs' website, it sounds like it would be good enough for me. I like the idea of a good quality mic inside the guitar. It makes sense to me.

Last edited by Yamaha Man; 09-17-2014 at 06:05 PM.
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  #21  
Old 09-17-2014, 06:51 PM
Yamaha Man Yamaha Man is offline
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Originally Posted by MichaelBT View Post
Both

the Lyric is a great pick-up but it needs some dramatic EQ to get it right. Search the forums here on what settings others use to tame it. If you can get a Para DI to go with it and spend some time getting your settings right, you'll have a really REALLY good sound, up there or better than most everything out there. If you plug straight in, you will be disappointed.
I've found a really good and informative video that walks you thru the Para DI unit.....time well spent to watch it....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG8eBG7cUdE
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  #22  
Old 09-17-2014, 08:31 PM
Treenewt Treenewt is offline
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Originally Posted by simondylan View Post
Is your Breedlove a satin finish? Mic's are just generally a bad idea with satin finish guitars but not so bad with gloss finishes. Also you mentioned EQ, It's a little surprising how many people talk about EQ like they shouldn't need to use it, and if they do, it must be a deficiency in the pickup design. I've done a lot of recording sessions with many high end mics (external mic's), and they all needed EQ without exception so why would anybody think a mic or pickup mounted in a guitar wouldn't need EQ? Now to Kip, the switch in the plug is actually brilliant! There have been systems with switches from some companies in the past and from what I experienced, people would always forget the turn them off, thus killing their battery while the guitar was sitting in its case! Plus, where you going to put a switch on your nice acoustic?
And the rechargeable thing, I know Misi has been working on that for years and it's getting better but it seems like most people are skeptical of the technology because you don't get many hours of playing time before it dies. If someday they could squeak out about 100 plus playing hours from a system like that along with a quality pickup or mic I bet it would be a huge hit. Just some things to consider.
Sorry for the delay...I lost this thread when they moved it!

Yes my Breedlove is satin finish, and no doubt you're right about the issue with the sensitivity. That's a great point that I should have clarified.

I am not knocking the Lyric at all, just trying to pass on the pros and cons (per the threads original question) that I see with it in my particular guitar. The way in which you play and what you're looking for are definite things to consider.

As to EQ, I run my K&K almost flat, depending on the guitar. My D18 takes a slight bass cut and a treble boost (slight!) and my Eastman is pretty much straight up. So when I say the Lyric needs a lot of EQ, it's in relation to those two setups. In my experience there is much less involved in getting a workable and great sound with the K&K. YMMV. :-)
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  #23  
Old 09-18-2014, 01:25 PM
simondylan simondylan is offline
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Originally Posted by Treenewt View Post
Sorry for the delay...I lost this thread when they moved it!

Yes my Breedlove is satin finish, and no doubt you're right about the issue with the sensitivity. That's a great point that I should have clarified.

I am not knocking the Lyric at all, just trying to pass on the pros and cons (per the threads original question) that I see with it in my particular guitar. The way in which you play and what you're looking for are definite things to consider.

As to EQ, I run my K&K almost flat, depending on the guitar. My D18 takes a slight bass cut and a treble boost (slight!) and my Eastman is pretty much straight up. So when I say the Lyric needs a lot of EQ, it's in relation to those two setups. In my experience there is much less involved in getting a workable and great sound with the K&K. YMMV. :-)
Wow! that's really interesting. I have found some guitars that just amplify more easily no matter what pickup they have for example, I have a friend who has a Martin D-18 and a Gibson Dove, that are each just really smooth regardless of the pickup and they need very little EQ. Between myself and another friend we have a few guitars that all need very specialized and quite extreme EQ curves, regardless of the pickup they have. We experiment a lot! Those guitars range from a couple of very nice hand made guitars, another Gibson J-45, Taylor CE 14 w/ cedar top, a Breedlove, a Larrivee, and a Recording King. I guess this is where I get my opinion of the guitar having a lot more to do with the amplified sound then most folks want to admit or believe. By the way, the EQ curves needed on those guitars doesn't actually reflect how they sound acoustically. Something else comes out when they are amplified for what ever reason! And most of those characteristics follow the guitar with most pickups we've tried in them.
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