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  #16  
Old 06-20-2011, 04:45 PM
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El Conquistador El Conquistador is offline
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If you really like the way your guitar sounds acoustically, the Anthem is your best best because it will amplify the actual sounds of your guitar.
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Originally Posted by Joseph Hanna View Post
. I've made the argument from the first night I played an Anthem that it's strengths are NOT the age old impossibility of "my guitar only louder" but instead the Anthem is a very musical system that EXCELS at volume

Hmmm. It would seem mileage has varied on this.

Steve
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  #17  
Old 06-20-2011, 05:15 PM
jennconducts jennconducts is offline
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I've never noticed the acoustic sounds of my instruments changing when I installed a PU. It would be interesting to see the results of a double-blind test or the results of a scientific measurement of a comparison.
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  #18  
Old 06-20-2011, 05:58 PM
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I have the full Anthem in my Collings D1A. I'm very pleased with it. I am not aware of any noticeable change to the acoustic sound of the guitar.
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  #19  
Old 06-20-2011, 10:22 PM
jseth jseth is offline
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well, all I can say is, how long did you play your guitar BEFORE you had that pick-up installed? In my case, I played my Angus for 32 years, everyday, and I KNOW what it sounded like before I had the Anthem installed... and it has changed.

James Goodall was curious/suspicious of a change in the guitar's natural tone with the Anthem, as well; as a result, he just cut a new saddle and nut for my Angus, as well as doing a STELLAR set-up on the guitar. Unfortunately, his great work did not change the tonal differences and loss of volume that I experienced after the Anthem install...

I stand by my initial estimation: a loss of approx. 5-10% in overall volume, and a kind of "damping" of the tonal character of the instrument - on my Angus (a maple b/s, German spruce top, CJ shape), the difference in tone is an even-ing out of the exceptionally strong mids; now the guitar is actually "more" balanced than it was before the Anthem. Not really a horrible thing, I suppose, but still...

BTW, I experienced NO difference in tone or volume from a Fishman UST; the Fishman is quite hard and a bit thicker than the Element in the Anthem. The Element is a ribbon, wrapped in a braided sort of cover... perhaps that's where the sound differential initiated; it's difficult to believe that the True-Mic on the bridgeplate would cause the differences I hear...

...sigh... and, as I've said before, I really like the sound of the Anthem through my Bose system... if I didn't, I'd rip it out! As it is, I'm going to live with the change and enjoy the amplified sound.

Just my experience, of course... YMMV... but I figured that folks deserve a "head's up" about the possibility...
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  #20  
Old 06-21-2011, 09:51 AM
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I play my luthier built guitar unplugged 90% of the time. So, unplugged tone trumps plugged-in tone for me. If plugged-in tone trumps unplugged for you, then, this would not apply to your situation.

I had seen a number of posts on the UMGF about the evils of soft USTs, so, I posted a question about the potential tone killing effects of the specific type of UST used in the Baggs system over in the Custom forum so that the luthiers that frequent that forum would see it. This is what I got:
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...l+Conquistador

I know Guitaraniac of this forum has wondered out loud why Baggs chose this particular UST for the same reason.

Steve
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  #21  
Old 06-21-2011, 01:18 PM
Alpione Alpione is offline
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I have chosen not to go the Anthem route in my luthier built guitar and will use the K&K system instead. The reasons are:

1. The K&K is the least invasive system available. I simply am not comfortable attaching microphones and control panels to my guitars that builders have spent their hours and talent maximizing the responsiveness.
I could buy this if you said "lightest" or something similar, but not "least invasive." Super gluing something to the bridgeplate isn't particularly non-invasive IMO. I learned that the hard way while trying to scrape a Mini off. Scraping/prying something out of your guitar is not a pleasant activity.

I liked the K&Ks for the most part, but for my purposes they definitely need a preamp and significant EQ cuts in the midrange and bass on my larger guitars. The trebles always seemed a bit thin to me, as well, which may be why their "new and improved" instructions have you put the treble transducer directly under the high-E rather than between the E and B.

With the Anthem, I give a bit of a bass cut and go, though the mic to UST balance screw is essential for initial setup.

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  #22  
Old 06-21-2011, 01:47 PM
Joseph Hanna Joseph Hanna is offline
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Originally Posted by Alpione View Post
With the Anthem, I give a bit of a bass cut and go, though the mic to UST balance screw is essential for initial setup.

Adam
This..

As I've mentioned before my first experience with the Anthem was a friend who happens to be a Baggs dealer who literally put a Collings/Anthem in my hands and said "go gig with this tonight, I think you'll like it."

My thought was to play a song or two just to test the waters. I plugged in, rolled off maybe 3 dB at 10K and played. Not only did I use that guitar all night but I didn't fiddle and faddle with anything the entire gig. I didn't touch the volume, I didn't touch the eq. I effortlessly heard and felt everything I needed to hear and feel...a rarity even with my old Rare Earth Blend that I knew so well. I find the Anthem system extremely plug and play.

Further it's the first pickup system that I've actually enjoyed leaving the mid-range frequencies in. I often think some of these systems require a decent mid-cut and in doing so lose something wonderful and natural to acoustic guitar mid presence.

My acoustic is important to me both acoustically and plugged in. Either I've lost some of my hearing (certainly possible) or the Anthem doesn't effect the acoustic sound of my guitar. I notice no difference and I'm pretty picky. That's not to say other guitars and guitarist don't hear something. That certainly doesn't shock me.

YMMV and just my 2 cents
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  #23  
Old 06-21-2011, 02:45 PM
guitaniac guitaniac is offline
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Just like preferences in music, people like what they like with respect to pickup sound. I've found that the K&K mini-Pure in one of my OMs is a little too feedback prone, ambient sounding and lacking in high-end "edge" for my live sound needs. I get more pleasing results (for my taste and needs) when I blend in some UST signal (PUTW I/O UST) with the mini-Pure signal. As well as that works, though, I still prefer the Anthem SL systems which I have in two other guitars. The SL is easier to set up, doesn't quack at all, responds better and sounds better, for my taste.

Gary
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  #24  
Old 06-21-2011, 03:25 PM
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I could buy this if you said "lightest" or something similar, but not "least invasive." Super gluing something to the bridgeplate isn't particularly non-invasive IMO. Adam
Perhaps a quick read of the linked thread would support my assertion of the K&K and its minimal effect on the unplugged tone of a fine guitar?
Steve
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  #25  
Old 06-21-2011, 03:28 PM
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Any time something other than what the saddle or bridge are made of is put under the saddle, some change in the acoustic properties will result.

Those who are more intimately familiar with the tone and resonance of their guitar will more readily notice the change in energy transfer from string to soundboard.

To expect no change whatsoever in the acoustic properties is a little unrealistic.
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  #26  
Old 06-21-2011, 05:15 PM
jennconducts jennconducts is offline
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The first instrument that I installed the Anthem in had been played extensively by me for 4-5 years before the installation. I didn't notice a difference between the uninstalled/installed sound. The other two guitars that have the Anthem were only a week old each when I installed the PU. It does make sense to me some quality of the instrument would change with a UST. You are introducing that can change the vibrational qualities. But my ears are pretty good (I have them checked yearly, as my professional life depends on my hearing), and I don't hear a difference. I would remind everyone that "aural memory" is a tricky thing, and much of it depends on expectation.

I play plugged in a lot, both gigging and teaching 3 large classes per week. My plugged in sound is super important to me. I love the sound that I get from all 3 of my performance guitars with the Anthem.
Jenn
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  #27  
Old 06-21-2011, 05:26 PM
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I play plugged in a lot, both gigging and teaching 3 large classes per week. My plugged in sound is super important to me. I love the sound that I get from all 3 of my performance guitars with the Anthem.
Jenn
Good for you Jenn! This is exactly what we are all looking for. Glad you found what you need out of a pick-up system.
Steve
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  #28  
Old 06-21-2011, 09:21 PM
jennconducts jennconducts is offline
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Hey Steve, sometime when you're over at the coast, ring me up and we'll get together!
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  #29  
Old 06-21-2011, 10:04 PM
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Hey Steve, sometime when you're over at the coast, ring me up and we'll get together!
Coolio! However, I am the father of a 17 year old daughter with an extremely active social life, so, I don't get over very often these days.
Steve
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  #30  
Old 06-22-2011, 08:08 AM
Alpione Alpione is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by El Conquistador View Post
Perhaps a quick read of the linked thread would support my assertion of the K&K and its minimal effect on the unplugged tone of a fine guitar?
Steve
Apparently we're talking apples to oranges here. I thought you meant least physically invasive on/in the guitar. Sounds like you were actually talking about least invasive on the unplugged SOUND of the guitar. I could buy that when compared to a UST.

That said, never again will I glue things to my bridge plate.

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Coolio! However, I am the father of a 17 year old daughter with an extremely active social life, so, I don't get over very often these days.
Steve
Oh boy. I've got a three year old who now has a busier social life than I do. I fear what happens when she's a teenager!

Adam
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