I think I'm going to give up on my lyric

[Mischief]

I dunno. When I first researched the lyric I was happy with it. When I first got it I knew there would be some growing pains.
I installed it in my Pono and thought it was okay but it sounded thin.

Natural but thin and then there was some frequencies that raked on my nerves.

So I then got the acoustic play pedal for its body Rez and EQ capabilities. But after a year I still can't get a descent sound. I thought I did and then I plugged in my Cort with its cheap Fishman and overall it sounded heaps better.

So I figured I'd give it one more go and used it at the open mic tonight and with the cooperation of 2 sound guys they could barely get a descent sound (using my TC play acoustic pedal as my DI).

The guys before and after just plugged into their board and sounded great.

I don't think it's actually the lyric itself. I think it's the lyric in this very small body Pono l-30 guitar (size 2).

No questions really just a bit of a vent and saying what I'm thinking.

I do not want to cut out the side of the Pono so I was thinking of going with a JJB artist or K&K but I'm really worried about passive pickups and having to use a DI.
Seems the JJB Artist can be had with a passive tone control too so maybe that would be more plug and play? Seems though I would still need an external preamp. Maybe the one JJB makes too. Seems I'm back to the drawing board.

[chitz]

You should be able to use the JJB Artist with a passive DI straight into the board with a good result. It's a pretty hot transducer.
The K&K is a slightly hotter signal, but not noticeable to the average ears.

[warddix]

I've had some similar experiences, though not with a lyric. Pickups that reviews rave about (K&K) just didn't work for me. I couldn't get my sound out of it, and that one in particular was 'boomy.' I like my Seymour Duncan MagMic's, but I really think it's personal preference layered onto suitability to a certain guitar. Best of luck with the search.

[SpruceTop]

I tried a Lyric in two different guitars and with its output altered by an LR Baggs Venue DI, it still didn't satisfy me. The Lyric had this hollow-toned brashness that made it grate on my nerves.

[ljguitar]

Hi Mischief

For me the combination of two sources is always superior in pickups. I play stock K&K Pickup & internal mic preamplified and blended through an external preamp in all 4 of my acoustic guitars.

Before these in my guitar I played a Baggs Dual Source with an LB-6 saddle and internal preamp and mic (all Baggs gear). Both sounded more natural and full and guitar-like when amplified.

I changed from the Baggs to K&K about 12 years ago to remove the more than 6 ounces of gear from inside the body of my Olson.

When it comes to K&K or JJB both are better sounding through external preamps. I had one JJB and will never have another. It was muddy compared to my 4 K&K Pure Minis, and became strident when driven hard, plus it only has about 2/3 the output signal of a K&K.

You don't need a preamp to increase the output level but to give additional fullness and tone adjustment. Plus most decent preamps will provide both XLR/& 1/4" output simultaneously (so you can provide a signal to a stage amp and the house PA at the same time). Then the amp and house can uniquely make the tone adjustment they need without those adjustments to either affecting the other.

If it's a guitar you want to grow with I recommend the K&K because the company will allow easy addition of mics (which they also sell) later. They also have decent (but over priced) line of preamps with features we need.

That's my two cents worth...





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[Mandobart]

When using an acoustic amp made for piezo pickups (like a Fender acoustasonic or Carvin AG) I just plug my instruments with JJB PPS200 straight in - No DI or preamp. Guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin they all sound natural with a wide warm response.

If I'm plugging into a standard PA channel I'll use my RedEye to get a good sound.

[midwinter]

I'm swapping my Lyric out for a B-Band this week. I like the Lyric for fingerpicking, but for strumming it just sounds thin.

[martingitdave]

I had a similar experience with the Lyric. Some love it, some don't. The K&K is a good solution. I'm using the K&K in a dual source setup. If you are willing to spend more and get more, consider the Trance Amulet system. If you get a K&K, you can get a preamp system internally too. They work well. All will sound great with the TC PA, I suspect.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[Petty1818]

I have come to the conclusion that the most natural plugged in sound is often the hardest for me to work with. Also, there are many pickups that on paper or demoes sound great, but they just don't cut it in a live setting. I had the lyric and loved it at home at first, but I quickly realized how thin and bright it sounded live. It was also extremely difficult to eq and it left me frustrated. I have had similar results with the Anthem SL.

My bandmates really don't care about which pickups they use and often rely on stock Fishman Matrix systems. I know I have a problematic pickup when during sound check, they look over at me and ask why my guitar sounds terrible. That's the result I got with the lyric and the anthem sl.

[midwinter]

I was fine with it when I was just playing solo jobs, but for 6 months now I've been in a duo, often opposite a piano, and it's just sounds thin.

[Mischief]

Thanks for everyone's comments so far and I hope they keep coming.

I think if I had more guitars I would be okay with it. I've used the lyric doing some sample recordings and it seemed to work well with miking. Tried using it in place of mid mic and then my ribbon as side. Seemed to be good. I also think it would likely work with a more dedicated DI that had even more EQ capability then the TC play acoustic pedal offers.

Since I've now got matched LDC mikes for recording now, I'm quite certain I'm going to go with something like the K&K mini or JJB and then a belt clip preamp assuming I can find a cost effective one with excellent sound a good features.

I'm currently reading every comparison I can find on the K&K vs the JJB

I do need to keep costs down for re installing a new pickup though. Being in Australia the JJB works out to be $70 delivered, the mini is $160+ that near $100 could go towards the preamp.....

BTW my guitar is a small (think size 2 or smaller then a 3/4) Pono L-30 parlor solid rosewood back and sides and Engleman spruce top. Currently with Thomasik plectrum 11 strings.

Sorry for the long winded post.

[Racerbob]

I had both a 00018GE and a D15 each with a Lyric. In both cases the Lyric seems to take out too much of the lower end. In fact the D15 lost almost all the the typical Martin bottom end sound. Sold the one in the D15 and the other went with the 00018GE when it left home.

[Lapo]

Hi, if you only need volume for a duo, I highly recommend the Mini-Flex 2 mic. It's the second highest gain mic behind the lyric that I'm aware of, but sounds incredible. There's comparisons on YouTube between the 2.

[Ed-in-Ohio]

Matching pickups and acoustic guitars is a real challenge, largely because individual guitars get along differently with different individual pickups. On top of that, amplified tone is very subjective.

If I had to make a suggestion on the pickups most likely to work for any given application, I'd go with:

• DTar Wavelength for a non-pre-amped rig, and
• DiMarzio Angel passive + Fire-Eye Red Eye for a pre-amped rig.

Good luck, let us know what you decide.

[Mischief]

Originally Posted by Ed-in-Ohio

Matching pickups and acoustic guitars is a real challenge, largely because individual guitars get along differently with different individual pickups. On top of that, amplified tone is very subjective.



If I had to make a suggestion on the pickups most likely to work for any given application, I'd go with:

• DTar Wavelength for a non-pre-amped rig, and
  
• DiMarzio Angel passive + Fire-Eye Red Eye for a pre-amped rig.
  

Good luck, let us know what you decide.

Well since I'm back to square one I figured I may as well look at the D-Tar again. Before the lyric I was down to the K&K mini or lyric. I had dismissed the UST. I think I was so hung up on actually hearing my guitar. Now I'd be happy with a miked like acoustic guitar sound. Whether that is simulated or just sounds natural.

I guess I can accomplish this 4 ways.
Starting from most natural I guess would be;

Mic the guitar. That's out for what I want
Internal type mic pickup. That's what I've got
Multi source this seems good to me
Sound board transducer

Then there's using something to
Model like the Mama Bear DI (this would complicate things as far as simple plug and play. But the you tube videos seem good)

So much to think about.