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The following are song segments recorded using the just-installed Ultra Tonic 3.2 Pickup System in my 2016 Martin D-18. It and all the following Ultra Tonic 3.2/Martin D-18 combination demos were made by playing with a flatpick with NO EFFECTS. The Ultra Tonic 3.2 System is adjusted via its onboard circuit board at "6" on the "1" to "12" multi-switch EQ adjustment and was done by listening to an UltraSound AG-30 acoustic amp located about 4-feet from the guitar and pointed directly at it. This enabled a listening evaluation for best overall tone versus rejection of feedback and tonal muddiness. I will likely readjust the Ultra Tonic 3.2 circuit board for better tonal output. Here are my initial recordings of the Martin D-18/Ultra Tonic 3.2 combination. These were done with the Martin D-18/Ultra Tonic 3.2 combination plugged into a Grace Design FELiX 2 Preamp (input impedance set @ 10 MegaOhms) with all its EQ set FLAT and then into a PreSonus Studio 192 Audio Interface and then to the computer with Audacity as the digital recording medium.

The first two song segments are just the guitar backing to my vocal of my version of George Strait's "If You're Thinking You Want A Stranger (There's One Coming Home)". The first of the two song segments is the backing guitar accompaniment recorded with the Martin D-18/Ultra Tonic 3.2 combination and is followed for comparison by the recently recorded Martin D-18/Schatten HFN Artist Plus 2 demo of the same song segment.

UltraTonic 3.2 DIP-Switch 6:


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Background for the following song segment: Prior to removing the Schatten HFN Artist Plus 2 system from the Martin D-18, I thought I'd make one last EQ'ed recording of the combination when played fairly aggressively with a flatpick. The Schatten HFN pickup was installed with the Schatten-supplied 3M tape and is being 48-volt phantom powered by a FELiX 2 preamp. The FELiX 2 EQ channel settings for the Schatten HFN Artist Plus 2 are:

Low Control FLAT (125 Hz Shelving)

Mid Control +5 dB @ 90 Hz, Q 1 Octave

High Control -5 dB @ 1 kHz Shelving

All EQ is set FLAT and there are NO EFFECTS of any kind. From the FELiX 2 the signal goes into a PreSonus Studio 192 Audio Interface and then into Audacity.

The song segment is just the guitar backing to my vocal in my version of George Strait's "If You're Thinking You Want A Stranger (There's One Coming Home)"

Schatten HFN Artist Plus 2 with above EQ:


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The following song segments are made with the Martin D-18/Ultra Tonic 3.2 DIP-Switch 6 combination only:





I like what I'm initially hearing from the Martin D-18/Ultra Tonic 3.2 combination and it sounds much better through the LR Baggs Synapse PA than it does through these initial recordings. Frankly, the Ultra Tonic 3.2 can be onboard, circuit board adjusted anywhere from K&K overwhelming bass and muddiness to lack of bottom-end, excessive trebleness. More to come ...

Your Comments Are Welcome And You Won't Hurt My Feelings By Stating Your Feelings!