Did the install in my GS Mini travel guitar this morning. One serious glitch along the way. The soundboard transducer is a BIG long wide thing. Much bigger than a Schatten HFN or PUTW or other SBT. This guitar had a Schatten in once before I decided to go with the Fishman Rare Earth mag. (It's my travel guitar and I'm looking for simple). The trouble is there is not enough real estate between the bracing and bridge pins to stick the large SBT under the saddle.
I scratched my head.
I decided to install it behind the bridge pins. It would not be under the saddle then. But in that location it did still fit solidly on the bridge plate. And I was off to the races with the experiment.
All else went well. There's a hell of a lot of wires in there. I was not deliberate in tying stuff down. I can go back later I suppose. Though it's kind of tight to maneuver.
Then I strung the guitar back up and plugged it into my Schertler David amp. And I was surprised at how well the SBT did. All in all I like the sound a lot. It's still very Mag-sounding on the treble notes. But the SBT and mic give an acoustic punctuation to chords that you won't get with a Mag. I did find the overall sound to be a bit bassy for my taste. But they give you an allen wrench to play with the mag poles. I dropped the bottom poles a couple hairs and think I have a more balanced sound that I can live with.
All-in-all, I like the thing. It's a more pleasing sound than a mag by itself. I think I'll have fun with this. It's a keeper.
(Don't know if I'll get around to making a recording anytime soon.)
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