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  #16  
Old 01-27-2009, 06:48 PM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Kramster:

No, I had an expert do the install. Marty over at The Podium has been doing guitar repair for many, many years and does a very decent job. I think installing the K & K system in the Cargo would be a real trick, and Marty does this stuff all the time. I would rather pick my battles where possible. I did the mods to the GE-7 pedal, but I really don't trust myself to PROPERLY install the PWM pickup system in my Cargo.

My Cargo did not have any factory electronics in it. After hearing the factory system recently, I am glad that mine didn't have it because the factory system is not the way I want to hear the Cargo amplified. That is a matter of personal taste, rather than that there is anything wrong with the factory system. I just MUCH prefer the K & K PWM system.

I would also say that, at least to my ears, the K & K sounds best through the K & K preamp, even though other devices might have a 1 Meg ohm input impedance. K & K designed their preamp specifically for use with the PWM system, and you can hear the difference. I also have a Carl Martin preamp with parametric EQ'ing, and I still think the K & K preamp sounds better with their pickup system. Again, this is personal taste. I have read here that others really do like other preamps, but I much prefer the sound of the WHOLE K & K system.

Also, the Cargo, being such a small guitar, seems to be a bit mid-rangy even with the proper preamp, so I use either the GE-7 or the KnockOut (either is fine) after the preamp to even the sound out even more.

Tony
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  #17  
Old 01-27-2009, 08:01 PM
kramster kramster is offline
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Thanks... there is a place here where the guys have put in K&K Mini's in other guitars and said they could handle the Cargo and I know they do fine work... for yrs. I have so many amps and things to try with it (Bose with T1, Schertler Unico, Hartke 75, an older Trace, some Roland Cubes, Mama Bear, BBE, GE-7, the original Aura AST, Tone Works........ A bit over whelming at time but fun.
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  #18  
Old 01-27-2009, 10:01 PM
yanks4life yanks4life is offline
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i use the taylor es
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  #19  
Old 01-28-2009, 07:08 AM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Kramster:

It has been a long time since I got serious about "my sound" amplified. When I was in the church bands, we ran through the main board and PA, so my amp was little more than a monitor for me. But practicing at home, it is a good idea to get used to your amplified sound so as to be comfortable with it. It has not been my intention to make a huge production out of this, so I have spent a few weeks exploring, and have come up with a workable solution that, to my ears, sounds excellent. I have detailed it here in other threads and even provided some clips to listen to. I consider this exploration finished now. Some people like to continue to chase the "Holy Grail" forever. I would prefer to get it done and move on with my playing. Either approach can be fun and fulfilling (though the latter is ultimately much cheaper).

Most of my chasing the "Holy Grail" involved trying to decide where I wanted to go musically, rather than what I wanted my amplified sound to be. The problem is always what can I do to a level that satisfies me within the time I have to pursue my music. I can't do everything, and therefore deciding what to do, also involves what I will not pursue. It is that old parable about the monkey extracting candy from a jar. He eventually realizes that he can't get his hand out if he grabs it all, but can have it if he takes smaller amounts at a time so his hand fits through the top of the jar.

I have both the Unico amp and the AAD Cub. Personally, I really prefer the Cub, though the Unico is a very fine amp. It is heavier than I want (30 lbs +/-, and is really overkill for me. At this point in my life, simplicity is what I am after, and the Cub is the epitome of simplicity. For whatever reason, reverb and chorus really just tend to muddy the sound of that amp, while running "clean" sounds very natural and good. The Unico seems more flexible in that regard.

After I have lived with my ideal setup for some months, I will be selling off quite a bit of gear, including guitars and other stuff because my needs are really very simple. One thing I have found is that having a real musical focus makes life much easier because I am not trying to cover all bases, and am allowing myself to focus on what I do best. The amount of gear and guitars needed to do that is surprisingly small. I made a decent living for two years in a band with ONE guitar, ONE amp, and one or two effects.

None of what I am saying here is aimed at anybody else, is merely what I have discovered and decided for myself. To me, however another person wants to pursue their music is really none of my business and we each have to find our own approach. I enjoy reading about what other people are doing as much as anybody here does. It is all interesting.

Tony
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  #20  
Old 04-07-2016, 01:15 PM
Tuberoast Tuberoast is offline
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I use a Danelectro Fish and Chips EQ with my acoustic rig.
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  #21  
Old 04-11-2016, 01:08 PM
sbulmer007 sbulmer007 is offline
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I haven't been on this site since 2014 (health stuff). Lots of great information since then. I greatly appreciate everyone's sharing of info and expertise...thanks.
I use a Radial Tonebone PZ-Pre and it made a big difference. Somewhat costly but if you make a living with music it's a worthy investment. I also liked what people said about carrying a EQ stomp pedal for those times you need it or as a back-up. A good way to always bring your "A" game to your listening audience.
Keep on strumming and have a great day.
Scott
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  #22  
Old 04-12-2016, 08:35 AM
kaos kaos is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ocarolan View Post
I always carry a Boss eq pedal with me as a backup - great pedal, intuitive and quick to set up. My guitars all have K&K minis and I normally play through a Pure XLR preamp. The Boss sounds almost as good, but not quite. I am happy to use it in a band situation, but for solo guitar I prefer the Pure XLR for it's slightly truer acoustic sound - it's a close thing though.
Keith
I did the same comparison ... but added in the Redeye. I found the Redeye the best, K&K a close second, and the GE-7 was third. However I always use the K&K if I don't have access to the PA, so I have the 3 band eq if needed.
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  #23  
Old 04-12-2016, 11:57 PM
Spook Spook is offline
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Pickups and preamps aren't really the same topic as EQ though they do have an impact on your amplified sound. As do strings, picks, and technique.

The best EQ I've found is the Empress ParaEQ. Not cheap. Totally worth it. I run more than one guitar through my acoustic rig and don't apply the same EQ settings to all sources (e.g Sunrise, K&K, or mic). Other variables include the room, feedback, and instruments you're interacting with.
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  #24  
Old 04-13-2016, 05:50 PM
hiddenmickey hiddenmickey is offline
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I'm with Spook on this one. I use a Red-Eye preamp into an Empress ParaEQ. The Red-Eye gets the tone about 90% where it needs to be and the ParaEQ does the rest.
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  #25  
Old 04-14-2016, 11:48 AM
guitaniac guitaniac is offline
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I see this thread has been recycled from 2009.

I still carry a Boss GE7 for backup, but I'm primarily using a Zoom A3 preamp/EFX box for EQing these days. It has a virtual two band parametric EQ and a virtual six band graphic EQ. I can use one of them by itself, or use them both in series. I can also use two parametric EQs in series, if I prefer. The parametric EQ isn't infinitely adjustable, but there are enough frequency options and enough Q options to do a pretty decent job.

In addition to the two kinds of virtual EQ, the A3 has a basic three (fixed) band EQ for "quick and dirty" EQ adjustments at the gig.

Another nice feature of the A3 is a second input which can accommodate either a mic or a second pickup. I can EQ a second source with the GE-7, then route that second source signal to the end of the signal chain, so that its unaffected by the EQ which I'm applying to the first source's signal. The A3 even enables me to invert the phase of the second source, if that happens to be needed for a better blend of the two sources.
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  #26  
Old 04-15-2016, 09:46 AM
CaffeinatedOne CaffeinatedOne is offline
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This has been a frustration for me, but I've learned to use a lot of different ways to get eq. I have a b-band dual source setup in my acoustic guitar that dumps two signals out a TRS cable.

At present this plugs into a Presonus AcoustiQ blender (I set it and forget it) and from there into a Vox Lil Night Train tube head. This is a high voltage, low wattage tube amp. It features a headphone output that just happens to work well as a line in input for a mixer. So that makes a decent front end.

I have all the EQ I can stand. My line out goes to FOH or to my PA and I'm set. The head and blender are small and fit together on a mic stand beside me at head height so I can see the bloody thing. I don't use a stage amp any more unless I have to.
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  #27  
Old 04-16-2016, 08:07 PM
chubby biscuit chubby biscuit is offline
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I got a Fishman platinum pro EQ specifically made for acoustics. I can't believe how much better it makes my acoustic sound with K&K minis at it. Ton of control over the mid range and a lot of headroom so you never distort really. I love it!
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  #28  
Old 04-18-2016, 06:13 AM
CaffeinatedOne CaffeinatedOne is offline
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You don't need to drop a ton of cash for an EQ unit. Even a $25 graphic EQ box can make a huge difference and will allow you to dial in your sound very quickly.
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  #29  
Old 04-18-2016, 07:47 AM
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DenverSteve DenverSteve is offline
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My signal chain runs through my mixer. If I were to run directly into a portable amp, That too has EQ - so yes. Every guitar/pickup combination and PA systems are different so adjusting EQ can be important to maintain tone control. I never plug in if at home as there is no point for me.
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