Fishman Sonicore /Sonitone experience?

[Marek]

Fully agree on above.
I exchange Sonitone piezo element with Fishman Infinity Matrix (preamp remained the same) - great improved in amplified tone.
I couldn't compare acoustic sound of a guitar but I heard that some people noticed improvement at that area also.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Marek

Fully agree on above.
I exchange Sonitone piezo element with Fishman Infinity Matrix (preamp remained the same) - great improved in amplified tone.
I couldn't compare acoustic sound of a guitar but I heard that some people noticed improvement at that area also.

So you just switched out the undersaddle piece? I'm guessing you cut the wires and resoldered them?

[lowrider]

Jack, that's what I did on my MartinX. I cut the wires right up near the UST, leaving as much as possible to work with. I also left the new wires as long as possible. I covered the guitar with brown paper and worked over the soundhole and soldered the wires back together. The wires are very fine and I just put the heat under them and the solder over them and let it seep through. I thought it was a very nice improvement. The girl I sold the guitar to also liked the sound. We are not experts, but it sounded good to both of us.

[Marek]

I did such operation in two guitars - first one was with Fishman Presys Blend onboard preamp and I soldered new pickup to the circuit board itself (it was quite easy to open the preamp). In The other guitar I cut cable near the old pickup and soldered quality 3.5 jacks (male and female) to that cable and cable of Infinity Matrix pickup. Hope it helps

[davenumber2]

I had a Sonitone in my Eastman E1SS. It sounded ok running through an EQ pedal if you turn down the mids and roll the tone on the guitar back a bit. Less quacky. I've since ripped it out of the guitar since I don't really need a pickup in it. I think it sounds better acoustically now without the braid under the saddle.

[Marshall]

Sonitone is a simple UST. As such it really needs some help. That being said, I found it worked great with ToneDexter. So much so that I bought 3 other Sonitones from China direct (only $17 ea for the VT model) and installed them in other guitars.

By it's self, it's mediocre. But I like V&T controls on a guitar. And a modeling pedal, especially ToneDexter turned it into terrific. The NU-X Optima Air also worked well with the Sonitone.

[Medford Guitar]

I have one of these in the Guild. Honky, quacky tone. I run it into a Fishman Loudbox Mini and at first hated the tone.

I played with the Loudbox EQ for a good long time. Between bringing down the treble and leaving the mid no more than noon position, I can get something I can live with.

I just purchased this Guild used. Not really interested in spending more $$ replacing the p/u though. So, I also found running a DI signal to my little A&H ZED 10FX, allows me to fix the sound even more for live performance.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by SalFromChatham

Well guys. I think the best course is cheap guitar and a k&k where I install it. I just will have to be careful. Thanks.

It’s too bad. There are several inexpensive guitars where I’d gladly pay $100 more for a better UST. I really like the Baggs Element VTC. Too bad.

The Sonitone is generally thought of as the worst of any of the under saddle systems. It is true that they are installed in low end acoustics.

I just ordered one to use with a nylon strung guitar, as it's often reported that they work well for nylon but not for steel string guitars. When you check eBay they sell for as little as $12 for the entire system, and every one of them look identical so they most likely are mass produced at the same place that produces the Fishman system. Some of them are even labeled as Fishman.
If my import "Sonitone" doesn't work well with the nylon strings then I've got an entire spare Baggs Element to use instead.

I've also had the Baggs Element system and pulled it out to put a K&K Mini in it's place. The K&K was a couple thousand times better sounding. The Element actually went dead while I was on stage and I cut the wires to the volume / tone control so it would work for the remainder of the gig.

If you want a good sounding acoustic guitar then anything other than a UST will be better.

I've installed around a dozen of the K&K Minis and have always been satisfied with them. I often use them without a preamp and haven't found it necessary if you're using an amp with a high impedance input.

[Marshall]

I have an Eastman that came with a Sonitone. It was OK. But, while I was into the ToneDexter, I found that the ToneDexter did a great job of working with the Sonitone to create a great acoustic sound. So I went out and bought a couple more Sonitones from China for $15 each and installed them in a couple more guitars. That worked well for me for about a year. But there was a tubiness to the ToneDexter sound that was working on my head. So, I changed gears and sold the TD and moved on. That meant removing the Sonitones, because they were not good enough by themselves.

[DavidE]

It’s a very meh pickup.

[chasapple]

Originally Posted by Marek

I did such operation in two guitars - first one was with Fishman Presys Blend onboard preamp and I soldered new pickup to the circuit board itself (it was quite easy to open the preamp). In The other guitar I cut cable near the old pickup and soldered quality 3.5 jacks (male and female) to that cable and cable of Infinity Matrix pickup. Hope it helps

I did the same on my Martin 000Jr. Removed the sonitone pickup and soldered a Fishman Matrix pickup into the Sonitone preamp in its place.

Big improvement. Matrix plus some IR sounds excellent.

[Adrianw]

You can buy the Sonicore system from China for about 5 bucks. It's worth every penny.

[jonfields45]

Hi Sal,

I could make you a custom IR and you could use a cheap $60 IR loader pedal. I've got bypass and phase reversal IRs too. You could load the first four IRs of this pedal with 100% bypass, phase reversal, 100% IR, and 75/25 IR/Bypass.

https://www.amazon.com/SONICAKE-Spea...0-4513d670b6bc

You will do at least as well as what I show in this Sonitone demo:

https://youtu.be/SELEE4yugjE



Jon

[Wistah]

I'm gigging with an Eastman PCH-GACE. I roll the tone all the way off. When I'm playing in the duo, I use a headrush mx5 pedal with an IR loaded specifically for USTs. It sounds good.

When I'm playing a solo bar gig, I just go straight into the tower and try to eq a better sound. I'll probably upgrade eventually.

[Rudy4]

Just for fun, I ordered one of these dozen dollar Sonotones from Ebay to play with. I posted all of the details in the Electric Guitar part of the forum, but here's a shot of the actual unit.
FYI, the preamp is well made, has good tone control options, has plenty of boost, and is very quiet. It's not the preamp, but the actual transducer that generates all the quack!