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  #16  
Old 06-22-2019, 05:43 PM
phcorrigan phcorrigan is offline
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Originally Posted by Doug Young View Post
ToneDexter would also likely fix you up, making each guitar sound like itself - which might be different, but presumably reflect why you bought each guitar.
I'll second that. I have wavemaps for both my guitars. I even made a wavemap for an autoharp with a cheap piezo contact pickup and it makes the instrument sound far better through the ToneDexter than through a mic.
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  #17  
Old 06-24-2019, 09:31 AM
garyboy2024 garyboy2024 is offline
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So the ToneDexter looks really appealing. I already use a Fishman Aura system which has similar capabilities, so I'm not sure how much I'd be gaining. Perhaps the Tonedexter would "unify" my sounds at least to the point where they're not as radically imbalanced. I'm just not sure how much of an imbalance it can overcome- my AJ needs pretty radical mid EQ to sound right. Also, I would still be left with the 10db output difference between various guitars- still not sure how to remedy that on the fly with just one box.
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  #18  
Old 06-24-2019, 10:16 AM
phcorrigan phcorrigan is offline
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Originally Posted by garyboy2024 View Post
So the ToneDexter looks really appealing. I already use a Fishman Aura system which has similar capabilities, so I'm not sure how much I'd be gaining. Perhaps the Tonedexter would "unify" my sounds at least to the point where they're not as radically imbalanced. I'm just not sure how much of an imbalance it can overcome- my AJ needs pretty radical mid EQ to sound right. Also, I would still be left with the 10db output difference between various guitars- still not sure how to remedy that on the fly with just one box.
A friend was using a Fishman Aura and moved to the ToneDexter.

Unlike the Aura, you train the ToneDexter to each individual guitar. You can store up to 22 "wave maps," so switching between instruments is pretty easy. As for the 10db output difference, you can control both the input and output gains on the ToneDexter.
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  #19  
Old 06-24-2019, 11:19 AM
garyboy2024 garyboy2024 is offline
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Well after watching Doug’s video of the Tonedexter in action, I just ordered one. I’ll try it out next to my Aura setup and see if it solves some of my issues. I do believe it’s a better fit for my needs and a bit more flexible... looking forward to “training” it with a km84. If it doesn’t help, I figure I’ll take the guitars into the shop and have my luthier take a look under the hood
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  #20  
Old 06-24-2019, 12:02 PM
GuitarLuva GuitarLuva is offline
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I used to have an Aura system with IR's made for that guitar and it was probably a step up from using normal Aura images. I feel Tonedexter is a step above the Aura for those who seek a "guitar only louder" type of plugged in sound. You might have to experiment while making wavemaps but that's kind of part of the fun.
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  #21  
Old 06-24-2019, 12:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by garyboy2024 View Post
Well after watching Doug’s video of the Tonedexter in action, I just ordered one. I’ll try it out next to my Aura setup and see if it solves some of my issues. I do believe it’s a better fit for my needs and a bit more flexible... looking forward to “training” it with a km84. If it doesn’t help, I figure I’ll take the guitars into the shop and have my luthier take a look under the hood
I suspect ToneDexter won't solve your volume difference - that seems to indicate something wrong, rather than just the usual "my pickup doesn't sound like my guitar" issue.
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  #22  
Old 06-24-2019, 01:14 PM
garyboy2024 garyboy2024 is offline
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Originally Posted by Doug Young View Post
I suspect ToneDexter won't solve your volume difference - that seems to indicate something wrong, rather than just the usual "my pickup doesn't sound like my guitar" issue.
You’re possibly correct. I’m hopeful however as the lower output guitar is possibly the best in terms of its overall balance and tone. Seeing that the Tonedexter has a boost feature up to 8db, I’m curious to see how well I can set that up on the fly to level the difference out. (I otherwise wouldn’t need this feature for my solo stuff.)
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  #23  
Old 06-24-2019, 03:40 PM
Br1ck Br1ck is offline
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This issue is a big reason I have Dazzos in all my guitars. You can custom tailor the frequency response of the pickup to the guitar. Just plug any of them into a linear gain stage pre like a RedEye or a SunnAudio and go.

But if I had multiple guitars with different pickups, the ToneDexter looks good to me.
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  #24  
Old 06-24-2019, 06:26 PM
Petty1818 Petty1818 is offline
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Originally Posted by Br1ck View Post
This issue is a big reason I have Dazzos in all my guitars. You can custom tailor the frequency response of the pickup to the guitar. Just plug any of them into a linear gain stage pre like a RedEye or a SunnAudio and go.

But if I had multiple guitars with different pickups, the ToneDexter looks good to me.
The Dazzo comes with different bass responses based on the guitar but how is this any different than simply turning up the bass on a preamp or mixer? That's one thing I have always wondered. I am currently deciding if I want to leave my guitar be with the HFN and try the Tonedexter or go for a Dazzo with no Tonedexter and keep things simple.
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  #25  
Old 06-26-2019, 07:28 AM
garyboy2024 garyboy2024 is offline
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So the Tonedexter should arrive today- I'm anxious to see how well it levels out my balance issues. As far as my volume problem goes, I could probably run all three guitars through a small mixer (to level the output of all three) and then go into the Tonedexter. Can anyone foresee any problems with a setup like this?
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  #26  
Old 06-26-2019, 08:59 AM
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I’m a little late to this party, and you have gotten some great input, but I have to ask “are you sure all the pups are glued in?” My experience with K&K SBTSs is that they have different, sometimes very different, outputs when they are installed with double sided tape instead of superglue. I have had luthiers do it both ways in the past.
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  #27  
Old 06-26-2019, 09:36 AM
phcorrigan phcorrigan is offline
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Iare you sure all the pups are glued in?”
You might also check to see if they are properly positioned. Installation guides are on the K&K site, as well as a troubleshooting guide.
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  #28  
Old 06-26-2019, 09:45 AM
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Originally Posted by garyboy2024 View Post
Hi all, so I have several nice guitars with the basic K&K Pure Minis installed. My dilemma is that they all have a somewhat different balance of lows, mods, highs, and volume- making it difficult to swap between guitars when playing live. I’m not sure how to address the problem. My luthier installed these at separate times over the course of a couple years which is probably the source of the issue (there was no real control to judge the install by). My question is how to address the problem. Separate preamps for each guitar? (I’m only using one as of now.) Have someone reinstall the pickups to better match one another? Thanks in advance
HI garyboy

I'm coming to the conversation late, but in over 35 years of public performing, I may carry two guitars and a single preamp to the stage. I am careful about my settings (I memorize the input gain, tone and master volume levels for each guitar).

I can take the time between songs/guitars to tweak. The settings don't vary for a single guitar. Once it's set, it doesn't change. My preamp always sits in front of me on a tray fixed to the mic stand. It takes 2 seconds to tweak it.

In cases where I was in an unusual situation, I just wrote the adjustments on a post-it note and put that on top of the preamp to remind me.

Not a big deal, the audience doesn't care, and way cheaper than an additional preamp.

For what it's worth, I have K&K dual source rigs in all my guitars. My guitars sound very different acoustically (played without amplification) and what I love about the K&K rigs is they reflect that when I plug in. My guitars still sound different plugged in, and still sound like themselves.

If I wanted them to all sound alike, then I'd install magnetic pickups, or under saddle piezos.





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  #29  
Old 06-26-2019, 09:47 AM
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Let us know how that works. I'd suggest you start by checking out ToneDexter with one of the guitars that sounds good to you (plugged in), so you understand what what it does. It takes some experimenting (tho it's pretty easy).

But I'm concerned that you may be disappointed if you what you really have is an installation issue. K&Ks are remarkable consistent in output levels, in my experience, so I think something is going on there that ToneDexter won't fix, and if the pickups are installed incorrectly, broken, loose, disconnected, etc, ToneDexter isn't even going to work very well. It can "fix" bad pickup tone, but not if you aren't giving it the right input to work with.

Your last post is the first time I've noticed you using the term "balance issues". It's hard to know what words mean sometimes, but earlier, I thought you talked about tonal issues, but "balance" might mean string balance issues? If that's what's going on, as I mentioned before TD won't fix that - it has no access to individual strings.
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  #30  
Old 06-26-2019, 07:49 PM
garyboy2024 garyboy2024 is offline
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So I’ve had the chance to spend a few hours with Tonedexter. My initial impressions are very positive. I’ve been using a Fishman Aura Spectrum pedal with my K&Ks the past two years, which is a really great unit. Right off the bat doing a very simple training session, all of my guitars sounded noticeably better (not just through headphones, but through my PA system as well). Feedback issues were even minimized and I wasn’t expecting that. But most importantly, it makes these guitars sound (and feel) like themselves. The EQ balance issues between the guitars was instantly remedied. There is a unified sound when switching between guitars, but all retain their own character... this is what I was really after. The Aura wasn’t able to do this without drastic EQ changes when switching guitars. I’m anxious to hear how Tonedexter responds out at some diverse gigs over the summer.

As far as my volume issue, it appears that either not enough glue was used in the K&K install on that one particular guitar, or double-sided tape was used instead, making a weaker connection to the transducers, and resulting in a lower output. I’m going to have my luthier play around with the issue to be sure. This is the only pickup that he hasn’t installed himself.
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Last edited by garyboy2024; 06-26-2019 at 07:59 PM.
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