The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Acoustic Amplification

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 02-11-2005, 12:03 AM
Aloha Jim Aloha Jim is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 21
Question Just how "good" are Sunrise pickups?

Do Sunrise single source soundhole pickups and their "no knob" external preamp box hold their own against the new high end pickups on the block such as the:

MagMic - Soundhole p/u + mic.
Fishman Blend - Soundhole p/u + mic.
L.R. Baggs M1

Quality, Clarity, Acoustic sound, Ease of function, Roadability, etc.
??????

Aloha from Hawaii ,
Jim
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-11-2005, 01:07 AM
sdelsolray sdelsolray is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 6,949
Default

The Sunrise has the nicest pure mag sound around. However, the three other products you listed add to the mag sound either with a mic or body sensing (M-1). I would say a SUnrise with an internal mic, or a Sunrise with a SBT (e.g., PUTW #54) would certainly trump.

Dunno much about the Sunrise pres.

Last edited by sdelsolray; 02-11-2005 at 09:30 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-11-2005, 01:33 AM
Aloha Jim Aloha Jim is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 21
Cool However?

However.
It's been said that the Sunrise has a fuller/mellower? sound as a passive pickup vs the active pickups in the M1, etc.
Wondering if the mic in the other pickups help put back what the Sunrise is already picking up in "acousticness" without a mic.
Sort of like this.
(just soundhole pickups and combos, no undersaddle or deck pckups)

Active pickup with mic.
then
Sunrise no mic
then
M1 no mic
then
passive pickups, no mic
the
active pickups, no mic

Don't know if this is a reasonable pecking order?

aloha,
jim
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-11-2005, 09:34 AM
sdelsolray sdelsolray is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 6,949
Default

I don't hear it that way. The Sunrise is a mag pickup, pure and simple. SOme say some of it's sound is due to body sensing. I don't know about that. I have a Sunrise, a M-1 and a PUTW Polymag, as well as a couple of SBTs and internal mics. Each of these three types of pickups, as well as a fourth, the UST, are rather different from each other.

I've always found that a blend of two (or three) sounds better to my ears than any single source situation.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-11-2005, 10:26 AM
Acousticman Acousticman is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Cincinnati Ohio
Posts: 446
Default

Go see Lyle Lovett sometimes if he is around. He uses notheing but Sunrise Soundhole pickups in his Collings and sounds wonderful!!!!!
__________________
Into a dancer you have grown, from a seed somebody else has thrown, go on ahead and throw some seeds of your own, and somewhere between the time you arrive, and the time you go, may lie the reason you were alive, but you'll never know.

1976 Ebony Gibson Dove
2003 Schneider DS-1 Small Jumbo Brazilian / Adirondack

Ultra Sound Pro 250
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-11-2005, 11:39 AM
12stringhack 12stringhack is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 55
Default Sunrise trumps ES

I have a Sunrise and Buffer Box for my Gibson LG-12. I also own a Taylor 354ce-L2.

Anyone who has heard both prefers the Gibson's sound.

Don't get me wrong, I like the 354 and think ES is quite good, but the Sunrise does something I can't identify.....
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 02-11-2005, 12:34 PM
Aloha Jim Aloha Jim is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 21
Question identify?

Quote:
Originally Posted by 12stringhack
I have a Sunrise and Buffer Box for my Gibson LG-12. I also own a Taylor 354ce-L2.

Anyone who has heard both prefers the Gibson's sound.

Don't get me wrong, I like the 354 and think ES is quite good, but the Sunrise does something I can't identify.....
Appreciate if you could identify Sunrise's uniqueness?
aloha,
jim
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 02-11-2005, 01:53 PM
min7b5's Avatar
min7b5 min7b5 is offline
Eric Skye
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 7,664
Default

I guess this is a little beside the point, but I’m always amazed that in a market that is seemingly changing at such a brisk pace, that this big clunky pickup from the 70’s is still more or less the bomb for so many pros and amateurs alike. And for good reason, it’s a great pickup.

I agree that using two sources really adds a little of what is inherently missing in magnetic pickups. For example I’m happy with blending in a little internal mic with a Rare Earth Blend... I think the Sunrise sounds great alone, but better still with another source added. However, I personally don’t think it sounds so great as a passive pickup, some sort of preamp, buffer, active direct box, etc, fills it out to it’s full potential.
__________________
Instruction
Youtube
Instagram
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 02-11-2005, 02:06 PM
cpmusic's Avatar
cpmusic cpmusic is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Behind the Orange Curtain
Posts: 10,967
Default

I've always wondered whether the Sunrise inhibits acoustic tone. I suspect that all soundhole pickups do that to some degree, but the Sunrise takes up nearly half of the soundhole and is very heavy. It's probably not a big deal if you're always plugging in, but I still wonder.
__________________
Chris
We all do better when we all do better.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 02-11-2005, 02:47 PM
sdelsolray sdelsolray is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 6,949
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cpmusic
I've always wondered whether the Sunrise inhibits acoustic tone. I suspect that all soundhole pickups do that to some degree, but the Sunrise takes up nearly half of the soundhole and is very heavy. It's probably not a big deal if you're always plugging in, but I still wonder.
It sure does for three reasons. First, it blocks the soundhole. Second, it restricts the top from vibrating (to a very small extent). The M-1 does this too, but not as much. The PUTW Polymag has no effect. The third reason is the magnets pull on the vibrating strings, tending to dampen them a bit, reducing sustain (this is a very minor effect). Dunno about the other soundhole pickups.

Last edited by sdelsolray; 02-11-2005 at 04:46 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 02-11-2005, 02:53 PM
min7b5's Avatar
min7b5 min7b5 is offline
Eric Skye
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 7,664
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cpmusic
I've always wondered whether the Sunrise inhibits acoustic tone.......the Sunrise takes up nearly half of the soundhole and is very heavy....... but I still wonder.
I have a friend that is a long time Sunrise user. We did some A/B-ing on that issue a while back. You can definitely hear a difference with the Sunrise. It wasn’t a big enough for him to consider making it so he could just pop it in and out for gigs. I don’t personally notice anything with the Earth, but I’m sure if you tighten it down enough it’s gotta have some effect.
__________________
Instruction
Youtube
Instagram
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 02-11-2005, 03:41 PM
Fngrstyl Fngrstyl is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Abingdon, Illinois
Posts: 6,201
Default

Got one, don't like it.
__________________
Chad Fengel
itunes

My YouTube

Facebook


"Only by becoming acquainted with your own self,
can you gain the composure to write original music"


Michael Hedges ♫
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 02-11-2005, 04:01 PM
guitaniac guitaniac is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 6,709
Default

Fingerpick Mag's Doug Kennedy has a high respect for the Sunrise, but then again, he's very adept at using effects to enhance the sound. Doug's observations on various pickups, and his many demo recordings, could keep a gear-head busy for days.
http://www.fingerpick.com/pickups.htm

Gary
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 02-11-2005, 05:27 PM
cpmusic's Avatar
cpmusic cpmusic is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Behind the Orange Curtain
Posts: 10,967
Default

Gary, thanks for the link. It's a very long article, but it's very informative, and the videos are a big help. He goes to a lot more trouble with sound shaping than I want to (or can afford ) but he disproves the idea that a single-source mag will always sound completely electric.

Not to get off-subject, but I found Doug's section on mag pickups with 12-strings interesting. As much as I like the Rare Earth Blend in my 355, I have been aware of the hot-octave problem he mentions. He recommends using nickel-wound strings instead of bronze, noting that they work better with the pickup and sacrifice little in acoustic tone. I'm not sure about acoustic tone, but it's hard to argue with the results in his video -- the tone is amazing with both the REB and the M1.
__________________
Chris
We all do better when we all do better.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 02-11-2005, 08:49 PM
12stringhack 12stringhack is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 55
Default Hmmm, it's just like a belly button?

Uh, we all have one?

Jim, seriously, this is certainly a highly subjective topic. I've had the Sunrise in the Gibson for a decade and wouldn't trade it for anything. Others hate it (as evidenced in this thread).

For the record, those in my band think the Sunrise has a certain "clean and natural" sound that goes far beyond what we'd expect a magnetic pickup to have. Of course, you must use the Buffer Box to reveal all that the pickup is capable of doing. It's not the same without it.

And I must close my comment by stating that this is all tilting at windmills. I will politely argue that ANY pickup turns your acoustic instrument into an "electric" guitar. True acoustic sound? Mic the thing. Or play in small venues.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Acoustic Amplification

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:11 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=