LR Baggs Voiceprint DI

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by calvanesebob

Thanks again, but I am seriously considering giving up on acoustic guitars all together, and selling my OM-28 to a friend of mine. It just sits in the case 99% of the time, because I am playing my American Ultra Luxe Strat.

I am too compulsive with acoustic guitars, and I can't even begin to tell you how much money I have waisted buying, trading, exchanging, and selling them. I'm just never satisfied with them, and I don't think I ever will be.

Thank you though for the offer though.

well, this week...

As someone with serious CDO (that's OCD but in alphabetical order like it should be), my $0.02 - unless money is so tight you can't pay bills, just sit on the OM-28. Well not literally, but leave it in the case (or better yet, hang it on the wall). I am willing to bet in a week, a month, or a year, you'll get the itch again. Then just take it out and play it. If you downgrade to a lesser acoustic, you'll still want a Martin. I picked up an Acoustasonic for a specific gig application, and briefly thought, "hey, I can live without the OM-28eMD." Then I came to my senses.

If you are serious about guitar, or enjoy playing guitar, then imho an acoustic needs to be in the house, even if you rarely play it. It is a gestalt that electric can't really cover.

Or trade the Martin for another Taylor

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by nostatic

well, this week...

As someone with serious CDO (that's OCD but in alphabetical order like it should be), my $0.02 - unless money is so tight you can't pay bills, just sit on the OM-28. Well not literally, but leave it in the case (or better yet, hang it on the wall). I am willing to bet in a week, a month, or a year, you'll get the itch again. Then just take it out and play it. If you downgrade to a lesser acoustic, you'll still want a Martin. I picked up an Acoustasonic for a specific gig application, and briefly thought, "hey, I can live without the OM-28eMD." Then I came to my senses.

If you are serious about guitar, or enjoy playing guitar, then imho an acoustic needs to be in the house, even if you rarely play it. It is a gestalt that electric can't really cover.

Or trade the Martin for another Taylor

Enjoyed the Humor, NoStatic!

To Bob, I'm the opposite of you in that I've bought, sold, and traded many fine electric guitars over the last almost 50 years. IMHO, for any steel-string, acoustic guitarist, having a Standard Series Martin and above is a requisite ax, and you've got a good 'un. Players can have all the boutique-brand and single-luthier-built guitars they want but if they don't have a Martin they likely will get one sometime or they won't feel somehow whole--at least I wouldn't and haven't.

[soma5]

Originally Posted by calvanesebob

As far as returning the voiceprint goes, I realized that it's main strength is for recording, and even though I can get a little bit better sound through my PA speakers, I still get a darn good sound through a multi effects pedal, plus the option to add effects, and save it all in a preset. So that leaves recording, and since I have a Rode NT4 mic, that would be a better choice for recording.

So no real need (for me) having the voiceprint.

I would never use mine for recording. For getting reasonably good sound quickly in settings where I don't have control over the quality or setting of the PA system, I really think that's where the VP shines. YMMV. I don't claim to be the the most knowledgeable about these things, but I do know that I get consistently better sound with the VP than without, without as much drama. For the appropriate definition of "better" of course!

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by calvanesebob

As far as returning the voiceprint goes, I realized that it's main strength is for recording

Interesting. I personally would not consider the Voiceprint a recording tool at all. It improves a pickup (as does ToneDexter), but does not come close to the sound of a guitar properly mic'd for recording. I think these tools are strictly for live performance - getting a less "pickupy" sound in a live setting without having to use a mic. I don't think even Baggs claims it's good for recording - what they said when it came out was that it was optimized for "real world" performing where studio sound was perhaps not needed or even desired. (tho maybe their marketing has come up with a recording story, I haven't kept track) An example is all the focus on feedback and resonance elimination - you want that resonance in there for recording, they're taking it out because of the problems it causes on stage. It's probably also why they have the blend control - you don't want any nasty pickup sound left in for recording, but it may help on stage.

It all depends on the sound you want, of course, no one tool fits everyone's needs.

[calvanesebob]

Well I got a lot better sound recording than just using the pickup without the voiceprint, but still not as good as using a mic. It sounded a little better through my PA (EV Evolve 30M), but with my preamp I could still get a very good sound, and with my HX Stomp I can get a great sound, because I can set the input impedance to 1m (which is best for the K&K), plus I can add effects.

It was a good device, and fun to play with for the time that I had it, but just not for my use case.

Frankly I am tired of trying to get a good loud amplified acoustic sound. Sure I can get it to sound good at bedroom volume, but at an open mic where they crank up the volume, most acoustic guitars sound like fingernails on a chalkboard.

For open mic nights, my plan is to bring my Strat and my HX Stomp. I have a preset saved with some chorus, delay, reverb, a preamp, and a cab model, with a clean tone that sounds wonderful at any volume going right into a PA.

Another thing I don't like about acoustic guitars is that the further up the neck you go, the duddier the notes get. I know it's just the nature of acoustic guitars, but I don't like it at all. On my Strat every note rings like a bell from the open low E to the high E at the last fret, and every single note in between.

Just my opinion though.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by calvanesebob

Frankly I am tired of trying to get a good loud amplified acoustic sound. Sure I can get it to sound good at bedroom volume, but at an open mic where they crank up the volume, most acoustic guitars sound like fingernails on a chalkboard.

For open mic nights, my plan is to bring my Strat and my HX Stomp. I have a preset saved with some chorus, delay, reverb, a preamp, and a cab model, with a clean tone that sounds wonderful at any volume going right into a PA.

Open Mics are usually equal-opportunity environments - everyone gets to sound bad :-). Even if you are lucky and yours has a good sound system and sound person, there's not usually time for a sound check. Sounds like yours at least allows effects devices? Around my area, those are usually discouraged or totally disallowed - not enough time to set all that stuff up. Plug in and play, and yep, you'll sound bad, just like everyone else. I'd be leery of a Voiceprint at an open mic, with 2 sets of 7-band parametric EQ along with other controls to adjust, you could easily spend your entire slot just dialing in your sound. I've seen some open mic performances where people tried to bring gizmos, and ended up crashing and leaving in frustration when nothing worked right in the untested environment.

Another thing I don't like about acoustic guitars is that the further up the neck you go, the duddier the notes get. I know it's just the nature of acoustic guitars, but I don't like it at all. On my Strat every note rings like a bell from the open low E to the high E at the last fret, and every single note in between.

Electrics and acoustics are totally different beasts, tho I can't say I've experienced "duddier" up the neck with the ones I play. Maybe you're just more of an electric player, they're definitely more suitable for louder volumes.

[calvanesebob]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

Open Mics are usually equal-opportunity environments - everyone gets to sound bad :-). Even if you are lucky and yours has a good sound system and sound person, there's not usually time for a sound check. Sounds like yours at least allows effects devices? Around my area, those are usually discouraged or totally disallowed - not enough time to set all that stuff up. Plug in and play, and yep, you'll sound bad, just like everyone else. I'd be leery of a Voiceprint at an open mic, with 2 sets of 7-band parametric EQ along with other controls to adjust, you could easily spend your entire slot just dialing in your sound. I've seen some open mic performances where people tried to bring gizmos, and ended up crashing and leaving in frustration when nothing worked right in the untested environment.



Electrics and acoustics are totally different beasts, tho I can't say I've experienced "duddier" up the neck with the ones I play. Maybe you're just more of an electric player, they're definitely more suitable for louder volumes.

Nothing to really setup in my case. I have the preset that I know is going to sound good, so all I need is the guitar cable just like everyone else, and no need for the sound person to even have to EQ my guitar.

I have owned some pretty high end guitars (for me anyway) to upwards of 4k, and they all get duddier as you go up the neck. Some of the luthiers on the UMGF told me that if you drew a straight line from the low E at the nut to the high E at the last fret, notes above that line will get duddier as you go up the neck. I don't mean duddy like a totally dead note, but just don't ring out as good as the notes near the nut.

I played only acoustic since I was like 12, and didn't play electric until about 15 years ago or so. Once I discovered the beautiful sound I could get out of a Strat with some chorus, delay, and reverb, and a clean tone, I just got spoiled to that i guess. Then I pick up an acoustic and it just sounds duddy in comparison.

I set the neck relief on my Strat to .010, and the action at 5/64, and I can strum it just like an acoustic. I have always got nothing but good comments on how good the Strat sounded at open mics playing with an acoustic style. Plus it's so much easier to play... lol

[jonfields45]

A couple of years ago I started to gig and jam with an electric instead of an acoustic. A Yamaha THR5 makes the electric quite versatile and as portable as an acoustic.

The audience feedback, even at no PA solo house parties was they liked the electric better (no A-B comparison offered). A winery gig pic below as evidence. BTW, that is a boost pedal and a Mustang Micro on the floor doing the amp emulation. Fits in a gig bag pocket with room to spare...

Then I sold my mostly graphite acoustics thinking I would buy an ultimate stay at home guitar.

Then I sold my electrics in favor of a guitar that was airplane friendly and supremely portable.

I'm down to just an Ibanez Q52.

Not sure I would recommend this path but Bob is not alone :~).

[calvanesebob]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

A couple of years ago I started to gig and jam with an electric instead of an acoustic. A Yamaha THR5 makes the pair quite versatile and as portable as an acoustic.

The audience feedback, even at no PA solo house parties was they liked the electric better (no A-B comparison offered). A winery gig pic below as evidence. BTW, that is a boost pedal and a Mustang Micro on the floor doing the amp emulation. Fits in a gig bag pocket with room to spare...

Then I sold my mostly graphite acoustics thinking I would buy an ultimate stay at home guitar.

Then I sold my electrics in favor of a guitar that was airplane friendly and supremely portable.

I'm down to just an Ibanez Q52.

Not sure I would recommend this path but Bob is not alone :~).

Sounds like a good rig.

Do you have any sample clips you can post?

Here is a sample of what I would use at an open mic with my Strat & HX Stomp...

HX Stomp Preset:

• 4 voice chorus
• double tank reverb
• transistor tape delay
• studio tube pre
• 1x12 us deluxe cab
• sure 57 cab mic

Please excuse my armature guitar skills... lol

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

A couple of years ago I started to gig and jam with an electric instead of an acoustic. A Yamaha THR5 makes the pair quite versatile and as portable as an acoustic.

The audience feedback, even at no PA solo house parties was they liked the electric better (no A-B comparison offered). A winery gig pic below as evidence. BTW, that is a boost pedal and a Mustang Micro on the floor doing the amp emulation. Fits in a gig bag pocket with room to spare...

Then I sold my mostly graphite acoustics thinking I would buy an ultimate stay at home guitar.

Then I sold my electrics in favor of a guitar that was airplane friendly and supremely portable.

I'm down to just an Ibanez Q52.

Not sure I would recommend this path but Bob is not alone :~).

fwiw I've found solo and duo (or more) gigs are a different kettle of fish - at least in my hands. I've done plenty of duo gigs where we have some combination of bass, electric guitar, and acoustic guitar - typically swapping around for different songs.

Solo though (playing/singing) I've tried to bring an electric to replace the acoustic on certain tunes and ended up not being very happy with it. Could be my approach to the instrument or my arrangements, but electric out alone just doesn't sound compelling to me. And adding dirt just makes it worse. Maybe if looping and backing tracks is better - I do some of the former, none of the latter.

My solution was to get an Acoustasonic. Well, actually the solution was moving to solo dobro/singing for most tunes, then the Acoustasonic for those songs that sound better (or easier to pull off) on guitar. With the Acoustasonic I can get a passable live/amplified acoustic sound, and if I do want to loop and solo, the lo-fi position sounds quite good to my ear for that purpose.

Certainly a lot of different ways to play a gig or an open mic and everyone has to find their own sweet spot. But even though I don't pick up my Martin much these days as I'm woodshedding mostly dobro and some banjo, I know if I sold it I'd have a gap in my lineup that I'll want to fill some day. But I started on acoustic 50+ years ago and seems the older we get the more we come full circle in some ways.

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by calvanesebob

Sounds like a good rig.

Do you have any sample clips you can post?

An iPhone video at the very end of three sets. My voice was shot... It was last year before I went Ibanez Quest and was using a PRS S2 McCarty Thinline. The Mustang Micro is plugged directly into the guitar. I used the toggle switch with the bridge PUP set for leads and the neck for rhythm. I am making no attempt for it to sound acoustic. What I want are pleasant electric tones.

[calvanesebob]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

An iPhone video at the very end of three sets. My voice was shot... It was last year before I went Ibanez Quest and was using a PRS S2 McCarty Thinline. The Mustang Micro is plugged directly into the guitar. I used the toggle switch with the bridge PUP set for leads and the neck for rhythm. I am making no attempt for it to sound acoustic. What I want are pleasant electric tones.

Sounded really good. And you're right, it doesn't have to sound acoustic to sound good. The audience only cares that it sounds good, and it was evident with the applause at the end.

I am not a good singer or guitarist, but I like writing songs and going to open mic nights to play them. It's a hobby that I enjoy, even though I'm not that good at it.

I just did this quick recording of one of my songs (Hey Dreamer) the same way I would at an open mic. My Strat into my HX Stomp into my PA. I recorded it from the aux out of the PA.



I wish I could sing better... lol

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by calvanesebob

Sounded really good. And you're right, it doesn't have to sound acoustic to sound good. The audience only cares that it sounds good, and it was evident with the applause at the end.

I am not a good singer or guitarist, but I like writing songs and going to open mic nights to play them. It's a hobby that I enjoy, even though I'm not that good at it.

I just did this quick recording of one of my songs (Hey Dreamer) the same way I would at an open mic. My Strat into my HX Stomp into my PA. I recorded it from the aux out of the PA.



I wish I could sing better... lol

Both you and your song sound good to me, Bob!

[calvanesebob]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Both you and your song sound good to me, Bob!

Thank you.