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Old 07-30-2022, 01:34 PM
Gemini11 Gemini11 is offline
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Default Pickup help and neck ?

I just got a Rainsong Black Ice OM 12 fretter. No electronics. I’m trying to get away from onboard electronics these days. I also have a Black Ice parlor that I just had the pickup swapped out of into the OM. The pickup is a passive Baggs I beam. It worked well enough mostly in the Parlor but did really bring out a sort of boxy mid range ping I don’t care for. However, in the OM this pickup is very difficult to control feedback. Bigger body and all I get, but it shouldn’t be this bad. Done a little reading here. Listened to K&K and Schatten. I’m not crazy about the glue idea with K&K and the Schatten seems to be brighter perhaps. Also considering maybe the Barbera but not sure that’ll be the tone I want. Would appreciate advice and experience with what y’all have used.

As for the neck question. I love the N2 neck and I’m curious how Emerald necks compare. I’ve never been able to play one but I’d love to if there are any in stock in the states? Thanks
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Old 07-30-2022, 04:29 PM
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David Eastwood David Eastwood is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemini11 View Post
As for the neck question. I love the N2 neck and I’m curious how Emerald necks compare. I’ve never been able to play one but I’d love to if there are any in stock in the states? Thanks
I can’t help with the neck comparison, but I’m sure that there are others here who can.

As far as ‘Emeralds in stock’, you won’t find any. You may not be aware of this, but Emerald only sells direct, via their website, from the factory in Ireland.

However, there are a number of us CF owners, whether Emerald, Rainsong or other, who are quite willing to meet up to show off our instruments. Depending on where you are in the world, you might be able to find one (or more) in your vicinity.

Here’s a thread which has gathered a lot of that information:

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=646425
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Old 07-30-2022, 10:53 PM
Gemini11 Gemini11 is offline
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Thanks yeah I figured they were direct
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Old 07-30-2022, 10:57 PM
Gemini11 Gemini11 is offline
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Specifically, I had a CA Cargo that was a great gigger but the shoulders were just too sharp as you moved more up the neck. Typically I'm capo’ing and it could really get into the web of your hand. I’ve recovered from left elbow and wrist surgery and the fuller, softer shouldered necks really make a difference.
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Old 07-30-2022, 11:06 PM
Gemini11 Gemini11 is offline
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Thanks yeah I figured they were direct
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Old 07-31-2022, 08:10 AM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemini11 View Post
I just got a Rainsong Black Ice OM 12 fretter. No electronics. I’m trying to get away from onboard electronics these days. I also have a Black Ice parlor that I just had the pickup swapped out of into the OM. The pickup is a passive Baggs I beam. It worked well enough mostly in the Parlor but did really bring out a sort of boxy mid range ping I don’t care for. However, in the OM this pickup is very difficult to control feedback. Bigger body and all I get, but it shouldn’t be this bad. Done a little reading here. Listened to K&K and Schatten. I’m not crazy about the glue idea with K&K and the Schatten seems to be brighter perhaps. Also considering maybe the Barbera but not sure that’ll be the tone I want. Would appreciate advice and experience with what y’all have used.

As for the neck question. I love the N2 neck and I’m curious how Emerald necks compare. I’ve never been able to play one but I’d love to if there are any in stock in the states? Thanks
I don't mind the RainSong N2 neck (it's okay but it isn't Taylor-like comfortable for me) but I'm not too fond of my Emerald X20's neck-width flare. It just gets unwieldy for thumb-fretting as I go up the neck.

I just put an LR Baggs IBeam Active in my Huss & Dalton TD-R and it's coming out soon as it has volume drop-off for both E strings compared to the middle four strings. I've tried the IBeam in two locations with similar tonal results. I also have an IBeam Passive that I may try in this guitar in the hopes that perhaps the IBeam Active's preamp may have intentional built-in bass attenuation to help prevent feedback issues. A Schatten HFN is a step up toward more bass frequency in amplified tone but often this pickup may not deliver the kind of bass fullness you may be hoping to hear.

If you want my honest opinion, and you want a passive SBT addition to your guitar, install a Dazzo transducer set in your guitar and you'll be smiling as it's a no-brainer installation when installed in the general location that Teddy Randazzo recommends. I can also give you some tips on locating the two transducers.
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Last edited by SpruceTop; 07-31-2022 at 09:26 AM.
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Old 07-31-2022, 10:46 PM
Gemini11 Gemini11 is offline
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Thanks! I’ll take a look
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Old 08-02-2022, 02:01 PM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
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Something to be aware of is that SBT pickups can function differently in a carbon guitar compared to a wooden guitar as the guitar's carbon fiber top is much more efficient in transferring vibrations from the strings, bridge, top, and body to the SBT. This is why you'll find a UST like a Fishman Matrix when installed in a carbon guitar is able to not only pick up string vibrations but also top and body vibrations as well. In effect, this makes the UST act like a combination UST/SBT pickup. So, if you really wanted to install a Schatten HFN or an LR Baggs IBeam in a carbon guitar, it may work out well for string-to-string balance with a good bass response. I believe other players on AGF--Jon Fields come to mind--have installed a Schatten HFN system in a carbon guitar and have had good results with only a moderate amount of outboard preamp bass EQ added. The nice thing about these two pickups is that if they didn't work out for you you could easily remove them and try something else.
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Martin HD-28 Sunburst/Trance M-VT Phantom
Martin D-18/UltraTonic
Adamas I 2087GT-8
Ovation Custom Legend LX
Guild F-212XL STD
Huss & Dalton TD-R
Taylor 717e
Taylor 618e
Taylor 614ce
Larrivee D-50M/HiFi
Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass Special/HiFi
Larrivee D-40R Sunburst
Larrivee C-03R TE/Trance M-VT Phantom
RainSong BI-DR1000N2
Emerald X20
Yamaha FGX5
Republic Duolian/Schatten NR-2

Last edited by SpruceTop; 08-02-2022 at 02:16 PM.
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