DiMarzio Black Angel

[BoneDigger]

Just received it tonight after picking it up on sale. I played around with it a bit tonight through the JBL Eon One Compact. All I can say is that it is a fabulous pickup. I'm really considering picking up a second one and selling my Rare Earth Blend. I was really surprised at just how good it is!

[MrErikJ]

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

Just received it tonight after picking it up on sale. I played around with it a bit tonight through the JBL Eon One Compact. All I can say is that it is a fabulous pickup. I'm really considering picking up a second one and selling my Rare Earth Blend. I was really surprised at just how good it is!

Dude, I just bought a Black Angel Mag & Piezo that was on sale on Reverb. My two gigging guitars are equipped with Rare Earth Blends and I was like “why am I buying this? I like my pickups’l but I felt a strange calling to try it and it doesn’t help that everyone keeps raving about it.

[guitaniac]

MrEricJ,

You'll have little trouble dialing in a pleasing tone with the PADI's sweepable mid control. I was playing around with my own Black Angel rig again last night. It definitely has qualities (rich tone, articulate response, lack of quack, whatever) which I find pleasing. Its not the most natural sounding high end, but I have little doubt that its a high end which will be easily heard in a noisy environment.

[meb]

Be sure to try your Venue with the BA. It is a little more fleshed out than
the PADI which is a perfect match imho for the BA top end mentioned by
guitaniac,

[guitaniac]

Originally Posted by meb

Be sure to try your Venue with the BA. It is a little more fleshed out than the PADI which is a perfect match imho for the BA top end mentioned by guitaniac,

Its interesting to note that the Venue presence control effects a narrow band of frequencies centered at 3KHZ, while the PADI's presence control effects a narrow band of frequencies centered at 5KHz. It would be an interesting experiment to see which presence control (if either) is more effective at enhancing the Black Angel signal.

Albeit, the Venue's two sweepable mid controls cover more frequency range than the PADI's single control. That would make it more versatile, whether or not it will be more useful in one specific case.

[MrErikJ]

Thanks for the heads up guys! I don't know what guitar I'm going to put it in yet and I, foolishly and impulsively, bid on a mint Pendulum SPS-1 on Reverb last night. I have to stop practicing and browsing Reverb while sipping scotch.

Also, I had actually envisioned using the suggested setup you guys mentioned: Piezo through the Para and Mag through the Venue as there's a little more detail in the venue to adjust the mids on the mag and I think the Para shines w/passive piezos. I'd also like to try the Orange acoustic Pre but I guess we'll see if I get this Pendulum...

[MrErikJ]

Update: I won the used Pendulum SPS-1 w/stereo pickup module.

My wife is gonna be mad.

[guitaniac]

Originally Posted by MrErikJ

Update: I won the used Pendulum SPS-1 w/stereo pickup module.

My wife is gonna be mad.

The folks on this forum have been raving about this blender for years. It seems likely that it also has a good reputation and decent resale value in the world at large. If it doesn't turn out to be "keeper" gear, the cost of satisfying your curiosity will hopefully be minimal.

[MrErikJ]

Originally Posted by guitaniac

The folks on this forum have been raving about this blender for years. It seems likely that it also has a good reputation and decent resale value in the world at large. If it doesn't turn out to be "keeper" gear, the cost of satisfying your curiosity will hopefully be minimal.

Yes, it was in pristine condition and that's what drew me to it. I also saw it the way you do that, resale value maintains really well, so I should be able to resell it without any loss should I choose to part with it.

Should arrive this week! Haven't mentioned it to the wife yet...

Also, the BA piezo and mag arrived and the mag is beautiful, even if I didn't get to test it yet. The piezo comes pre-wired to a jack with a mini connector for the mag, which is really cool actually. Why they don't offer it as a set, is beyond me.

[VinceM]

Originally Posted by MrErikJ

Yes, it was in pristine condition and that's what drew me to it. I also saw it the way you do that, resale value maintains really well, so I should be able to resell it without any loss should I choose to part with it.

Should arrive this week! Haven't mentioned it to the wife yet...

Also, the BA piezo and mag arrived and the mag is beautiful, even if I didn't get to test it yet. The piezo comes pre-wired to a jack with a mini connector for the mag, which is really cool actually. Why they don't offer it as a set, is beyond me.

Just a bump for MrEricJ!

Keep us posted on the BA mag/piezo status! I'm getting ready to rip out my PUTW trio system (has the undersaddle and soundboard transducers together) and replace with this BA combo.

[guitaniac]

Originally Posted by VinceM

Just a bump for MrEricJ!

Keep us posted on the BA mag/piezo status! I'm getting ready to rip out my PUTW trio system (has the undersaddle and soundboard transducers together) and replace with this BA combo.

Is that the system which also included that tiny mag pickup, designed by Jeff Lace, which mounted at the end of the fretboard? If so, it must have served you well to have lasted over a decade.

[VinceM]

Originally Posted by guitaniac

Is that the system which also included that tiny mag pickup, designed by Jeff Lace, which mounted at the end of the fretboard? If so, it must have served you well to have lasted over a decade.

No, it is the Stealth undersaddle coupled with the #54 soundboard transducers. It was the first version of what PUTW offered as the "Trio" system.

Sadly I put up with buzzy soundboard transducers for years. I didn't realize it at first because it was low level, but large enough that I couldn't tune with those transducers engaged. I finally realized it was because the transducers kind of came apart where they were taped. I could get it to stop for a while by pushing the tape back in place, but it got worse and I got sick of dealing with it. I could probably call them and see what they can do but I think it's time to move on.

[guitaniac]

Originally Posted by VinceM

No, it is the Stealth undersaddle coupled with the #54 soundboard transducers. It was the first version of what PUTW offered as the "Trio" system.

Sadly I put up with buzzy soundboard transducers for years. I didn't realize it at first because it was low level, but large enough that I couldn't tune with those transducers engaged. I finally realized it was because the transducers kind of came apart where they were taped. I could get it to stop for a while by pushing the tape back in place, but it got worse and I got sick of dealing with it. I could probably call them and see what they can do but I think it's time to move on.

No point in calling PUTW. The pickup designer, David Enke, is with this company now.
https://opentosourcesensors.com/

If you have the Stealth UST, then its very definitely an old system. Their more recent I/O USTs are much better, IMO. (Open To Source Sensors sells the same basic UST design.) I currently have two of them in guitars. They aren't entirely quack free, but they are nicely top responsive and my personal favorite UST.

With respect to the PUTW SBTs, I personally found the single #27 SBT to be easier to mount and deal with. Albeit, the #27 usually requires a bit of a mid cut to completely please my ears.

The biggest drawback to the PUTW pickups has always been the relatively low output (compared to other passive pickups). They work best when preamped at the guitar.

[VinceM]

Originally Posted by guitaniac

No point in calling PUTW. The pickup designer, David Enke, is with this company now.
https://opentosourcesensors.com/

If you have the Stealth UST, then its very definitely an old system. Their more recent I/O USTs are much better, IMO. (Open To Source Sensors sells the same basic UST design.) I currently have two of them in guitars. They aren't entirely quack free, but they are nicely top responsive and my personal favorite UST.

With respect to the PUTW SBTs, I personally found the single #27 SBT to be easier to mount and deal with. Albeit, the #27 usually requires a bit of a mid cut to completely please my ears.

The biggest drawback to the PUTW pickups has always been the relatively low output (compared to other passive pickups). They work best when preamped at the guitar.

Oops sorry I was wrong - I forgot - I initially got the Stealth but was having problems with the installation. During that time he came up with the I/O which has worked well for me ever since. However I want to remove the undersaddle pickup and use the BA instead. I believe the undersaddle has sucked some tone from my guitar. At least I think it has.

As for the preamp near the guitar - I'm also using his belt clip stereo preamp with a short cord from a Vintage Jack. From there I go to a Solstice.

Thanks for the link to David's new company!

[MrErikJ]

Originally Posted by VinceM

Just a bump for MrEricJ!

Keep us posted on the BA mag/piezo status! I'm getting ready to rip out my PUTW trio system (has the undersaddle and soundboard transducers together) and replace with this BA combo.

Ok, so I got my Black Angel SBT and mag installed and so far, I love it.

My tech didn’t have the heater to use the hide glue that came with it, so he used regular glue. I used a Y-Cable to test it in my Fishman Mini and Mini Charge. The mag sounds great, as everyone has already stated. Good lows, great harmonic detail, and the high-end is not bad at all. What I was most surprised by was the piezo SBT, which I think far surpasses the K&K and JJB piezos. It takes well to EQ, doesn’t have overwhelming mids, and the highs are more than adequate. It’s even responsive to taps on the back and sides. It’s a really impressive pickup and they combine really well.