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  #1  
Old 03-19-2019, 09:13 PM
lovgren lovgren is offline
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Default Sunrise for lightweight guitar?

Recently bought a 2019 Gibson J-45 Vintage. Guitar weighs less than 4lb. Torrefied adi top. Lightly built and very resonant. I run 11's on it and they drive the top just fine.

It's time to decide how to amplify it. Partially because it's a vintage model, I'm drawn to the Sunrise. However, I'm concerned that the weight of the pickup will smother the resonant top (that I paid so much to acquire!) that gives this guitar its special character.

Should I just get the Sunrise and not worry about the weight? I know it will sound different (physics says so) but how different? And is different necessarily worse? I don't want to put a modern pickup in this guitar, but I also don't want to ruin its sound when played unplugged.

I could consider a lighter Sunrise clone, but that might bring out the worst of both options: still affects the unplugged tone and lacks true Sunrise amplified mojo. And plugging a clone into an S-B1 may have different results, etc etc.

I've searched and read and googled and I'm very torn on this. Please help.

EDIT: A dealer who stocks these is only 2 hours from me. It may be worth a trip to try it out. Curious to hear if you think this is viable before I make the trek.

Last edited by lovgren; 03-20-2019 at 12:06 AM.
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Old 03-20-2019, 12:35 AM
M Hayden M Hayden is offline
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I’ve got a pair of them and don’t find that they kill the sound. They are heavier than other pickups, but that is offset by sound quality and absolute ease of use.
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Old 03-20-2019, 12:56 AM
rockabilly69 rockabilly69 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lovgren View Post
A dealer who stocks these is only 2 hours from me. It may be worth a trip to try it out. Curious to hear if you think this is viable before I make the trek.
This will answer your question better than any advice on this forum! Call the shop and ask them if they will let you try one out before making the trip though!
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Old 03-20-2019, 07:00 AM
varmonter varmonter is offline
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I have a 30s parlor guitar that i put the sunrise
in. It sounds fine and i didnt notice any difference
in acoustic sound. YMMV.
I also like the baggs m80. Great sound.
not the baggs m1 ...that one is kinda meh..

Last edited by varmonter; 03-20-2019 at 03:24 PM.
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  #5  
Old 03-20-2019, 08:53 AM
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Al Acuff Al Acuff is offline
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I gigged with Sunrise pickups for decades. When installed it does damp the vibration of the top of the guitar a bit. Any sound hole pickup does. I take the pickup out of the the guitar when I'm not gigging. Problem solved.

The DiMarzio Black Angel is a lighter pickup that is easier to take in and out of your guitar compare with a Sunrise. When installed it does not affect the sound as much as the heavier Sunrise.

The Black Angel is not a Sunrise clone––it's an excellent pickup with it's own sound. IMO it sounds a wee bit more modern and hi fidelity than the Sunrise. Both are excellent.

As long as you have a jack inside your guitar so that you can remove your pickup easily then you can use whatever pickup you prefer. My 2 cents: the Black Angel sounds amazing in my old 1949 J45.
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  #6  
Old 03-20-2019, 11:47 AM
dcopper dcopper is offline
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I have a Sunrise in a 914 Taylor and if there is any difference, I can't hear it. Besides, as Al said, you can take it out. Certainly plugged in will not give you any difference. If you are sitting around playing unplugged, then just pop it out.

I happen to think the Sunrise is the best sound hole pickup on the market. I would also say that the Black angel which is made somewhat like the Sunrise certainly gets great respect. You may want to look at the difference between those two if weight is really an issue for you.
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  #7  
Old 03-21-2019, 05:38 AM
Howard Emerson Howard Emerson is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lovgren View Post
Recently bought a 2019 Gibson J-45 Vintage. Guitar weighs less than 4lb. Torrefied adi top. Lightly built and very resonant. I run 11's on it and they drive the top just fine.

It's time to decide how to amplify it. Partially because it's a vintage model, I'm drawn to the Sunrise. However, I'm concerned that the weight of the pickup will smother the resonant top (that I paid so much to acquire!) that gives this guitar its special character.

Should I just get the Sunrise and not worry about the weight? I know it will sound different (physics says so) but how different? And is different necessarily worse? I don't want to put a modern pickup in this guitar, but I also don't want to ruin its sound when played unplugged.

I could consider a lighter Sunrise clone, but that might bring out the worst of both options: still affects the unplugged tone and lacks true Sunrise amplified mojo. And plugging a clone into an S-B1 may have different results, etc etc.

I've searched and read and googled and I'm very torn on this. Please help.

EDIT: A dealer who stocks these is only 2 hours from me. It may be worth a trip to try it out. Curious to hear if you think this is viable before I make the trek.
I'm curious as to why you're concerned about the acoustic resonance of your new guitar when you're thinking of putting in a magnetic pickup?

Almost none of what your ears hear will be reproduced by a magnetic pickup. Whether or not it's appealing to your ears is another thing altogether.

While the mass of the magnetic pickup will absolutely dampen the tops vibration to a certain extent, it will still work just fine.

By the way I'm not knocking magnetic pickups for flat tops. With nickel strings I think they've got an appealing sound.

Regards,
Howard Emerson
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  #8  
Old 03-21-2019, 06:27 AM
varmonter varmonter is offline
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Although I think the small surface area ( and added weight) taken
up by the clamps of a mag pup will theoretically
dampen the top. More sound is blocked by
the physical size blocking the soundhole.
As the sunrise transfers none of the body
resonance produced by the guitar anyway.
The concern of the OP I think is more
about playing the guitar acoustically then it is about
playing it plugged in . Plugged in its more about
the pickup pole peice balance then it is about
the top.
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  #9  
Old 03-21-2019, 09:47 AM
lovgren lovgren is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Howard Emerson View Post
I'm curious as to why you're concerned about the acoustic resonance of your new guitar when you're thinking of putting in a magnetic pickup?
Sure... I am planning to leave the pickup installed permanently. So when I'm sitting on the couch or otherwise playing unplugged, I don't want to ruin the acoustic nature of the instrument.

Latest thinking is DiMarzio Black Angel or Fishman Blackstack. Leaning toward the Black Angel but I'm generally a Fishman fan so we'll see.
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