What's Up With That?

CASD57 · #1 05-17-2021, 05:34 PM

Ok, I got you here, [emoji3]
I don't like the sound of my Seagull CH momentum plugged in, out in my garage... It just sound bassy, nasal nothing i do makes it sound like it does not plugged in, very uninspiring.
Is it time for a preamp?.....help!

Goat Mick · #2 05-18-2021, 06:19 AM

What are you plugging it into? What kind of pickup does it have? There are a lot of details to sort out before you decide it's time for a preamp.

CASD57 · #3 05-18-2021, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goat Mick

What are you plugging it into? What kind of pickup does it have? There are a lot of details to sort out before you decide it's time for a preamp.

It has a Fishman sonitone
Plugging into a eae mini 4 mixer into pa

Chriscom · #4 05-18-2021, 07:54 AM

Even an EAE can't fix a Sonitone all by itself.

I've been trying to improve my Sonitone (in my GPRS1) for some time. The Acoustic Resonance feature in my Boss VE-8 helps some, and that feature is also available as a separate stand-alone Boss AD-2. EQ trickery in my Bose T1 Tonematch doesn't radically help, though I'm not the most savvy EQ guy.

In a couple weeks I'll be trying the Fishman Aura Spectrum DI, and I expect that'll be as good as it could get, outside a Tonedexter. From what I hear, I am optimistic the Fishman will be a noticeable improvement. Not cheap though.

CASD57 · #5 05-18-2021, 08:51 AM

I had played a PRS parlor with the Fishman GT1 and I thought it sounded great plugged in and in the same location as the Seagull but the GT1 must be a step or two above this base sonitone.
I'm not even sure if would call it quackie it was more of a none defined tone, just a mess of sound with no definition.

Petty1818 · #6 05-18-2021, 08:53 AM

Personally, I would take this opportunity to upgrade the pickup. It's too bad it doesn't have the Godin brand UST as it's quite consistent. The Sonitone is an okay pickup but I feel as though you will be tweaking it a lot to make it sound good.

rmp · #7 05-18-2021, 09:17 AM

Well there's always a Tonedexter, but those are pretty expensive.

you could something try an EQ (like a boss GE7) which would allow you to shape the tone.

but IME, sometimes it's hard to "hide" what we don't like about a pickups system installed in the guitar.

CASD57 · #8 05-18-2021, 09:38 AM

The K&K pure mini is only $99 plus some super glue
This might just be the cheapest route
Of course I could leave in the sonitone or remove it
The Jack is mounted into one of those battery boxes, so I either figure out if the mini jack can replace the sonitone jack or drill out the end pin for the mini? And have two pick up systems

Goat Mick · #9 05-19-2021, 06:48 AM

I have never been able to make a Sonitone sound good in any guitar. I usually replace them with either a Baggs Anthem SL or if I don't want to spend much a JJB 330. Personally I like the JJB better than K&K pickups because they don't sound as brittle to me or require a preamp.

Mbroady · #10 05-19-2021, 06:53 AM

No doubt that with some EQ experimentation you can get it to sound better. But the first issue is judging the sound amplified in a garage, assuming there is no sound treatment.

Also, expecting a plugged in guitar to sound like your guitar without a mic as part of the chain is unrealistic. Something like tonedexter can get you close but it’s still not your guitar only louder.

I find the LR Baggs Anthem gets me close. It uses an internal mic as part of a dual source set up. But in a small quiet room I would still rather have an external mic (combined with an Anthem)

A K&K dual source (Mini and mic) is also a nice alternative, but for a louder sound the Anthem is less prone to feed back.

One potential issue with the Anthem is some folks say there is a noticeable change in the Acoustic tone, due to the braided Element under saddle transducer. I have one guitar that I noticed a change and another I did not. But both guitars sound amazing plugged in, not exactly like my guitar but still amazing.

CASD57 · #11 05-19-2021, 08:48 AM

I see some people have tried the Boss AD2 but I can't seem to find any remarks after... So I don't know if it helped at all.
Still probably the cheapest route is a new pickup probably not the easiest due to having to drill out the end pin...
But that would give me two plug in's and who knows maybe a combination will sound great..
I am moving towards the JJB because of cost in case it doesn't work

jonfields45 · #12 05-19-2021, 12:22 PM

Do you have another guitar to test your setup with?

A Sonitone is far from the best sound out there, but it should be passable for most people...such as guitarists that don't frequent the AGF.

But, I would first take the strings off the guitar and see if any of the connections between the various Sonitone components are plugged and not soldered. If plugged, I would remove each one, clean the plug with a dry cotton cloth, and reseat the plug. It might be a little oxidation somewhere.

I happen to like the two head JJB better than the three head if you want to save even a little more.

CASD57 · #13 05-19-2021, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonfields45

Do you have another guitar to test your setup with?

A Sonitone is far from the best sound out there, but it should be passable for most people...such as guitarists that don't frequent the AGF.

But, I would first take the strings off the guitar and see if any of the connections between the various Sonitone components are plugged and not soldered. If plugged, I would remove each one, clean the plug with a dry cotton cloth, and reseat the plug. It might be a little oxidation somewhere.

I happen to like the two head JJB better than the three head if you want to save even a little more.

New strings...Sunbeams, but............ I installed one string "D" like I do other strings...cut to size before wrapping them around the post....guess what? about a 1/4 in of the core was showing after I wrapped them.
I didn't think much about it until last night, My guitar had been sounding weird all week including the day in the garage.
"D" string is dead....
So I'll replace it tonight. I have never had that happen before must be the way the Sunbeams are built??
Maybe that was part of the sound problem...??

jricc · #14 05-19-2021, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CASD57

New strings...Sunbeams, but............ I installed one string "D" like I do other strings...cut to size before wrapping them around the post....guess what? about a 1/4 in of the core was showing after I wrapped them.
I didn't think much about it until last night, My guitar had been sounding weird all week including the day in the garage.
"D" string is dead....
So I'll replace it tonight. I have never had that happen before must be the way the Sunbeams are built??
Maybe that was part of the sound problem...??

Yes Chris, the DR Strings with round cores should be tuned up and then trimmed. I did it twice before I learned...

CASD57 · #15 05-20-2021, 09:42 AM

Ok, replacing the dead string helped a lot!.... It was like playing with 5 strings lol

I plugged into a Zoom GFX1 I have put it on the acoustic channel and it didn't sound bad at all.
So maybe a dedicated acoustic preamp would be even better?
I see Jonfields45 is using a Yamaha THR amp as a preamp.. I do like the idea of being able to going Electric or Acoustic Electric as needed , But of course the Zoom does that also.
Guitar....Zoom into a EAE gigmix 4 into a PA speaker is the setup so far
Vocals into a Se V7 or V3(brighter) into the EAE into the PA speaker.