Schatten HFN thoughts? Any good from experience? - Page 2

Petty1818 · #16 11-09-2021, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

The older Schatten HFN pickup with the wooden base in my 2012 Schatten HFN Artist +2 and returned it--not enough bass response in a Larrivee dreadnought. I currently have the newer 3-D printed base Schatten HFN Artist +2 in a Martin D-18 and have the same issue with not enough bass response. I think Schatten made the change from a wooden base to a 3-D printed base around 2018. I'm thinking about removing the 3-D base from the HFN and adhering the piezo element directly to the bridge plate as I totally believe the overall amplified response will be better. I make this assessment from having a Schatten NR-2 pickup that is affixed to the biscuit in my Republic Duolian metal-bodied resonator. That pickup has what appears to be the same piezo element as the HFN minus the HFN base.

My thoughts exactly. I at one time used the Schatten mandolin/bouzouki pickup which is just the piezo element from the HFN. It adheres directly to the back of the saddle. The amplified tone was pretty amazing. I still remember wondering if this type of solution could be used on an acoustic guitar and then the ES2 came out.. I really should have developed and patented that haha.

Joking aside, the piezo has a nice full tone. I bet if it was attached directly to the bridge plate with tape or putty, it would sound great.

jamison162 · #17 11-10-2021, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petty1818

My thoughts exactly. I at one time used the Schatten mandolin/bouzouki pickup which is just the piezo element from the HFN. It adheres directly to the back of the saddle. The amplified tone was pretty amazing. I still remember wondering if this type of solution could be used on an acoustic guitar and then the ES2 came out.. I really should have developed and patented that haha.

Joking aside, the piezo has a nice full tone. I bet if it was attached directly to the bridge plate with tape or putty, it would sound great.

Will add that to my list to try one of these days.

stevecuss · #18 11-10-2021, 09:12 AM

It is my favorite pickup solution for these reasons:

- natural sound
- as non invasive as you can get with the putty or tape
- no battery inside the guitar.

Downsides, as noted:

- placement is critical, like all SBTs
- bass sometimes can be lacking. And by 'lacking' sometimes we mean 'not enhanced like a K&K or a UST.'
- very low output. It requires a quality external preamp with good gain available.

I must try a Dazzo again sometime. The adhesive method puts me off and the one I tried was unusable in the Lowden I tried it in. But the reports are consistently that it is the best.

Methos1979 · #19 11-10-2021, 01:02 PM

I tried their active and passive pickups in a few guitars and despite several attempts at different installs/positions and various tips like not attaching the center 'foot', I was unable to get a good tone that worked for me even with copious amounts of outboard preamp and EQ'ing. It is without a doubt the easiest to install and remove which is a benefit to the system.

zeeway · #20 11-10-2021, 02:42 PM

I have a Schatten HFN installed in an Emerald X20, and I was unhappy with it until I bought a Tonedexter. Now it sounds like it is miked. But I think more credit goes to the Tonedexter than the Schatten.

SpruceTop · #21 11-10-2021, 05:19 PM

The Schatten HFN is without a doubt the coolest looking SBT on the market! Too bad it can't be seen by an audience when it's installed!

Dean Riley · #22 11-10-2021, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeeway

I have a Schatten HFN installed in an Emerald X20, and I was unhappy with it until I bought a Tonedexter. Now it sounds like it is miked. But I think more credit goes to the Tonedexter than the Schatten.

That's interesting... I have a TD and I trained it maybe half a dozen times with my J-15 and J-45 with Schatten's and the difference between the TD and direct signal from the HFN is closer to the same then my other pickups... and in fact, doesn't really makes enough of a difference to warrant using.

What do you have the blend on your TD at?

gtrplayer123 · #23 11-11-2021, 12:00 PM

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL OF YOUR VALUABLE FEEDBACK!!

MUCH APPRECIATED!

David

zeeway · #24 11-11-2021, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean Riley

That's interesting... I have a TD and I trained it maybe half a dozen times with my J-15 and J-45 with Schatten's and the difference between the TD and direct signal from the HFN is closer to the same then my other pickups... and in fact, doesn't really makes enough of a difference to warrant using.

What do you have the blend on your TD at?

I run it at between 50% wave map and 100%. I suspect that the super-resonant top of the carbon fiber guitar (it has no bracing), makes a large difference in the p/u performance.

gtrplayer123 · #25 11-12-2021, 08:20 AM

Thanks all for replies!

meb · #26 11-12-2021, 09:30 AM

I just installed one in my Blue Ridge. I preferred the putty myself.
In general, I am a soundhole pickup person, but for the price and
non-invasiveness, the hfn is a nice choice for an sbt.

I have more pickups than guitars and posted my spare HFN on the for sale
section in case anyone is interested.