#16
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Factories use UST piezos because the result is acceptable to most buyers, basically bullet proof in the hands of the end user, and very consistent.
SBTs can have guitar to guitar variation that they don't want to hassle with. Better sounding USTs like B-band were rejected because they did not install and work right every time. When I first retired Dick Boak suggested I interview for Martin's R&D director position. I did not go any further than meeting with their head of HR, but I do remember what we discussed: string development plans and problems with pickups (not guitar design which is a marketing function :~). I am still amazed that the relatively fragile Fishman Matrix has held onto Martin's production. A Sonitone or Element is much more robust.
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jf45ir Free DIY Acoustic Guitar IR Generator .wav file, 30 seconds, pickup left, mic right, open position strumming best...send to direct email below I'll send you 100/0, 75/25, 50/50 & 0/100 IR/Bypass IRs IR Demo, read the description too: https://youtu.be/SELEE4yugjE My duo's website and my email... [email protected] Jon Fields Last edited by jonfields45; 10-19-2020 at 06:22 AM. |
#17
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Hillsong's latest live album, they use the old-school '80s piezo sound for a few of the songs.
It's definitely a "thing," even if tech's moved on since then. |
#18
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And that’s the problem. Instead of yet another (expensive) variation of a pick or a capo, I’d like to see this return to the market.
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Some Acoustic Videos |
#19
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I’ve got an Element VTC UST on my J35 and JJB 330 SBT on my D55, both “piezo”. IMO, the Element run through my Fire Eye DI sounds really good. Really good. The “quack” isn’t nearly as prevalent than when running it straight into the board. I think it sounds better than the JJB 330 SBT system. UST’s are very useful and can sound excellent when used in the right way.
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Guild D55 Gibson Southern Jumbo Farida OT-22 |
#20
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You're right. Since I'm not "American" (although I'm an American citizen) and my native tongue is Spanish, some technical terms in English (even if "piezo" is not an English word per se) are more difficult to use properly. Yes, I'm specifically talking about USTs The thing is for the last 10 years or so, the UST guitars I've owned came with them from the factory. The exception would be the LR Baggs Anthem SL, which I put it in one of my Taylor guitars because the ES1 in it died. I set it about 60/40 in favor of the mic because I really needed the UST in the tone. And still do. And the other UST guitars came from only two brands (Ovation and Takamine) and the've served me very well all these years.
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-2017 Gibson J-45 Standard -2019 Gibson J-15 -2019 Gibson Les Paul Junior -2020 Gibson Les Paul Special -2019 Gibson Les Paul Studio -2021 Fender Aerodyne Special Telecaster -2022 Fender Telecaster 50s (Vintera) -1994 Fender Telecaster Deluxe 70 (Vintera) -Sire V5 5-string |
#21
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With the Anthem, you really can't eliminate the UST, because the mic portion only covers 250Hz and up. But the basic answer to your question is that USTs are easy to install, predictable, generally invisible, and they work well enough that most people who buy guitars are happy with them. Many people here on AGF are trying to get to the next level of tone, and don't mind doing custom installs, needing to use a special preamp with the right input impedance, etc, to do better. Manufacturers of mass market instruments need to know that their guitars will just work, and USTs do that. It's like a serious car buff saying to most of us, "how can you drive a Camry when it doesn't even have a custom carburator in it?"
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Music: Spotify, Bandcamp Videos: You Tube Channel Books: Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), A DADGAD Christmas, Alternate Tunings book Online Course: Alternate Tunings for Fingerstyle Guitar |
#22
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While a Taylor is far from my favorite plugged in tone, I'll have to say they usually sound ok. Just plug them in and go. Really fine for the casual player. Only two gripes, firstly how many show up with dead batteries ( hint, they have a little led on the preamp board, easily seen from the sound hole, and when it goes out, change the battery). One guy had his Taylor for ten years and didn't know this. The other thing is people can't help twiddling their knobs. Instead of asking for more sound in the monitors, they turn their volume up. But Taylors always do fine. A lot can be said for that.
Undersaddle pickups often get put in cheaper guitars with cheaper electronics then played by people inexperienced with amplified sound.
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2007 Martin D 35 Custom 1970 Guild D 35 1965 Epiphone Texan 2011 Santa Cruz D P/W Pono OP 30 D parlor Pono OP12-30 Pono MT uke Goldtone Paul Beard squareneck resophonic Fluke tenor ukulele Boatload of home rolled telecasters "Shut up and play ur guitar" Frank Zappa |
#23
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you and I both! |
#24
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#25
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You're talking to me. I hear music. And the whole world is singing along https://marshallsongs.com/ https://www.reverbnation.com/marshal...ther-tragedies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-UGW...neHaUXn5vHKQGA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGxDwt26FZc http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/marshallsongs http://www.myspace.com/marshallhjertstedt |
#26
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Patrick 2012 Martin HD-28V 1984 Martin Shenandoah D-2832 2018 Gretsch G5420TG Oscar Schmidt Autoharp, unknown vintage ToneDexter Bugera V22 Infinium |
#27
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I think one thing to consider is that if you look at the majority of professional musicians out there, it’s actually quite hard to find many that are as anal as we are on agf about plugged in tone. I started thinking about acoustic players, or at least musicians who play acoustic here and there at shows and the majority of them play UST pickups and/or some variation of a soundhole pickup. Some use Aura and some use the anthem but many still rely on tones that we would consider to be unnatural. Even those that use the Anthem or Aura tend to have fairly quacky tones and rely more on the piezo than the mic or image. This is probably one reason why so many manufacturers still put piezo systems into their guitars.
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#28
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-2017 Gibson J-45 Standard -2019 Gibson J-15 -2019 Gibson Les Paul Junior -2020 Gibson Les Paul Special -2019 Gibson Les Paul Studio -2021 Fender Aerodyne Special Telecaster -2022 Fender Telecaster 50s (Vintera) -1994 Fender Telecaster Deluxe 70 (Vintera) -Sire V5 5-string |
#29
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Patrick 2012 Martin HD-28V 1984 Martin Shenandoah D-2832 2018 Gretsch G5420TG Oscar Schmidt Autoharp, unknown vintage ToneDexter Bugera V22 Infinium |
#30
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To be fair as well, many of those Tonedexter users listed look to be violin, banjo, cello etc players and many I have never heard of. That adds to my point as well. It seems as though the more underground players are looking for a better tone but if you go back to the OP, those musicians are not going to keep big manufacturers in business so piezo systems are still the best option. |