Schertler Magnetico AG6 + S-MIC-M - opinions?

[Dancehallking]

anyone try the Schertler Magnetico AG6 + S-MIC-M combo? How does it sound compared to m80? any affect on tone because of the added weight to the top?

[dogdog49]

I combined the Schertler Magnetico AG6 + S-MIC-M with the K&K already mounted in my Flammang GC a while back. I just plugged the guitar into channel one on my Compact 60 and ran the Schertler cord out the soundhole into channel two and mixed them that way. As an addition to the K&K it was awesome, on its own it still had too much of the traditional magnetic sound for my taste. I may go back to that combo one day. I'll probably experiment with a Mag Mic first to see how that compares as I've never heard one, and the K&K - Mag Mic combo sounds fabulous on Doug Young's site. Sorry I've not tried the M-80, I just didn't imagine I would like a pure magnetic without a mic added into the mix. I wasn't concerned about its affect on tone because I only used it to plug in and would pop it out when I played acoustically.

[Mkel12]

Originally Posted by Dancehallking

anyone try the Schertler Magnetico AG6 + S-MIC-M combo? How does it sound compared to m80? any affect on tone because of the added weight to the top?

I bought that combo last year and test drove it for about a week. I also have an M80. My recollection is that the Schertler system produced a wee bit more of an accurate acoustic representation, but it was still magnetic sounding. For those that prefer the magnetic sound, it is a very high quality system. I ended up returning the Magnetico/mic system.

My issue was that my main amplified guitars are Matons and a Cole Clark, and their amplified tone was vastly superior, IMO. Since I have discovered Dazzos, I am now experimenting with that pickup system, which looks very promising.

[Spook]

Interesting. I have the AG6/mic pair running into a DTAR Solstice that can handle a 1/4 inch stereo cable input split to two channels. For those that heard just a magnetic pickup sound, I don't believe you had the microphone working properly. With the mic the sound is much more open and natural than a magnetic pickup by itself.

[RandyOK]

Originally Posted by Mkel12

I bought that combo last year and test drove it for about a week. I also have an M80. My recollection is that the Schertler system produced a wee bit more of an accurate acoustic representation, but it was still magnetic sounding. For those that prefer the magnetic sound, it is a very high quality system. I ended up returning the Magnetico/mic system.

My issue was that my main amplified guitars are Matons and a Cole Clark, and their amplified tone was vastly superior, IMO. Since I have discovered Dazzos, I am now experimenting with that pickup system, which looks very promising.

Im curious how the Dazzos worked out for you

[lkingston]

I love my Schertler AG-6/S-Mic. I certainly prefer it to the LR Baggs M80 that I had before. Pickups are such a personal taste thing though.

[pmarino]

I liked mine. Very nice and natural tone, imo. However, I got a constant, low-level hum out of it that was most noticeable when I wasn't playing. It didn't disturb the tone too much when I did play, but sound men and women would always comment on the noise, which we couldn't seem to eliminate. I may have had a bad one, but that was my experience. As I said, though... A nice sounding pickup overall.

[lkingston]

No noise here at all. In fact if seems quieter that factory pickup systems if you turn the volume ridiculously high to check.

With the M80 I had to make rather extreme pole piece adjustments to try to get the magnetic sound even between strings. I was worried about the trying to string balance on the AG-6 since there are no pole pieces but it seems to be very even.

With the AG-6 and S-mic I can only turn up the volume of the mic about an eighth of the way up before I get feedback live. For recording I turn the mic all the way up and it sounds like a miked guitar.

As compared to the M-80, the AG-6 is much less sensitive to the pickup being touched. If I accidentally touched the M80 while strumming it would click. With the Schertler S-Mic, you can even touch the mic directly without hearing much. It seems to be much more sensitive to vibrations picked up through the air that to those inducted by touch. This means that I don’t worry about accidentally brushing against the pickup when I’m playing.

[Woodstock School Of Music]

Some FYI about the AG6 that I learned after talking to Schertler. For best results Schertler recommends that the pickup be 4mm away from the strings, 5mm if you're a heavy strummer. Each pole piece is optimized for the corresponding string and why they offer the pickup in lefty or righty. There are 7 preamps in the AG6, 6 for each string and one for the external output.

What lkingston said in the previous post about the AG6/Mic has pretty much been my experience too.

[lkingston]

By the way, I like the Schertler pickup enough to have one in each acoustic guitar that I have (three in all). I sold several other pickups after getting these. They work particularly well for the jazzy fingerstyle that I do. I have been experimenting with pickup combinations for years and I just kind of stopped looking after I got the Schertler.

[trochilinae]

I run the AG-6 with S-mic straight into an AER Alpha amp.

I get hiss without the mic installed, and it increases with the mic installed.

I have not found a solution.

[lkingston]

Originally Posted by trochilinae

I run the AG-6 with S-mic straight into an AER Alpha amp.



I get hiss without the mic installed, and it increases with the mic installed.



I have not found a solution.

It might be worth checking with Schertler to see if they’ll do an exchange. I just checked again and mine is completely quiet, with or without the mic.

[trochilinae]

Thanks for your input.

I was able to eliminate the AER preamp section as the problem. I did this by going from the pickup to a Grace Felix, then directly into the return input on the AER.

I also used a different cable with no improvement (Mogami cables).

I will contact Schertler this coming week.

[lkingston]

Just one last thing before you do, have you tried a new battery?

[trochilinae]

Yes on the battery! I should hear from Schertler soon.