Tommy Emmanuel's pick up

[JannieA]

I was just watching Tommy Emmanuel performing in a video, he's playing a guitar that looks like a 000 size with a mahogany back and sides, I think this is the one he calls Mouse (is that right?) and the sound hole is covered with a black disc. I know nothing about pickups so maybe that is part of it but does anyone know what he's got for a pickup in his guitar. I believe his guitars (at least the 3 I'm aware of) are all made by a builder in Australia so maybe the pickups are installed at the time of build but I'm just curious, not sure I want to do this to my guitar but just maybe...

[akafloyd]

From poking around the webs it looks like his guitars have a pickup system installed by the guitar maker that may be proprietary to them. Apparently, it is a dual source system with an under saddle transducer combined with an internal microphone and a barn door style blender/preamp in the side of the guitar. If you can't get that particular system many other manufacturers make similar models or components that would be high quality.

[krisls]

Pretty sure TE mostly uses a custom Maton EGB808 with a two way pickup system. That is a piezo with a body mounted mic. I don't think they are retro fittable but maybe. similar things about by other makers. Oh he always plays with a feedback buster too.

Kris

[MikeVB]

I thought Matons are made from maple?

[stevecuss]

Maton makes a wide variety of guitar models with various wood species. TE's pickup is their renowned AP5 mic system which is proprietary to them and can't be retrofit into other guitars without series surgery. (If I recall, the saddle pickup is somehow also part of the bridge.) Tommy's live tone is outstanding and of course, so is his playing

[Carbonius]

Originally Posted by stevecuss

Maton makes a wide variety of guitar models with various wood species. TE's pickup is their renowned AP5 mic system which is proprietary to them and can't be retrofit into other guitars without series surgery. (If I recall, the saddle pickup is somehow also part of the bridge.) Tommy's live tone is outstanding and of course, so is his playing

Maton and Takamine (except G series) have the exact same style of bridge pu (see below pics). Takamine calls it "Palathetic". It has individual piezos for each string and also senses top movements. Stevecuss is right, you would NEVER want have one installed on your guitar as it is very invasive. Great sounding pu's though. Better to buy a Maton or upper end Takamine for that sound. Takamine's tube preamp has the ability to add a sound-hole pu (basically a Baggs ma1) and use existing blend controls. Pricey but great tone. There's a reason why you see SO MANY Takamine's on stage but not in studio... the are great live.

Maton pu


Takamine pu

[Doug Young]

For what it's worth, I was just at a Tommy Emanuel workshop last weekend, and he demonstrated his rig in pretty good detail. The bulk of the sound came from the internal mic, quite surprising. He started out playing with the mic alone, directly into his AER compact 60, which was directly into the PA. It sounded really good, just like Tommy's sound. He then put in the feedback buster, which he said was not there to prevent feedback, but to "tighten up" the sound. He popped it in, and indeed, the sound got a little less ambient. Then, finally he brought up the UST level. He said they were equal volume, but audibly all it did was add a little bottom end and directness. The sound overall was very close to the mic-only sound he started with. So from what I heard, his sound had little to do with the Palethetic pickup, and a lot to do with using an internal mic. I assume the mic was the one that comes with the Maton system, but he didn't go into detail on that.

Also, it's worth keeping in mind, that it's not just the pickup.Tommy usually plays big venues with good sound systems, and he travels with his own full-time sound man, because he wants someone who knows the sound he expects and how to dial it in. And then, of course, there's Tommy's fingers as part of the equation.

[throbert]

I recall when I saw Tommy at a club in Chicago years ago, someone asked him about his stage rig. He said at that time most of his stage sound came from a cheap Radio Shack mic and he preferred it to the more expensive condensers he had tried. Not sure if that particular model is still being manufactured or if that it was is in his current set up but it sounded good. But then again, he has always sounded good in every room I've seen him. Those Takamine pickups were OK for their time but I played an older Takamine a couple of years ago with those pickups and they weren't as great as I remembered. I think technology has taken a some leap forward in recent years.

[690MBCOMMANDO]

Originally Posted by throbert

I recall when I saw Tommy at a club in Chicago years ago, someone asked him about his stage rig. He said at that time most of his stage sound came from a cheap Radio Shack mic and he preferred it to the more expensive condensers he had tried. Not sure if that particular model is still being manufactured or if that it was is in his current set up but it sounded good. But then again, he has always sounded good in every room I've seen him. Those Takamine pickups were OK for their time but I played an older Takamine a couple of years ago with those pickups and they weren't as great as I remembered. I think technology has taken a some leap forward in recent years.

Since he was in Chicago maybe he didn't want to get jumped after the gig and played down his gear

[throbert]

Originally Posted by 690MBCOMMANDO

Since he was in Chicago maybe he didn't want to get jumped after the gig and played down his gear

He was responding to someone's question about his system on stage during the performance. At this point, I don't think it's any big secret as to what gear he actually uses. I feel certain he could make any installed pickup and microphone combination sound good. Everyone has their preferences including him.

[wood nacho]

I wish I could find out exactly what mic internal mic tommy is using. I remember a video in which he described it as a 70$ radio shack mic but I can't seem to find it.

Edit: Here is an excellent video of Tommy talking about his pickup system...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc-9krougB0

[rb1591]

Originally Posted by throbert

I recall when I saw Tommy at a club in Chicago years ago, someone asked him about his stage rig. He said at that time most of his stage sound came from a cheap Radio Shack mic and he preferred it to the more expensive condensers he had tried. Not sure if that particular model is still being manufactured or if that it was is in his current set up but it sounded good. But then again, he has always sounded good in every room I've seen him. Those Takamine pickups were OK for their time but I played an older Takamine a couple of years ago with those pickups and they weren't as great as I remembered. I think technology has taken a some leap forward in recent years.

I agree that pickups have improved across the board, but the Takamine – still basically the same design for the past 30+ years – still sounds mighty good to me in these new videos. Also they have great response and sensitivity, which, to me, is nearly as important as the sound.

And while Tommy's sound may be to a large part attributable to the microphone, I hear similar characteristics in the Tak pickup.

Listen to the first two videos here. These are new model instruments, but same pickup and pre that been around a long time:

http://www.youtube.com/user/takamine...?feature=watch

[j3ffr0]

I wish more steel string guitars came with an internal mic/blend system. I've got 2 mid-low priced nylon string guitars that came that way. It's hard to find as an option in even higher end steel string guitars.

[Monk of Funk]

Does anyone know what the realistic mic he was referencing in the video is? Which model he uses?

[geewhiz]

I have a feeling you could hand Tommy a $500 off the shelf Epiphone (or whatever) equipped with a soundhole pickup and it would still sound like him. I think he makes the gear work for him rather than vice versa.