Anyone using the Matrix VT Enhance pickup system?

[JackB1]

I have a Martin GPCPA4 which is equipped with the Fishman Matrix VT Enhanced electronics. It sounds OK but a little thin sounding to me. I play solo so I want a full sound to cover a large sound spectrum. Anyone have any suggestions on getting a fuller sound from this setup. I plug my Martin into my Fishman SA220. How should I set the tone control and the enhanced knob?

Thanks

[AeroUSA]

Try putting the tone to max and backing off one turn and try turning the Enhance wheel up one turn from minimum.

Boost the bass EQ and cut a little mid. You can use something like the Baggs Align EQ for this or just the controls on your amp. The idea is to fatten the sound up in the low end.

[JackB1]

The "tone" button isn't the normal tone knob. All the way down is flat mids and all the way up is "scooped" mids. I would think the scooped setting would yield the "fullest" sound, right?
Its very confusing how they describe it buts here's what the manual says

Tone • This innovative, one-knob tone control lets you choose between a natural,
undersaddle sound (flat) on up to a “Scooped” tone with emphasized treble and bass.

• To make individual notes sound thicker and punchier, roll this control to the
right.
• Try the Tone control in the middle position for fingerpicking, when you
need just a bit of midrange cut.
• Roll the Tone control all the way to the left for more depth and
clarity to your sound, especially for hard strumming.

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

Try putting the tone to max and backing off one turn and try turning the Enhance wheel up one turn from minimum.

Boost the bass EQ and cut a little mid. You can use something like the Baggs Align EQ for this or just the controls on your amp. The idea is to fatten the sound up in the low end.

[jonfields45]

Try a Boss GE-7 or the cheaper Behringer clone. There are somethings that can only be done with traditional EQ, even if the masses find it intimidating...

[JackB1]

Sorry Aaron...I'm just reading this now

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

Try putting the tone to max and backing off one turn and try turning the Enhance wheel up one turn from minimum.

Boost the bass EQ and cut a little mid. You can use something like the Baggs Align EQ for this or just the controls on your amp. The idea is to fatten the sound up in the low end.

[JackB1]

Isn't the GE-7 designed for electric or doesn't it matter?

Originally Posted by jonfields45

Try a Boss GE-7 or the cheaper Behringer clone. There are somethings that can only be done with traditional EQ, even if the masses find it intimidating...

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Isn't the GE-7 designed for electric or doesn't it matter?

It is a simple graphic EQ with well chosen frequencies for guitar, acoustic or electric. It also has decent battery life, a 470K ohm input impedance which is close enough to the 1M ohm target for aftermarket passive piezo soundboard transducers (e.g. K&K, JJB, and the current AGF talked about Schatten HFN), and a 1K output impedance which means it can drive the lowest impedance mixer input.

[JackB1]

I also use a TC Helicon effects pedal (Perform-VG).
My only option would be to plug the guitar into the
EQ pedal before going into the Perform VG. Would that work?

Originally Posted by jonfields45

It is a simple graphic EQ with well chosen frequencies for guitar, acoustic or electric. It also has decent battery life, a 470K ohm input impedance which is close enough to the 1M ohm target for aftermarket passive piezo soundboard transducers (e.g. K&K, JJB, and the current AGF talked about Schatten HFN), and a 1K output impedance which means it can drive the lowest impedance mixer input.

[JackB1]

Anyone else with the Matrix Enhance VT system in their guitar find a way to get a good sound from it?

[ii Cybershot ii]

All the way scooped has the most bass, but will also sound the most brittle and thin. You could try going as far in the other direction as you can and using an EQ to bring the bass back in.

The other thing that can really help a piezo pickup like this is a Boss AD-2 or Bodyrez pedal. They are meant to take that brittle harshness out of the pickup.

A very transparent optical compressor can do wonders as well. Like the xotic SP or Mooer yellow comp.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Anyone else with the Matrix Enhance VT system in their guitar find a way to get a good sound from it?

I had the Martin GPC-18E Aura VT Enhance which was a wonderful acoustic but it too suffered from thin amplified tone. It really needed outboard EQ to remedy this thinness of amplified tone. My idea and suggestion, which I never followed-up on: Contact Fishman and ask them if there is a trim pot on the endpin preamp board that can be adjusted to bring in more bass for the Enhance SBT signal. Apparently, Martin/Fishman has backed-off the bass response of the Enhance SBT to help eliminate potential feedback issues. How they did this is the question? Was it done by an adjustment on the preamp circuit board that can be tweaked (eg., a trim pot) or is it resident within the preamp circuit and can't be tweaked (eg., a resistor?). Fishman may or may not tell you this information but the preamp circuit board can be removed from the guitar for examination and you may see an adjustable trim pot or trim pots for tone that you can adjust to tonal taste and return to factory positioning if desired. Here's a link to my review page for my new at the time, new Martin GPC-18E Aura VT Enhance: https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=443848

[JackB1]

I will contact Fishman and let you know what they say. I love my GPCPA4 and will work to get a good amplified tone. I may try some add on pedals next, like a EQ or a Boss AD-2 or a Baggs Session or venue pedal. My guitar doesn't sound "quacky"....just thin.

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

I had the Martin GPC-18E Aura VT Enhance which was a wonderful acoustic but it too suffered from thin amplified tone. It really needed outboard EQ to remedy this thinness of amplified tone. My idea and suggestion, which I never followed-up on: Contact Fishman and ask them if there is a trim pit on the endpin preamp board that can be adjusted to bring in more bass for the Enhance SBT signal. Apparently, Martin/Fishman has backed-off the bass response of the Enhance SBT to help eliminate potential feedback issues. How they did this is the question? Was it done by an adjustment on the preamp circuit board that can be tweaked (eg., a trim pot) or is it resident within the preamp circuit and can't be tweaked (eg., a resistor?). Fishman may or may not tell you this information but the preamp circuit board can be removed from the guitar for examination and you may see an adjustable trim pot or trim pots for tone that you can adjust to tonal taste and return to factory positioning if desired. Here's a link to my review page for my new at the time, new Martin GPC-18E Aura VT Enhance: https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=443848

[JackB1]

OK...spoke to Fishman and unfortunately there is no internal adjustment that can be made. The person I spoke with said best bet is to EQ or shape the tone between the guitar and the amp or PA. Like an EQ pedal or something.

Originally Posted by JackB1

I will contact Fishman and let you know what they say. I love my GPCPA4 and will work to get a good amplified tone. I may try some add on pedals next, like a EQ or a Boss AD-2 or a Baggs Session or venue pedal. My guitar doesn't sound "quacky"....just thin.