Clingon Pickup video review and demo

[Methos1979]

After a few weeks of playing around with the Clingon pickup system I finally got a decent enough sound to make it worthwhile for a video review and demo. In summary it's a pretty cool little pickup for those that don't want anything invasive in their guitar. With help from a decent EQ and some tone shaping you can get a fairly good tone, good enough for an open mic or similar live, amplified setting.

Please note as always I'm just recording on my Android phone and uploaded to YouTube so the audio quality is only so good. It's best to listen with a good speaker(s) or headphones. Also there's a slight right side bias due to the phone positioning. Below are the timestamps to jump around to hear actual playing of the various differences for those that don't care about the details. The best tone is in bold:

Clingon > Bose S1 > ToneMatch off > EQ flat: 08:00
Clingon > Bose S1 > ToneMatch Guitar > EQ flat: 08:51
Clingon > Bose S1 > ToneMatch Mic > EQ flat: 09:32
Clingon > EDM-1 (Bass 75%, Mids 0%, Treble 35%) > Bose S1 > ToneMatch off > EQ flat: 11:37
Clingon > EDM-1 (Bass, Mids, Treble all flat (50%)) > Bose S1 > ToneMatch off > EQ flat: 16:38
Clingon > EDM-1 (Bass flat, Mids 0%, Treble flat) > Bose S1 > ToneMatch off > EQ flat: 17:11

Video:

Originally Posted by Marty C

I really like the sound you get from this - after your EQ. But you also have a great - and beautiful - guitar. I would be interested to hear it plugged in direct, without going through the wireless unit. I have two wireless systems and both seem to take out some of the warmth of my guitar. Not sure if this is something you experience. That noise with the pic that you mention and dialing out the treble was my experience with the wireless units.

Great job Methos - as always.

Marty C brought up an interesting point here so I did a very brief test by recording a short, audio-only video of a couple strumming riffs using the wireless and the cord. The cord does indeed seem to be warmer and with less pick 'clackiness' noise. This is not something I've noticed with my other guitars and pickup systems but it's something worth being at least aware of. I also wonder if I could dial out the clackiness a bit more (or all the way?) but further reducing the treble on the EQ.

At some point I will likely do a more in-depth test and video review using cord vs. wireless and also involve a couple of my other guitars and pickup systems just to see how they respond. Here is the very brief audio-only video. As always, it's best listened to with headphones or at least decent speakers as the differences is minute. Also, here are the imbedded timestamps for direct comparison:

Riff 1 wireless: 0:18
Riff 1 cord: 1:51
Riff 2 wireless: 0:59
Riff 2 cord: 2:29

Video:

[AeroUSA]

Great video my friend. Do you think you will stick with it? Pardon the pun!

[martingitdave]

Very nice. I think that Froggy will make any pickup sound better. :-) Given your experience, do you think this is a better solution than one of the wireless mic units?

[Chriscom]

What a wonderfully informative review, thanks! Extra points for the hat!

This may just be the solution I'm looking for, for one of my Zagers that I want to tune down a full step so I can sing a few old original songs, playing out, that I can't comfortably reach anymore. These days with online resources I usually just transpose down when I need to, but these songs have particular fingerings and fills that are just perfect right where they are. Kinda thing where I might not want the whole night with that sound, but for a few one-offs, sure.

[Marty C]

I really like the sound you get from this - after your EQ. But you also have a great - and beautiful - guitar. I would be interested to hear it plugged in direct, without going through the wireless unit. I have two wireless systems and both seem to take out some of the warmth of my guitar. Not sure if this is something you experience. That noise with the pic that you mention and dialing out the treble was my experience with the wireless units.

Great job Methos - as always.

[varmonter]

One cannot fault the sound of that
Guitar. Just beautiful
And a 12fret to boot.
Glad you walked away
So the banjo killer didnt
Overwhelm what you were
Trying to show in the pickup.

[Methos1979]

Thanks for the nice comments about the review and the guitar. Yes, the guitar is something special but then again most Froggy Bottoms seem to be just that. It certain is a loud guitar which is why I definitely needed to walk AND turn away from the phone.

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

Great video my friend. Do you think you will stick with it? Pardon the pun!

HA! Good one! Yes, I think this is a perfect solution for this guitar. If I was going to gig regularly with it then I might try something more intrusive and high-end and multi-source. But even then I'd struggle to get what I can easily get out of my Cole Clark(s) so why try to reinvent the wheel, right? I think this will more than be enough for the rare occasion the Frog leave's the pond. Thank YOU for putting this on my radar!

Originally Posted by martingitdave

Very nice. I think that Froggy will make any pickup sound better. :-) Given your experience, do you think this is a better solution than one of the wireless mic units?

I'm not familiar with the 'wireless mic units' to which you refer. But generally speaking I avoid most mics just because of the challenges of taming feedback.

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by Marty C

I really like the sound you get from this - after your EQ. But you also have a great - and beautiful - guitar. I would be interested to hear it plugged in direct, without going through the wireless unit. I have two wireless systems and both seem to take out some of the warmth of my guitar. Not sure if this is something you experience. That noise with the pic that you mention and dialing out the treble was my experience with the wireless units.

Great job Methos - as always.

I have not noticed any loss of tone due to my wireless system. Regardless, I'd never use a cord with that system as the likely hood of ripping off the pickup mid performance would much higher for me. But maybe I'll give it a try the next time I plug in just to see if I do notice any difference.

[AeroUSA]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

Thanks for the nice comments about the review and the guitar. Yes, the guitar is something special but then again most Froggy Bottoms seem to be just that. It certain is a loud guitar which is why I definitely needed to walk AND turn away from the phone.



HA! Good one! Yes, I think this is a perfect solution for this guitar. If I was going to gig regularly with it then I might try something more intrusive and high-end and multi-source. But even then I'd struggle to get what I can easily get out of my Cole Clark(s) so why try to reinvent the wheel, right? I think this will more than be enough for the rare occasion the Frog leave's the pond. Thank YOU for putting this on my radar!



I'm not familiar with the 'wireless mic units' to which you refer. But generally speaking I avoid most mics just because of the challenges of taming feedback.

You’re welcome. I met the guy at NAMM. He was playing the pickup and I noticed how good it sounded. Nice guy too.

[jricc]

Beautiful guitar, and very informative video. Thnx Methos1979. Thnx also to Aaron for his earlier review. I had just ordered one today before tuning into AGF! So very timely too. I'm a guitar/ukulele teacher and I needed a pickup that I could use with my ukulele and my nylon string guitar for classes. So with a few extra magnets, I could use this for both.
Thnx again.
jricc

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by Marty C

I really like the sound you get from this - after your EQ. But you also have a great - and beautiful - guitar. I would be interested to hear it plugged in direct, without going through the wireless unit. I have two wireless systems and both seem to take out some of the warmth of my guitar. Not sure if this is something you experience. That noise with the pic that you mention and dialing out the treble was my experience with the wireless units.

Great job Methos - as always.

Marty C brought up an interesting point here so I did a very brief test by recording a short, audio-only video of a couple strumming riffs using the wireless and the cord. The cord does indeed seem to be warmer and with less pick 'clackiness' noise. This is not something I've noticed with my other guitars and pickup systems but it's something worth being at least aware of. I also wonder if I could dial out the clackiness a bit more (or all the way?) but further reducing the treble on the EQ.

At some point I will likely do a more in-depth test and video review using cord vs. wireless and also involve a couple of my other guitars and pickup systems just to see how they respond. Here is the very brief audio-only video. As always, it's best listened to with headphones or at least decent speakers as the differences is minute. Also, here are the imbedded timestamps for direct comparison:

Riff 1 wireless: 0:18
Riff 1 cord: 1:51
Riff 2 wireless: 0:59
Riff 2 cord: 2:29

Video:

[jricc]

Again thnx for the demo Methos79...to my ears, it definitely sounds warmer with the cable direct vs the wireless.

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by jricc

Again thnx for the demo Methos79...to my ears, it definitely sounds warmer with the cable direct vs the wireless.

You're welcome! I just got around to listening to this with my good headphones and I can definitely hear a slight difference. The difference was more pronounced in person than in the video even with the headphones. In the end I doubt that your average person would notice any difference in a live setting. Maybe a fellow guitar player/tone snob like most of us here on AGF!

[AeroUSA]

In my experience the cheaper systems lose high end. I guess it depends on the system and also whether it’s an active or passive pickup.

[jricc]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

You're welcome! I just got around to listening to this with my good headphones and I can definitely hear a slight difference. The difference was more pronounced in person than in the video even with the headphones. In the end I doubt that your average person would notice any difference in a live setting. Maybe a fellow guitar player/tone snob like most of us here on AGF!

Yes, I think we all listen a little more critically here!