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  #31  
Old 07-09-2018, 05:13 PM
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James May James May is offline
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One day later -

Well that's about as much fun as you can have with your pants on. . . . ,
...

THEN I realized I had missed a step in the creation process. Its recommended that you first try both polarities on the phase switch and use the one that has the best bass. I had not done that. When I flipped the phase switch back and forth, I decided I had not used the best sounding one. So, I decided to redo my previous Wave Maps.

...
Gotta love that first line.

I should clarify that the phase switch has no influence on the creation of the WaveMap. It only affects the playback polarity through all outputs, including phones. So it will influence your perception of the sound, but all you need to do is flip the switch. No need to recreate Maps on account of it.
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  #32  
Old 07-11-2018, 12:14 PM
jay7347 jay7347 is offline
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A quick question as I unbox my ToneDexter from the wonderful folks at Shoreline.

"If one creates their wave maps with one set of strings. Is that wave map viable with a different brand of strings?"

My Lowden F35c was shipped with Elixers, which I never use. I usually use Wyres PB1356's. I guess I was wondering if I need to change stings before I start this process?

Tnx for any advice! :-)
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Last edited by jay7347; 07-11-2018 at 12:20 PM.
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  #33  
Old 07-11-2018, 01:07 PM
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A quick question as I unbox my ToneDexter from the wonderful folks at Shoreline.

"If one creates their wave maps with one set of strings. Is that wave map viable with a different brand of strings?"

My Lowden F35c was shipped with Elixers, which I never use. I usually use Wyres PB1356's. I guess I was wondering if I need to change stings before I start this process?

Tnx for any advice! :-)
-jay
Really really dead strings should be avoided, but other than that no need to fuss about strings. ToneDexter is learning your instrument and the difference between pickup and mic sound. The string sound is common to both so it washes out of the equation.
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  #34  
Old 07-11-2018, 01:13 PM
Gordon Currie Gordon Currie is offline
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Might as well change the strings to your desired brand first. You may hear something other people don't.

As good as Tonedexter can be (very good!), it is NOT the *exact* sound of the microphone - if it was, then people would not be getting great results with inexpensive mics. But you might as well remove all sources of doubt, so that you can experience Tonedexter without niggling concerns ("what if I had broken in those strings for a day first, would that have made a more awesome Wavemap?").

I wouldn't worry about it myself, but if there is anything I've learned here on AGF, it is that many things I consider inconsequential are major issues for someone else...
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  #35  
Old 07-11-2018, 01:24 PM
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I played out at an open mic in a bar last night with the TDex. It's a Chicago neighborhood bar with a low level PA and speaker setup. Not an ideal environment. Which is exactly why I wanted to try the TDex there. Trial-by-fire, so to speak. Most people who play there have inexpensive guitars with typical piezo USTs. And they sound very harsh and unpleasant in the house system. Some really nice people. And a few talented players.

I got up with my ToneDexter and plugged it in to do my 3 song mini-set. And the TDex booted right up with power. The house system found it easily. And I was off to the races. I have to say it performed PERFECTLY. I almost got lost a couple of times because I was listening to how good my guitar sounded in the monitors. Just like playing at home by myself. I've never heard that on a stage before. Really the best sounding guitar of the night. Barre none.

But I do have to come up with some battery option for running the ToneDexter some times. I brought a 6 ft extension cord and the TDex wall wort has about 5 ft of cable. The only available outlet was in a busy power-strip on a shelf in the cabinet with the PA. It worked fine. But that's more trouble than I want to have to deal with for these quickie setups.

I'll try a more professional venue next week. Maybe even get a video.
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  #36  
Old 07-11-2018, 04:18 PM
martingitdave martingitdave is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marshall View Post
I played out at an open mic in a bar last night with the TDex. It's a Chicago neighborhood bar with a low level PA and speaker setup. Not an ideal environment. Which is exactly why I wanted to try the TDex there. Trial-by-fire, so to speak. Most people who play there have inexpensive guitars with typical piezo USTs. And they sound very harsh and unpleasant in the house system. Some really nice people. And a few talented players.

I got up with my ToneDexter and plugged it in to do my 3 song mini-set. And the TDex booted right up with power. The house system found it easily. And I was off to the races. I have to say it performed PERFECTLY. I almost got lost a couple of times because I was listening to how good my guitar sounded in the monitors. Just like playing at home by myself. I've never heard that on a stage before. Really the best sounding guitar of the night. Barre none.

But I do have to come up with some battery option for running the ToneDexter some times. I brought a 6 ft extension cord and the TDex wall wort has about 5 ft of cable. The only available outlet was in a busy power-strip on a shelf in the cabinet with the PA. It worked fine. But that's more trouble than I want to have to deal with for these quickie setups.

I'll try a more professional venue next week. Maybe even get a video.


That’s great feedback. I’m too timid to try mine for the open mics and have been sticking with a plug and play pickup. Worried about setup time and such.
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  #37  
Old 07-11-2018, 05:11 PM
guitaniac guitaniac is offline
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Originally Posted by martingitdave View Post
That’s great feedback. I’m too timid to try mine for the open mics and have been sticking with a plug and play pickup. Worried about setup time and such.
I suspect that your fears are well-founded. ts likely that some open mic settings won't have easily accessible power near the stage. The folks who want to try out a passive pickup/ToneDexter combo at an unfamiliar open mic would be well advised to bring a backup preamp which works well with their passive pickup and is battery powered.
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  #38  
Old 07-11-2018, 08:22 PM
Marshall Marshall is offline
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Originally Posted by Gordon Currie View Post
. . . ,As good as Tonedexter can be (very good!), it is NOT the *exact* sound of the microphone - if it was, then people would not be getting great results with inexpensive mics....
I don't mean to say everybody should go out and buy/borrow any specific mic. I actually borrowed a 3rd mic, a Shure Beta 87A from church that I like, and made a wavemap with that. (Thinking it might be between the Neumann and the KSM32). But I didn't like the output as much as the other two. . . , But the differences are very subtle. And I'd prefer any one of the three wavemaps I've made so far to the other perfumed pickup processing choices I've tried.

I'd expect any decent microphone will give a very desirable result.

PS - I'd like to add that my previous comments about mic qualities was not really to talk about mics, just to show how accurate the ToneDexter is. My personal felling is anything else I've tried (and I've tried a lot) is, at best, a 75 or 85% corrective solution. Whereas the ToneDexter is more like a 95 to 97% solution. My discussion about mics only highlights the diff between a (let's say) 96 to 97% solution. It's not meant to tout one mic over another.

Of course YMMV. And a lot of people do well with compression, and reverb, and modeling, and effects to create their amplified sound. ToneDexter mostly only tries to make your amplified sound like your unamplified acoustic sound. Lots of products have been striving to do that for decades. In my opinion, none have done better. Not even close.

Last edited by Marshall; 07-12-2018 at 08:29 AM.
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  #39  
Old 07-11-2018, 08:36 PM
Marshall Marshall is offline
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Originally Posted by martingitdave View Post
That’s great feedback. I’m too timid to try mine for the open mics and have been sticking with a plug and play pickup. Worried about setup time and such.
It's an issue to deal with. But I've used some kind of floor pedal (Zoom A3, LR Baggs Session, Fishman Aura, etc) for processing for years. If the pedal has battery power they all can be plug and play. You just bring your own guitar-to-pedal cord. Take the house 1/4" cord into the "pedal out." Been doing that for years.

Extended sets (or full gigs) it's preferable to get power from an outlet.
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  #40  
Old 07-19-2018, 11:55 AM
uriah1 uriah1 is offline
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I heard one recently. Did not play it, however, I did not feel the love.
But, that is me. Too much of a purist. I will keep an open mind next time.
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  #41  
Old 07-21-2018, 09:34 AM
Marshall Marshall is offline
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I heard one recently. Did not play it, however, I did not feel the love.
But, that is me. Too much of a purist. I will keep an open mind next time.

Interesting. Because I feel the ToneDexter is the purist most natural sounding effect I've heard.
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  #42  
Old 07-21-2018, 11:30 AM
gfirob gfirob is offline
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+1 for the Tonedexter in the purity department.
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  #43  
Old 07-21-2018, 12:02 PM
Br1ck Br1ck is offline
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I have no first hand knowledge of ToneDexter. I'd like to.

I just had Dazzos put in my sixth guitar. I bought my second SunnAudio product, the first for my open mic, where it has improved the overall sound of everything we have put through it, and a Stage One DI that I've been recording with. Yes, recording with, both alone and blended with a mic, and the comments about sitting in a mix are relevant.

I now have 60s wood housing, a 70/80 hybrid, two 70s, a 90, and a 100.

With the right Dazzo in each guitar, I rarely if ever EQ my acoustic signal.

Does a Dazzo sound just like my guitar only louder? Not quite, but the sound I get is trouble free, lush and resonant, and has been plug and play through every system or amp I run it through.

Buying a ToneDexter would be, for me, an experiment for fun, not to solve any inherent problems.
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  #44  
Old 07-21-2018, 02:37 PM
gfirob gfirob is offline
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Well, with respect, there is no way for you to know that unless you try side by side IMHO.
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  #45  
Old 07-22-2018, 03:29 AM
AndyC AndyC is offline
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Well, with respect, there is no way for you to know that unless you try side by side IMHO.
With respect, Br1ck will already know if he has any inherent problems, and clearly he hasn't.
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