Trance Amulet M review

[aaronmarkson]

I'm adding to the growing amount of reviews on the Trance Audio Amulet M pickup!

I've had this pickup in my Gibson Fullers 1935 Jumbo for nearly 3 years now. At the time I remember wishing there were more reviews of this pickup.

The quick review: I like it... A lot. It really hits a sweet spot between natural-sounding and a feel that is responsive, punchy, clear for me.

For some recordings of the pickup and rambling about the install and comparisons with other systems, check out my very first YouTube review video.

[SpruceTop]

Thanks, Aaron, for doing this, and really great playing too!

Your Trance Amulet M/Gibson 1935 Jumbo combination sounds clear, full, and resonant, and I appreciate you using a flatpick for a goodly portion of your demo as this is how I play 80% of the time. The flatpick, IMHO, is a real test of how a system sounds under stress and the Trance holds up well.

I've used Trance Amulet M-VT systems in several dreadnought guitars since 2012 and enjoyed their amplified tone. Sadly, my advocacy for the Trance Amulet M prompted a few folks to purchase and install the systems and they weren't too keen on the results which made me feel bad. I guess it goes to show that not every system works well with every different guitar. I'm soon to install a Trance Amulet M-VT Phantom in another guitar and will report the results on the AGF Acoustic Amplification section.

Another system I've just installed for the first time is the Dazzo system with dual #70 transducers. I installed it in a Larrivee D-40M Legacy with good results which I hope to post soon on AGF.

I, too, have used just about every pickup system out there and generally get decent amplified tone from them. IMHO, it's really a matter of working with a system to get the best out of it.

[aaronmarkson]

Thanks SpruceTop

I'd love to try out the Dazzo at some point and look forward to hearing about your experience.

There really is no one size fits all approach to any of this. We're all just doing our best to find what fits us. I'm happy to have a few guitars that put a smile on my face, both unplugged and plugged in.

[loco gringo]

Aaron, great review and great playing. I am a fan of the Trance and really like it for all the reasons you stated.

I have a Trance in a Gibson Southern Jumbo. It came factory installed. I actually didn't plug the guitar in at the shop when I bought it. I liked it enough acoustically that I told myself I didn't care about the pickup and would deal with it later by changing it out if needed. They told me what it was, but it didn't mean anything to me. This was back in 2015, I think. I was in for a pleasant surprise when I got home and did plug it in. I have another guitar on the way with a Trance in it. It might be here tomorrow.

I also had a dred with an UltraTonic in it. It is also a really great pickup. I just moved that dred to help fund the guitar I have on the way. I have another UltraTonic that I am going to install in something. I just haven't figured out what, yet. After asking James May's opinion on it, I am going to install this one with tape. The one in my dred was with superglue. I am not likely to glue anymore pickups in guitars.

One thing I do like about the Trance is its portability. If you need to, you can plug it in anywhere, like a jam, a sit in, an open mic, etc. You don't have to have anything external. I do run it through an external preamp when I am playing through my own rig.

[AeroUSA]

Excellent review but you created a lot of extra work for me. I’ll never be able to make a pickup review that good. Great job! Maybe a drink will help? Lol

[aaronmarkson]

Thanks, Aaron.

Put that sound-hole sniffer mug to use.

[Petty1818]

Sorry for the duplicate post (I put the same question in another thread) but wondering if I might get more specific responses in this thread:

I am wondering if any of you played with the trim control when you installed the Trance? Despite the fact that I moved on from the Trance, I am consdering installing it again. I feel like I should have played with the trim control more. At the time, it looked like it just increased the bass notes but it sounds like it could potentially balance the high end I was getting.

[aaronmarkson]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

I am wondering if any of you played with the trim control when you installed the Trance?

... At the time, it looked like it just increased the bass notes but it sounds like it could potentially balance the high end I was getting.

I did adjust the trim control when I installed mine. I haven’t since.

The trim control on the preamp adjusts the volume of whatever transducer is plugged into input A. Also, both transducers and both channels of the preamp are identical, so you can choose which pickup is plugged into channel A.

It sounds like you plugged the bass side into A. This is what I did too, but I could see why it might be better in some instances to plug the treble side into A to have that be adjusted.

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by aaronmarkson

I did adjust the trim control when I installed mine. I haven’t since.

The trim control on the preamp adjusts the volume of whatever transducer is plugged into input A. Also, both transducers and both channels of the preamp are identical, so you can choose which pickup is plugged into channel A.

It sounds like you plugged the bass side into A. This is what I did too, but I could see why it might be better in some instances to plug the treble side into A to have that be adjusted.

Thanks! When I originally installed the Amulet, I just plugged the bass into A and treble into B, which is what I believe Trance recommends. I didn't touch the trim but I am tempted to install it again and give it a try. I just always felt as though my high end was a bit thin/bright. I might be misunderstanding the manual but I believe if I plug the treble into A, it will just allow me to add more of the treble pickup so I will probably just plus bass into A and adjust it.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

Sorry for the duplicate post (I put the same question in another thread) but wondering if I might get more specific responses in this thread:

I am wondering if any of you played with the trim control when you installed the Trance? Despite the fact that I moved on from the Trance, I am consdering installing it again. I feel like I should have played with the trim control more. At the time, it looked like it just increased the bass notes but it sounds like it could potentially balance the high end I was getting.

Scott, I've not ever adjusted the Trim Control but will definitely try it on my next installation in my new Larrivee D-40R Legacy that I bought today. More to come ...

[MaurysMusic]

Originally Posted by aaronmarkson

I'm adding to the growing amount of reviews on the Trance Audio Amulet M pickup!

I've had this pickup in my Gibson Fullers 1935 Jumbo for nearly 3 years now. At the time I remember wishing there were more reviews of this pickup.

The quick review: I like it... A lot. It really hits a sweet spot between natural-sounding and a feel that is responsive, punchy, clear for me.

For some recordings of the pickup and rambling about the install and comparisons with other systems, check out my very first YouTube review video.

That was very comprehensive. Thanks for the shout-out!

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Scott, I've not ever adjusted the Trim Control but will definitely try it on my next installation in my new Larrivee D-40R Legacy that I bought today. More to come ...

That’s great thanks! The last time I installed the Amulet (I wanted to try some new positions), I had such a difficult time with the red tape. The first install it was somewhat difficult to peel the red protective part off but the last few times, it was a nightmare. Not sure why.

On a side note, those Larrivee 40 series guitars are quite nice. If the dread had a wider nut width, I would get one for gigging. The tonal balance really helps with amplification.

[MaurysMusic]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

Thanks! When I originally installed the Amulet, I just plugged the bass into A and treble into B, which is what I believe Trance recommends. I didn't touch the trim but I am tempted to install it again and give it a try. I just always felt as though my high end was a bit thin/bright. I might be misunderstanding the manual but I believe if I plug the treble into A, it will just allow me to add more of the treble pickup so I will probably just plus bass into A and adjust it.

If you boost the bass side lens, you'll immediately be on the right path towards more balance and you could (possibly) go from "too bright" all the way to "too much bass" if you turn the trim enough.