Revisiting the Trance Amulet M

[AeroUSA]

I reviewed this pickup before but some said that it wasn't dialed in optimally so I thought I would try it again:

[SpruceTop]

Aaron, thanks for revisiting this pickup system! The Trance Amulet M sounds good in the Martin HD-28. I still hear some brittleness in the tone, though. I attribute this to the Trance permanent tape that's used to install the Amulets. This tape is .009" inch in thickness and remains pliable long after the installation of the Amulets. This, IMHO, detracts from the Amulet system to deliver an excellent amplified tone to its potential.

A couple of weeks ago, I finally installed my Trance Amulet M Phantom system in my Larrivee C0-3 TE Tommy Emmanuel and used Henkel Loctite 6-Minute Epoxy for the installation of the Amulets. The 6-Minute Epoxy is what Teddy Randazzo recommends using when installing his Dazzo transducers. I've never been completely happy with the tone of my Amulet systems when using the Trance permanent tape for installation and this compelled me to try something that can be applied thinner and dries hard compared to the Trance permanent tape. I like what I hear when playing the Larrivee C0-3 TE through my LR Baggs Synapse Personal PA. The Trance Amulet M Phantom's tone, with all EQ set flat, is more transparent with more bass response than when I've installed the Amulets with the Trance permanent tape in other guitars, all dreadnoughts. After the Thanksgiving holidays, I'll record the Trance Amulet M Phantom/Larrivee C0-3 TE combination and post the sound files on AGF.

My original installation thread for the Trance Amulet M Phantom and Larrivee C-03 TE Tommy Emmanuel combination.

[Petty1818]

Good review Aaron. I too hear a distinct tone with the Amulet. Once I heard it, I can’t eq it out and it bothers me. I find the Amulet to have more of a piezo tone than even the K&K. Maybe this is due to the fact that the Amulet has more high end, but not really sure.

My one big issue is that although the Amulet sounds nice, the high strings just sound a bit too thin and bright. As Sprucetop pointed out, this could be due to using tape.

[jamison162]

My experience with tape installs echoes the above. With K&K the output is less with more high end and less bass response. I temporarily used double stick tape to try out a pair of Dazzo 70Ts and that sounded horrible. Superglue, epoxy, or at least putty is needed to get optimal signal (i.e. voltage response) from any piezo type pickup system.

[SpruceTop]

I also agree with Aaron's assessment of a Trance system's noise floor as being very quiet. Even with 30-feet of balanced cable and phantom power, the Trance Amulet M Phantom in the Larrivee C-03 TE is very quiet with only a bit of white noise noticeable when holding my ear up close to the LR Baggs Synapse when it's set for a moderately loud volume in my family room, and that's with seven fluorescent light fixtures all On.

[SpruceTop]

Aaron, somehow, the Trance systems have become "esoterica-laden" to players. The whole Trance pickup thing isn't rocket science but has somehow become just that. I firmly believe that epoxy mounting of the Amulets has removed the mysticism that has become associated with installing Trance systems.

Here is a short sound file recorded with my Larrivee C-03 TE Tommy Emmanuel with installed Trance Amulet M Phantom with Henkel Loctite 6-Minute Epoxy mounted Amulet transducers. This is a "naked" sound file made with FLAT EQ and NO EFFECTS. IMHO, this is the best-unenhanced sound file from any pickup/preamp system, regardless of brand, I've heard to date. Please excuse my crippled hands in the playing of this tune. This is played moderately aggressively and the pings and zings that are inherent in my style are also a result of the Larrivee C-03 TE having the lowest action of any of my guitars and have nothing to do with any Trance Amulet-inherent peculiarities. Thanks and comments are welcome!