LR Baggs HiFi In A Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass JCL Special--An Installation Progression

[SpruceTop]

I've just plugged my LR Baggs HiFi/Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass Special rig into my VOX AGA150 acoustic amp and the combo sounds really decent. The distortion from my aggressive flat pick strumming that I'm hearing through headphones on the bass strings isn't as grating on my ears when played through the amp at 5 feet away. I'm on the fence with the LR Baggs Hifi as to whether to send it back for a refund or exchange it for another one just in case mine isn't quite right.

[SpruceTop]

As mentioned, I've gotten my Hifi installation sounding decent in my Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass but keep thinking that I should've waited a while to get a HiFi so as to have Baggs sell off their first-made batch and possibly make some improvements to the next run of HiFi's. I think LR Baggs makes their own pickups in Nipomo, California, so it's not like they've contracted with a Chinese maker to run off tens of thousands of these things and are stuck with a mountain of them. LR Baggs could likely be quite nimble in making any changes to the design and its manufactured result if they think the company could improve the amplified tone. At present, I could probably live with my HiFi/Larrivee rig as although I can still hear some distortion when listening to it directly through my FELiX 2 with earphones, the rig sounds good through my VOX AGA150. I'm thinking some of the distortion is coming from the strings not seating quite properly in the nut and from the saddle that's a tad narrow for the saddle slot and its bottom is tilted a bit away from the saddle-slot bottom. I have 1/8-inch Bob Colosi and TUSQ saddles that I got years ago that'll fit a Larrivee or Taylor so I just have to fit one of these saddles to my Larrivee.

[SpruceTop]

Today, I made this quick second demo which is DIRECT-TO-COMPUTER, ALL EQ FLAT (except the system's Tone Wheel for its positional effect on tone), NO EFFECTS, NO MICROPHONES ANYWHERE IN OR NEAR THE SIGNAL CHAIN:

This second demo was made after checking my initial installation of the LR Baggs HiFi. The first half of the demo is moderately-aggressive flat pick strumming with a Guitar Moose .65 mm Classic Pick which has a lighter and more flexible touch than the Charmed Life .75 mm Vespel used in the first demo. The first section with the flat pick is with the HIfi Tone Wheel at its Detent position and the second section with the flat pick and the Tone Wheel at its full Treble position. Similarly, the second half of the demo is fingerpicking, the first section is with the Tone Wheel at its Detent position and the second part is with it at its full Treble position.

My updated thoughts on the LR Baggs HiFi will soon follow. Thanks For Looking In & Your Thoughts Are Welcome!

[SpruceTop]

Whether recorded or through an amp, I prefer the Detent Tone Wheel position of the LR Baggs HiFi. Be aware that going from Detent to full-Treble on the Tone Wheel adds a few decibels to the signal strength. This can be good when going from a flat-picking to a fingerpicking song as the extra treble tone and volume can be a boon in a live-playing situation when switching to fingerpicking without reaching for your sound system's controls. Just leave the HiFi's Volume on Full and let the Tone Wheel dial you in as you go back and forth between flat-picking and fingerpicking.

[SpruceTop]

Another fingerpicked LR Baggs/Larrivee D40R Blue Grass JCL Special demo. This time the track is the vocal backing for a verse of "Baby Let Me Follow You Down" with the LR Baggs HiFi Tone Wheel at Detent. DIRECT-TO-COMPUTER, FLAT EQ, NO EFFECTS, NO MICS:

[SpruceTop]

For anyone who may care as it may relate to your upcoming LR Baggs HiFi installation, I made a neck-relief adjustment to the Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass and that cleaned up some of the distortion I've heard in the LR Baggs HiFi's output signal, and as a consequence, a saddle height adjustment will be next. The rig is sounding better through headphones which means it's also sounding better through my amp. I firmly believe that being the first stage in a signal chain, the combination of the pickup/preamp and the guitar's setup better sound good up front through headphones with which you can hear in detail what's going on prior to being played through a PA or acoustic amp. Otherwise, if not adjusted for, a player could be losing better tone, clarity, and dynamic range when playing soft or aggressively. I may do more demos but that's up to any demand. If I can offer any experience-related information to help with your upcoming LR Baggs HiFi installation, please let me know.

[martingitdave]

Thanks Ken, I plan to order one when they come in stock. Assuming anyone gets any stock. [emoji23]

[MaurysMusic]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Another fingerpicked LR Baggs/Larrivee D40R Blue Grass JCL Special demo. This time the track is the vocal backing for a verse of "Baby Let Me Follow You Down" with the LR Baggs HiFi Tone Wheel at Detent. DIRECT-TO-COMPUTER, FLAT EQ, NO EFFECTS, NO MICS:

That's a very pleasing direct tone, IMO.

[jricc]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Another fingerpicked LR Baggs/Larrivee D40R Blue Grass JCL Special demo. This time the track is the vocal backing for a verse of "Baby Let Me Follow You Down" with the LR Baggs HiFi Tone Wheel at Detent. DIRECT-TO-COMPUTER, FLAT EQ, NO EFFECTS, NO MICS:

This sounds really good Ken. Nice playing and thank you so much for doing these demos!

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

I bet Ken is going to glue the sensors with epoxy… just to find that the output is then two strong and overdrives the preamp that was designed for lower signal from taped sensors

If it happens, Ken, be sure to measure tha capacitance of the sensors to make a divider later on and save the day…

Ken the trance audio amulet has 18v dynamic range thanks to its internal voltage doubler and a gain pot if I remember well… Not sure the Baggs preamp will be as forgiving with the glue mod

Cuki, Thanks for the information! I'm not going to use epoxy on the LR Baggs Hifi as I feel it sounds OK as is, especially once I get it all set the way it and the Larrivee need to be. I also don't feel the HiFi's endpin preamp could handle the increased transducer signal output that the epoxy installation would provide. I feel the Trance Amulet M Dual Mono (two separate preamps in one) preamp is likely close to Grace Design FELiX 2 quality. It's absolutely quiet in phantom-power form and has unlimited headroom, derived likely from the explanation you've given us. The epoxy installation of the Amulets greatly increases their output-signal strength to what could be K&K levels. The M-VT option is a must if anyone is going to do the epoxy installation of the Amulets. My feeling is as long as a player installs the Amulets in the normal locations straddling the saddle line and between the 6th/5th strings and 1st/2nd strings the installation will sound superb. There will be no need to second-guess and remove the Trance Amulet system so the epoxy mounting shouldn't be a concern.

[SpruceTop]

Today's LR Baggs/Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass JCL Special recording is as usual rendered DIRECT-TO-COMPUTER, FLAT EQ, NO EFFECTS, NO MICS. Folks, this was my tenth take on something I've done many times but if you hear any slight muffling of tones, it's my old-guy hands. This demo was played with a Charmed Life .75 mm Vespel flat pick and demonstrates the LR Baggs HiFi's ability to render quick and heavy back-and-forth notes and chords. The recording is done with the LR Baggs HiFi's Tone Wheel on FULL TREBLE. Given what I'm now hearing from my directly recorded and amped listenings, I'm happy with my LR Baggs HiFi installation and will be keeping the system. I know I can improve upon it with guitar-related attention to the bridge saddle. The below recording is John Hiatt's "Crossing Muddy Waters." Thanks For Looking In & Your Comments Are Welcomed!

[BillyH]

[QUOTE=SpruceTop;7258270]Today's LR Baggs/Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass JCL Special recording is as usual rendered DIRECT-TO-COMPUTER, FLAT EQ, NO EFFECTS, NO MICS. Folks, this was my tenth take on something I've done many times but if you hear any slight muffling of tones, it's my old-guy hands. This demo was played with a Charmed Life .75 mm Vespel flat pick and demonstrates the LR Baggs HiFi's ability to render quick and heavy back-and-forth notes and chords. The recording is done with the LR Baggs HiFi's Tone Wheel on FULL TREBLE. Given what I'm now hearing from my directly recorded and amped listenings, I'm happy with my LR Baggs HiFi installation and will be keeping the system. I know I can improve upon it with guitar-related attention to the bridge saddle. The below recording is John Hiatt's "Crossing Muddy Waters." Thanks For Looking In & Your Comments Are Welcomed!]

Sounds good spruce. Bet it would sound good through the felix into an amp or board.

Billy

[Petty1818]

https://youtu.be/hoH4iDVX9FM

I stumbled across this demo as well. Honestly, the early demos I heard were not great but they seem to be getting better. I am more curious about trying this now. I just don’t have a guitar that needs a pickup.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

https://youtu.be/hoH4iDVX9FM

I stumbled across this demo as well. Honestly, the early demos I heard were not great but they seem to be getting better. I am more curious about trying this now. I just don’t have a guitar that needs a pickup.

Scott, Why would anyone want to buy any other guitar and pickup system after hearing this demo? I sure wouldn't! Oh, I wonder if there is a mic in the mix? Or, maybe, heaven forbid, all kinds of EQ adjustments? By now, you should be hearing my demos as the "naked truth" of how pickup systems sound direct-to-computer, Flat EQ, No Effects, and No Mics in the mix. Most of my pickup system demos--unless I state so-- will sound wonderful when amped and EQ'ed to taste. Then again, they'll all sound like the Sirens's song when recorded with an--ahem--wayward microphone somewhere in the room or maybe it's on Jupiter and of course, it'll have no effect on the recording because I'm facing the guitar away from the mic regardless of room reflections entering the mic from all over the place.

[guitaniac]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Another fingerpicked LR Baggs/Larrivee D40R Blue Grass JCL Special demo. This time the track is the vocal backing for a verse of "Baby Let Me Follow You Down" with the LR Baggs HiFi Tone Wheel at Detent. DIRECT-TO-COMPUTER, FLAT EQ, NO EFFECTS, NO MICS:

Ken,
I agree with the others that this is a very pleasing directly recorded fingerpicking tone. I can imagine using this rig if I was trying to get some isolation of a fingerstyle guitar accompaniment when I’m directly recording guitar and vocal simultaneously. (I’d use my very tight patterned Audix OM7 dynamic mic to isolate the vocal from the guitar sound.)