Flatpick Demo For Trance Amulet M

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

The problem with this logic is that some pickups that sound worse direct sound better coupled with an amp

Do you mean that a system that sounds worse in comparison to another system when both are recorded directly, may sound better than the one that sounded better when recorded directly when both systems are amped? That could very well happen subject to personal tastes.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Do you mean that a system that sounds worse in comparison to another system when both are recorded directly, may sound better than the one that sounded better when recorded directly when both systems are amped? That could very well happen subject to personal tastes.

that's exactly what I mean

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Do you mean that a system that sounds worse in comparison to another system when both are recorded directly, may sound better than the one that sounded better when recorded directly when both systems are amped? That could very well happen subject to personal tastes.

Just in case you missed my other post, here's another demo...

On this song I used the Schertler JAM 200 amplifier as a DI (couldn't mic the speaker as it developed a buzz, new speaker on order), I think they work well together.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

Just in case you missed my other post, here's another demo...

On this song I used the Schertler JAM 200 amplifier as a DI (couldn't mic the speaker as it developed a buzz, new speaker on order), I think they work well together.

Dan,

Nice Song & Performance! If a player's goal is for their amplified tone to "sound like my acoustic guitar, only louder," how on Earth can any direct-to-computer recorded, flat-picked, acoustic guitar, with ANY pickup system, sound better than your Trance? IMHO--and it ain't humble on this matter!--They Simply Can't! You, my friend, have just started a run on Trance systems! Can you give us some EQ information on what you've done to your Trance for this recording? Thanks!

Ken

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Dan,

Nice Song & Performance! If a player's goal is for their amplified tone to "sound like my acoustic guitar, only louder," how on Earth can any direct-to-computer recorded, flat-picked, acoustic guitar, with ANY pickup system, sound better than your Trance? IMHO--and it ain't humble on this matter!--They Simply Can't! You, my friend, have just started a run on Trance systems! Can you give us some EQ information on what you've done to your Trance for this recording? Thanks!

Ken

Thanks for the high praise In actuality I used these settings at my gig last night and it went fantastic!!! So these demos were definitely not time wasted.

For the recording of my song "Love" there was very little EQ, but here are my settings and a picture I pulled off the web of the Jam 200 front panel so you can picture them...

Channel One settings (using clock face analogy)

phase normal
10V phantom off
gain 9:00 (the Trance is a hot pickup so very little gain before I was hitting the LED overload light)
warm switch off
bass 11:00
mids FLAT
high 8:00
rev (aux) 9:00
volume 12:00

MASTER Reverb section settings
decay 10:00
reverb 12:00

DI out settings...
DI out 2:00

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Dan,

Nice Song & Performance! If a player's goal is for their amplified tone to "sound like my acoustic guitar, only louder," how on Earth can any direct-to-computer recorded, flat-picked, acoustic guitar, with ANY pickup system, sound better than your Trance? IMHO--and it ain't humble on this matter!--They Simply Can't! You, my friend, have just started a run on Trance systems! Can you give us some EQ information on what you've done to your Trance for this recording? Thanks!

Ken

Actually there was very little EQ, but here is a picture I pulled off the web of the Jam 200 front panel...

Channel One settings (using clock face analogy)

phase normal
phantom off
gain 9:00 (the trance does not need gain it is a hot pickup)
warm switch off
bass 11:00
mids FLAT
high 8:00
rev (aux) 9:00
volume 12:00

MASTER Reverb section settings
decay 10:00 reverb 12:00

DI out settings...
DI out 2:00

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

Actually there was very little EQ, but here is a picture I pulled off the web of the Jam 200 front panel...

Channel One settings (using clock face analogy)

phase normal
phantom off
gain 9:00 (the trance does not need gain it is a hot pickup)
warm switch off
bass 11:00
mids FLAT
high 8:00
rev (aux) 9:00
volume 12:00

MASTER Reverb section settings
decay 10:00 reverb 12:00

DI out settings...
DI out 2:00

Thanks! It's good to know that Gary Hull of Trance designed the Trance systems to not need much EQing as he says EQ when used improperly can distort and muddy the sound.

More On EQ From Trance Audio

[SpruceTop]

Rockabilly: I hope my exuberant comment didn't scare folks away from commenting on your Trance demo? I'm sure you and I would both like to read what other players think of the tonal quality of your Trance system demo.

[rockabilly69]

Nah, most of the time it's pickup flavor of the week If people really want to know about Trance pickups, they'll check out this thread through a search down the line.

But for those reading right now, I am pretty confident in saying, the Trance will be doing all my lower volume fingerpick gigs from here out. My sound Friday night was the best I've ever heard from a rig of mine. The combination of the Nowland James guitar with it's beautiful sounding tone woods, the Trance Amulet, and the Grace Alix with The Keeley Delay Workstation in the FX loop, along with my Schertler Jam 200 amp really makes for a great gig rig. In my opinion it may be one of the absolute best rigs available for small to medium gigs (which I do a lot of). This Sunday though (today), since I had a blowout rock and roll gig, I left the Trance equipped guitar home, and did it with my B-Band equipped Parkwood LE061, which has been a favorite performing guitar of mine for years. For this gig I used the Alix/Keeley pedal board into my Schertler Jam 400 slaved into (2) Mackie HD1210 speakers, and the sound was chest thumping loud and clear. I literally turned the place into pandemonium!!! So this weekend, I had the best of both worlds!

But to summarize what I feel about this Trance Amulet M, all guitars are different, and some pickups work in some guitars, while in others, they don't. And some work better for certain playing situations. The video that forum member "Monsum" put up of his Lyric pickup shows that a pickup that I personally HATE, works absolutely fabulous for him, his video demo sounds great. But for me, I think I have the right pickup in each of my guitars that are in rotation right now. And the Trance impressed me so much, I think I'll going back to California for a Trance install in my HD28.

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

Nah, most of the time it's pickup flavor of the week If people really want to know about Trance pickups, they'll check out this thread through a search down the line.

But for those reading right now, I am pretty confident in saying, the Trance will be doing all my lower volume fingerpick gigs from here out. My sound Friday night was the best I've ever heard from a rig of mine. The combination of the Nowland James guitar with it's beautiful sounding tone woods, the Trance Amulet, and the Grace Alix with The Keeley Delay Workstation in the FX loop, along with my Schertler Jam 200 amp really makes for a great gig rig. In my opinion it may be one of the absolute best rigs available for small to medium gigs (which I do a lot of). This Sunday though (today), since I had a blowout rock and roll gig, I left the Trance equipped guitar home, and did it with my B-Band equipped Parkwood LE061, which has been a favorite performing guitar of mine for years. For this gig I used the Alix/Keeley pedal board into my Schertler Jam 400 slaved into (2) Mackie HD1210 speakers, and the sound was chest thumping loud and clear. I literally turned the place into pandemonium!!! So this weekend, I had the best of both worlds!

But to summarize what I feel about this Trance Amulet M, all guitars are different, and some pickups work in some guitars, while in others, they don't. And some work better for certain playing situations. The video that forum member "Monsum" put up of his Lyric pickup shows that a pickup that I personally HATE, works absolutely fabulous for him, his video demo sounds great. But for me, I think I have the right pickup in each of my guitars that are in rotation right now. And the Trance impressed me so much, I think I'll going back to California for a Trance install in my HD28.

Well said. It's interesting to how the environment we play in has such a profound impact on which pickup will work best. At home, I can't begin to tell you how many pickups have sounded absolutely amazing (Lyric, Anthem, Aura etc). Then I get to a show and I absolutely hate them. I tend to find that when I do a solo show, I can clearly hear my guitar and I tend to like the tone. Once I get with an acoustic group, I start hearing weaknesses. I will admit that I am starting to more and more realize that an acoustic amp might be the solution.

Oddly enough, the best tone I ever had was with a Matrix/Aura set up and the image wasn't even close to what my guitar is. I let someone borrow my guitar for a set and I sat out front. My guitar sounded just incredible. I couldn't replicate that sound again so it's an ongoing search!

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

Well said. It's interesting to how the environment we play in has such a profound impact on which pickup will work best.

TRUTH!!!

And I have to say, your guys comments of what you did (SPRUCETOP) and didn't (PETTY1818) like about the Trance forced me into doing these demos and I got a song out of it...

so if anybody missed it...

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

TRUTH!!!

And I have to say, your guys comments of what you did (SPRUCETOP) and didn't (PETTY1818) like about the Trance forced me into doing these demos and I got a song out of it...

so if anybody missed it...

I will say this, you are making me want to try another Amulet install. I kind of kick myself for not trying the trim control a bit more. Who knows, maybe the treble transducer was just a bit too hot.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

I will say this, you are making me want to try another Amulet install. I kind of kick myself for not trying the trim control a bit more. Who knows, maybe the treble transducer was just a bit too hot.

there's a pair of new ones in the classified section for a great price....

oh, and another thing, the only real eq I do on this pickup is pull back the high end!

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

there's a pair of new ones in the classified section for a great price....

oh, and another thing, the only real eq I do on this pickup is pull back the high end!

Haha good thing is, I still have mine! The only crappy part is that the adhesive on the volume/tone module is so stuck to the module itself that once you remove it, it’s hard to ever install it again. Made quite the mess!

With mine, I need significant high reduction.

[rockabilly69]

Well in your Amulet, make sure you trim up the bass pot. I took me 2 tries to get the right balance of lows to highs. There is only one trim and that's on channel A. In your case make sure your bass module is in that input!