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  #1  
Old 10-17-2018, 02:36 PM
rockabilly69 rockabilly69 is offline
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Default Ultra Tonic Pickups by James May

Although I'm not really interested in the Tone Dexter (nothing digital in my signal path), I am very interested in James May's take on sound-board transducers. I was looking at the way his system deals with the tubbiness usually associated with K&K style pickups, and frankly, it looks pretty cool. The installation/setup looks a bit involved, but it seems worth it. So... Has anybody tried this pickup in a real world gigging situation, better yet, into a good analog preamp? I would appreciate anyone's thoughts on this.

Here's the pickup (it has been discussed around here before)... http://jamesmayengineering.com/products/

The install instructions...

http://jamesmayengineering.com/wp-co...tions-v1.1.pdf
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  #2  
Old 10-18-2018, 10:45 AM
Jim_Cross Jim_Cross is offline
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I have gigged a few times with mine. I plug straight into a Fishman Platinum Pro EQ, then usually into a Loudbox Mini for monitoring.
I'm really impressed with the pickup. It's has incredible clarity compared to other SBTs I've heard, and has a very balanced sound. I've had no feedback issues either, even using wedges (though never at very high volumes)

On the EQ I cut a few dB at around 1-1.5k and take a little treble and brilliance off I find it sounds very much like my guitar sounds acoustically. I do think you need an EQ with sweepable mid to get the best from it. I would certainly recommend it!

Last edited by Jim_Cross; 10-18-2018 at 02:59 PM.
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Old 10-18-2018, 01:12 PM
rockabilly69 rockabilly69 is offline
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sounds like it's getting the job done then!
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Old 10-18-2018, 08:51 PM
AeroUSA AeroUSA is online now
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I have been using them for a while. They work and sound great, similar to K&K but with much more clarity and feedback rejection. I still use my Baggs Anthem guitar when I want to plug and play with a mic based system but I would say that the UT is easily the best passive pickup on the market.
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Old 10-19-2018, 01:13 AM
Andy Howell Andy Howell is offline
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Just a quick reflection on the TD - it doesn’t sound digital!!!
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Old 10-19-2018, 08:11 AM
gfirob gfirob is offline
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I think the entire point of the Tonedexter is that it doesn't sound digital (apologies for towing the thread off topic).
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Old 10-19-2018, 01:07 PM
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Christopher Cozad Christopher Cozad is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rockabilly69 View Post
... I am very interested in James May's take on sound-board transducers... The installation/setup looks a bit involved... Has anybody tried this pickup in a real world gigging situation, better yet, into a good analog preamp? I would appreciate anyone's thoughts on this...
I have installed several of the Ultra Tonic Pickups in my own instruments and now consider this soundboard transducer my personal favorite. I wrote an article on my (early) experiences, back when the pickup was first released, complete with pics and audio examples:

Ultra Tonic article

I have found two notable advantages to this pickup over competing SBT's:
  1. 4 discs (instead of 3) so you can reinforce volume on the treble strings
  2. A 5th disc and built-in circuitry for managing onboard feedback suppression

Regarding installation, I believe we all have K&K to thank for helping us move beyond that first reaction of 'Get away from my guitar with that super-glue!' I think James May has introduced us to what may be the next step in the development of the SBT: a user-configurable system. I happen to have the test equipment to set up the DIP switches on the circuit board mounted to the endpin jack, so I use it, but it is not a prerequisite. If desired, you can readily set up the onboard feedback suppression by ear, as well as tweak a setting on site, if needed.

Live performance is where the pickup really shines. The feedback suppression deftly supports your amplified acoustic sound without having to devote an EQ (graphic, parametric, sweepable mids knob, notch filter, etc) to the monumental task of just keeping the howling down. You can free up your favorite preamp to do what it does best: sweeten your overall sound.
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Old 10-21-2018, 03:11 PM
rockabilly69 rockabilly69 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Christopher Cozad View Post
I have installed several of the Ultra Tonic Pickups in my own instruments and now consider this soundboard transducer my personal favorite. I wrote an article on my (early) experiences, back when the pickup was first released, complete with pics and audio examples:

Ultra Tonic article

I have found two notable advantages to this pickup over competing SBT's:
  1. 4 discs (instead of 3) so you can reinforce volume on the treble strings
  2. A 5th disc and built-in circuitry for managing onboard feedback suppression

Regarding installation, I believe we all have K&K to thank for helping us move beyond that first reaction of 'Get away from my guitar with that super-glue!' I think James May has introduced us to what may be the next step in the development of the SBT: a user-configurable system. I happen to have the test equipment to set up the DIP switches on the circuit board mounted to the endpin jack, so I use it, but it is not a prerequisite. If desired, you can readily set up the onboard feedback suppression by ear, as well as tweak a setting on site, if needed.

Live performance is where the pickup really shines. The feedback suppression deftly supports your amplified acoustic sound without having to devote an EQ (graphic, parametric, sweepable mids knob, notch filter, etc) to the monumental task of just keeping the howling down. You can free up your favorite preamp to do what it does best: sweeten your overall sound.
Thanks, I see in your article, that you posted a second clip with the Ultra-tonic going straight into the recorder (with a little reverb). That's what I was looking for thanks!

so it is possible to setup the feedback suppression without the special test equipment? That did put me off of it a bit seeing I would have to buy the little speaker driver accessory for vibrating the top along with the already expensive pickup.

Last edited by rockabilly69; 10-21-2018 at 03:20 PM.
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Old 10-29-2018, 06:24 PM
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Christopher Cozad Christopher Cozad is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rockabilly69 View Post
...so it is possible to setup the feedback suppression without the special test equipment? That did put me off of it a bit seeing I would have to buy the little speaker driver accessory for vibrating the top along with the already expensive pickup.
Understood. If you have the equipment already, setting up the Ultra Tonic is quick and accurate. If you don't have the equipment, you simply set up the pickup "by ear". Setting up an Ultra Tonic involves walking through a series of 12 DIP switches, flipping one switch ON at a time, turning it OFF, and moving to the next switch. The pickup and endpin jack are safely secured outside of the soundhole during setup, so you can access the DIP switches and strum the strings at the same time.

In order to set the pickup by ear, you are hunting for the one DIP switch that, when set to ON, yields the lowest bass response. While that setting will produce the maximum feedback control, it may not be the optimal setting for your ears. You can often land on a comfortable setting by first locating the one DIP switch that yields maximum feedback suppression, turning that switch back OFF, then setting the switch next to it (on either side) to ON, instead (or maybe even move down one more switch, away from your max suppression switch).

My suggestion is to conduct the setup with the guitar plugged in to an amp or PA, and turn up the volume to a point very near or at feedback. Make the DIP switch circuitry do it's job and help you reduce feedback while giving you the pickup's maximum tone.
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Old 07-10-2019, 10:30 AM
CitizenAudio CitizenAudio is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Christopher Cozad View Post
I have installed several of the Ultra Tonic Pickups in my own instruments and now consider this soundboard transducer my personal favorite. I wrote an article on my (early) experiences, back when the pickup was first released, complete with pics and audio examples:

Ultra Tonic article

I have found two notable advantages to this pickup over competing SBT's:
  1. 4 discs (instead of 3) so you can reinforce volume on the treble strings
  2. A 5th disc and built-in circuitry for managing onboard feedback suppression

Regarding installation, I believe we all have K&K to thank for helping us move beyond that first reaction of 'Get away from my guitar with that super-glue!' I think James May has introduced us to what may be the next step in the development of the SBT: a user-configurable system. I happen to have the test equipment to set up the DIP switches on the circuit board mounted to the endpin jack, so I use it, but it is not a prerequisite. If desired, you can readily set up the onboard feedback suppression by ear, as well as tweak a setting on site, if needed.

Live performance is where the pickup really shines. The feedback suppression deftly supports your amplified acoustic sound without having to devote an EQ (graphic, parametric, sweepable mids knob, notch filter, etc) to the monumental task of just keeping the howling down. You can free up your favorite preamp to do what it does best: sweeten your overall sound.
I am considering the James May Tonic pickups and your page made it so much easier to understand how to configure it! Thank you!
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Old 07-10-2019, 03:39 PM
guitarman68 guitarman68 is offline
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I decided to install the Ultra Tonic in a boomy D28 guitar and it sounds perfect. No feedback supression needed. Could not get it right with a K&K or a Schatten HFN, love the sound of my Dazzo-equipped OM28.
Preamps I use are RedEye, Grace Felix, Tone Dexter, even tried it with a plain GE7 or a Countryman Active D.I - all sounded great.
A tiny bit of EQ for the mids, and everything is fine.
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Old 07-10-2019, 05:38 PM
RogerPease RogerPease is offline
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+1 to guitarman68’s post.

My guitar is a CEO7 though.
Ultra Tonic works.
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Old 07-10-2019, 05:44 PM
stevecuss stevecuss is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Christopher Cozad View Post
I have installed several of the Ultra Tonic Pickups in my own instruments and now consider this soundboard transducer my personal favorite. I wrote an article on my (early) experiences, back when the pickup was first released, complete with pics and audio examples:

Ultra Tonic article

I have found two notable advantages to this pickup over competing SBT's:
  1. 4 discs (instead of 3) so you can reinforce volume on the treble strings
  2. A 5th disc and built-in circuitry for managing onboard feedback suppression

Regarding installation, I believe we all have K&K to thank for helping us move beyond that first reaction of 'Get away from my guitar with that super-glue!' I think James May has introduced us to what may be the next step in the development of the SBT: a user-configurable system. I happen to have the test equipment to set up the DIP switches on the circuit board mounted to the endpin jack, so I use it, but it is not a prerequisite. If desired, you can readily set up the onboard feedback suppression by ear, as well as tweak a setting on site, if needed.

Live performance is where the pickup really shines. The feedback suppression deftly supports your amplified acoustic sound without having to devote an EQ (graphic, parametric, sweepable mids knob, notch filter, etc) to the monumental task of just keeping the howling down. You can free up your favorite preamp to do what it does best: sweeten your overall sound.
This is so good. The Ultratonic is another wonderful innovation in the pickup world. I am averse to superglue, so it doesn't suit me, but the concept and implementation is brilliant and will serve tons of K&K aficionados.
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