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  #61  
Old 12-15-2019, 03:58 PM
phcorrigan phcorrigan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spook View Post
The object is not accurate reproduction.
To me, the idea of accurate reproduction, with acoustic guitars, is getting a sound, while playing through a sound reinforcement system, that is close to what you'd hear standing in front of an un-amplified guitar.

In the past, this has meant placing a microphone somewhere in front of the guitar. Go back and look at some of the videos of country and folk performers from the sixties. This was the best we could do in those days, and it's still not a bad way to go.

When I plug my electrified acoustic guitar into a sound system, I want that sound. Since the pickups in acoustic guitars don't accurately reproduce that sound, I need to use some external device to help.

The best I have found so far, for my K&K-equipped HD-28V, is the ToneDexter, after I have created an effective wavemap. BTW, it has taken me several mics and a good bit of time to get the sound I like, but others get it on the first try. Also, for those of you who already use a ToneDexter, the latest firmware seems to do a better job of creating a more "accurate" wavemap. The most recent comment I've gotten is "You've really got that sound locked in."
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2012 Martin HD-28V
1984 Martin Shenandoah D-2832
2018 Gretsch G5420TG
Oscar Schmidt Autoharp, unknown vintage
ToneDexter
Bugera V22 Infinium

Last edited by phcorrigan; 12-15-2019 at 05:05 PM.
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  #62  
Old 12-15-2019, 04:06 PM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by phcorrigan View Post
To me, the idea of accurate reproduction, with acoustic guitars, is getting a sound, while playing through a sound reinforcement system, that is close to what you'd hear standing in front of an un-amplified guitar.

In the past, this has meant placing a microphone somewhere in front of the guitar. Go back and look at some of the videos of country and folk performers from the sixties. This was the best we could do in those days, and it's still not a bad way to go.

When I plug my electrified acoustic guitar into a sound system, I want that sound. Since the pickups in acoustic guitars don't accurately reproduce that sound, I need to use some external device to help.

The best I have found so far, for my K&K-equipped HD-28V, is the ToneDexter, after I have created an effective wavemap. BTW, it has taken me several mics and a good bit of time to get the sound I like, but others get it on the first try. BTW, for those of you who already use a ToneDexter, the latest firmware seems to do a better job of creating a more "accurate" wavemap. The most recent comment I've gotten is "You've really got that sound locked in."
Thanks for this! I'll have to update my ToneDexter's firmware to the latest version.
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  #63  
Old 12-15-2019, 05:31 PM
loco gringo loco gringo is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SpruceTop View Post
It looks very interesting. Do you have actual acoustic-guitar amplfication experience using this Sarno Musical Solutions Steel Guitar Black Box device? I wonder how its tube-tone output would fare against the digitally-based LR Baggs Session Acoustic DI's Saturation circuit? I have a NOS, circa 1960, RCA 12AX7 "Black-Plate" tube that I could swap out with the factory-installed, foreign-made new one in the Sarno Steel Guitar Tube Preamp. I'm tempted to get this preamp!
I'm guessing I've had mine for about 10 or 12 years. It makes everything I plug into it sound better, acoustic and electric. I originally got it to use with a Sunrise mag pickup. It worked great for that pickup. I don't have the Sunrise anymore.

I have used it with Fishman under saddle, K & K, Trance Amulet and probably something I'm forgetting. It works great with my single coil and humbucker equipped electric guitars as well.

Click on the Artist tab on the link I posted. I know sometimes a manufacturer will just give something to an artist to be able to use their name, but I don't think that is the case here.

It does have to be plugged into 110v. This doesn't bother me.

Last edited by loco gringo; 12-15-2019 at 05:37 PM.
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  #64  
Old 12-16-2019, 05:26 PM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by loco gringo View Post
I'm guessing I've had mine for about 10 or 12 years. It makes everything I plug into it sound better, acoustic and electric. I originally got it to use with a Sunrise mag pickup. It worked great for that pickup. I don't have the Sunrise anymore.

I have used it with Fishman under saddle, K & K, Trance Amulet and probably something I'm forgetting. It works great with my single coil and humbucker equipped electric guitars as well.

Click on the Artist tab on the link I posted. I know sometimes a manufacturer will just give something to an artist to be able to use their name, but I don't think that is the case here.

It does have to be plugged into 110v. This doesn't bother me.
You're really tempting me to order a Steel Guitar Black Box!
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Martin HD-28 Sunburst/Trance M-VT Phantom
Martin D-18/UltraTonic
Adamas I 2087GT-8
Ovation Custom Legend LX
Guild F-212XL STD
Huss & Dalton TD-R
Taylor 717e
Taylor 618e
Taylor 614ce
Larrivee D-50M/HiFi
Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass Special/HiFi
Larrivee D-40R Sunburst
Larrivee C-03R TE/Trance M-VT Phantom
RainSong BI-DR1000N2
Emerald X20
Yamaha FGX5
Republic Duolian/Schatten NR-2
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  #65  
Old 05-26-2020, 06:09 PM
ethanay ethanay is offline
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I know I was playing devil's advocate for the tube amp, and I think there are good reasons for/against. But just for the record, I am PERFECTLY happy with my K&K passive + Fire-Eye pedal pre-amp.

For some reason beyond my understanding, when I plug into ANYTHING through that preamp, I don't really need to EQ. It just sounds...like 80% mic'd. And no boominess or piezo quack. (The designer says it has something to do with the high headroom of the circuit allowing the piezo to operate unloaded). But other preamps I usually have to finagle with the entire frequency range just to get something halfway decent.

The Fire Eye is such a simple, compact design. It has a treble cut/boost knob, but that's it on the EQ, and it's not corrective so much as for coloration.
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  #66  
Old 05-27-2020, 10:22 AM
doublescale1 doublescale1 is offline
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I lucked into a Rivera Sedona 55, imperceptibly used, several years back. I had seen Doyle Dykes live in a small music store w/stage environment and again in a small theater. Both times he played through the Rivera Sedona 55 and his amplified tone was nothing short of amazing. Rivera now makes a Sedona 25 and the Sedona Lite series that is acoustic guitar only - the Sedona 55 does both acoustic and electric guitar. Yes, they can be heavy (the 55 especially, but I put a Neo speaker in it for some weight relief), and tubes need to be changed out every so often, but the tone from the Rivera Sedona amps is a top quality, clean acoustic voice - I may be a knuckle dragging tube guy, but I've always gotten compliments on how my guitar sounds. I do have a Roland AC90 that I use a Hartke 120 watt bass amp with the sub-woofer out, and between those two, I can get a very good tone - but if I'm honest, the Rivera Sedona 55 beats the Roland/Hartke pair. If you never heard the Sedona you'd think the Roland/Hartke sounded amazing, but the Rivera Sedona brings a noticeable shimmer and harmonic sweetness to any acoustic guitar.
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  #67  
Old 05-28-2020, 04:49 AM
Murphy Slaw Murphy Slaw is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by phcorrigan View Post
To me, the idea of accurate reproduction, with acoustic guitars, is getting a sound, while playing through a sound reinforcement system, that is close to what you'd hear standing in front of an un-amplified guitar.

In the past, this has meant placing a microphone somewhere in front of the guitar. Go back and look at some of the videos of country and folk performers from the sixties. This was the best we could do in those days, and it's still not a bad way to go.
It's my choice as well. Everything else just sounds fake. Well mic'ed through the cleanest system available. I don't want any tube "warmth" in an acoustic guitar, resonator or mandolin.

I don't mind it in my Les Paul or Tele, but not the acoustics.
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