ToneDexter and McPherson Sable

[KennyEC]

Do any of you that have a McPherson Sable use a ToneDexter with it? If so can you share your experience(s) and what mic you used?

I wasn't completely pleased with the sound of the onboard piezo pickup on the Sable and read on here how a lot of people were happy with the ToneDexter. So I ordered one. It came in and I made nine different patches with varying mic positions using a large diaphragm condenser mic. The results were terrible so I bought a Shure SM81. The results with the SM81 were a lot better than the LDC results, but still, in my opinion the raw piezo sound was better than anything I could come up with. I tried various heights and distances, and I just can not get anything acceptable to me. It sounds like the guitar is down in hole or something. I'm going to paste the links below to two short recordings I made. One of the raw piezo pickup and one of the (best I made) ToneDexter so you can hear. I am open to suggestions if anyone has any.

Also, going from patch 1 to patch 2 on the ToneDexter, it sticks and the graphic display does funky things and sends static sound through my recording equipment. I can go to patch 3 and then come down to 2 and everything is okay. Has anyone experienced anything like this before?

Demos

McPherson Sable Raw
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dNB...ew?usp=sharing

McPherson with ToneDexter
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13qQ...ew?usp=sharing

[philjs]

Can't answer your primary question but it sounds like your TD firmware needs to be updated. Current version is 2.06 (and the support notes specifically mention fixing some static issues).

Phil

[KennyEC]

Phil,

First thing I did the day after receiving the unit was update to firmware 2.06 and that is what it shows now when booting up, so that is not the problem.

[jklotz]

Just a suggestion, but you may want to post over in the amplification section. Lot's of tonedexter users over there. I don't have one, but I've read there is a learning curve to the programming part, so don't get discouraged just yet.

[Racerbob]

Best to contact James at the office and ask him about problems. He is very friendly and willing to talk to any user. And his knowledge is vast on this subject.



[email protected]

530-362-8891

[KennyEC]

Originally Posted by Racerbob

Best to contact James at the office and ask him about problems. He is very friendly and willing to talk to any user. And his knowledge is vast on this subject.



[email protected]

530-362-8891

I have been working with James since yesterday. Thanks.

[slimey]

I removed the installed pick up and had a Trance Amulet M installed. Much better to my ears.
I've run it through my tonedexter using a Shure 57 and got a good tone, but I usually run it through my workhorse Di a Radial Eng Tone bone. The tonedexter I couldn't get the punch for solo's with a band .

[KennyEC]

Steve, I had never heard of a Trance Amulet M and had to look it up. There were not a lot of examples on YouTube, but I did find some. Thanks for sharing.

[jonfields45]

It might be useful to record your guitar and mic to listen to what you are sending to ToneDexter. Mic placement is the biggest variable, IMO, and the IR generated by ToneDexter is attempting to make the pickup sound like that mic, which if that does not sound good to you will not generate a good IR.

[martingitdave]

The guitar sounds great. Your playing is very nice too. I think the ToneDexter will sound great once you get it dialed in.

[KennyEC]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

It might be useful to record your guitar and mic to listen to what you are sending to ToneDexter. Mic placement is the biggest variable, IMO, and the IR generated by ToneDexter is attempting to make the pickup sound like that mic, which if that does not sound good to you will not generate a good IR.

Jon, I did just that in five of the training sessions, only varying distance. I had a total of 24 training sessions (three times in banks 1 -9). None were acceptable to me. I've worked with James and tried his suggestions. I am not happy with the results. James finds no fault with the recording (number 2) above from the Tone Dexter. Anyway, thank you for your response and I have contacted the retailer where I bought it to request a return.

[KennyEC]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

The guitar sounds great. Your playing is very nice too. I think the ToneDexter will sound great once you get it dialed in.

Thank you martingitdave! I'm moving on from the ToneDexter. I understand that it has worked for many, but for myself, it brings no joy.

[jklotz]

Originally Posted by KennyEC

Thank you martingitdave! I'm moving on from the ToneDexter. I understand that it has worked for many, but for myself, it brings no joy.

With 24 tries, nobody can say you didn't give it a fair shake. FYI, I do remember somebody saying something about not being happy with it until they turned the mic's input volume higher than they thought it should be. Can't remember the details, but if you decide to try #25, it might be worth a shot.

[KennyEC]

Originally Posted by jklotz

With 24 tries, nobody can say you didn't give it a fair shake. FYI, I do remember somebody saying something about not being happy with it until they turned the mic's input volume higher than they thought it should be. Can't remember the details, but if you decide to try #25, it might be worth a shot.

Thanks. The only input that can be controlled (level set) is that of the guitar pickup. You have no control over the mic level as it is automatic. That is what the level setting at the beginning of training is doing, automatically setting the microphone level. If you meant the pickup level, then I tried three different ways: 1) set it to where it was always in the green 2) I set it to where the loudest notes would be in the yellow 3) finally I set it to where only loudest would occasionally briefly light up the red.