#61
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#62
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I have had several Trance systems installed using the Barge cement (installs done by Gryphon), and I have several now installed with tape. It was too many years apart to claim I can A/B the sound, but one measure is that neither of my Barge cemented installs lasted - I gave up on them and removed the pickups. I think all 3 guitars I have with tape sound excellent. The cement installs were the stereo system, which you would think would be "better", but for what it's worth, I think the Trance M system with the tape sounds better.
Gary would be the one who knows best here - I imagine he has AB'd the tape vs glue - but to me, the tape sounds at least as good, and makes for a trivially easy install. I have not experienced the difficult installs people are reporting, sticking the pickups on with tape is really easy. I use 2 clamps, so I can clamp both pickups at once, let sit overnight and it's ready to go. Much easier (and less stressfull) than hovering over your guitar with glue. It is important to get the pickups sitting flat and square on the sound-board - it's easy to rock them slightly which won't result in good conduction. And of course, as I found out in my first installation attempt, the bridge plate must be clean and not have been exposed to superglue. You can definitely tweak if you want to (a big pro), and I have moved the pickups several times in one guitar (the one I used in the ToneDexter demo I did), but that's due to obsessing, not that it sounded "bad" before. It's so easy to do, the temptation is just there... One thing to note is that variation in results comes with the territory with SBTs. Any SBT is inherently going to work better in some guitars than others - and that's without accounting for personal taste. (Actually, that's probably true of all pickup types.) We have lots of different guitars, lots of different pickups, lots of different ears. Different people are going to like different combinations. I'm especially happy with the Trance thru ToneDexter. My latest Trance install, in my Ryan Mission (which had a Barge-cemented Trance at one point), sounds really good to me, especially with ToneDexter, better than the Hamblin I used in the TD demo video.
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#63
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I will be on Christmas break for two weeks starting next Monday. I will hopefully have a chance to call and sort this out. I think the frustrating part is that I followed the instructions to the point where I would read each step over 2-3 three times before even moving to the next. I felt as though I was fairly thorough with it all. As you know, the process is not overly quick so it's difficult to sit down and try it again. I do believe that the hiss is most likely a result of a transducer not being fully secured to the top. It could account for the lack of bass and thin/bright tone. Hopefully my next install yields better results. |
#64
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Doug, what do you use to make the jig? Cardboard?
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"Lift your head and smile at trouble. You'll find happiness someday." |
#65
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I used cardboard for the first several I installed. It'd be nice to find something of consistently the right quality - some cardboard works better than others. The most recent installs, I didn't use a template, I just reached in a stuck them in place, looking at the placement using a mirror. I'd certainly recommend following the instructions exactly, but once you've done a few, the template seems less necessary, to me at least. My first installs, tho, the template was handy for experimenting, I made several, with minor variations (closer to the bridge pins, further away, etc), and that made it easier to be sure I was really moving them the way I intended.
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Music: Spotify, Bandcamp Videos: You Tube Channel Books: Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), A DADGAD Christmas, Alternate Tunings book Online Course: Alternate Tunings for Fingerstyle Guitar |
#66
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Thank you Doug. I’m debating dipping my toe in the water again. However I have a K&K in my current guitars. I’d have to do some sanding. :-)
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"Lift your head and smile at trouble. You'll find happiness someday." |
#67
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I tried that and failed, Gary told me no reasonable amount of sanding would work. I know Maury has been successful on his guitars.
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Music: Spotify, Bandcamp Videos: You Tube Channel Books: Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), A DADGAD Christmas, Alternate Tunings book Online Course: Alternate Tunings for Fingerstyle Guitar |
#68
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Ah, then I shall practice my zen attitude and be content with what I have. I’m strongly considering the Tonedexter in the future. I’m actually having some modest success with the K&K and Zoom AC-2 DI. Works well for my 6 and 12 string guitars. Not the audiophile quality stuff we are discussing here, but it’s working. Meh. :-)
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"Lift your head and smile at trouble. You'll find happiness someday." |
#69
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Random question, but has anyone ever tried installing the K&K pure mini with the Amulet M red tape? The red tape is so thin that I would think it would work well with the K&K transducers, especially if the same clamping method was applied.
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#70
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Hey I was at an open mic the other night and my battery was dead in the Trance unit. Is this a common problem? I hadn't played this particular guitar in a couple months.
Thanks, Scott |
#71
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Hi. New Amulet VT owner via a Gibson AJ.
Any new consensus on these pickups? Thanks...
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i got tired of updating my guitars. |
#72
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I’ve installed quite a few pickups in acoustic guitars. From K&K’s to Elements to Anthems. I’ve always researched the best procedure before starting any installation. I never had to remove and reinstall a single one. I have not installed an Amulet. After reading the experiences of the respondents I doubt that I will recommend one. I’m sure that the installers did their research and followed the instructions. To read this many installation problems tells me that the installation instructions are “faulty” or that there is a problem with the product.
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Taylor V-Class 814ce, 717e BE WHB, 520ce, 454ce, 420 Cedar\Maple, T5z Classic Martin D18E Retro Cordoba C10 Crossover Emerald X20 Rainsong H-OM1000N2 Voyage-Air VAD-04 Custom Les Paul Hot Rod Deville 410, Fishman Loudbox Performer |
#73
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#74
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I’ve been hugging regularly with mine, and haven’t noticed any battery issues —for what it’s worth.
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14-day Return Period -No restocking fee Maury's Music PODCASTS View actual pics of ALL in-stock guitars Martin Guitar Certified Online Dealer Martin Blueridge Martins & More Podcast |
#75
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My take is that you either love the tone or hate it. I ripped mine out recently as I was sick of trying to make it sound good. The problem for me is that the amulet has this distinct high end presence and piezo quality that I just don’t like. I hear it with almost every demo I find and I even hear it with professional musicians like Paul Simon. I am kind of surprised that no one ever mentions this. It’s a bright pickup, even with adjustments made to placement. There’s just something about it that’s hard to work with.
As a comparison, I just installed a schatten hfn and the tone is much warmer, woodier and with a nice clarity and low end. It is installed exactly where I had the amulet so not sure why the amulet was so bright. |