Tri-ax 2 pickup sounds bad

[Dennisk012]

I play a Takamine P5-DC with a ct4dx preamp.
Recently I bought the Tri-ax 2 pickup but it sounds very bad.
A lot low end, and almost no treble.

It makes no difference if I connect the tri-ax separately in active mode (not connected to the guitar preamp)
Anybody knows whats going on?

[RogerPease]

(*click*)

Paging Dr. Noledog. Dr. Eric Noledog to the white courtesy telephone please!

(*thump*)

[RustyAxe]

Originally Posted by Dennisk012

I play a Takamine P5-DC with a ct4dx preamp.
Recently I bought the Tri-ax 2 pickup but it sounds very bad.
A lot low end, and almost no treble.

It makes no difference if I connect the tri-ax separately in active mode (not connected to the guitar preamp)
Anybody knows whats going on?

Have you adjusted the pole pieces to get even response?

[Dennisk012]

Originally Posted by RustyAxe

Have you adjusted the pole pieces to get even response?

no, I did not change anything.
Maybe I should try that?

[noledog]

Originally Posted by RogerPease

(*click*)

Paging Dr. Noledog. Dr. Eric Noledog to the white courtesy telephone please!

(*thump*)

Hah, LOL Roger!

* Well I have the Baggs M80 which the Triax was patterned after and tho they look identical except the chassis cover, the internal freq on the Triax was slightly tweaked by Baggs to work with the CT4DX & Cooltube variants. That said I tried the M80 combined to my Cooltube and found it to be overkill. Yes you can get a wide variety of tone shapes with both, but unless your in the studio or recording of some kind, I found it too much for the fast pace stage work that I do.

** Now as far as the OP's question you should be able to dial in a nice balance of volume across the strings and low end to high end via adjusting the pole pieces. This is a crucial step with the Triax and M80 to achieve the nice tone it is known for. With the allen wrench in place, close your eyes and adjust with your ears as you listen closely.

*** Make sure all your connections are correct as well as turning the CT4DX in dual mode on the switch on bottom of preamp. Adjust the blend all the way to PU2 on preamp face, then adjust the pole pieces first for balance with notch filters dialed off, and the PU2 dials to EQ set flat. Once you 've achieved a nice balance, then tailor the PU2 EQ settings, then the notch filters to your ears, not your eyes! Once that is done then dial the PU blend all the way back to the Palathetic side aka PU1 and EQ to your preference... then finally blend the two pickups to the tone you like.


**** I will say that the CT4DX has the best tone shaping and headroom of all the Tak preamp models imo; I loved the tone and I found it lacking nothing to want me to add the Triax or M80, but that's just me. The CT4DX is sooo versatile by itself, and it's nice to have the added option of a second source. These days tho I've returned to the CT4BII in both my stage Taks. The simplicity and warmth I get in addition to less weight and extended battery life just work for me in my two models which are both satin finished, solid cedar over solid sapeale. I still have a Cooltube that is my backup and works great for studio so you don't have to add saturation to the mix. I find the Cooltube also a better match on stage in some of the MIJ Tak models such as the P5, P6 & P7 that tend to be brighter due to their tone woods of spruce over EIR, Maple & EIR respectively and their gloss finish.


I hope these tips help you achieve the tone that your looking for. You have a great model in the P5DC with an excellent preamp! My P5NC came with the CT4DX too, but these days they come with the CTP-3. I prefer cedar over sapeale so I don't have the P5 now, but they are beautiful guitars for sure!

Best wishes,

eric

[ljguitar]

Hi Dennis-etc

What are you playing the guitar through and concluding it doesn't sound good?

Not saying it doesn't need setup, but what we play our rigs through makes a significant difference in the sound we produce.

[Dennisk012]

I play through a Acus one 8

With the eq set flat I get mainly 150 Hz to 1k frequencies, and it really sounds very dull. I can believe that this is the sound that the tri-ax is supposed to give.

in the package there are 3 additional pole pieces, 2 long and 1 short, what is the purpose of that?

[lkingston]

Originally Posted by Dennisk012

I play through a Acus one 8



With the eq set flat I get mainly 150 Hz to 1k frequencies, and it really sounds very dull. I can believe that this is the sound that the tri-ax is supposed to give.



in the package there are 3 additional pole pieces, 2 long and 1 short, what is the purpose of that?

It should be very bright. I think there is something wrong with yours.

The extra pole pieces are there as options to balance the level of the G string. Some G strings are wound, others are not. There is a difference between the magnetic properties of the skinny core in an unwound string and the much thicker steel of a solid string. The options are no pole piece, a half length pole piece, of a full pole piece. When I used the differently branded M80 pickup, I got the best string balance with no pole piece for the G string.

[lkingston]

Here's a thought. You may be just getting the magnetic component of the pickup and not the body sensing. If the pickup is working properly, it should be very sensitive to your fingers or nails touching it. Click your fingernails against the pickup. If you don't hear them click as you touch it, the body sensing isn't working.