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New Toy

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(@rparker)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5480
Topic starter  

I decided that it was high time that I went out and got a sound-hole pick-up. The biggest reason was so that I could record directly using the accoustic. I got a DiMarzio DP138 Virtual Acoustic. http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/DiMarzio-DP138-Virtual-Acoustic-Pickup-wVolume-Control-?sku=300297

The recorded output through my GT-10 into the PC falls somewhere between a clean single coil guitar and an accoustic. These are magnetic pickups, after all. I do lose something, but I'm not sure how to describe it. I probably should have waited a while and gotten something much more dynamic or full-bodied. Perhaps added electrics straight to the guitar instead of the sound hole thing.

However, I can directly record acoustic now. It also sounds great coming out of the Acoustic channel on my Super Champ Deluxe XD. I'm fiddling with my Boss GT-10 now to try and get a good accoustic tone to shine on through.

Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin


   
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(@scrybe)
Famed Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2241
 

sweet toy! I find the best acoustic tones (provided you don't move around much - so not ideal for playing out) is to mic the sound hole. the standard Shure mic would do fine for this. I've never really liked the grainy sound you tend to get from aplifying/recording acoustics using soundhole pups or built-in gear. I sometimes find it hard to distinguish between different acoustics once they get put through a desk.

Ra Er Ga.

Ninjazz have SuperChops.

http://www.blipfoto.com/Scrybe


   
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(@katmetal)
Prominent Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 726
 

Is that a volume control on the right side of it, that lever? Cool, I like it! I may purchase something similar for my Epi acoustic.


   
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(@blue-jay)
Noble Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 1630
 

Now that's what I'm talkin' about! 8) :lol:

Nice going with the new toy Roy. What a great price! Americans are so lucky? :shock: :roll:

Yes, that's the puppy I wanted, but it was $189 here plus 14 percent tax at the time. My friend and jammin' buddy got one, money being no object, and I liked it very much.

As I said in a previous similar topic, I had to settle for a cheaper Belcat, (I posted a pic) while recommending this DiMarzio and also Seymour Duncan etc. That would cost a bit more. Also said I had to be cheap, because my soundhole pickups tended to get lost or disappear. :shock:

What I like about the whole soundhole deal, is that the pickups are certainly transferrable, if you have multiple acoustic guitars, otherwise I agree with your overall assessment of tone, and with Scrybe's, compared to a Shure-miked guitar, and how about the standard A/E's like Takamine et al., with piezos or under-saddle/crystalline units and pre-amps?

He he, you would have to get a whole new guitar for that, oh boy. :roll:

Congratulations and enjoy your newly found recording ability and potential. :D

Like a bird on the wire,
like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.


   
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(@rparker)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5480
Topic starter  

Is that a volume control on the right side of it, that lever? Cool, I like it! I may purchase something similar for my Epi acoustic.It sure is a volume lever. It's already come in handy. 8)

Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin


   
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(@rparker)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5480
Topic starter  

I've been able to get some good acoustic tones to come through. Like Scrybe said, it sure isn't as pure as mic'ing the guitar. You do lose some acoustic purity if you go this route. It just gets digitized even more by going through the GT-10. However, it does do the job I want it to do. an inexpensive way to record without having to mic the amp.

I was hoping to find one of the $40 SD ones there. It was a small, local shop that had opened recently. Not much selection. I decided to support the little guy kind of thing. Plus, it was less than the $69.99 MF price tag. More like $62. It also mean't that we could zip on hom instead of making the additional trek towards GC or Sam Ash. I also needed a set of strings and he charged me the going rate instead of the GC $1.00 mark-up.

I did two more things to that guitar. I finished my saddle bottom sanding and got the guitar really playable. I then went back to 12s instead of 11s. All in all, this is much more playable than it was when I bought it 5 years ago when I didn't know what to look for.

Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin


   
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(@rahul)
Famed Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 2736
 

Any samples ?

Good specially when you are playing on the stage. You can move around.


   
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(@rparker)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5480
Topic starter  

Any samples ?

Good specially when you are playing on the stage. You can move around.
No samples yet. I did use it to add a rhythm guitar track to a song I'm re-doing. Maybe I'll just do a rhythm number without anything added.

Yes, I imagine that would be much less restrictive than having to play into a mic stand. I've never done anything live and don't think I'll be doing anytime soon though.

Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin


   
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(@blue-jay)
Noble Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 1630
 

I've been able to get some good acoustic tones to come through. Like Scrybe said, it sure isn't as pure as mic'ing the guitar. You do lose some acoustic purity if you go this route. It just gets digitized even more by going through the GT-10. However, it does do the job I want it to do. an inexpensive way to record without having to mic the amp.

I was hoping to find one of the $40 SD ones there. It was a small, local shop that had opened recently. Not much selection. I decided to support the little guy kind of thing. Plus, it was less than the $69.99 MF price tag. More like $62. It also mean't that we could zip on hom instead of making the additional trek towards GC or Sam Ash. I also needed a set of strings and he charged me the going rate instead of the GC $1.00 mark-up.

I did two more things to that guitar. I finished my saddle bottom sanding and got the guitar really playable. I then went back to 12s instead of 11s. All in all, this is much more playable than it was when I bought it 5 years ago when I didn't know what to look for.

All in all, you've done extremely well and supported a local, closer shop while saving money. Already too-good-to-be-true! :D (Cheapest I could get on that same DiMarzio pickup was $125 after all, would have saved $75 here?) I think it is a great pickup.

You also got real success with your saddle reduction or height adjustment on this Taylor and I'm glad you're happy with it, and of course there's nothing as satisfying as being able to do it yourself, especially with excellent results.

The other thing you might have done, and it is just as well you didn't go there, would have been to crank the truss rod clockwise a bit, due to the added tension and higher action of the heavier new strings.

But it is good that you didn't have to go to that trouble, or minor risk. The guitar must be settled in well with your climate or environment to finally be as perfect as it is with your saddle work. Yay! 8)

Like a bird on the wire,
like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.


   
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(@rparker)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5480
Topic starter  

The other thing you might have done, and it is just as well you didn't go there, would have been to crank the truss rod clockwise a bit, due to the added tension and higher action of the heavier new strings.

Neck was already perfect. I had done that a few months ago, quite possibly with 12s still on it at that point. Don't remember, actually. I measured after the string change yesterday and it was very good.

Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin


   
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(@trguitar)
Famed Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 3709
 

Sound bites? Samples? :mrgreen: I read that for MTV Unplugged ..... at least the KISS one that they used a bass SansAmp to plug the guitars into and also mic'd them. A mix of the two signals was used. (SansAmp IMO is the best DI/amp emulator made) I own 2. 8)

"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --


   
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(@rparker)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5480
Topic starter  

Hoky Dokey. I did a small sample. about 30 seconds each of "Old Man", "Night Moves" and "Landslide". Landslide was finger picking, which I don't do well at all. However, probably a good thing to play when creating an acoustic sampling to show what it can do with it.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7918712

Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin


   
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