Tech loser

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Tech loser

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laughingstock

Posts: 35
Joined: Jun. 30 2016
From: Texas

Tech loser

Hi everybody,

I do some club gigs and stage gigs here and there. For stage gigs I use a concert guitar unamplified, mic'd. No problems. For my club gigs I was using a GK negra, but I never could get used to the feel so I sold it and bought a better guitar with more conventional dimensions. The guitar came equipped with a "hexagonic" under-saddle pickup. It sounds OK. Problem is that the battery for the pickup is mounted near the heel and with no battery-life indicator I would be screwed if it died because it is pretty inaccessible unless the the strings are off. I would also like to get an internal mic and blend the two signals using a pre-amp. I would prefer an on-board preamp with a built in Tuner if possible, but on-board is not a necessity. However I would like to take-care of the issue with the battery. Does anybody have a good solution/suggestion for

1. internal mic
2. pre-amp (whether on board or not) with a tuner to blend the signals and lastly
3. the issue with the battery

My budget would be 500-700$ USD excluding installation fees. For my club gigs I use a roland amp.

Thanks
Gilberto

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 12 2017 6:28:56

Ricardo

Posts: 14806
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Tech loser (in reply to laughingstock)

quote:

ORIGINAL: laughingstock

Hi everybody,

I do some club gigs and stage gigs here and there. For stage gigs I use a concert guitar unamplified, mic'd. No problems. For my club gigs I was using a GK negra, but I never could get used to the feel so I sold it and bought a better guitar with more conventional dimensions. The guitar came equipped with a "hexagonic" under-saddle pickup. It sounds OK. Problem is that the battery for the pickup is mounted near the heel and with no battery-life indicator I would be screwed if it died because it is pretty inaccessible unless the the strings are off. I would also like to get an internal mic and blend the two signals using a pre-amp. I would prefer an on-board preamp with a built in Tuner if possible, but on-board is not a necessity. However I would like to take-care of the issue with the battery. Does anybody have a good solution/suggestion for

1. internal mic
2. pre-amp (whether on board or not) with a tuner to blend the signals and lastly
3. the issue with the battery

My budget would be 500-700$ USD excluding installation fees. For my club gigs I use a roland amp.

Thanks
Gilberto

My advice would be dump those electronics and buy the Fishman problend, assuming it can be installed in the same location as the other thing was, it would solve all 3 issues at once. You would need someone to connect it to the jack of course if you don't know how to do soldering. Should only cost $300.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 12 2017 11:42:38

mrstwinkle

Posts: 551
Joined: May 14 2017

RE: Tech loser (in reply to laughingstock)

DIY battery extension cable witha male/remale breakout up to near soundhole - so you can plug in an emergency external battery if the onboard fails. At that level of current the wires and connectors could be tiny.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 12 2017 15:31:24

El Kiko

Posts: 2697
Joined: Jun. 7 2010
From: The South Ireland

RE: Tech loser (in reply to Ricardo)

A fishman would do it , but you have to cut a big nasty hole in your guitar , if tis the one im thinking of ... but still it a media luna so ...
Before yo do see if theres something around like it , in a shop or a friend or some way of trying it out ...
I kinda have the same problem , but im not cutting anything into my guitar ,, I wonder if theres like a floor mounted version? ....and put the little mic on the sound hole ..

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 12 2017 16:37:09

Blondie#2

Posts: 530
Joined: Sep. 14 2010

RE: Tech loser (in reply to laughingstock)

quote:

ORIGINAL: laughingstock
Does anybody have a good solution/suggestion for

1. internal mic
2. pre-amp (whether on board or not) with a tuner to blend the signals and lastly
3. the issue with the battery

Baggs Dual Source System meets all those except onboard tuner and is well within your budget. The preamp is excellent - class A - and superior to the usual Fishman Preamps factory fitted on guitars. Also you can place the mic wherever you like inside the guitar. No cutting into side of guitar required, preamp sits inside guitar with a soundhole remote to operate it (volume and mic/UST blend). You also have option to run it in stereo and mix/eq your signals separately if you wish. LED dims as battery starts to lose power but it will last you a year minimum even if you gig several times a week.

Great system, tried one out at my friends last week, he has fitted them in several guitars.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 12 2017 18:24:47

laughingstock

Posts: 35
Joined: Jun. 30 2016
From: Texas

RE: Tech loser (in reply to laughingstock)

Thanks guys. I was kinda hung up on the idea of an on-board tuner- I liked the ability to switch off the signal as I tuned. I guess I can get a clip-on. I'm taking a hard look at the Baggs system and no worries Mr. Kiko I don't have a media luna although making it look like one might be my next project. Cutting holes in this guitar won't hurt the value.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 14 2017 3:08:34

Blondie#2

Posts: 530
Joined: Sep. 14 2010

RE: Tech loser (in reply to laughingstock)

quote:

ORIGINAL: laughingstock
I liked the ability to switch off the signal as I tuned.

Oh definitely, nothing worse than tuning up loudly through your PA between every number. I have a mute on my (outboard) preamp for this or I use a Planet Waves cable that has a mute on the jack which is very useful too.

TBH I think a decent outboard preamp (with good EQ) is essential.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 14 2017 8:13:39

laughingstock

Posts: 35
Joined: Jun. 30 2016
From: Texas

RE: Tech loser (in reply to laughingstock)

I decided to go with an outboard pre-amp (fishman aura) and a miniflex sysem that Blondie#2 had recommended on a previous post. I might end up with more wires than I would have liked but we'll see how it goes. I'll have to go with Mr Twinkles recco on the battery ext. Again, thanks guys.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 16 2017 2:31:17

Blondie#2

Posts: 530
Joined: Sep. 14 2010

RE: Tech loser (in reply to laughingstock)

quote:

ORIGINAL: laughingstock
I decided to go with an outboard pre-amp (fishman aura) and a miniflex sysem

Hmmm.. why an imaging pedal with a mic only system? They are for trying to improve the sound of USTs and SBTs by providing a digital 'image' of a miked up guitar (supposedly).

As you are using just mics anyway you will not improve things you'll probably make it a lot more artificial and processed (have you heard the Aura?) If it were me I'd go for a Baggs PADI, Headway EDB or Baggs Venue depending on budget.

Edit: I just re-read your first post and it sounds like you are planning to mix the Miniflex with your hex pickup, yes? So I guess the Aura is just for the Hex and you are mixing these signals separately? If so what's the Miniflex output going through, you'll need to EQ that a lot.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 16 2017 10:18:15

laughingstock

Posts: 35
Joined: Jun. 30 2016
From: Texas

RE: Tech loser (in reply to laughingstock)

This is what I mean- I have no idea what I'm doing. I was hoping to run both the under-saddle pickup (piezo?) and the miniflex mics through the fishman aura. I had seen the Fishman aura had an XLR and a blend knob, I assumed it was to blend signals but this isn't the case. I feel like I'm back at sqaure one.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 17 2017 7:03:59

laughingstock

Posts: 35
Joined: Jun. 30 2016
From: Texas

RE: Tech loser (in reply to laughingstock)

Has anyone run across the Barcus Berry BreezeIV? Does it look like something I could use? It comes with a piezo pickup BUT you can add a second source (other pickup or mic) and since I already have the miniflex mics it might be a good choice, right?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 17 2017 11:06:42

Blondie#2

Posts: 530
Joined: Sep. 14 2010

RE: Tech loser (in reply to laughingstock)

quote:

ORIGINAL: laughingstock
This is what I mean- I have no idea what I'm doing. I was hoping to run both the under-saddle pickup (piezo?) and the miniflex mics through the fishman aura. I had seen the Fishman aura had an XLR and a blend knob, I assumed it was to blend signals but this isn't the case. I feel like I'm back at sqaure one.

Yes, it's not stereo preamp.

The Headway EDB2 has two input channels with separate gain on each (so you could control levels of your UST and miniflex) but both sources are mixed through the same EQ. Its a great preamp, I have the earlier EDB1. That would work, but no fancy imaging to de-quack the piezo UST. More expensive stereo preamps, that allow you separate EQ for both channels, include Rane and Grace Felix.

You could try the miniflex by itself, Jason Mcguire is a big fan of this. Depends on what environments you'll be playing in.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 17 2017 12:57:20

Blondie#2

Posts: 530
Joined: Sep. 14 2010

RE: Tech loser (in reply to laughingstock)

quote:

ORIGINAL: laughingstock
Has anyone run across the Barcus Berry BreezeIV? Does it look like something I could use? It comes with a piezo pickup BUT you can add a second source (other pickup or mic) and since I already have the miniflex mics it might be a good choice, right?

You haven't said which Miniflex model you bought so I can't comment but in any case I suggest you ask Ken @ Miniflex whether it would work in conjunction with the preamp system you mention above, which I haven't come across. I see that you would need to cut a chunk out of the side of the guitar to have it fitted though...

I have to say.. if you had done what I suggested earlier in the thread and bought the Baggs Dual Source system, you would have a UST plus internal mic plus onboard preamp with mic blend, no need to cut a hold in the side the guitar, all for less than you've spent so far, and now you're having to spend even more to get a workable solution.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 17 2017 13:14:58

laughingstock

Posts: 35
Joined: Jun. 30 2016
From: Texas

RE: Tech loser (in reply to laughingstock)

OK OK OK fine I found a Dual Source for a good price. I'll go that route. Should have listened to you to begin with. Thanks again for all the advice. Anyone here want a mini-flex at a good price? It's a model 2 BTW.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 18 2017 6:22:41