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Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 354
Location: Flushing, MI | Last night I decided to play my old Celebrity CS257, after having spent so much time with my Legend, and Matrix - both are acoustic only, but I've been using a Duncan Maverick soundhole pickup. I found that there is some poor string to string definition, and some strange ummm.... like phase cancellations or something with every soundhole PU that I've tried - not just the Maverick. Sometimes some of the notes in a chord just don't seem to all come out. I can't find a better way to explain it - sorry. Is this just me, or has anyone else noticed this?
So I really enjoyed playing my Celebrity again last night, except when I hit the EQ on/off button, which causes a lot of static and noise. I had to play with it off all night. I wonder what THAT'S all about???
Anyhoo - since I'm getting LOTS of acoustic work here lately, I may need to go out shopping for one good stageworthy guitar. I must say that the old Celebrity has been quite the workhorse over the years, with no trouble. I know they get a bad rap here, and acoustically they sound like dogs. Plugged in it sounds pretty decent IMO. |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Best way to improve the string-to-string balance, output and overall performance of a soundhole magnetic pickup is to use nickel instead of phosphor bronze strings. Phospor Bronze is a non-ferrous metal, so on the wound strings the pickup is only seeing the core wire, not the core and the wrap. Lots of pickup makers say their pickups work with bronze strings, but unless they've discovered how to change the laws of physics it's just marketing hype. Also it's a good idea to get a soundhole pickup with adjustable pole-pieces. |
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Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 354
Location: Flushing, MI | Thanks Paul! I'll have to check into that.
Any idea how the coated strings will work with the soundhole PU? I've just bought a couple of sets of DR coated strings.
Ultimately, I'm going to have to break down and get a more trustworthy (gigworthy) axe. Hopefully these acoustic gigs will keep coming. |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | The coating is also non-ferrous, so it will have no effect whatsoever with a magnetic pickup as compared to an uncoated string of the same type. |
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Soundhole pickups vs. OP24+