New guitar recommendations

Subject: RE: New guitar recommendations
From: GUEST,Strollin' Johhny
Date: 25 Jul 03 - 07:26 AM

I've got a Rare Earth double-coil model that I used with my first Lowden, an O10. It sounded very good - a lot more 'acoustic' than some of the under-saddle transducers. Only trouble was that I hated seeing my beautiful hand-crafted instrument sullied by this lump of black plastic and metal stuck across the soundhole, it got right up my nose. So I went for the Fishman Matrix transducer with the Pro-EQ 2 outboard EQ box, and I get just as good a sound as with the Rare Earth.

Whistle Stop (and anyone else contemplating fitting a pickup to a Lowden) - you don't have to do any cutting or drilling when you fit an under-saddle transducer to a Lowden. They're pre-drilled under the saddle for the cables when they're built, with a shim under the saddle that you simply remove when you put the transducer in. You don't even have to reamer-out the endpin hole because they're pre-drilled to the correct size for an endpin jack, with an oversized wooden endpin supplied. It's a doddle.

Peace to all Lowden Freaks
Johnny

Subject: RE: New guitar recommendations
From: GUEST,Whistle Stop
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 07:55 AM

Thanks Johnny; I was aware of that. The cutting I was referring to was the big hole that folks sometimes cut into the side of the guitar for the control panel. Lots of guitars come with these already installed, but some people will retrofit these to guitars that didn't come equipped with them from the factory. Either way, I don't like them (talk about sullying a beautiful instrument for the sake of the pickup!); I tend to think it's better to do minimal alterations to the instrument itself, and go with outboard controls.

Subject: RE: New guitar recommendations
From: GUEST,Strollin' Johnny
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 07:57 AM

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!! Sorry, I misunderstood - I'm getting to be a daft old duffer! Yep, I'm in full agreement Whistle-Stop.
All the best
Johnny

Subject: Lowden 0-32c
From: GUEST,dominick
Date: 06 May 06 - 03:29 AM

hey there...please email at [e-mail]
wondering opinion on two things....taylor's new expression system vs. old fishman pickups....what's better and why in your opinion? Also I'm tossing up a Taylor 414ce with a Lowden 0-32c....thoughts? Aside from obvious lack of pickup in the Lowden. Lowden seems to have WAY more bottom end and just as nice a low-profile neck as the Taylor....

Subject: RE: New guitar recommendations
From: GUEST,Sandy Andina
Date: 06 May 06 - 03:08 PM

I have both an ES-equipped Taylor 414ce and Fishmans: Prefix blend in an 814ce, Rare Earth Blend in my Martin M-36, and Matrix undersaddle trasducer in a Larrivee Parlor guitar. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, but I find myself turning most often in performance and recording situations to my 414ce. (It's the all-gloss rosewood LE, not the std. ovangkol gloss-top version). It has plenty of rosewood bottom end, plays smoothly (perhaps fits more naturally in my hand), and the ES sounds terrific and natural through a PA or DI into a studio console. (Not that terrific through acoustic guitar amps, which are designed for high-impedance undersaddle transducers--you get a more magnetic sound from it, with less sparkle and shorter decay). The Fishman Rare Earth blend is also magnetic, but you can dial the condensor mike into it. Of course, my favorite setup is an unamp'ed D-18GE into a Shure SM57, but I don't always have the luxury of a second mic stand or even input if not using my own PA. I am not a big fan of piezo "quack," which, sadly, most young acoustic guitarists who come to the instrument from rock think is the way an amplified acoustic guitar is supposed to sound. The only reason I have a piezo undersaddle in my Parlour (and my dulcimers) is that for the former, I wanted something quick and easy should I find myself in a performance situation while on vacation; for the latter, it's more natural than a soundboard transducer and easier to install on a dulcimer.

Subject: RE: New guitar recommendations
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 07 May 06 - 12:12 PM

Neither of my two Taylors, or my Santa Cruz had on-board electronics when I bought them. I had fought the on board trent for years, as I thought it would make any good guitar sound like an ovation (that quacking sound Sandy referred to, above.) I finally bit the bullet and got the guitars fixed up with highlander stand alone internal mics. They can either be plugged in directly, or through a direct box.

I got tired of playing large outdoor stages that were run by people who had no idea how to mic an acoustic guitar.

Subject: RE: New guitar recommendations
From: Grab
Date: 08 May 06 - 08:39 AM

Dominick, I'd go for the Lowden. Mind you, I already have (O-32 without cutaway) so I'm biased! ;-) Also worth checking out Avalon which basically do "productionised" Lowdens - very similar, just a few corners cut (eg. no split saddle) and a bit cheaper.

Graham.