Acoustic-Electric or Acoustic???

  • Thread starter Thread starter Forte
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Seagull guitars use L.R. Baggs electronics..... exclusively!

That should tell you what the manufacturer thinks is best for their guitars. ;)
 
Martin and Seagull

I have two guitars a Martin D-15 with a factory installed Thinline pickup that sounds decent.

Recently I purchased a Seagull Artist Maple with the NEW LR Baggs Duet II iBeam pickup. Since buying this guitar, I haven't plugged my Martin in once. Don't get me wrong. I love my Martin, great sounding...but DAMN IS THIS DUET II THE BOMB!

I can't find anything about this pickup and have to admit that I bought it blind after talking with a rep. The seagull website doesn't even list it and has the older Duet II/Mic version listed.

The deal is that LRBaggs puts in PZ and iBeam pickup into the guitar and you have a built in EQ and Mix control. The iBeam just is wonderful sounding for rythm and backup fingerpicking. The PZ has great seperation, but not the richnes..and HECK if you want a little bit of warmth and seperation mix them together on stage. When I was looking at Acoustic Electrics (Ovations and Fenders to be specific) I had the same experience, beatiful blugged, crap unplugged. Since my Seagull, I think the Duet II by LR Baggs is it! BTW, I think the Seagull Maple sounds Better than the Martin D-35 or Guild Songbird (maple).
 
I haven't used PUTW yet, as my stuff is B-Band and I'm pretty happy with it. But I noticed that PUTW is getting some astounding reviews. There was one over on www.MIMF.com , and they have a thread on electronics, as well. When "another guitar" time comes, I'll be experimenting a bit.










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Uh, Honey? Oh, Honeey?
Remember that bit about the 12- strin..

Ah, right.

OK, .. uh, It was just that a 12 string would sound so mu..

Uh - huh.

Yes, dear, I remember the problem with the bongos.

Yes, that, too.
No, it was a can opener.

Yes, I ..

I agree that you are right.
Absolutely.

Um..





Can I have my VISA card back now?
:D
 
I'm also thinking of buying an acoustic soon but having the same decision troubles. If I choose to put a transducer soemthing like a Fishman Matrix or a L.R Braggs I-Beam, do they come with EQ's that need to cut a hole in my guitar or do I need to buy a preamp and EQ seperately?
 
Well, a couple of people from the guitar shops that I've talked to have recommended LR Baggs Ibeam for my Seagull 12-string (I really like its sound BTW) so I think I'm gonna give it a try -- Now is the decision between getting a passive or active one :confused: :D

Here's according to my research so far:

The LR Baggs IBeam has 2 versions: passive (no preamp - $85) and active (preamp + built-in EQ curve - $125). If you want to go with the passive IBeam, there's a external preamp: Gig Pro ($85) or the Para-Acoustic DI ($130) which is a preamp + EQ.

I've read some mixed results on the two -- but one thing for sure either you'd have it professionally installed or you know exactly what you're doing ...

The Fishman Matrix also comes with 2 flavors: Natural I (preamp) and Natural II (preamp + voice -- brighter/punchier tone)

The Pickup the World Model #27 (similar to the Ibeam) also gets some good reviews ...

... :D ... That's the fun part: picking a right pickup for your acoustic !!... Anyway, if you plan to gig with your acoustic and choose the Ibeam, I think your better choice would be the passive model & get one of the external preamps above. To me, it doesn't seem right that the total cost of putting a pickup+preamp ..would exceed the cost of the guitar ..in my case, it;s about $250 !! :D

Good luck !!
 
I just got a Larrivee OM-09 and put an LR Baggs iBeam in it... fan-frickin-tastic!!!!!!!! The iBeam is the best pickup I have heard in an acoustic.

I need to buy the Larrivee Parlour Koa Special Edition now... later I have to go and sell my body for a guitar.
 
musikman316: Good, a happy Ibeamer !! Can I ask you a question before you're going out & slave your way for the new guitar :D ....Is your Ibeam active or passive ??... Did you install it yourself, if so was it a fairly simple procedure ??

Thanks...
 
If it's done up right, then an acoustic-electric can be a great thing plugged or unplugged. Taylor does it right. Tacoma does it right.

Two great models are the Taylor 612ce and the Tacoma PK30e4. Both have Fishman blenders and sound incredibly good plugged and unplugged. I have the Tacoma PK30e4. I've recorded just off the Fishman as well as plugged and mic'ed. Also, I've done it up just mic'ed. Every which way, the sounds have been great. And, it's very loud all by itself.

Steve
http://www.piemusic.com
 
badfingers said:
Well, a couple of people from the guitar shops that I've talked to have recommended LR Baggs Ibeam for my Seagull 12-string (I really like its sound BTW) so I think I'm gonna give it a try -- Now is the decision between getting a passive or active one :confused: :D

Here's according to my research so far:

The LR Baggs IBeam has 2 versions: passive (no preamp - $85) and active (preamp + built-in EQ curve - $125). If you want to go with the passive IBeam, there's a external preamp: Gig Pro ($85) or the Para-Acoustic DI ($130) which is a preamp + EQ.

I've read some mixed results on the two -- but one thing for sure either you'd have it professionally installed or you know exactly what you're doing ...

The Fishman Matrix also comes with 2 flavors: Natural I (preamp) and Natural II (preamp + voice -- brighter/punchier tone)

The Pickup the World Model #27 (similar to the Ibeam) also gets some good reviews ...

... :D ... That's the fun part: picking a right pickup for your acoustic !!... Anyway, if you plan to gig with your acoustic and choose the Ibeam, I think your better choice would be the passive model & get one of the external preamps above. To me, it doesn't seem right that the total cost of putting a pickup+preamp ..would exceed the cost of the guitar ..in my case, it;s about $250 !! :D

Good luck !!
Click to expand...
I have the active version of the ibeam duet II (eq, etc). I had to go through two though. First one lasted maybe a week before problems, but the guys at Seagull said...Hey don't worry about it...we're sending you a new guitar with a new ibeam duet II..Pretty nice. Since I've loved it. I record to a 24 bit sampler without any problems. Either way it's gonna sound great.

The problem with my Seagull (Artist Maple) & Ibeam is that it makes my Martin D-15 with a Gold thinline sound like a toy..no kidding. My wife was listening to me fingerpick on the Seagull then I picked up the Martin..and it just sounded aweful compared to the Seagull. The nice thing about the ibeam duet ii is that it has a PZ pickup too. So you can mix the ibeam with the PZ to varous levels. THe ibeam has a real warm blended sound that might not make everyone happy when fingerpicking..but mixed 50/50 with the PZ it sounds great...warmth with the seperation of the PZ...I'm in pickup heaven. My poor Martin just sits sadly in the corner now.
 
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