Anyone ever use one of these in their hole?

  • Thread starter Thread starter arcadeko
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arcadeko

arcadeko

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What did you think you were gonna see here?


Anyway - I have a cheap Classical Nylon Ibanez and I am OK with that.

I would however like to try recording with it (and I can use mics cause there is too much ambient noise like drums...) So I don't really want to install a pickup and The only classical full body electro acoustics I like are like $500 so I was looking on ebay and saw this $5 miracle cure... Anyone ever use anything like this?

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Do you have a link? You get what you pay for.

I got a pickup that just slides into place in the soundhole, easy to install and remove when you don't want it. Of course it does not give a real acoustic sound, it does solve the problem of occasionally electrifying.
 
I have had some pretty good results with a Dean Markley 3000 Artist Transducer. $30. I'm not sure you can expect too much for $10. Could be the greatest thing ever, but I seriously doubt it.
 
Okay, here are a few things that perhaps you don't realize.

1. These types of pick-ups are perfectly okay for acoustic guitars...... if you are performing live in a loud club or bar. You don't really want them for any serious recording.

2. If you are worried about bleed from other instruments then you need to work on isolating. Many recording folks are willing to accept a bit of bleed because it won't be noticed in the mix.
a.) another option is to multi-track. Lay the drum tracks down first to a scratch track that you have played. Then once you have that drum track, record your guitar track.

3. I have found that I get the best results recording guitar (or oud, lute, baglama and bouzouki) with two mics on two different tracks. One focused toward the sound hole and the other focused up about halfway up the finger board. Then do an isolated mix of these two tracks to get the optimum sound.

4. You can use a cheap guitar if you like it and you like the sound, but don't use cheap mics and record in a properly treated room . I personally prefer to use hyper-cardioid condenser mics to record guitar (one large on the finger board and one small pointed at the sound hole). Of course an AKG c414 is my first choice for a large diaphragm condenser, but those are prohibitively expensive for a beginner, but you can shop around and try some of the less expensive mics. Studio Projects makes some real good mics that are far less expensive.
 
Rimshot said:
Okay, here are a few things that perhaps you don't realize.

1. These types of pick-ups are perfectly okay for acoustic guitars...... if you are performing live in a loud club or bar. You don't really want them for any serious recording.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't go so far as to say that. It really depends on what you want out of an acoustic guitar, based on the style of music, and the overall arrangement and production.
I like to use the Dean Markley ProMag pickups with my acoustics, and I've found that they can really give me an acoustic guitar sound that fits just right with the rest of the tracks...but, I'm not doing "acoustic" music, or really sparse mixes where the acoustic guitar is the main/driving force.

If I was going to feature the acoustic guitar...then I would avoid the pickups and go with mics...though the room is also important, assuming you really want to pick up all the nice overtones coming off the wood, as opposed to really "close miking" in one or two spots on the guitar.
For miking acoustics, there is a nice "sticky" in the Recording forum done by WhiteStrat...you just need to apply it to your own setup and room, but I wouldn't hesitate to use a pickup on an acoustic, especially for doing more electric/full mixes and for any slightly "denser" Rock/Pop tunes, as you really will NOT want all the overtones.
 
jimmys69 said:
I have had some pretty good results with a Dean Markley 3000 Artist Transducer. $30. I'm not sure you can expect too much for $10. Could be the greatest thing ever, but I seriously doubt it.
Click to expand...

I got my local music shop to price match Musicians Friend and picked up the Dean Artist for $32 - haven't recorded with it yet but it sounds great through my amp although I am having a little bit if feedback (nothing a little repositioning and EQ adjustment didn't fix).

I think this is going to work out perfectly.

Thanks for the tip - this should do nicely!

Rimshot - Thanks for the tips for mic placement - and Miroslav - I read that awesome sticky by Whitestrat - great info.

Hopefully I will have some mixes soon to post in the clinic and you can hear the results.

Thanks everyone - great help and info as always!
 
Oh and btw, if that sticky stuff ever gets too dirty and don't stick, just contact Dean Markley and they will send you new stuff for free. :)
 
jimmys69 said:
Oh and btw, if that sticky stuff ever gets too dirty...
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Noted! Good to know - I was using it sparingly :)

and i just had to end your quote there - I wanted to add a "thats what she said" but I thought that was crossing the line :P
 
arcadeko said:
I got my local music shop to price match Musicians Friend and picked up the Dean Artist for $32 - haven't recorded with it yet but it sounds great through my amp although I am having a little bit if feedback (nothing a little repositioning and EQ adjustment didn't fix).
Click to expand...

Closer to the bridge gets a more direct sound with less tendency to feed back. On the body away from the bridge gets more natural resonance but more tendency to feed back.
 
So it works good with an amp - But the gain preamp on my mixer isn't giving it enough boost.
I guess I could run out from my guitar amp headphone jack - but maybe there is a good DI box made to work with this pickup?

Anyone use this Dean with a DI box?
 
My interface has two channels of selectable guitar/line inputs that I use. I'm guessing a direct box would work too.
 
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