Members seagullplayer77 Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 I've played a few gigs with my JJB-equipped Seagull S12 and while it sounds good, it's always been missing something. I run the signal into my EQ, which I'm using as a makeshift preamp, but it's not quite cutting the mustard. I just can't get a good setting nailed down, which isn't a problem I've had with any of my other guitars. Thus, I've concluded that I really ought to get a dedicated preamp of some sort. The JJB is a passive pickup too, so that's even more reason to get one. I'm thinking about getting a Prestige for my S6 as well, so I'd be able to use the preamp with more than one guitar as well. So...any good preamps out there? I don't want to drop $150 on one, but I don't want to go bargain basement either. Something small and inconspicuous would definitely be a plus as well, though I suppose I could go the route of a preamp/DI box combo if that's the best option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar_stringer Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 The JJB transducers, are from reading their literature, all Piezo devices. These are active, not passive devices, having a high impedance and therefore needing a preamp to both lower the output impedance, and to boost the signal. Either an onboard, or outboard preamp will sound much better. Such as a Baggs DI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seagullplayer77 Posted October 9, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 The JJB transducers, are from reading their literature, all Piezo devices. These are active, not passive devices, having a high impedance and therefore needing a preamp to both lower the output impedance, and to boost the signal. Either an onboard, or outboard preamp will sound much better. Such as a Baggs DI. I was under the impression that active pickup systems require some sort of power (e.g. a 9V battery), but if you say so, I'll take your word for it. In any case, I've looked at the LR Baggs DI/preamp combos and they're a little pricey. If there was something small enough to toss into my guitar case, I'd really go for that. It'd make my acoustic setup relatively portable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar_stringer Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 You are absolutely correct, in that any preamp needs power, either 9, 18 V or phantom power. The Baggs DI uses either 9V or phantom power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 LR Baggs PARA DI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar_stringer Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 A passive system, is a single coil, or humbucker type pickup, putting out approx 100 MV rms to 1 V rms, needing no buffer or boost in the signal, or change in impedance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar_stringer Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 LR Baggs PARA DI Thanks Stack, the proper name escaped me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seagullplayer77 Posted October 9, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 That LR Baggs DI is nice...but it costs almost as much as the guitar I'm planning on using it with . What about this? Not as fancy, but it's cheaper and a lot more portable. I usually play with a wireless setup, and I think it would be pretty simple to clip a Gigpro onto my strap, run the guitar into it, then run it to my wireless pack. What say ye? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar_stringer Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 That LR Baggs DI is nice...but it costs almost as much as the guitar I'm planning on using it with . What about this? Not as fancy, but it's cheaper and a lot more portable. I usually play with a wireless setup, and I think it would be pretty simple to clip a Gigpro onto my strap, run the guitar into it, then run it to my wireless pack. What say ye? That will work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Yamaneck Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 I think you may be running into a problem, in that you installed the transducers behind the bridgepins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jamesp Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 Along the lines of small and inconspicuous, I've always been amazed at these. http://www.kksound.com/purepreamp.html I use it with my Moon mando. It doesn't do as much as my PADI, but I don't think the PADI sounds any better. Nice to have the volume control handy too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seagullplayer77 Posted October 9, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 I think you may be running into a problem, in that you installed the transducers behind the bridgepins. Perhaps, but perhaps not. I sent an E-mail to Jessie and he said that the pickup placement probably wouldn't have a drastic effect on the sound. He went on to say that while he would replace the pickups for free if I damaged them, it probably wouldn't be worth the risk to try taking them off and reattaching them on the opposite side of the bridge pins. I think the main problem is likely the impedance mismatch that Guitar_stringer mentioned. The pickups are piezos and because of that, there really should be a preamp somewhere in the signal chain. Perhaps Rob (rhancox) will chime in. I know that he has a JJB Prestige installed on one of his guitars, and it would be interesting to see what kind of preamp (if any) he uses in conjunction with his pickup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 The JJB you have will be passive if it does not have a battery so will sound a bit weak and "tinny" unless you use an external preamp to boost the signal. That little LR Baggs should do the job fine - you might even find something cheaper if you shop around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seagullplayer77 Posted October 9, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 That little LR Baggs should do the job fine - you might even find something cheaper if you shop around. Any suggestions ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dirt Chicken Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 I've used the LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI and the K&K XLR preamp. I think that both of these go for around $150. They both really help the tone of my amplified acoustic but the LR Baggs does a lot more in that it's also a very effective feedback control device. I initially consulted a good guitar tech who told me to always use a preamp with any acoustic setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TESmith Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 This is what I use with my JJB's, works well for me, pretty much the same as a Baggs unit yet you can often find these a little lower priced sometimes if you really shop you can find them a good bit lower priced....... May be others out there that would have a better sound, But this combination always sounded good to my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 Go to Ebay and look for a used PADI...my spare PADI came to $75 w/ s/h. Just looked...there's a couple around $100 + free shipping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Yamaneck Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 Perhaps, but perhaps not.I sent an E-mail to Jessie and he said that the pickup placement probably wouldn't have a drastic effect on the sound. He went on to say that while he would replace the pickups for free if I damaged them, it probably wouldn't be worth the risk to try taking them off and reattaching them on the opposite side of the bridge pins.I think the main problem is likely the impedance mismatch that Guitar_stringer mentioned. The pickups are piezos and because of that, there really should be a preamp somewhere in the signal chain.Perhaps Rob (rhancox) will chime in. I know that he has a JJB Prestige installed on one of his guitars, and it would be interesting to see what kind of preamp (if any) he uses in conjunction with his pickup. Pickup placement has EVERYTHING to do with what your guitar will sound like. You get a less defined tone, when the pickups aren't under the saddle line, on the bridgeplate. Take Jesse up on his kind offer, and redo the install correctly, you won't regret it. I know what a PITA it is to unstring & restring a 12, just take a deep breath... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members outdoorgb Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 I'm using this Fishman GII $50 unit http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002CZRU4 with a NeoD single coil... Works just fine. Oh yea, into a Marshall AS50D... Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seagullplayer77 Posted October 9, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 I'm using this Fishman GII $50 unit http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002CZRU4 with a NeoD single coil... Works just fine. Oh yea, into a Marshall AS50D... Good luck. Say...that looks like it might be the ticket ! Relatively inexpensive, small enough to clip onto my guitar strap...Only three controls, but that isn't any less than the LR Baggs Gigpro I had my eye on before. And the Baggs is $30 more. Thanks for the tip . I'm guessing you like the way it sounds if you were willing to recommend it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar_stringer Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 The JJB you have will be passive if it does not have a battery so will sound a bit weak and "tinny" unless you use an external preamp to boost the signal. That little LR Baggs should do the job fine - you might even find something cheaper if you shop around. Piezo devices, are designed to be used in active systems only. They are just the first part of the signal chain. Attempting to use them in a passive manner, as Garthman points out, sounds weak and "tinny". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Yamaneck Posted October 9, 2009 Members Share Posted October 9, 2009 Piezo devices, are designed to be used in active systems only. They are just the first part of the signal chain. Attempting to use them in a passive manner, as Garthman points out, sounds weak and "tinny". The K&K systems I install don't sound "weak and tinny", whether they're plugged into a PA, acoustic amp, guitar amp, whatever. I've been doing this for a long time; transducer placement and mounting are PARAMOUNT, for tone production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhancox Posted October 10, 2009 Members Share Posted October 10, 2009 Perhaps, but perhaps not.I sent an E-mail to Jessie and he said that the pickup placement probably wouldn't have a drastic effect on the sound. He went on to say that while he would replace the pickups for free if I damaged them, it probably wouldn't be worth the risk to try taking them off and reattaching them on the opposite side of the bridge pins.I think the main problem is likely the impedance mismatch that Guitar_stringer mentioned. The pickups are piezos and because of that, there really should be a preamp somewhere in the signal chain.Perhaps Rob (rhancox) will chime in. I know that he has a JJB Prestige installed on one of his guitars, and it would be interesting to see what kind of preamp (if any) he uses in conjunction with his pickup. When I've used my guitar at an open mic, the host has all of his equipment set up for each participant to plug into. However, I have no idea what he's got but I can assume he's got a preamp in there somewhere. The sound is really nice. When I record, I plug directly into my USB audio interface (link in my sig). Unfortunately, I don't know a lot about the electronics, but I do know I'm not plugging into a preamp. To me it sounds fine in this arrangement. Other than that, I have no experience trying to plug in specifically with or without a preamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordchunker Posted October 10, 2009 Members Share Posted October 10, 2009 I have always had good luck with EQ pedals. Gives my signal a boost and allows me to shape my tone onstage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seagullplayer77 Posted October 10, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2009 I have always had good luck with EQ pedals. Gives my signal a boost and allows me to shape my tone onstage. I have an EQ pedal and while it works well with active pickup systems (like the one on my Ovation) it doesn't do much when I plug my S12, because the pickup system is still currently passive. I'll need a preamp to remedy that problem before the EQ pedal will do much good, I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.