Advice on acoustic guitar pickup acting strange

[distanders]

Hi there folks,

 

Just bought a Furch Millenium G22. Killer guitar, at least according to me, but I noticed something strange with the pickup system. When I mute the strings, and not even very hard, there is a strange "shaky/flabby" noise with a lot of bass that is being generated.

 

I did a recording with a bad external microphone and the line output from my guitar at the same time. Please listen in a system where you can hear bass well. The playing is kind of crappy, but just to illustrate what sound that is being generated.

 

I suspect that the microphone is loose. Any ideas on what it can be that is causing this? How to fix it?

 

 

https://soundcloud.com/andersvincent/furch-with-ext-mic

 

https://soundcloud.com/andersvincent/furch-line-no-fx

 

I realize that this isn't really great forum material, but I am kind of desperate as I just bought this guitar since I have a ton of gigs booked where the line system is crucial for me.

 

/Anders

Silent Lane

 

[DeepEnd]

I can't listen to your clips because I'm at work but I'm curious as to what pickup you have. I couldn't find a mention of it on the Furch site.

[Idunno]

I hear the sound you're on about. I'd add "tubby" sounding. Couldn't tell you if that's a problem or a characteristic. I had a guitar that I couldn't ferret out a problem with and finally let it go. I hope you find a better solution than that. But, from what I can hear I wouldn't call in the crisis management team just yet. It's a workable sound.

[distanders]

They are LR Baggs mounted in the sound hole. I really hope that it is someting that can be fixed, for me it is a big problem.

[DeepEnd]

Okay, I've listened to your clips and I think what you object to is just the way the pickup sounds. I have a friend who has a Baggs M1 Active installed in his Norman. I've played his guitar through my amp and I was disappointed in how it sounded, especially after reading about how "natural" the pickup sounds. You can listen to various pickups, including the Baggs, here: http://www.dougyoungguitar.com/pickuptests/. See if it sounds like your pickup. If it does, you're out of luck, other than changing to a different pickup. If it doesn't sound like yours, maybe you could change the battery.

[distanders]

You think so? I'm not refering to the actual sound quality, more the strange "tubby" or "shaky" sound that comes when I mute the strings. If you plug it into a big PA and try to play some John Butler stuff, then this sound pretty much ruins your performance. Gonna change the batteries then come back.

[DeepEnd]

You might also experiment with adjusting the pole pieces. You'll need an Allen (hex) wrench. Your pickup should have come with one for that purpose. If not, you may have one handy or you could buy a set. They're not expensive.

[Idunno]

From the evidence I'm reading here, you have the M1A. It has "audiophile circuitry" Baggs claims is an acoustic enhancment. This means that the "circuitry" is an acoustic guitar emulator and the sound you're getting is nothing but a small sampling of your guitar's true sound. It will give you the true acoustic sound of a broomstick, though, as well as a brick or a pink flamingo, etc. I think the device has a passive mode that bypasses that circuity. Try going passive to an outboard preamp and listen to it again.