Members EnzyteMan Posted October 5, 2004 Members Posted October 5, 2004 Is there any way to do this? Make my piezo sound more like its mic'd?
Members sventvkg Posted October 5, 2004 Members Posted October 5, 2004 yes there is and it really really works. It's the Fishman AURA...Go here: http://www.fishmanaura.com/learn/listenindex.asp
Members guitarcapo Posted October 5, 2004 Members Posted October 5, 2004 Roland makes an awesome acoustic amp that comes really close. Between it and an nice Baggs pre-amp it sounds like two guys are playing guitar in front of you...
Members RainsongDR1000 Posted October 5, 2004 Members Posted October 5, 2004 What you're talking about is the holy grail! The Aura is one. The Yamaha AG stomp is another. Yamaha is also coming out with the Magicstomp Acoustic around X-mas, the next generation of the AG stomp. D-tar is also coming out with the "Mama Bear" Mic modeler around the same time and it's getting a lot of good buzz. All these will probably be around $300 I'm guessing. If that's out of your budget, a simple Zoom 504II ($70 or less) effects box did wonders for making my UST sound less quacky and more mic like. Didn't make it sound "Just like my guitar only louder" but was definitely worth the money.
Members Pedro Posted October 5, 2004 Members Posted October 5, 2004 You might want to look at the Boss acoustic sim as a low cost option. I don't know if it'll make your guitar sound like it is mic'd, but it'll improve the sound. you might be able to get one on ebay for around 70 dollars.
Members Brokenwing Posted October 5, 2004 Members Posted October 5, 2004 C'mon, c'mon, c'mon... The only thing that can sound as good as a mic is a mic. You can shape, tweak and adjust a piezo all you want
Members RainsongDR1000 Posted October 6, 2004 Members Posted October 6, 2004 Originally posted by Brokenwing C'mon, c'mon, c'mon... The only thing that can sound as good as a mic is a mic. You can shape, tweak and adjust a piezo all you want
Members EnzyteMan Posted October 6, 2004 Author Members Posted October 6, 2004 The samples on the Aura website sounded pretty convincing, though. I think I'm going to keep an eye out on Ebay. And I was just talking up a storm on Guitar Jam last week about how I'm totally done buying guitars, amps, and effects and all of my bases are covered, and I'm never buying gear again:mad:
Members sdelsolray Posted October 6, 2004 Members Posted October 6, 2004 Originally posted by RainsongDR1000 Like I said, it's the Holy Grail! I doubt if there will ever be a pickup that sounds "just like a mic'd guitar" to discerning ears. The aforementioned devices will definitely get you closer than plugging your Fishman straight to an acoustic amp, though. It's a consumer gimick. If want a guitar to sound like it's mic'd, I'll use mics. Anyway, why fool with the beautiful tone of the UST? It's so musical, sensual and authentic. Making it mimic a mic through consumer-grade electronics, coupled with inmature modeling technology, just ruins a good thing.
Members riffdaddy Posted October 6, 2004 Members Posted October 6, 2004 I think the best setup would probably be a K&K Sound Pure Western through a Baggs Para DI or Seymour Duncan D-Tar. Actually, K&K is developing a new system which combines their Pure Western and FantaStick pickups. This should be an even better option for people playing in higher-volume situations.
Members RainsongDR1000 Posted October 6, 2004 Members Posted October 6, 2004 Originally posted by riffdaddy I think the best setup would probably be a K&K Sound Pure Western through a Baggs Para DI or Seymour Duncan D-Tar. Actually, K&K is developing a new system which combines their Pure Western and FantaStick pickups. This should be an even better option for people playing in higher-volume situations. I had a K&K Pure Western & a PADI. While it sounded OK in my den, it was just too "tubby" in the live venues I played. In fact, K&K doesn't recommned the PADI for the Pure Western since it its more for high impedance pickups like UST's. They recommend a more flat preamp (like their own, which is no surprise). Plus, the handling noise really bugged me (the last straw was when it amplified my stomach growling at a fairly quiet gig! Never eat TexMex before a gig if you have a contact transducer!) I thoughtthe Fishman I had through the Zoom sounded better. I like that K&K is going with UST/AST combo like the Baggs imix, makes more sense to me than the AST/mic combo like the Trinity. I think as far as dual sources go, the UST/AST combo is the most versatile.
Members min7b5 Posted October 6, 2004 Members Posted October 6, 2004 Originally posted by Brokenwing C'mon, c'mon, c'mon... The only thing that can sound as good as a mic is a mic. You can shape, tweak and adjust a piezo all you want
Members Chirpy_72 Posted October 6, 2004 Members Posted October 6, 2004 All depends where you're trying to play. Soundboard transducers and internal mics probably won't cut-it in LOUD live settings ( with a full band )... they're prone to feedback. UST's, soundhole pu's ( Sunrise, M1 ) are probably are better compromise ... less likely to feedback If you're in a small setting ( solo act, duo ... ) you'd probably be best to mic it ... but then again, you can't move around onstage ... Those Auras, Mama Bears, MagiStomps look to be a good tool for a gigging musician, and alothough it's not the sound of "your" guitar you're hearing, it still sounds good
Members EnzyteMan Posted October 7, 2004 Author Members Posted October 7, 2004 I dunno... I heard the aura clips, and they all sounded as close to a mic'd acoustic as I've ever heard, recorded or at a live concert where a mic was used.
Members Matt McGriff Posted October 7, 2004 Members Posted October 7, 2004 I have a MagicStomp and love it. I needed an inline tuner and a good one was about $100, so I figured for $160 I could get the tuner and some enhancement to my sound. First time I used it the soundguy said how great my guitar sounded, without even realizing I was playing through it. Its a very tweakable pedal, and if you spend a little time, you can get exactly the sound you want. I was either going to buy an Aura or AG Stomp for $300-$400, but the MagicStomp does what I need and id a bargain for $160.
Members RainsongDR1000 Posted October 7, 2004 Members Posted October 7, 2004 Originally posted by Matt McGriff I have a MagicStomp and love it. I needed an inline tuner and a good one was about $100, so I figured for $160 I could get the tuner and some enhancement to my sound. First time I used it the soundguy said how great my guitar sounded, without even realizing I was playing through it. Its a very tweakable pedal, and if you spend a little time, you can get exactly the sound you want. I was either going to buy an Aura or AG Stomp for $300-$400, but the MagicStomp does what I need and id a bargain for $160. Anyone know when the MagicStomp Acoustic is due out and what they will be going for? I read around November?
Members sventvkg Posted October 7, 2004 Members Posted October 7, 2004 I don't know, lots of opinions here but who here besides me, has worked with the Aura extensively..tweaking it to different guitars, AB'ing the unit's sound with a real large diaphram on the guitar? Bottom line, if you don't know how to make a Blender system sound good you will not know how to make the Aura sound good either. If you are not good at tweaking gear, do not know EQ or dynamics, get the unit and take it to someone who knows who to set it, and then listen. This is what a friend and fellow singer songwrtier did with me. I told him to get it, he brought it to me and we gave it a thorough run though, even downloading new Sound images off the web on the the Aura to fit his guitar. Dont go by just the clips of anything. Get a vibe, then take the chance. I'll never have to go back to a {censored}ty UST sound ever again with this unit.
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