True Acoustic Tone

[maxi_musikero]

pareho kami, mama bear din...

talaga?  hehe!  sana hindi pa binili ng cousin ko ung baggs...i already emailed Davis Music sa Sing about sa price nila ng mama bear.  i hope they will reply asap.  pag hindi naman malayo ung price nya sa baggs, sabihin ko sa cousin ko na mama bear nalang ung kunin.   

thanks for the advice!   

[abyssinianson]

pareho kami, mama bear din...

i tried out the mama-bear and it had great tone but I wish there were more flexibility with the unit like mic modelling choices like on the Fishman Aura.

[maxi_musikero]

different guitarists have different experiences and different suggestions talaga!   

did anyone here watch The Corrs Unplugged video?  ganda din ng tunog ng gitara na ginamit dun ah.  can anyone help me in identifying the guitars used in that vid?  ung isa lang ang nakuha ko eh...Guild.  jumbo ata un eh.  the other guitar i'm not sure if it's a Larrivee or a Lowden.   

[abyssinianson]

different guitarists have different experiences and different suggestions talaga!   

did anyone here watch The Corrs Unplugged video?  ganda din ng tunog ng gitara na ginamit dun ah.  can anyone help me in identifying the guitars used in that vid?  ung isa lang ang nakuha ko eh...Guild.  jumbo ata un eh.  the other guitar i'm not sure if it's a Larrivee or a Lowden.   

they're using Guild (6 and 12 strings) and what looks like a Lowden F Series or Stage Series model. the sound sounds like your normal DI sound.

[maxi_musikero]

they're using Guild (6 and 12 strings) and Martin. the sound sounds like your normal DI sound.

was that a Martin?  i'm referring to the maroon guitar used by the Jim Corr.  when the camera focused on the sound hole, i thought i saw a big L inside.  so i'm thinking either Larrivee or Lowden.

[abyssinianson]

was that a Martin?  i'm referring to the maroon guitar used by the Jim Corr.  when the camera focused on the sound hole, i thought i saw a big L inside.  so i'm thinking either Larrivee or Lowden.

nah, i thought it was until I saw the body shape. Its a lowden.

[maxi_musikero]

nah, i thought it was until I saw the body shape. Its a lowden.

yup...i think the 12-string is also a lowden.  darn..i can't access lowden's website...hehehe! 

[jebs]

hello fellow acoustics. i was able to try a fernando/fernandes (its either of the 2) acoustic yesterday in JB.. and i was blown away by the sound of it. bassy round sound, and bright sound.  im not sure of the body, it has a ROUND JUMBO shape but MEDIUM in size. so i guess its a medium jumbo, slightly smaller than a regular dread. get the idea?

my question is,
1.  does that kind of body really give a bassy round sound? very much diff from dreads? it had so much boom compared to takamine dread that i also tried.. 
2.  i cant believe it was a fernando/fernandes guitar? are they this good?  is it because of the body or wood, that this guitar sounds good? sounds like it has solid top..  but i doubt it cos it was averagely priced around 7k.

i currently own an ibanez dread pf series solid top. but the sound is very diff from the fernando.   

[abyssinianson]

hello fellow acoustics. i was able to try a fernando/fernandes (its either of the 2) acoustic yesterday in JB.. and i was blown away by the sound of it. bassy round sound, and bright sound.  im not sure of the body, it has a ROUND JUMBO shape but MEDIUM in size. so i guess its a medium jumbo, slightly smaller than a regular dread. get the idea?

my question is,
1.  does that kind of body really give a bassy round sound? very much diff from dreads? it had so much boom compared to takamine dread that i also tried.. 
2.  i cant believe it was a fernando/fernandes guitar? are they this good?  is it because of the body or wood, that this guitar sounds good? sounds like it has solid top..  but i doubt it cos it was averagely priced around 7k.

i currently own an ibanez dread pf series solid top. but the sound is very diff from the fernando.   

the things to consider in the tone of an acoustic are: the shape, the materials used in making the thing, the design and the intonation. all guitars will sound different from each other and, just as each guitar is different, each person here will have their own opinion about a guitar. more importantly is to ask, what do YOU think about the guitar in comparison to the other guitars you've played?

i will try any guitar just to see what it has to offer and I can't say that I am fickle about acoustic name brands because, really, I don't care for chasing ém down on that criteria alone since I ain't in buying guitars for the collector's value. i play my acoustics - a lot - and if it can't deliver live or in the studio, well, thats a bad dollar spent in my book. Whether or not it is a Fernandes, a Taylor, a Lowden or a Martin, if it plays well, feels good and gets the creative juices flowing on YOUR part, go for it.

[maxi_musikero]

hello fellow acoustics. i was able to try a fernando/fernandes (its either of the 2) acoustic yesterday in JB.. and i was blown away by the sound of it. bassy round sound, and bright sound.  im not sure of the body, it has a ROUND JUMBO shape but MEDIUM in size. so i guess its a medium jumbo, slightly smaller than a regular dread. get the idea?

my question is,
1.  does that kind of body really give a bassy round sound? very much diff from dreads? it had so much boom compared to takamine dread that i also tried.. 
2.  i cant believe it was a fernando/fernandes guitar? are they this good?  is it because of the body or wood, that this guitar sounds good? sounds like it has solid top..  but i doubt it cos it was averagely priced around 7k.

i currently own an ibanez dread pf series solid top. but the sound is very diff from the fernando.   

+1 to the previous reply dude.

it will all boil down to your preferences as a musician..that's the beauty about music!  there is no hard and fast rules on your preferences.  all musicians know this and we respect the crafts of all our colleagues.

there really are better brands than others...but what's really important is you, the musician.  musical instruments are just simply avenues for the musician to manifest their feelings and experiences (chick-flick moment)   

every musician knows if a guitar "feels" right or not.  and whatever makes a musician feels right, is worth buying.   

the key is to try as many guitars as you can to broaden your listening experiences so that when the time comes na pipili ka na, you can really say to yourself that "this guitar feels right". 

[GGBR]

Max,

I just read your reply to the personal message.

Regarding pickups-- I am at the moment in South Korea and have communicated with the OEM for AER's AK-15 pickup (I had also contacted the maker of Wilkinson hardware). They are unable to sell this here because it needs to go thru AER Germany. They told me that there is already a newer version of this pickup which will be branded as AK-15 plus. You may want to wait a while for its release. JB distributes AER.

Best reagrds. 

[strummer]

i own a fernando and i think it's way too good for it's price. Ü. bang for the buck. may be a bang bang bang for that. hehe.

mahogany neck, back, and sides; spruce <dunno if solid or not, or if it is spruce even> top, ebony/ rosewood frets. the body relatively thin but it sounds real big.

maybe suit it up with better electronics it's a jackpot. had some issues with the setup before but after fixing it i liked it better.

i agree with the guys above, acoustic <and any other guitars> guitar tones will eventually boil down to preference.

i also have a sagano installed with lr baggs pickups <tenks kulas> but i have yet to experience it's full potential with a preamp.

as for the fernando, i'll post the soundclip of the recording after the single is officially released. heheh.

[farseer]

different guitarists have different experiences and different suggestions talaga!   

did anyone here watch The Corrs Unplugged video?  ganda din ng tunog ng gitara na ginamit dun ah.  can anyone help me in identifying the guitars used in that vid?  ung isa lang ang nakuha ko eh...Guild.  jumbo ata un eh.  the other guitar i'm not sure if it's a Larrivee or a Lowden.   

Guild f50, i have one of those... lowdens make sense... irish made, corrs=irish

[maxi_musikero]

Max,

I just read your reply to the personal message.

Regarding pickups-- I am at the moment in South Korea and have communicated with the OEM for AER's AK-15 pickup (I had also contacted the maker of Wilkinson hardware). They are unable to sell this here because it needs to go thru AER Germany. They told me that there is already a newer version of this pickup which will be branded as AK-15 plus. You may want to wait a while for its release. JB distributes AER.

Best reagrds. 

sori for the late reply sir GGBR.  i downloaded the pdf for the AK-15 plus.  looks promising.     and i think by the time na maging available na sya sa JB, may ipon na ko to buy a good guitar.   

i emailed Davis Music Singapore asking how much yung mama bear.  i don't think they will reply.     i'll see if i can get my cousin to ask how much!

thanks sir! 

[maxi_musikero]

Guild f50, i have one of those... lowdens make sense... irish made, corrs=irish

hehehe!     ganda nung Guild Doc.  jumbo un dba?  yun ba ung sinasabi mong mas gs2 mo ung tunog kesa sa Taylor 9series mo? 

[maxi_musikero]

sir GGBR and Doc,

just received the reply from Davis Music sa Singapore..Mama Bear costs Sing$595.  grabe halos 2x nung Baggs...way out of my budget.  game plan ng purchases ko kasi in chronological order:  Baggs - Guitar - Aura.   

[GGBR]

Max,

The D-TAR Mama Bear Preamp is more than double because it is NOT ONLY a PREAMP BUT ALSO a modeling amp with efx I believe! It has incredible sounds(daw). Postpone your decision and save up for this last.

I purchased something which is pricier but serves only as a preamp/blender/DI unit. It has an excellent sound for both live & studio use called the Raven Labs Professional Master Blender II. It was designed by the maker of SWR amps but no longer in production. The designer has retired in 2005 and I was in luck buying the last unit from Gary Brawer (who recommended it to me)of San Francisco.

To further aid your choice(s)(or maybe confusion )
Here are the top sellers for acoustic accessories in the USA:

PICKUPS
K&K Pure Western   Unique soundboard pickup (mini recommended)  $86.10
DTAR Wavelength    Easy-install version of the Timberline.     $111.30
Baggs M1 Active    M1 with onboard juice and volume control    $169.00
Baggs Element Active System  Undersaddle pickup with onboard preamp & volume control                                                 $99.00
               
Element Onboard System  Element & side-mount blending preamp; retrofits into factory-installed electronics                   $179.00
 
PREAMPS
DTAR Mama Bear   Revolutionary modeling preamp                 $349.30
Baggs Para-Acoustic DI  Full-featured external preamp, EQ, and DI                                                             $159.00
K&K Pure XLR Preamp  Best with K&K pickups; adds XLR out and phase switch to standard Pure preamp.                               $147.00
       
AMP
AER Compact 60  Two channels, 60 watts. Includes one free Zaolla cable.                                                        $999.00
   

Prices are from a very reliable source ex-Colorado.

Regards.

[maxi_musikero]

Max,

The D-TAR Mama Bear Preamp is more than double because it is NOT ONLY a PREAMP BUT ALSO a modeling amp with efx I believe! It has incredible sounds(daw). Postpone your decision and save up for this last.

I purchased something which is pricier but serves only as a preamp/blender/DI unit. It has an excellent sound for both live & studio use called the Raven Labs Professional Master Blender II. It was designed by the maker of SWR amps but no longer in production. The designer has retired in 2005 and I was in luck buying the last unit from Gary Brawer (who recommended it to me)of San Francisco.

To further aid your choice(s)(or maybe confusion )
Here are the top sellers for acoustic accessories in the USA:

PICKUPS
K&K Pure Western   Unique soundboard pickup (mini recommended)  $86.10
DTAR Wavelength    Easy-install version of the Timberline.     $111.30
Baggs M1 Active    M1 with onboard juice and volume control    $169.00
Baggs Element Active System  Undersaddle pickup with onboard preamp & volume control                                                 $99.00
               
Element Onboard System  Element & side-mount blending preamp; retrofits into factory-installed electronics                   $179.00
 
PREAMPS
DTAR Mama Bear   Revolutionary modeling preamp                 $349.30
Baggs Para-Acoustic DI  Full-featured external preamp, EQ, and DI                                                             $159.00
K&K Pure XLR Preamp  Best with K&K pickups; adds XLR out and phase switch to standard Pure preamp.                               $147.00
       
AMP
AER Compact 60  Two channels, 60 watts. Includes one free Zaolla cable.                                                        $999.00
   

Prices are from a very reliable source ex-Colorado.

Regards.

thanks so much for the information sir GGBR!  actually i'm really confused since everybody has been recommending different things!     but i'm thankful since i get to know so much about the acoustic guitar this early.   

i'm going to assess my options sir...pero i think mama bear is a little too much for my budget (and my salary) right now.     cguro next year na ko kukuha ng malupet na preamp when i have a quality guitar na.  papatulong nalang ako kay Doc para makakuha ako ng quality used brands.   

[GGBR]

thanks so much for the information sir GGBR!  actually i'm really confused since everybody has been recommending different things!     but i'm thankful since i get to know so much about the acoustic guitar this early.   

i'm going to assess my options sir...pero i think mama bear is a little too much for my budget (and my salary) right now.     cguro next year na ko kukuha ng malupet na preamp when i have a quality guitar na.  papatulong nalang ako kay Doc para makakuha ako ng quality used brands.   

Max,

Surely you will learn from all the inputs herein. But...

Suggest that you find out who has 1) what ever kind(s) of intruments/equipment and 2) most importantly, has had direct working experience with such instrument and equipment. By this you will separate those who are into lip service and those who actually hear/touch/work with the equipment/instrument (estimate about just 5%). Better yet are those who have been years in the music industry (maybe just less than 5%)as these are the individuals who have tried and worked with various eqpiument in various scenarios of this performing art. Ask for their personal background and working track record on the industry (music) so that you can assess their working knowledge on the subject you need to know.

I am sure that your contact where you were to bump into me had you gone earlier is one of those that you can rely on because he has and is an actual user of equipment.

Just some words to increase your discernment on who are (the many) vs who is (the few).

[abyssinianson]

thanks so much for the information sir GGBR!  actually i'm really confused since everybody has been recommending different things!     but i'm thankful since i get to know so much about the acoustic guitar this early.   

i'm going to assess my options sir...pero i think mama bear is a little too much for my budget (and my salary) right now.     cguro next year na ko kukuha ng malupet na preamp when i have a quality guitar na.  papatulong nalang ako kay Doc para makakuha ako ng quality used brands.   

will you using the gear live or in the studio? the mama bear sounds great but if you want to switch on the fly, its going to be hard because the interface requires it to be changed by hand. if access is a concern, you could try going for the Fishman Aura. when I was shopping around for a DI unit, the Aura and the D-Tar were pretty much the only two things out there that one could look into. i eventually went with the Aura for 2 reasons: the thing is mounted on a steel chassis and it is foot switchable. The imaging is a good treat too but requires you to send your main guitar Fishman for imaging. Turnaround is about 2 weeks and I got both my guitars back quickly. Just give them enough time to do their work months ahead of your anticipated gig! However, images are available online and you can use those as templates to see if they work well for your existing guitars.

[maxi_musikero]

Max,

Surely you will learn from all the inputs herein. But...

Suggest that you find out who has 1) what ever kind(s) of intruments/equipment and 2) most importantly, has had direct working experience with such instrument and equipment. By this you will separate those who are into lip service and those who actually hear/touch/work with the equipment/instrument (estimate about just 5%). Better yet are those who have been years in the music industry (maybe just less than 5%)as these are the individuals who have tried and worked with various eqpiument in various scenarios of this performing art. Ask for their personal background and working track record on the industry (music) so that you can assess their working knowledge on the subject you need to know.

I am sure that your contact where you were to bump into me had you gone earlier is one of those that you can rely on because he has and is an actual user of equipment.

Just some words to increase your discernment on who are (the many) vs who is (the few).

exactly...thanks for these words!  this thread really increased my knowledge about acoustic guitars, especially the brands.  like what you said in your previous thread, "the names that i don't know are the names i should watch out for". 

I am sure that your contact where you were to bump into me had you gone earlier is one of those that you can rely on because he has and is an actual user of equipment.

i'm not sure what this means sir GGBR...    is there a typo somewhere?

[maxi_musikero]

will you using the gear live or in the studio? the mama bear sounds great but if you want to switch on the fly, its going to be hard because the interface requires it to be changed by hand. if access is a concern, you could try going for the Fishman Aura. when I was shopping around for a DI unit, the Aura and the D-Tar were pretty much the only two things out there that one could look into. i eventually went with the Aura for 2 reasons: the thing is mounted on a steel chassis and it is foot switchable. The imaging is a good treat too but requires you to send your main guitar Fishman for imaging. Turnaround is about 2 weeks and I got both my guitars back quickly. Just give them enough time to do their work months ahead of your anticipated gig! However, images are available online and you can use those as templates to see if they work well for your existing guitars.

thanks for the advice!   

i'm going to use the gear both live and for recording.  but i do more live gigs.  i didn't know that you had to send your guitar to Fishman for the imaging...i thought the acoustic images are already pre-set in the pedal and can be accessed just by turning the knob.. 

[abyssinianson]

thanks for the advice!   

i'm going to use the gear both live and for recording.  but i do more live gigs.  i didn't know that you had to send your guitar to Fishman for the imaging...i thought the acoustic images are already pre-set in the pedal and can be accessed just by turning the knob.. 

the mic modelling is preset but the mic modelling is based on the responses of acoustic guitars of the most common shapes so, in a sense, they are generalized presets. you do not have to send your guitar to Fishman since it is a n option. although the presets are great, some people want a more accurate representation of their acoustic tone by taking advantage of the modelling and tailoring an actual preset by having Fishman record their acoustic guitar and producing a custom mic modelling image. For example, they have a Royer ribbon mic preset on the item but for anyone who has worked with ribbon mics, especially royers, they will know that those mics are quite fickle when it comes to micing guitar sound. placement, configuration and the location all influence how the resulting recording eventually comes out.

[maxi_musikero]

the mic modelling is preset but the mic modelling is based on the responses of acoustic guitars of the most common shapes so, in a sense, they are generalized presets. you do not have to send your guitar to Fishman since it is a n option. although the presets are great, some people want a more accurate representation of their acoustic tone by taking advantage of the modelling and tailoring an actual preset by having Fishman record their acoustic guitar and producing a custom mic modelling image. For example, they have a Royer ribbon mic preset on the item but for anyone who has worked with ribbon mics, especially royers, they will know that those mics are quite fickle when it comes to micing guitar sound. placement, configuration and the location all influence how the resulting recording eventually comes out.

now i understand!     thanks!   

[GGBR]

Maxi,

Quote
I am sure that your contact [where you were to bump into me had you gone earlier] is one of those that you can rely on because he has and is an actual user of equipment.

i'm not sure what this means sir GGBR...    is there a typo somewhere?

DOC (WHEN YOU WERE IN HIS CLINIC)!