Acoustic guitar pickup woes and advice ...

thomasross20 · July 2016

2am and I'm done!!

Took FOREVER to get the jack end pin fitted... Three attempts, each longer than the last.

ALso had a long faff trying to "loop" the cable so it doesn't hit the top or bottom as per the instructions.

In the end, I basically made a knot in the cable!

It's all snug now. Just re-stringing, but haven't even done that for a while - bloomin' bridge pins popping out all over the place. I think I need to tug at the strings so the ball end catches on the plate rather than being held down by the pin itself.

Next time I'm just paying somebody!

Will get pics tomorrow. Wont be able to test it until Wednesday.

Such faff - so glad I never went with integrated electronics, having to change batteries etc!

thomasross20 · July 2016

There is only one thing I'm concerned with now.. the treble transducer is closer to the bridge pins than the others. Hard to tell on my photo but if that ball end ever touched it, I think it'd be disaster.

thomasross20 · July 2016

There's some clearance between the treble contact and the ball-end. It is closer than the others, but I think it'll be ok (!)

You can see the bracing here and how close it is to the bridge, especially on the treble side:

ICBM · July 2016

If it's not actually touching it's fine, even the slightest gap is enough.

The ball ends should be exactly like they are now - *not* on the end of the pins.

A tip for stopping the pins popping out when restringing - bend the ball end of the string over before you put it in, and make sure it's pointing towards the neck. That way the pin will slide smoothly past it. You can also file a 45º angle onto the end of the pin if you want to make it really easy, some pins come like that from new although most don't.

thomasross20 · July 2016

Phew!

And good tip that, thanks!
I'm going to see how these elixir nanowebs fare..

I might plug it into the blackstar even to just check it works in general.

Anything like that in future I'll just take to a tech - to you maybe ! I was in your store a few weeks ago, there is some devil strat that looked cool. Let me know if you ever get uncovered 57/08s in the shop, though I think that'd be pretty rare.

ICBM · July 2016

thomasross20 said:
I might plug it into the blackstar even to just check it works in general.

That should work OK if you use the cleanest possible sound - start with the treble right up, mid right down, bass probably somewhere below halfway, ISF… wherever it sounds best. Keep the volume low and it won't feed back too much.

thomasross20 said:
Let me know if you ever get uncovered 57/08s in the shop, though I think that'd be pretty rare.

Very unlikely. I forgot to reply to your PM, sorry

.

thomasross20 · July 2016

Woooooah!!

Tried it through the Blackstar and it sounds AWESOME - really natural, pretty much like it does unplugged!!

I then tried the amp crunch setting and I've never heard so much howling feedback in my life lol!!!

Also, the Elixir Nanowebs sound FANTASTIC. They do feel a bit slidey. I don't know if it's because of the brand or just that they're new but what a lease of life.... sounds fantastic!

Only thing I want to check now.... is the recommended height from 12th fret to the string as I do think it's a tad high, but only a tad...

Couldn't be happier with how it's turned out...

ICBM · July 2016

thomasross20 said:
Only thing I want to check now.... is the recommended height from 12th fret to the string as I do think it's a tad high, but only a tad...

On an acoustic, probably about 2mm on the top E/2.5mm on the bottom E. Maybe a little less, but not much. 1.5mm/2mm would be a fairly normal electric guitar action.

How much relief is there? Hold the guitar in the playing position, fret the G string at the first and fifteenth frets, and have a look at the gap between the string and the 7th-8th frets. If it's more than about half the string diameter you can probably reduce the relief a bit.

thomasross20 · July 2016

I'll be checking this tonight!!

If anything though (and I may be wrong) I think it'd be more to do with the saddle needing shaved than the truss rod adjusted as I'm sure I set it up when I got it for correct relief and still found it a tad high up at the upper frets.

Evilmags · July 2016

Acoustic guitars have a much higher dynamic range than electrics so need a different approach to amplification than electrics. Basically look at the following.

1) Headroom. You need a LOT more of it than for an electric.

2) Feedback is always an issue. Notch filtering with a digital EQ is very helpful.

3) Use some compression. (3:1-4:1 ratio, threshold set to taste) It will avoid hitting the distorted areas.

thomasross20 · July 2016

What's the recommended height at the nut?

At 12fret, from fret to bottom of strings, I measure about 3mm. Feels high to me. But felt fine prior to string change :S argh!

I'm going to probably get a tech to lower the action as I feel it's a bit high for me.

Also, these elixir nanowebs sound good but feel weird - prefer daddarios, I think..

thomasross20 · July 2016

Fyi truss rod seems fine.

ICBM · July 2016

Nut height: fret each string at the 3rd fret and look at the gap between the string and the 1st fret.

It should be tiny, about 1/10 to 1/4 of the string diameter at most - Rizla paper thickness on the plain strings, basically. There should *be* a gap, but it may be so small you have to tap the string up and down onto the 1st fret to see it.

thomasross20 · July 2016

Is there something I can shove between the string and fret..
Just a piece of paper?

Out at practice tomorrow, will get onto this at the weekend 8)

Lewy · July 2016

3mm seems high. A fairly standard acoustic action is the "2 & 3" which is 2/32" on the high E and 3/32" on the low E. If my calcs are correct that's 1.6mm and 2.4mm.

ICBM · July 2016

thomasross20 said:

Is there something I can shove between the string and fret..
Just a piece of paper?

You don't really need to. Just have a look at it, it will be obvious if it's too high.

It's a very simple and accurate test because you're using the string as a straightedge between the nut and the second fret.

thomasross20 · July 2016

So I tried it through the PA last night (still need to get the action sorted...) and it sounded fine. EQ on the PA and my Orchid DI box and I was totally sorted. Only thing I've not got is a mute so would have to turn it down at the PA if switching to electric (I assume just yanking the lead out would cause some banging).

ICBM · July 2016

thomasross20 said:

So I tried it through the PA last night (still need to get the action sorted...) and it sounded fine. EQ on the PA and my Orchid DI box and I was totally sorted. Only thing I've not got is a mute so would have to turn it down at the PA if switching to electric (I assume just yanking the lead out would cause some banging).

Yes, don't do that. Soundmen are really not going to like you

.

Probably the best solution is a Boss TU-3 tuner pedal - put that between the guitar and the DI box. That provides thee functions: tuner (obviously

), mute switch, and a good buffer in case for some reason you need to have the DI a long way from the guitar.

Or any other tuner pedal you may prefer if you don't think you need the buffer. (Since most are true bypass.)

thomasross20 · July 2016

I have a long pitch black - will check if that does the job 8)

thomasross20 · July 2016

@ICBM and other Scotland residents..!

I want to get a tech to give my Larrivee the once over. I want the action to be more like that of a Martin - right now I'm exerting too much force pressing strings down.

--> Any recommendations for somebody who can do this?

ICBM · July 2016

thomasross20 said:

@ICBM and other Scotland residents..!

I want to get a tech to give my Larrivee the once over. I want the action to be more like that of a Martin - right now I'm exerting too much force pressing strings down.

--> Any recommendations for somebody who can do this?

I can, although you may want someone else to recommend me first

.

But Martins generally have medium-high actions! So if your Larriveé has a higher action than that it really does need looking at...

thomasross20 · July 2016

I just want to hand it over and get it given the once over, even if all is fine. Would I drop it off at your shop?
I honestly think the nut is a tad high and/or the saddle needs a bit sanding. Or perhaps I'm being a wuss! Will PM you

Lewy · July 2016

thomasross20 said:

I just want to hand it over and get it given the once over, even if all is fine. Would I drop it off at your shop?
I honestly think the nut is a tad high and/or the saddle needs a bit sanding. Or perhaps I'm being a wuss! Will PM you

You said the action was 3mm on the high E at the 12 fret....that's waaaay high.

Out of interest, roughly how much saddle is sticking out of the top of the bridge? Is there a healthy looking break angle over the saddle? And if you measure the the distance between the bottom of the D string and the actual top of the guitar (ie soundboard) right in front of the bridge, what's that measurement?

Can you post a side-on pic of the bridge (as if you were holding the guitar on playing position and looking down at it)?

thomasross20 · July 2016

I wasn't notified of your reply - I'll do this now..

thomasross20 · July 2016

Low E 12th fret to string bottom is 2.75mm. High E is 2.25mm. 12mm from body (between sound hole and bridge) and bottom of D string. With capo on 3, paper thin between strings and 1st fret. Think the saddle needs shaved. Will post pics in a few hours

thomasross20 · July 2016

With 1st fret capo and holding down 12 fret, paper thin between string and fret at 7th fret. Has to be the saddle. Gonna get @ICBM to work on it. Hope it's not lop-sided!

thomasross20 · July 2016

Saddle:

Image: http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y411/thomasross20/IMG_20160712_201950_zpsqnpajxcu.jpg

3rd fret capo'd:

Image: http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y411/thomasross20/IMG_20160712_202219_zpsxsxvolk8.jpg

Fret 15 string height:

Image: http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y411/thomasross20/IMG_20160712_202011_zpsrzqesacs.jpg

ICBM · July 2016

Yes, that looks like it has a fair bit of room to come down.

thomasross20 · July 2016

Just PM'd you about that, too!

Yes... surprising how I never really noticed it much before

Lewy · July 2016

ICBM said:

Yes, that looks like it has a fair bit of room to come down.

Yep.

I always worry when people talk about sanding down saddles without thinking about break angle or the height of the string off the soundboard. But looks like plenty of scope there.

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Acoustic guitar pickup woes and advice ...

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