Jinder Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Hi folks, I love my Maple AJ but the Element VTC in it doesn’t suit it at all. Sounds great in my fat, fundamental sounding J180, but the AJ lacks bottom end definition plugged in, which is odd as it has tons of the stuff unplugged. I was tempted to go Matrix Infinity as I’ve had great results with other guitars but am now thinking a good soundhole pup would give me some interesting tonal options. I like the Rare Earth I have in my EL-00 but the lack of adjustable polepieces bothers me as I’m particular about string balance. I’m considering Sunrise, MagMic, the new Schertler dual source and an open to any other recommendations. What would you do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 K&k jinder All day Long Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 I actually think the Element VTC in the J45 is awesome... and easy. But other choices: K&K mini combined with an appropriate DI (either K&K or Red Eye) Baggs M80 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 For what it is worth, if you could dig up a Dimarzio DP 139 Acoustic Reference this conversation would be over. But good luck with that one as they have been out of production for years. But if I ever stopped using my Dearmond 210s and went for something somewhat newer it would hands down be a Sunrise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Well, a man can't let another in need go without, can he? I just happen to have a Sunrise I will happily give to you to install in your AJ........how 'bout dat? I put it in my J-35 some time back and while it's among the best sound hole magnetics, it's not for me. I don't like the weight it adds to the guitar and, though a bit silly, I don't like the way the guitar looks with this pickup. Sounds very good and worked very well at the open mics plugged into a powered mixer and EQ'd a bit. But I took it out of the guitar earlier this week and have a K&K here on the desk to be installed later today so I can make the Sunday open mic with the J-35. So........want a free Sunrise pickup or no? B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoSoxBiker Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Well, a man can't let another in need go without, can he? I just happen to have a Sunrise I will happily give to you to install in your AJ........how 'bout dat? I put it in my J-35 some time back and while it's among the best sound hole magnetics, it's not for me. I don't like the weight it adds to the guitar and, though a bit silly, I don't like the way the guitar looks with this pickup. Sounds very good and worked very well at the open mics plugged into a powered mixer and EQ'd a bit. But I took it out of the guitar earlier this week and have a K&K here on the desk to be installed later today so I can make the Sunday open mic with the J-35. So........want a free Sunrise pickup or no? B) Is this representative of the Sunrise pickup in your estimation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Is this representative of the Sunrise pickup in your estimation? No. The pole pieces have not been adjusted for good balance. The tone, what there is of it, is okay here but the pickup is much better than this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Hell, if nobody here wants it, I will find something to trade Buc for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoSoxBiker Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 No. The pole pieces have not been adjusted for good balance. The tone, what there is of it, is okay here but the pickup is much better than this. I've seen some awful examples on y'alltube. It's amazing the ranges of results. This was one of the best ones after surfing for a period of time to see what Jinder was choosing between. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 K&k jinder All day Long K&K is not a soundhole pickup, BBG! But if you get one, Jinder, count on buying a Tonedexter! Phew, best on show! Take the Sunrise, Jinder - (he must be out playing somewhere..... no reply.) BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 I'm thinking the tonedexter might be the way to go. I may be wrong in understanding how it works, but I believe it somehow measures the mic'd output of the guitar - and then takes the output of the p'up and alters it to match the mic'd sound (BK correct me if I'm wrong) If it does work like this, sounds like it it's another way to go... and then could be used for any guitar / p'up combination. Regardless, would love to hear a clip of that maple AJ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 I put a K & K Mini in my J100. The LR Baggs Anthem that came with the guitar started making all kinds of noises.......The K & K was an easy install and for a passive pickup it has a really strong signal. If you're in a band or in some way competing with the sound of other instruments you'll need a DI, but for gigs in coffee houses, libraries, and other places on the quiet side, the Mini itself supplies a strong sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted July 22, 2018 Author Share Posted July 22, 2018 Well, a man can't let another in need go without, can he? I just happen to have a Sunrise I will happily give to you to install in your AJ........how 'bout dat? I put it in my J-35 some time back and while it's among the best sound hole magnetics, it's not for me. I don't like the weight it adds to the guitar and, though a bit silly, I don't like the way the guitar looks with this pickup. Sounds very good and worked very well at the open mics plugged into a powered mixer and EQ'd a bit. But I took it out of the guitar earlier this week and have a K&K here on the desk to be installed later today so I can make the Sunday open mic with the J-35. So........want a free Sunrise pickup or no? B) Hi Buc, that’s a spectacularly generous offer! I’d love to give the Sunrise a new home. I’ll PM you to chat about shipping and address etc. Apologies for the slow reply by the way, I was at my cousin’s wedding yesterday-in a field way out in the countryside with no mains power or phone signal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 Seems we have a winner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 And I just got here.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted July 22, 2018 Author Share Posted July 22, 2018 Seems we have a winner! Very excited about this...thanks so much, Buc! And as I said via PM, a very thorough writeup and video review will be heading forumwards once I’ve had some time to get my gear dialled in with the Sunrise 😎 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 Awesome stuff, can't beat that! Just wondering, if Super-buc had not had something lying around, would a tone-dexter even be a consideration? Rgds - billroy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted July 23, 2018 Author Share Posted July 23, 2018 Awesome stuff, can't beat that! Just wondering, if Super-buc had not had something lying around, would a tone-dexter even be a consideration? Rgds - billroy I’ve had very good results with a Fishman Aura Sixteen pre in the past, and am currently using a Boss AD10 which is a superb Swiss Army knife style box which does a ton of useful stuff. I’m keen to try a Tonedexter at some point, but right now I’m trying to simplify my rig if anything. Super excited to try the Sunrise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoSoxBiker Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 Jinder, have you tried the Fishman Rare Earth Mic Blend or was it the more traditional version with no mic? I've heard some nice sounding demos of the mic'd version., but not in person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted July 23, 2018 Author Share Posted July 23, 2018 Jinder, have you tried the Fishman Rare Earth Mic Blend or was it the more traditional version with no mic? I've heard some nice sounding demos of the mic'd version., but not in person. I’ve got a very early Rare Earth Humbucker, no mic blend. One of the original ones that Mike Vanden designed. It’s okay, nicer though the Aura than on its own. I’d like it more if it had adjustable polepieces, it’s a bit unbalanced-the plain strings are a lot hotter than the unwound strings. I’ve never tried the Blend but played a gig last night with a chap who was using one with a ‘50s J160E. He got a great tone from it, really transparent and acoustically sweet. It was a “songwriters circle” style gig in a small venue with low stage volume so he could wind the mic up a little in the blend, it worked really nicely and sounded a lot more balanced than my older RE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoSoxBiker Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 I’ve got a very early Rare Earth Humbucker, no mic blend. One of the original ones that Mike Vanden designed. It’s okay, nicer though the Aura than on its own. I’d like it more if it had adjustable polepieces, it’s a bit unbalanced-the plain strings are a lot hotter than the unwound strings. I’ve never tried the Blend but played a gig last night with a chap who was using one with a ‘50s J160E. He got a great tone from it, really transparent and acoustically sweet. It was a “songwriters circle” style gig in a small venue with low stage volume so he could wind the mic up a little in the blend, it worked really nicely and sounded a lot more balanced than my older RE. I saw a YouTube video recently - someone with an SJ-200 using a "Mic Blend" version. I was very impressed. I might compliment my stand alone mic with one soon. That acoustically sweet tone was possible with the Anthem in the bird I had for a month, but it took a lot of dialing in and exacting gain-staging to get there. I look forward to seeing how you make out with the Sunrise. I looked on their site. They are taking orders for this year's batch of 1000 production units. Something about that just seems cool to me. Small-timey, maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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