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HB TV - undisputed king of the live scene


EuroAussie

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Well at least in my stable.

 

Ive had my HB TV for almost three months now, and one of the things Ive grown to love about this guitar is the plugged in tone. We have played a few smaller pub gigs where I used the Bird', going into our Marshall 100D amp.

 

I came to the conclusion this was my best sounding acoustic in this setting. While the Bird might on the quiet side acoustically, when plugged in that warmth and the square shoulder depth is hard to beat.

 

The final test was when playing in a larger venue, through a PA with a soundman and all the bells n' whistles.

 

Well last night was the big test where we returned to largish sized club and have to say the Bird came through with flying colours. Normally I use the rosewood Songwriter at this venue but was really stoked with the tone I got (with the help of a very supportive soundguy) that the Bird delivered.

 

It really can do it all in this setting, big, in your face bottom end, coupled with those sweet individual notes and the square shouldered depth that you just cant get with a slopey.

 

So, this is THE gigging guitar for me from now, for all occasions.

 

The SJ is still my fave acoustic guitar, but plug in and the Bird really flyes ..

 

Here's a couple examples from last nite, with both in your face riffing and soft n' subtle melodic pieces ...

 

cheers,

EA

 

 

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Very nice EA! What pickup did you have installed or do you mic it?

 

Cheers Strummer. Interesting you thought it could have been miked up, but I use a Fishman Matrix Infinity coupled with an Aura Spectrum on most of my guitars. Im a huge fan of this combo as I feel it delivers a very warm, deep mike like tone, which Im glad you also noticed..

 

How's the fingerpickin' coming along ? Im starting to learn Landslide and we hope we could play it sometime soon..

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Cheers Strummer. Interesting you thought it could have been miked up, but I use a Fishman Matrix Infinity coupled with an Aura Spectrum on most of my guitars. Im a huge fan of this combo as I feel it delivers a very warm, deep mike like tone, which Im glad you also noticed..

 

How's the fingerpickin' coming along ? Im starting to learn Landslide and we hope we could play it sometime soon..

Thanks! That is a great combo on a great guitar!

 

Been working hard on finger pickin'. Got to be reasonably competent on "Dust in the Wind". Landslide is a great idea. Great tune. I'm going to start on that one next. By the way your tip on using the pinky to anchor was a big help! Thanks again.

Bill

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Cheers guys. I was a bit worried the mahogany b/s will sound a bit thin through the PA but it wasnt to be. As you can hear on White Wedding, the Bird' delivers a thundering bottom end, but also with lots of top end sparkle. I used the Songwriter before but listening back to footage from past gigs it does sound quite muddy, but not the Bird.

 

Of course having a decent sound guy working with you makes a big difference !

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Cheers guys. I was a bit worried the mahogany b/s will sound a bit thin through the PA but it wasnt to be. As you can hear on White Wedding, the Bird' delivers a thundering bottom end, but also with lots of top end sparkle. I used the Songwriter before but listening back to footage from past gigs it does sound quite muddy, but not the Bird.

 

Of course having a decent sound guy working with you makes a big difference !

I find it exiting that you wanna make the Bird your absolute live axe from now - Cyyhl.

Didn't check, , , are you half a step down.

 

 

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[

Didn't check, , , are you half a step down.

 

Excellent ear Em7 !

 

Yes, indeed we decided to tune down half a step a few weeks back to give us a beefier tone, and for my singer to have a bit of an easier time hitting those pesky high notes on Angie and Old Man for example. But we do use the capo liberally and if a song needs to be in a higher key we are happy to accomodate. Wonderwall for example is capoed on the 4th..

 

It does seem the Bird' will be the No1 pick for playing out, but the SJ will also get a run in the pub gigs where it shines the most. The J-150 is getting a matrix infinity installed this week (just had a factory UST before) so we'll see how the tone improves. I find the maple vanilla shake tone is great for playing with other instruments but for a whole gig it can get a bit much after a while. Meanwhile the SWD is now pretty much a fingerpicking guitar, and we'll see how that goes, but she could still be on the chopping block if Im not fully satasfied with her as a fingerpicker. I did get smitten with a Furch GA cedar over rosewood model that is just a brilliant fingerpicker, so, time will tell !

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I did get smitten with a Furch GA cedar over rosewood model that is just a brilliant fingerpicker, so, time will tell !

 

That's an interesting observation, in that it isn't a wood combination we hear or see much in this country. I have a classical with Spanish cedar top and East Indian rosewood back and sides, and it has a darker, warmer tone than the more typical spruce top. I would love to see that combination in either a square dread or 000/OM steel-string configuration, just for comparison. Might be a bit too dark except for fingerpicking.

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That's an interesting observation, in that it isn't a wood combination we hear or see much in this country. I have a classical with Spanish cedar top and East Indian rosewood back and sides, and it has a darker, warmer tone than the more typical spruce top. I would love to see that combination in either a square dread or 000/OM steel-string configuration, just for comparison. Might be a bit too dark except for fingerpicking.

 

 

Its specficallyh this one Nick. It is VERY different to the Gibsons, its pleasant and kind, but thats what I like about it. I can play the honky tonk blues on the maple and mahogany Gibbys but this guitar is great for playing more traditional picking tunes and is reponsive beyond belief .... you know, just to have some sonic variety.

 

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That's an interesting observation, in that it isn't a wood combination we hear or see much in this country.

That combo is what James Taylor prefers for his Olsons.

He says the cedar is very mellow and responsive.

Don't know about all his O-guitars, I believe he has a few - some or 1 dread also.

 

 

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