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Post by Marshall on Jan 3, 2024 14:11:06 GMT -5
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Dub
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I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
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Post by Dub on Jan 3, 2024 14:54:04 GMT -5
I'll be very interested in this.
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Post by Shannon on Jan 3, 2024 16:06:36 GMT -5
Always a glutton for punishment; I ordered one of these pickups. I'm gonna give it a go. Just couldn't resist, huh? There ought to be a 12-step program.
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Post by Marshall on Jan 3, 2024 16:58:06 GMT -5
Just had a long talk with Paul about fitting the pickup in my old J50. The saddle slot may be too shallow. I sent Paul measurements and pictures. He'll let me know if this is workable. If not I'll try another guitar.
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Post by goacoustic on Jan 4, 2024 10:04:54 GMT -5
This video demonstrates the midi capability of the Go AA system. www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpNDKTdeCZkIt also shows the natural sound of 2 guitars that are not very acoustic, they tend to lack highs. The eq is flat so he did not boost the highs. Its a reflection of the system's ability to capture the instrument it is installed in. By contrast, at the very end of the video Walter plays his fully acoustic cutaway classical guitar. You can hear the difference in the system reflecting a dead instrument compared to an alive top under the players touch. We find that midi guitarists favor the Go AA signal for less bleed over and faster tracking into the midi controllers. Tracking is the time it requires to identify an analog frequency and convert it into a digital signal. the more precise the analog signal the faster the digital converter can do its job. this decreases latency. It is generally considered the shortest time for digital processing from analog is 8 mili seconds, this means if you are John McLaughlin you are likely to feel the delay when you are ripping notes at high speed. One of the most respected midi guitarists on stages anywhere is Steve Oliver. Steve installed Go AA 5 years ago now in his stage guitars. He also relates that his production time fixing bleed notes is greatly reduced and he does not need to be as constantly focused on his playing accuracy to get accurate tracking. Here is a live cell phone video of Steve. This is all midi. He does everything live with midi sound. drive.google.com/file/d/1om8...usp=drive_link
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Post by Marshall on Jan 17, 2024 16:29:44 GMT -5
Well, I did the install today. It was the hairiest install I've ever done. In the end, the pickup sounds exceptionally good. Possible (probably?) the best sounding pickup I've ever played with. I'll have to sample it out in the wild to come to a final conclusion on that. I did run into some problems. Mostly my fault. I told Paul the fingerboard was a typical 16". So he made the saddle for that radius. But the radius is more like 12 or 10. So when I installed it all, the action was high. Plus you've supposed to do a temporary install with the preamp outside the guitar so you can fine-tune the EQ on the internal preamp. But when I strung it up and plugged it in, It sounded very nice, but there was occasional distortion. I figured that was likely from loose cables moving around. So, I took it all apart and sanded down the saddle top a little rounder, and put it all together. This time I did not do the temporary install. When I got it all finished, I plugged it into my Genzler amp, and it sounded VERY good. No distortion at all. And no piezo quack at all. I plugged the headphones into the amp and listened that way. Same conclusion. The pickup sounded VERY good. No EQ or FX required to get a great sound. Of course I'll have to play it out in the real world to have a final opinion. But so far this thing is an excellent product. One of the best, or best pickup I've tried so far. But installation is tricky. I spent about 5 hours on this thing today so far. Mostly my inexperience and goof-ups. But the procedures work. The pickup works.
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Dub
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I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
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Post by Dub on Jan 17, 2024 17:16:07 GMT -5
I've watched the videos on installation. I thought it looked like more work but, given the technology, a great idea. Far better than taking it all completely back out and in again each time you want to check the settings. I have my own set of radius gauges so I would have checked the fingerboard radius before ordering. But, as Paul says, there's no problem shaping the saddle when you receive the pickup.
I'm anxious to hear a recording whenever you're ready.
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Post by Marshall on Jan 17, 2024 18:25:25 GMT -5
I have radiuses too. I just couldn't find them at the time and made an assumption. You know what that means. . . ,
Every new thingamabob has a learning curve. I figure now I would be pretty good at getting one of these things installed. If it works well out in the real world, I might get another or so.
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Post by Marshall on Jan 18, 2024 17:00:39 GMT -5
I just plugged it in to my amp again. I sat in front of it to try to induce feedback. And it was exceptionally resistant. I plugged in another guitar with my fav Skysonic system with the SBT and played them one after another. No contest. The Go Acoustic is totally spectacular sounding. No comparison. Just so acoustic sounding I don't fee the need for any pedal or FX or IR to get a terrific sound. Totally incredible.
I will take it to an open mic tonight with a big stage sound system and see how it does in the wild. But so far I am TOTALLY enthralled with this sound. Head and shoulders above anything else I've tried. And so stinkin easy to operate (once you go through the gauntlet of installing the thing).
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Post by goacoustic on Jan 18, 2024 22:30:19 GMT -5
Congratulations Marshall You proved an end user can install our system I have had really good pros tell me they spent 4 hours doing the first one, but they did the saddle themselves. Not sure what the distortion could be but installing cables correctly could be an issue. Glad its resolved. I do these installations all the time. It takes me 45min-1 hr depending on the details. If the sequencing is adhered too it is faster. The most time is spent fitting the Saddle. I can fit them very quickly. The retail cost is $395, i do not know how that compares to all the devices mentioned here to enhance other devices, but I do the installations for $450 including the system and labor. That reflects the simplicity of the installation. But if you install an under saddle can you get the strings balanced without pulling and messing with the saddle? I do not need to remove the strings after the saddle is installed. The Taylor ES is very easy the saddles are all the same dimensions. So we provide the saddle ready to go in. I look forward to your open mike report. I expect it will be a great sound through a good system. And Yes, The first goal was feedback suppression. If you want to see just how good the feed back suppression is, this video at 55 seconds will show you. youtu.be/1uELL3NlLBo?si=7DzU2UNuzP7Yl7HHI could not continue making my stage guitars without Go AA. I succeeded with RMC but I knew that would not be around much longer 12 years ago. Congratulations again on your diligence. It sounds like you are experiencing a good return on your investment.
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Post by Rob Hanesworth on Jan 18, 2024 23:38:51 GMT -5
Marshall has installed, at last count, 3,584 pickups. So, of course he can do it.😀
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Post by Marshall on Jan 19, 2024 10:07:07 GMT -5
I did 2 sets (4 songs each) at the open mic last night. The first set the sound person had it dialed in terrific in the monitors. But, each performer brings up a different guitar and pickup combination. So, nothing stays the same. For my 2nd trip up, she didn't get it dialed in as well. And I noticed one string (G string) was very weak. It did improve when I added more mic to the mix for the next song.
I do have a cell phone recording of the 1st set. Plus I'll make some home recording of the pickup by itself later today, probably. And I'll analyze and report back in a day or so.
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Post by Marshall on Jan 31, 2024 20:17:54 GMT -5
Well, after much manipulation, and a replacement saddle pickup from Paul McGill (he has been very accommodating), the Go Acoustic pickup is up and running in my 1957 J50. I took it to an open mic on Tuesday. And I made a cellphone recording of what is heard in the room. The sound guy was not on top of things, as can be expected at an open mic. My vocals were considerably louder than the guitar in the mix. So I've cut out the vocal parts in this recording. (you don't need to hear me sing again **chuckle**). So these are just cuts of the guitar playing 3 songs stitched together in an mp3 file. To my ears this sounds EXACTLY like this acoustic guitar. soundcloud.com/marshallsongs-1/ga-acoustic-sample-210129?si=2a74e7a3300349d89d552eb23c6ad391&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharingI am mixing in the internal microphone with the saddle pickup when I play this. I think it's going to be hard for the Baggs HiFi Duet to come up with a more accurate reproduction of the guitar. We'll see.
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Post by Marshall on Feb 1, 2024 9:26:57 GMT -5
Of a side note, I asked Paul McGill where the microphone is in his Go Acoustic Audio pickup system. He said it's on the cct board and sent back this:
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Post by theevan on Feb 1, 2024 16:47:11 GMT -5
Well, after much manipulation, and a replacement saddle pickup from Paul McGill (he has been very accommodating), the Go Acoustic pickup is up and running in my 1957 J50. I took it to an open mic on Tuesday. And I made a cellphone recording of what is heard in the room. The sound guy was not on top of things, as can be expected at an open mic. My vocals were considerably louder than the guitar in the mix. So I've cut out the vocal parts in this recording. (you don't need to hear me sing again **chuckle**). So these are just cuts of the guitar playing 3 songs stitched together in an mp3 file. To my ears this sounds EXACTLY like this acoustic guitar. soundcloud.com/marshallsongs-1/ga-acoustic-sample-210129?si=2a74e7a3300349d89d552eb23c6ad391&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharingI am mixing in the internal microphone with the saddle pickup when I play this. I think it's going to be hard for the Baggs HiFi Duet to come up with a more accurate reproduction of the guitar. We'll see. Sounds great, Marshall. Really it does. Quit while you're ahead.
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Post by Marshall on Feb 1, 2024 17:31:50 GMT -5
HA, ha - Good advice, except if it's going to be my go-to pickup, then I have to install it in one or two more guitars.
I do wonder how it will comparer to the new Baggs HiFi-Duet, with a SBT and their new fangled mic. But I'm not thinking I want to be the guinea pig on that.
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Post by Village Idiot on Feb 1, 2024 18:37:16 GMT -5
Of a side note, I asked Paul McGill where the microphone is in his Go Acoustic Audio pickup system. He said it's on the cct board and sent back this: What exactly is that thing sitting on? I looks like something I pulled out of my freezer the other day.
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Post by goacoustic on Feb 1, 2024 20:02:58 GMT -5
HA, ha - Good advice, except if it's going to be my go-to pickup, then I have to install it in one or two more guitars. I do wonder how it will comparer to the new Baggs HiFi-Duet, with a SBT and their new fangled mic. But I'm not thinking I want to be the guinea pig on that. I think we can conclude that the sound heard here is not the cell phone picking up the acoustic sound. 😊
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Post by Cosmic Wonder on Feb 1, 2024 21:21:18 GMT -5
Does anyone see the irony of Paul McGill posting here and the forum software calling him a newbie? We really should have a luthier extraordinaire description for visiting celebs.
Mike
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Post by goacoustic on Feb 4, 2024 22:42:06 GMT -5
Of a side note, I asked Paul McGill where the microphone is in his Go Acoustic Audio pickup system. He said it's on the cct board and sent back this: What exactly is that thing sitting on? I looks like something I pulled out of my freezer the other day. Ah, my old carpet on my bench. So many guitars have laid on that carpet dating back decades. Chet's resonators, Earl's guitars, including the guitar on Solo Guitar, Peter White's guitars including his White guitar he calls WOW. static.wixstatic.com/media/f2d4b4_638032d047f54fb6a722f99eb105fe3d.jpg/v1/fill/w_552,h_610,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/f2d4b4_638032d047f54fb6a722f99eb105fe3d.jpg So many other's Here is Metheny's Manzer from last fall. photos.app.goo.gl/VsD2hnhCTwd8n7T9ASame brown carpet Its like an old shoe. Pat has 3 Go AA systems
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