sound hole cover

[alex johan]

Can I use the mic and bridge combo and modify the sound hole cover

[Greg Mirken]

Sorry, it's not clear (to me, at least) what you are talking about. Can you give more details?

[alex johan]

In relation to acoustic amplification. If I install the piezo and mic combo unit can I cut my screaching hault sound hole cover to be able to reach the controls. Will the cover still reduce feed back?

[Greg Mirken]

Ah. Cutting an access hole will defeat the purpose of the soundhole cover. I suggest a stomp-box volume pedal instead.

[alex johan]

Hi Greg. I play bass in a classic rock band but switch to acoustic guitar for some zep and who acoustic. Can you suggest an affordable amplification set up for the acoustic. I play a Martin now with the fishman preamp eq.it has the single piezo strip under the saddle. Im paranoid of playing it out at rock shows so I want to make my yamaha guitar into an acoustic/electric. I did find a 3 way piezo system, have any experience with those?

[Rob Mercure]

Alex,

 

The simple answer to your question (I think, I don't know the word "hault" - especially following "screaching" <usually spelled "screeching">) is "yes."  That is if you can cover most of the sound hole it will cut the feedback.  Now whether you consider the sound of a piezo pickup "acoustic" or not is a whole other world of debate - one of our fellow posters refers to them as "quack sticks" and I wish I had come up with the term first as I consider the sound of an piezo pickup and the sound of an unamplified guitar almost polar opposites.  For many years I played my Martin with various set ups and once you get over a certain level - depending on many factors including room acoustics, etc., you're going to get feedback with a microphone which the only way to get close to a true acoustic sound.  But it sounds like you're already over that sound level and after that the choice is to dampen the vibrations of the guitar top (your soundhole cover) or have a fairly expensive PA set up with an engineer  who can notch out the feedback frequency narrowly without (hopefully there only being one primary frequency).  For myself I finally settled for a soundhole magnetic pickup (Fishman "Rare Earth") which more of less made my D25K sound like a large hollowbody electric and quit worrying about it (I assume you've tried orienting your stage position in relation to speakers, etc., and such - sometimes you can get a pretty loud using a mic. with careful placement and good "stage discipline" - making sure not to change position during the song, perhaps standing somewhat perpendicular to the audience, etc. - a PIA I'll admit).  Oh, and I assume you've tried a parametric EQ?

And I'm sure that the rest of the crowd here will have some other suggestions I've probably missed - like much of life 'tis a compromise.

Rob

 

PS: I also worked as a "sound man" for a number years and if you haven't already done so check out a few good books on acoustics at your local library (if they don't have them they can use inter-library loans) - might be a simpler/cheaper answer.

[alex johan]

Thanks for the spelling lesson but who can be worried about spelling at a time like this? I've seen the le bagg m1, is it comparable to the rare earth in your opinion? Thanks for your replies
_

[Greg Mirken]

Undersaddle piezo pickups get a lot of flak on forums such as this, but they excel at high volume situations. Coupled with a soundhole cover, you can achieve high gain before feedback. Adding a mic to the setup is going to give you more headaches than the tonal improvement is worth. Even soundboard pickups like the K&K, which I like very much, are going to make your setup way more finicky, and the sound improvement may get lost in your high-volume setting.

[Doug T]

I agree, they are great for situations where feedback is likely.  I'm completing a circuit/harness for a custom acoustic/electric that I've installed a kill for the neck hum, to minimize feedback and an undersaddle piezo so it can still successfully cutt.  There is a blend and a tap so in less FB prone situations, everything can be put through a onboard eq to get the right balance.

[Paul Verticchio]

Hello Alex.

As a performing guitarist for over 45 years AND as a guitar tech, I offer the following:

"Live" acoustic guitar is merely an approximation of an acoustic sound. 

Given that the acoustic will be used with other amplified instruments (in a R&R setting), a pickup system that will fully yield the harmonic subtleties of your instrument is a waste of money.

I suggest a magnetic soundhole pickup (NOT a slab-o-wood model) blended with the UST of your choice.  Adding any type of mic based system is just wrong for this application.

An in-line compressor is also a recommendation.

May I ask what type of SR system you're using...and...the signal routing of the acoustic/electric?  That will help me determine "at what level of quality will the differences in pickups be blurred"? 

Thanks & good luck.

[alex johan]

How difficult would the wiring be to make a ust and a sound hole magnetiic pick up blend and is there a blend control?