One day on the acoustic floor.
Purururur~!(phone rings)
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(beep)(phone hangs up)
Well, it seems that I have answered your questions, but I realize that I have not answered them completely. I am proud to say that I can answer questions about guitars perfectly, but when it comes to pickups for acoustic guitars, things are a little different. Even if you have the best guitar and pickups, if they are not compatible with each other, it is no good. Furthermore, there is a causal relationship between the pickup and the preamp or amp. I am very frustrated that I can't say "this is the right answer!
In response to the constant inquiries we receive these days, we have decided to research and examine "acoustic pickups" from various angles in order to solve our customers' problems as well as our own dissatisfaction with them. We hope you will bear with us as we will not only introduce you to pickups and their characteristics, but we will also cover the preamps, amplifiers, and even the vibration of the wood.
In this introduction, I summarized the basic types of acoustic pickups: "in-bridge piezo type", "stick-on piezo type", and "magnetic type". There is also a "condenser mic type," but this type is often blended with piezo and magnetic pickups, so I will explain in detail in the next article where I would like to mention the different types of pickups and their tones.
In-bridge piezo type
This type of pickup has a piezo pickup built in under the bridge. Piezo (Piezoelectric Element) is a piezoelectric element that can convert pressure or vibration into voltage, which allows the bridge to output the string vibration as an electrical signal. This is based on the mechanism whereby pressure is applied to an electrically charged crystal (e.g., ceramic) to align the positive and negative currents of charge, which had previously been irregularly mixed, to produce an electrical signal. By building such an element under the bridge, it is possible to output the vibration of the bridge more directly, and this type of pickup is used in most of the electric acoustic instruments such as the Ovation.
This type of pickup is used in most of the Ovation and other models of acoustic instruments. The characteristic of this type of pickup is that it picks up the sound directly under the bridge, resulting in a sharp and clear attack. It also has the advantage of being less affected by resonance of the body, making it resistant to feedback and less susceptible to interference even in loud ensembles. However, because the sound itself has a strong character, it has a so-called "piezoelectricity" to it, and there may be a limit to how well it can reproduce the rich body tone that is unique to acoustic instruments. If you are looking for a "good acoustic sound" without "natural acoustic tone", this is the most usable type.
Recently, we often see this type of guitar installed on solid electric guitars as a clean. In addition, by incorporating six independent piezos for each string, it is possible to output the sound of each string independently, and is also used as a driver for guitar synths and the like.
Stick-on Piezo Type
As the name suggests, a piezo pickup is mainly attached to the back of the top using double-sided tape or the like. The basic principle of the piezo pickup is the same as the in-bridge type, but the position of the piezo pickup is moved to the back of the top material, which allows the pickup to reflect the sound of the entire top surface, resulting in a more natural sound. Also, while most of the in-bridge type pickups are wired from under the bridge through the top material, the attached type can be installed without affecting the acoustic characteristics of the acoustic guitar itself, making it the most popular style of pickup for retrofitting.
Also, while the in-bridge type has the sharpest string sound at the bridge position, the affixed type can be installed in a variety of locations, allowing the pickup to be installed according to the sound point of each guitar. Of course, a certain level of severity is required in terms of mounting location, but many manufacturers have repeatedly researched how to reproduce natural sound, and recently, models have been developed that can reflect not only the top surface but also the sound of the bracing. L.R. Baggs' i-Beam is probably the most popular model in this style.
Furthermore, as is the case with in-bridge pickups, piezoelectric pickups have a very small signal output and require a pre-amplifier in order to be connected to an amplifier and produce sound. Various types of external preamplifiers are available, but in order to integrate the preamplifier without destroying the acoustic characteristics of the instrument, models with an integrated endpin jack and preamplifier have become the mainstream.
Magnetic Type
This is a traditional style pickup based on the same principle as a normal solid-type electric guitar pickup. The magnet of the pickup catches the string vibration directly and outputs it.
At first glance, you may wonder if it is the same as an electric guitar if it only reflects the vibration of the strings. However, string vibration is only a sound when there is something to resonate with, and the resonance of the material is reflected at a certain level even if only the string vibration is reflected. For example, if you pull a string with both hands and pluck it, you will not hear the sound of the instrument, but it is clear that the string vibration itself reflects the sound of the body. Therefore, it is not impossible to reflect the sound of the instrument by simply outputting the string vibration. Of course, how much of the body sound and harmonics can be reproduced with this method is another matter, and of course it sounds like an acoustic guitar, but it should be considered as something different from a natural acoustic tone itself.
Magnetic guitars tend to have a more percussive sound with a more noticeable attack because the vibration of the strings themselves is the main component of the sound. It also tends to have an electric guitar-like edge to it. Recently, various manufacturers have been developing guitars with more natural tones based on these characteristics, and the popularity of guitars made by manufacturers such as Sunrise and Fishman, which are used by many famous artists, seems to be concentrating on them.
The advantages of the magnetic type are that it is easy to install and requires almost no modification to the guitar body, and since it has the same output level as a regular electric guitar, it can be connected directly to an amp without a preamp, etc. It is also resistant to feedback. It is also resistant to feedback, so it is especially recommended for vocal guitar players who play acoustic guitars on a daily basis but want to use it as is in a rock band.
Applied Microphone Technology
Applied Microphone Technology has been developing microphones for nearly 20 years. All models are handmade to suit all genres of music with the belief that they deliver to the listener the exact sound that the musician has created. This high quality brand is backed up by the fact that many big names are using their products. In addition to acoustic guitars, they also have a large lineup of products suitable for wind, string, piano, and percussion instruments.
Acoustic Guitar Microphone Syste
AMT S15GBP42
This compact condenser microphone was designed with "cardioid directivity" in mind so that acoustic guitar sounds can be collected at optimum gain without feedback. The microphone is mounted on the outside of the body using a mounting clamp specially designed for acoustic guitars. The thickness of the body can be adjusted from a minimum of 76.2 mm to a maximum of 149 mm. A flexible, adjustable 150 mm long gooseneck is provided, allowing the player to easily position the microphone to get the best sound from the acoustic guitar. The gooseneck is made of anodized aluminum material used in aircraft, which is durable, corrosion resistant, and lightweight. The microphone itself is designed with a four-point suspension ring to reduce handling noise when playing. The microphone is connected to the BP42 belt-pack type preamp and is equipped with a volume control that allows the player to adjust the volume and cable setup.
Reference price: 99,750 yen
AMT S15G-STUDIO with AP40 Floor Preamp
AP40 Floor Preamp
Cardioid microphone system for acoustic guitar consisting of the S15G and the AP40 floor preamplifier, replacing the BP40 belt-pack preamplifier included with the S15G. The AP40 is powered by a 9V battery or an external 48V phantom power supply, returns the microphone level to a low impedance output, and creates a freqency curve that is optimized for the S15G. The S15G is designed to provide enough gain to reproduce the most natural sound without feedback during live performances. The output of the preamplifier is a balanced low-impedance output from an XLR jack, and the signal is transmitted at the microphone level. This provides the professional level of setup and sound control required by engineers in studio recording. A favorite of Lee Ritner.
Reference standard sales price 109,500 yen
AMT S3G-STUDIO with AP40 Floor Preamp
AMT S3G
The S3G is a condenser microphone that can be mounted inside the body and uses an omni-pattern directivity to collect sounds from inside the guitar. The S3G uses the BP42 belt-pack preamplifier, while the S3G-STUDIO, Pat Metheny's favorite, is equipped with the AP40 floor-mounted preamplifier.
Reference standard sales price for the S3G: 89,775 yen
AMT S3G-STUDIO reference standard sales price: 99,750 yen
B-Band
The Finnish-made B-Band pickups are used by many top musicians such as Larry Carlton and Steve Vai with their new material transducers and high-performance preamp system. The B-Band's selling point is its pickups, which are made of ultra-thin material that reduces the effect on the live sound. The clear, thick-core line sound produced by the delicate and careful work of this popular brand is very appealing.
Under Saddle Transducer
The Under Saddle Transducer is a revolutionary pickup that uses a proprietary B-Band element (patented by EMF) that is 0.4 mm thick, reducing the effect on the raw sound to the utmost limit. The clear and thick core sound is also its appeal.
Reference price 6,800 yen
Acoustic Soundboard Transducer
A contact type pickup attached to the inside of the body or the back of the saddle.
Reference price 6,800 yen
A2.2 XOM Preamp for Acoustic Guitar
This system allows mix control of two pickups, UST and AST. The volume and pickup balance controllers can be attached to the edge of the sound hole inside the body without modification.
Reference price: 14,300 yen
Preamp with UST-compatible end-pin output jack and volume control in one unit.
Reference price 10,500 yen
Barcus Berry
Barcus Berry was founded in 1961 by John Berry, a violinist who is said to have played with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and Les Barcus, an engineer. Their dream was to bring the sonorous and captivating sounds of the violins and many other acoustic instruments to a wider audience by amplifying them electrically. Electric guitars were just coming into their own, and the scale of concerts was expanding, and the volume of violins and other live instruments could no longer compete with electric ones. The volume of live instruments such as violins could no longer compete with electric guitars, so they began researching ways to electrically amplify the live sound of acoustic instruments.
In order to electrically amplify the sound of an instrument, it is first necessary to convert the sound of the instrument itself into an electrical signal. Although electric guitars had already been developed, it was difficult to achieve the natural sound they were aiming for with that method. In 1963, Barcus Berry became the first company in the world to successfully use piezo crystals as a transducer.
As mentioned in the introduction to this feature, piezo crystals are crystallized piezoelectric elements (not quartz crystals) that send out electrical signals from the pressure and vibration they receive. Quartz is a well-known natural material for piezoelectric crystals, but in recent years piezoelectric crystals have been artificially manufactured using ceramics and other materials.
The idea of piezoelectricity itself had already been researched since the middle of the 18th century from the viewpoint of the relationship between materials and electricity, but it was not until the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century that it was proven. It was confirmed that crystals of certain materials generate electrical signals when vibrations are applied to them, and vice versa when voltages are applied. At first, this discovery had no concrete practical application and only became a matter of interest among physicists, but with the advent of submarines during World War I, its use as sonar attracted widespread worldwide attention. The sonar developed at the time used piezoelectric crystals to generate vibrations in the water by giving them electrical signals, and then another piezoelectric crystal would sense the vibrating waves as they hit the object and were reflected back. In this way, it was possible to calculate the distance to an object underwater. This property also made it possible to use the piezo in record player cartridges and in remote control devices because of its ability to transmit electronic signals as sound waves (voice signals).
The idea of utilizing such a piezo element as a sound transducer (i.e., pickup) for musical instruments is a groundbreaking invention in the history of acoustic instruments. Barcus Berry succeeded in developing the world's first electric violin, and later invented pickups for various instruments such as harps, pianos, and wood basses, as well as guitars. In particular, the "in-bridge type" guitar pickup with a piezo pickup built under the bridge and the "endpin jack" with the output jack on the endpin are all said to have been Barcus Berry's ideas.
Maple-Bar
Reference list price: 12,600 yen
The "rich tone of a live instrument" is known from John Berry's long history of over 40 years and his rich experience as a violinist. This natural sound is also reflected in the Maple-Bar.
In 1985, Barcus Berry changed its name to Barcus Berry Electronic (BBE) and expanded into the acoustic field, backed by its rich experience. The company became the center for sound amplification, known for its sonic maximizers and other products, which have become indispensable in concert halls and recording studios. Today, the company continues to be trusted as a fundamental component of sound for television and radio stations around the world, as well as almost all recording studios.
Bill Lawrence
Bill Lawrence may be best known in Japan as a brand of electric guitars, but Bill Lawrence was originally named after the pickup designer who laid the foundation for modern pickups. （Bill Lawrence should be described as the "father of replacement pickups" who pioneered the concept of improving the sound of electric guitars in particular by replacing pickups. Bill Lawrence should be described as the "father of replacement pickups" who pioneered the concept of improving sound by changing pickups, especially on electric guitars.
Bill Lawrence is a native of Cologne, Germany, and has played the violin since childhood. His injuries made it difficult for him to play the violin. However, he was unable to continue playing the violin, and became interested in the electric guitar, which was becoming popular at the time. He was enamored with the music of Barney Kessel and Les Paul, and at the same time, he was already making his own pickups for electric guitars. It was 1948, shortly after World War II. It shows how visionary he was to have made his own pickups in the days before Fender's first electric guitar, the "Broadcaster," was introduced to the world. In the 1950s, already an outstanding guitar player, he began his career as a professional guitarist, playing mainly in U.S. military camps in Europe. His reputation as a guitar player spread quickly, and he signed an endorsement deal with the German company Framus. Around 1960, he was added to the endorser roster of his favorite Fender guitar company.
In the mid-'60s, Bill founded a company in Germany called Lawrence Electro Sound and began manufacturing pickups for electric guitars.' In the late '60s he moved to New York and developed a new electric piano. This product was highly acclaimed by Stevie Wonder and Miles Davis. He also collaborated with guitar designer Dan Armstrong to develop pickups for the Crystal guitar, which Dan was designing with Ampeg at the time. Bill spent a lot of time in Dan Armstrong's workshop during this time, continuing to develop pickups, and was assisted by Dan's son, Kent Armstrong. Neighborhood boys would also visit Armstrong's workshop and watch with interest as Bill developed his pickups, and one of these enthusiasts was Larry DiMaggio. Bill's craftsmanship was passed down to them, and today both DiMarzio and Kent Armstrong can be found all over the world as first-class pickup manufacturers.
Bill's reputation eventually caught the ear of Gibson, the largest guitar manufacturer in the United States at the time, who invited him to Kalamazoo. After moving to Kalamazoo, Bill began to make new pickups. He began to develop new pickups for the S-1, L6-S, Marauder, Ripper Bass, and other cutting-edge new models.
In the mid-1970s, Bill moved to Nashville at the invitation of his friend Chet Atkins. Bill moved to Nashville in the mid-'70s at the invitation of his friend Chet Atkins, and produced two masterpieces that would make Bill Lawrence a household name worldwide. The first was the "L-500" humbucking pickup for electric guitars. The other was the FT-145, a soundhole pickup for acoustic guitars. These pickups are still in production today, more than 30 years later, and are still loved by many players. No other pickups have been produced for so long as "current" models, not as vintage pickups, but as "current" models.
Bill Lawrence FT-145
Reference price 9,450 yen
In addition to the convenience of one-touch attachment and removal from the soundhole, the fat, warm tone with excellent response has been loved throughout the ages. Many people, including Eric Clapton, Michael Hedges, and U2's Edge, have been using this pedal. Its low noise level is also attractive.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Bill was invited by Fender as an advisor to help develop pickups for new models, including the Roscoe Beck signature model bass. Today, Bill continues to develop pickups for brands such as Wilde and Keystone. Bill's positive attitude as a creator who always tries to create something new, never a vintage reissue, and his sincere pursuit of the "right sound" from the standpoint of a professional guitar player, have always remained unchanged. This is why so many big brands have studied under him and loved the tone he creates. Bill Lawrence was a boy who tried to fly by putting an engine on a bicycle. His challenging character has remained unchanged throughout his life, and he must be planning to create something new even at this very moment.
Fishman
Fishman Transducers was founded by Larry Fishman in 1981 and currently has a factory in Wilmington, Massachusetts, USA.
Back in the 80's, Larry was a jazz bassist in Boston and was frustrated with the pickup/amplification of the bass sound on stage, so he set out to develop his own transducers. After much trial and error, he finally developed the current "BP-100" pickup for upright basses. The "BP-100" was so well received by users that Fishman next developed a guitar pickup with a pre-amplifier. This was adopted by Guild guitars, and the realistic acoustic sound of the in-bridge saddle pickup developed for Martin guitars led Fishman to become a prestigious pickup brand.
Fishman pickups are developed by taking into account the opinions of both players and instrument makers, and through careful research including stage tests. Fishman pickups are one of the most anticipated brands for new models in the future.
Acoustic Matrix Series
In-bridge type piezo pickup and preamp mounted on an endpin jack set. 9V battery powered.
Acoustic Matrix Natural I
This model has a lightly boosted bass structure and is suitable for auditorium body type guitars and nylon string guitars. It seems to be suitable for small to medium-sized stages.
Reference list price: 21,000 yen.
Acoustic Matrix Natural II
This model is suitable for powerful sounding body styles such as dreadnought body type. It seems to be resistant to feedback and excellent for loud amplification.
Reference list price: 21,000 yen
Ellipse Pickup System
This model was released at the end of 2004 as an additional item to the Matrix Natural I/II preamp, and is one of the most popular systems installed as a standard EQ on Martin guitar electric acoustic models.
Ellipse Matrix Blend
The Ellipse Matrix Blend is a system that includes a full set of microphones, controls, and outputs in addition to the Matrix Natural I/II. The control unit is mounted inside the soundhole and can be fine-tuned at hand. The gooseneck microphone collects the sound from inside the body, and the volume, mic and piezo blend control, and phase switch are all equipped with a structure that produces nuances closer to a live sound.
Reference list price: 42,000 yen (reference list price for Ellipse Blend only: 17,850 yen)
Ellipse VT
Ellipse VT is the Ellipse Matrix Blend without the microphone. Three controls: tone, volume, and phase switch.
Reference list price: 28,875 yen
Rare Earth Series -Active Magnetic Soundhole Pickups
Soundhole-mounted magnetic pickups. Neodymium magnets are used, and the sound balance seems to have a good reputation. An endpin jack is included for permanent installation. Uses button cell batteries.
Rare Earth Single Coil
Single coil pickup with light and bright sound.
Reference list price: 26,250 yen
Rare Earth Humbucking
A humbucking type with a fat sound that is resistant to external noise. A mini-volume control is attached to the side of the body, and the volume can be easily fine-tuned from the soundhole.
Reference list price: 35,700 yen
Rare Earth Blend
Humbucking + condenser mic. This system blends the attack of the pickups with the sound of the body to create a spatial sound. The gooseneck microphone can be adjusted to the desired position. The balance of each microphone is adjusted with the blend control on the main unit.
Reference list price: 60,900 yen
Rare Earth Custom Blend
The Rare Earth Custom Blend has the same structure as the Rare Earth Blend, but allows the condenser microphone to be positioned either inside or outside of the body.
Reference list price: 66,150 yen
Neo-D Magnetic Soundhole Pickup
Passive type with single coil specification. Although the power is a little less than the active type, the delicate and pure nuance of this model is appealing.
Reference list price: 13,650 yen
Highlander
Highlander is known as the standard equipment pickup for VG Guitar, which is loved by Masayoshi Yamazaki, Konosuke Sakazaki, and the Domoto Brothers. The basic style "IP-1" consists of an in-bridge pickup and a preamp integrated with an endpin jack, and its construction is truly revolutionary and outstanding.
The 2mm diameter in-bridge pickup, made of powdered piezoelectric elements and synthetic rubber, is highly flexible and collects not only string vibrations from the saddle, but also from the body and bridge itself, resulting in a more acoustic line sound. The preamp circuit, the result of research into ultra-low noise guitar electronics, is a "Class A operation" recognized by audio experts as having the lowest distortion. The built-in functions for adjusting the frequency response, impedance, and sensitivity of the pickups also help to create a fat and lustrous sound with mid to low frequencies, instead of the characteristic piezo pickups that tend to emphasize the high frequencies.
This brand is highly regarded as an excellent pickup that can amplify and output the string and body sound with low noise and at its best.
IP-1
Reference list price: 32,550 yen
IP-1V (with volume): Reference list price 39,900 yen
IP-2
The IP-2 is an IP-1 with an additional input jack. By connecting a magnetic pickup or condenser microphone, this system can reproduce more realistic acoustic sound.
Reference list price: 35,700 yen
Internal Mic/Internal Mic SA
This model can be attached to a guitar's internal bracing with a clip, and a microphone plug can be inserted into the IP-2's additional input jack to supply power.
The Internal Mic SA model is for use with an internal mic only, and includes an endpin jack and battery snap.
Reference list price: 35,700 yen (Reference list price for SA: 45,150 yen)
IP-1X
External battery box (with dedicated cable) for guitars for which it is difficult to install a battery inside the body.
Reference list price 50,400 yen
L.R.Baggs
Lloyd Baggs is an innovative guitar builder who has taken a scientific approach to the traditional guitar, and the guitars he built between 1976 and 1983 were used by famous musicians such as Jackson Browne, Ry Cooder, Janis Ian, and Graham Nash. Lloyd's knowledge and expertise in guitar vibration, resonance, and dynamics is reflected in Guitar Amplification's technology, planning, and production, resulting in original and innovative products such as the LB6, Ribbon Transducer, X-Bridge, iBeam, and Element pickups. pickups. The popularity of L.R. Baggs pickups may be attributed not only to their pickup features, but also to their intimate knowledge of guitars and acoustic instruments.
Piezo
iBEAM
A new concept of piezo pickup that applies the piezo mechanics of Patent's special structure. It took two years of development, including road tests on tours with artists such as Jackson Browne, to realize this pickup with the theme of "how close to the sound picked up by a microphone can it be? The bridge is attached to the top material inside the body (under the saddle) without drilling holes or other modifications. It faithfully picks up the vibration of the top material and outputs a sound close to that of a live sound as it is. Weighing only 10g, the ultra-lightweight construction does not adversely affect the original sound of the guitar.
iBEAM Passive
A simple system consisting only of a pickup and an endpin jack. A stereo jack allows for the addition of another pickup.
Reference list price: 20,475 yen
iBEAM Active
Attached to the edge of the soundhole, the iBEAM Active is equipped with a volume controller that allows volume control at hand. The preamplifier allows for output to any device after installation.
Reference list price: 30,975 yen
iBEAM Classical
As the name suggests, this pickup is for classical guitar. It is installed across the center bracing on the front and back. Some guitars may not be able to install this pickup due to the internal bracing structure.
Reference list price: 32,550 yen
Element
This is a live-oriented product that is resistant to feedback. The selling point of this pickup is that it can output a line sound with a strong presence without being buried in the band's sound. Active under-saddle pickup with excellent cost performance.
Reference list price: 23,100 yen
RT-System2
Ribbon transducer system with preamplifier. The dedicated preamplifier uses a discrete Class-A circuit system, and the sound is said to be surprisingly natural.
Reference list price: 29,925 yen
LB-Series
L.R. Baggs' memorable first passive type piezo pickup. LB-6 is for steel strings and LB-C is for classical strings.
Reference list price: 18,900 yen
Ribbon Transducer
The Ribbon Transducer was released in 1995, and was the model that determined the reputation of L.R. Baggs' technology and sound. It is a film-type passive type with a simple set of piezo and endpin jacks. This long-selling model is compatible not only with steel strings, but also with nylon strings and ukuleles.
Reference list price: 18,900 yen
Dual Pickups
When recording the sound of an acoustic guitar, it is common practice to mix the sound of two microphones: an on-mic near the soundhole and an off-mic set one or two meters away from the guitar. The Dual Source and iMIX systems were developed to achieve this effect during live performances.
Dual Source
Dual Source is a groundbreaking system that offers the blended sound of two pickups at a reasonable price. The output is a mix control of a ribbon transducer (passive type), popular for its natural sound, and a condenser microphone, which detects the natural airiness of the body's sound. The acoustic line sound with a more realistic feel is appealing.
Reference list price: 50,925 yen
iMIX
New version dual pickup system introduced in 2004. The output is a mix control of the Element (active type under-saddle pickup) and the I-beam (mounted under the bridge inside the body). This system has a powerful line sound with a wider range, and its ability to withstand feedback is also a selling point. It is also used in the ever-popular Godin guitars.
Reference list price: 54,600 yen
Magnetic
M1
Magnetic pickup with Tri-Axial Dynamic Technology (captures vibrations from both the strings and the body while suppressing feedback) for a natural sound. Hum-canceling design to resist hum noise even in harsh conditions. The active type uses a CR2032 lithium battery, which can be easily removed and installed without tools, and can be used for 1,000 hours even though it is a small battery.
Reference list price for the passive type: 30,975 yen, reference list price for the active type: 36,750 yen
Shadow
Shadow Electronics, known for its Shadow pickups, was established in Germany in 1971. The founder, Joe Malinik, was a famous guitarist in his home country, leading blues and jazz bands and playing regularly on many TV and radio shows. In addition to being a renowned professional guitarist, he also had a deep interest in and knowledge of electronics, having built a guitar amplifier as a teenager. Thus, Shadow pickups were developed from his perspective as a guitar player and the engineering that shaped it.
In the early 70's, Shadow introduced the "Doubleplay," a blend of an in-bridge piezo and a magnetic pickup. By utilizing the advantages of both piezo and magnetic pickups and covering the areas that could not be picked up by the other, Shadow was able to reproduce tones that could not be reproduced by a single pickup alone. This "Doubleplay" system is still in use today, and is being produced in a more advanced form.
With the addition of microphones and blending systems, the company has succeeded in reproducing the tones of a wide range of instruments, from guitars to violins, mandolins, wood basses, and ethnic instruments, and has become a major brand, manufacturing over one million pickups per year.
NanoMAG
The NanoMAG is a magnetic pickup with an active circuit sealed in a compact size of 6mm thick and 5mm wide. Mounted at the end of the fingerboard, it produces a sound with low noise and strong feedback.
Reference list price: 25,200 yen
Nanoflex
In-bridge type pickup. Normally, a piezo placed under the bridge picks up the string vibration from above, but this Nanoflex has sensitivity not only above but also below the bridge due to the combination of multiple piezoelectric materials. This allows the sound to include not only the vibration of the strings on the bridge, but also the tone of the topboard and bracing.
Reference list price: 22,050 yen
Sonic Doubleplay preamp system that allows mixing the tones of Nanomag and Nanoflex.
Reference list price: 47,250 yen
Sunrise
Overseas: The Rolling Stones, U2, Bonnie Raitt, David Lindley, Jackson Browne, Ry Cooder, Richard Thompson, Emmylou Harris, Leo Cocke, William Ackerman, Peter Finger, Ben Harper, etc. Sunrise is a brand of magnetic pickups used in Japan by famous artists such as Isato Nakagawa, Shun Komatsubara, Toshiro Masuda, Masaji Otsuka, Shinmei Kishibe, Ginji Ogawa, and Kotaro Oshio.
Jim Kaufman started working as a repairman at a store in Los Angeles in 1978, and opened his own guitar repair store in 1984. He had always had a problem with the bright but low-high frequency response of piezo PUs and fell in love with the sound of magnetic PUs. It was close to his ideal "magnetic PU with a high feedback threshold (the point where feedback and resonance occur due to speaker interference), yet without losing the sonic character of the guitar," but it apparently could not eliminate the noise that is inherent in PUs. However, it was not able to cancel out the noise that is inherent in PUs. After several years of research, they succeeded in suppressing the noise by grounding the PU in an appropriate manner, and settled on the current specifications in the late '80s.
Sunrise S-2
Reference list price: 50,400 yen
There was another important factor behind the completion of the Sunrise PU. As a repairman, Jim had the opportunity to have famous musicians such as Neil Young, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Dan Vogelberg, Stephen Stills, and David Crosby try out the products he made. He had the opportunity to have his products tested by these musicians.
Magnetic PUs use magnetism and coils to convert the sound of an acoustic guitar into an electrical signal, and the vibration (sound) of the strings generates an electric current (electrical signal) in the coil, which is then output. Unlike the mass-produced standard products of many brands, Sunrise is entirely handmade by Jim himself to ensure quality.
Another characteristic of Sunrise's sound is its high-precision bass reproduction. In particular, it reproduces the sound of dropped bass strings powerfully and has excellent response to pick up even the top vibration, which is probably the biggest reason why it is favored by fingerpickers who use irregular tuning a lot.
In Closing
Thanks to your support, this feature has been a great success. The number of accesses to this project shows the extent of the interest of users and others.
In this third installment, "Chapter 2," we are going to change things up a bit and bring you some real voices from the field.
We hope to get closer to the point of acoustic guitar pickups, which are difficult to find the answer to, by hearing the honest opinions of the people who sell and manufacture pickups for acoustic guitars, the repairmen who install them, and the users who actually use them... all sides that are very concerned.
On the sales and production side, we have Mr. Satoru Onuki, the representative of "Acoustic Guitar Pro Shop - Birdland," who has been active as an expert on acoustic guitars, both professional and amateur, since its establishment in 1996 and is also known as a distributor of "Highlander" PUs for acoustic guitars. On the repairman's side, we mainly feature an interview with Mr. Takayuki Minagawa, a veteran repairman who has worked for many years as a repair and tuning engineer for "Nakao Boeki," a famous distributor of "Ovation" and now has his own workshop. We will also publish the valuable opinions of our customers on the user's side.
Please enjoy this part.
Mr. Satoru Onuki, the representative of "Acoustic Guitar Pro Shop - Birdland," which has been providing services as a professional store for acoustic guitars in general since its establishment in 1996. He is an expert in the acoustic guitar scene, selling "Highlander," one of the leading brands of acoustic guitar pickups, as well as "Tears Guitar," a purely Japanese-made guitar, and his own OBP (Birdland On Board Piezo Pickup).
In the course of our communication with Mr. Onuki, we have learned that the number of inquiries about PUs for acoustic guitars from individual customers and professional musicians has been increasing rapidly. We visited Mr. Onuki of "Birdland," a company located in Toshima-ku, Tokyo, to learn more about the situation and to get his honest opinion about the actual PU sales and production.
Tabe (T): "Birdland" handles "Highlander" pickups (PUs) and a number of acoustic guitars.
Mr. Onuki (O): I inherited "Highlander" and Canadian-made Carlton cases from the company I used to work for. At that time, we had a tie-up with "VG" and "Highlander" was gradually becoming popular, but as time went by, many "VG" cases with other PUs started to appear on the market. I wanted people to actually hear the sound of the "Highlander" and feel its quality, so I decided to make a guitar with the "Highlander" myself. I started with a classical guitar made in Spain, and I put a PU in a thin-body guitar because I thought that many people who wanted to produce a line of guitars would start with electric guitars. At the time, I didn't know much about classical guitars, so I thought it would be tough to get people to comment on the quality of the sound (laughs), but it was quite well received. I decided to make it available to more people, so I also made it available for regular size classical guitars, and it was even more popular...many professional musicians started using it.
Later, we were approached about a tie-up with "Tears Guitar," and when we actually put a PU on it, it was really wonderful. We wanted to make the best combination of an excellent pure Japanese guitar and "Highlander" available to professionals, so we had Mr. Kiyotaka Sugiyama and Mr. Masumi Ohno (Garo) try it out, and they were quite pleased with it. Mr. Sugiyama is so in love with it that he now says, "I can't live without it, both as a soloist and in the band. Mr. Ohno is also a main user, and he also loves using Santastic (Internal Mic Matched Preamp). Mr. Ohno is currently touring with Shozo Ise and Hiromi Ota, and they are performing live with a PA setup that matches the Santastic.
T: You manufacture and sell the original PU OBP, why did you decide to develop it?
O: Recently, there has been an increase in the use of mixing two types of PUs, such as the in-bridge type and the magnetic type. In the case of the in-bridge type, the main sound is in the mid-high range, so it is a matter of how to produce a mid-low range sound in response to that.
I also recommend condenser microphones, but condensers have the problem of feedback. I recommend condenser microphones, but since condensers have the problem of feedback, I decided to make my own stick-on type that has better performance as an alternative.
T: What were some of the difficulties in developing the OBP?
O: Ceramic piezoelectric elements inevitably have a hard, throbbing sound with only high-frequency characteristics, so we struggled with how to solve this problem. That's when we came up with the idea of using wood chips. By placing mahogany or ebony chips between the instrument and the ceramic, the sound is shifted from the high frequency range to a bit closer to the midrange. It also depends on the position of the chip. If it is placed right under the bridge, the sound will be tight and crisp, but by shifting it a little, you can get a softer, fluffier sound.
T: I heard that you have been receiving an increasing number of inquiries about PUs for acoustic guitars from individual customers and professional musicians, and that you have become a "temple for acoustic guitar PUs" (laughs).
O：We are struggling with users and musicians who are dissatisfied with the PU they are currently using, or who want a more specific sound, or who want a two-pickup system but don't know how to supply the power.
T: What kind of consultation do you get most often?
O: For example, when someone says, "I have a passive imbridge, but the sound is a little too soft, so I want a harder sound," we add an OBP with stereo output in addition to the imbridge. The Imbridge has a hard sound to begin with, but it lacks power in the passive range, so the high frequencies are a little blurred. Therefore, I covered the highs by mounting the OBP in a tight position. The result is a very well-balanced sound.
But the more difficult part is the active system. We are sometimes asked to add something to an active PU, and we can quickly respond if it is a passive PU, but it is tricky if it is the same active PU. If I want to use my current batteries, I have to deal with voltage and other problems. I also get requests for a stereo out with a mixed output, which is also tricky. (Laughs) If they are both passive, we can plug them in and mix them, but then the sound will be unbalanced, so we have to add a volume control in between, and then we can add the sound to the mix. It's a pretty aggressive approach. (Laughs)
T: Besides tone, there is also the problem of the electrical system, so I can see how difficult it is.
O: That's right! （If they are both active and made by the same manufacturer, the impedance is rather close, so mixed output is possible, but with active and passive, it's not so easy. The matching has to be solid.
T: It is also difficult to say which PU is best for the tone, because it depends on the compatibility with the guitar.
O：If you tell us the sound tendency of the PU that is currently attached, it is easier for us to come up with various ideas, such as "Let's add this PU. We try our best to meet the customer's request as much as possible by using in-bridge, paste-on, and capacitor.
T: By the way, I heard that you made a PU for Gibson's adjustable saddle?
O: Yes, we were asked to mount a "Highlander" on a Gibson J-45 with adjustable saddle, but it was a request that really made our workshop cry. (Laughs) Since we had to restore the original adjustable saddle, he wanted to keep it as it is as much as possible. After much trial and error, we finally completed this special ivory saddle and removable installation guide. As it is an in-bridge, it does not have an adjustable function, but we thought about how to make the installation guide and the J-45 type ivory saddle fit together securely, and how to apply pressure evenly. It is a painstaking work, all handmade. (Laughs)
T: That's kind of amazing, isn't it? (laughs) I would love to see it commercialized. Now, one of the things that cannot be separated from PUs for acoustic guitar is an amplifier. If you have any other amps suitable for acoustic guitars, please let us know briefly.
O：I recommend the "ULTRA SOUND" DS4.
Here, Mr. Onuki brings "ULTRA SOUND" DS4 and "AER" Bingo from the warehouse. Then, he actually tries it out with "Highlander" HP-2 and "Tears Guitar" equipped with OBP.
T: Wow! The sound is so clear. The range is wide and the response is great.
O: The DS4 won a gold award in the acoustic guitar amp category from Acoustic Guitar Magazine in the U.S., and the Bingo won a silver award. The DS4 has a very clear and natural sound, so I would recommend it to jazz players. It's also Andy Mackey's and Duck Baker's favorite amp.
T: I can see why it is a favorite of famous musicians.
O: I think this amp will become even more popular in the future.
T: Last but not least, what do you love about "Highlander", Mr. Onuki?
O：First of all, Highlander has a long history of less than 20 years in this world, and has been used by famous musicians overseas since that time. At that time, good PUs were hard to find. In those days, good PUs were hard to come by, and they were very popular. What attracts me most is the quality. The person who originally developed the PU was a PA engineer who also made his own console. It is made using the best parts and low-noise Class-A operation, so it is of extremely high quality. It is an integrated preamplifier, so you can't open the inside, but the fact that there have been almost no repairs or malfunctions is also amazing.
T: I hear some people say that "Highlander" is difficult to install.
O: Yes, it takes a lot of skill to install it. The material inside the cylindrical piezo is rubbery, and we use it well to create a soft sound. In the very early days, we used to put it under the saddle and put wood on the saddle where the sound was weak, but the cylindrical shape inevitably produced weak sounds. Then, I devised a method of cutting the bottom of the saddle groove of the bridge at the U-shape. If you fit the saddle in there so that it sticks out a little, and then press the saddle down firmly from above, the material is soft, so it becomes a perfectly flat surface. This method of installation allowed me to pick up a lot of sound from the bridge, which is more than enough to show the full flavor of the guitar. However, the installation work is not easy, such as cutting the bridge groove and screwing in the jack, so please contact us anytime. Our resident repairman will set it up in a day.
Mr. Satoru Onuki, representative of "Acoustic Guitar Pro Shop Birdland
Since our establishment in 1996, we have been serving retailers and users as a professional store for acoustic guitars in general. The company handles not only hardware including acoustic guitars, but also a wide range of software including A.M.R. (Acoustic Music Records) products and products from the U.S. company "Mel Bay". In addition, the company has established a repair and maintenance department for acoustic guitars, including the installation of "Highlander" pickups. The store's professional staff can provide consultation on all aspects of acoustic guitars, including guitar condition and playing style.
Mr. Takayuki Minagawa, a veteran repairman who worked for many years as a repair and tuning specialist at Nakao Boeki, a well-known distributor of Ovation guitars, now has his own workshop. His conscientious and careful workmanship, which is based on the "customer's initiative," has earned him a reputation among many users, both professionals and amateurs alike.
Mr. Minagawa and our store have been in business for about 5 to 6 years, and we are truly amazed at his prompt and reliable repair work. We have asked Mr. Minagawa to do most of the pickup installations that have been increasing rapidly recently, and we are often impressed by the excellent balance of the line sound after installation. We visited Mr. Minagawa at "Minagawa Guitar Studio" in Adachi-ku, Tokyo, to get an opinion from a repairman who actually performs such delicate and delicate work.
Tabe (T): What is the current demand for pickup (PU) installation in terms of repair requests?
Mr. Minagawa (M): Well, I don't have the impression that there has been a sudden increase in requests for PU installation.
T: What percentage of the total is that?
M: It is possible that the number will increase in the future, but for now it is about 20% of the total.
T: What kind of specific consultations do you receive?
M: Quite often, the customer is the one who is studying, so they often say, "Please put this PU on. I will tell them what I know about PUs, but I think it is best to let them try what they have chosen themselves. If I recommend something and the sound is not to the customer's liking, the customer may say, "Oh, I should have gone with what I had in mind. If the customer has already decided what they want to try, it's best to go with that.
T: We have asked Mr. Minagawa to install PUs several times in our store, and he recommends "L.R. Baggs" elements when there is no UP specified by the customer. Why is that?
M: The element always works well. It's always a good setting.
T: The other day, I installed element on a Gibson Dove Custom Shop that was commissioned by a customer, and it was great. The customer was very pleased.
M: That's great. I'm glad to hear that. My impression is that the performance of "L.R. Baggs" and "Fishman" is about the same, and they both work well together. But I'm rather more impressed with "L.R. Baggs".
T: Does that have something to do with the internal structure of UP?
M: I don't know, maybe it's just a good match for me. (laughs) It's very easy to work with. I also think "Highlander" is a very good PU, but it is very difficult to install because of its internal structure. (Laughs) .......Kyuu~~~~ ・・・・・・Smith, my stomach is rumbling. ・・・・・・ (Laughs)
Minagawa-san's stomach rumbles here. It was past 4:00 p.m. when we interviewed him. It was just after 4:00 p.m., just when I was getting a little hungry.
T: No, no, it's okay (laughs).
M: Kyu~u~u~u・・・・・・ really noisy and smitten... (smiles)
T: (Laughs) I asked Birdland (distributor of "Highlander") about this, but it seems that "Highlander" is difficult to install.
M: We take care of guitars with the "Highlander" installed, but many of them are not set up properly. The piezo PU in the "Highlander" is cylindrical, so the bridge groove has to be cut into a U-shape to fit it. The jack part is also screwed in, so it has to be cut with a tap.
T: That's a lot of work. But "Highlander" is my personal favorite PU. It has a very direct feel with no sound loss.
M: Yes, many people say it is good. There is an in-bridge type with an additional condenser mic, which is highly appreciated.
T: What do you pay attention to or have difficulty with when installing PUs?
M: First of all, I work very hard to fix the bridge groove and build the saddle to balance the UP. This is the first step, but from there, the most important thing I have to pay attention to is to make sure that the balance does not go out of balance when the guitar goes to the customer and the strings are re-strung. I often see this with the guitars that come to me. Sometimes the balance of the PU is off when I change the strings.
T: It's a problem with the contact point between the piezo and the saddle.
M: That's right. When I tune the strings, I often have to move the saddle back a bit to get the balance right. As a repair person, I can understand this, but it is difficult for the average customer to make such delicate adjustments. So, if the person who made the saddle does not know how to adjust the saddle, the customer will be troubled.
T: What do you do to prevent this from happening?
M: It all comes down to how to make the bridge groove precise from the beginning. If the PU is too unbalanced on a guitar that we receive for repair, we fill in the bridge groove once and make a new groove. We make sure the groove is deep enough and the bottom line is formed properly, so that the saddle slit is in good condition. Even if we work hard to build a saddle and install a new saddle up, if there is a problem with the saddle slit, the balance of the saddle will be off. The Gibson Dove I mentioned earlier was a request to keep the existing saddle and rebuild a new one, but if the bridge groove had not been formed properly, the result might have been like wandering around in the dark with no way to get out (laughs).
T: Which type of UP do you think is better, in-bridge, stick-on, or magnetic?
M: Personally, I still like to put a microphone in the soundhole because it is the most natural. (Laughs) If I say this, I would be going off the main point of this project. (laughs) Other than that, I think the most convenient type is the in-bridge type. (Laughs) Other than that, I think the most user-friendly type is the in-bridge type.
T: Recently, many artists seem to be using the magnetic type, such as "Sunrise" and "L.R. Baggs'" M1.
M: It depends on the guitar, but it also depends on what kind of sound the customer wants...and how it looks. The magnetic type is also good because it has less feedback, but it sounds more like an electric guitar, so there are different tastes in that area.
T: In the many repairs you have done, is there anything that you think "this guitar and this PU are a great combination"? For example, for a Martin D-28, this UP, for a Gibson J-45, this UP, and so on.
M: Well, unfortunately, I don't have any specific examples so far. This is not quite the answer to your question, but there are many people who want to attach an L.R. Baggs iBeam to the adjustable saddle (AJ) of a Gibson J-45. However, it is difficult to find the best position to put the iBeam on the AJ because the anchor extends under the bridge inside the body. So, I try various positions and put the iBeam in the position where I think "this is the only place to put it," but it still doesn't sound good. (Laughs) The performance of the PU is not good enough. I know this is the opposite of what you asked, but I'd say that the combination of J-45 AJ and iBeam is not a good idea. (Laughs)
T: By the way, Mr. Minagawa, you built your first electric acoustic. What PU did you put on it?
M: (Immediate answer) It is an "L.R.Baggs" element. It's easy to set up, after all. (Laughs)
T: Did you think about the sound of the line when you were building this elaco?
M: I had an image of the live sound, so I worked toward that, but to be honest, I didn't think much about the line sound. But I had a hard time deciding where to put the volume knob (laughs). I thought it would be a bit boring to put it by the sound hole, so I put it on the side of the body.
Mr. Minagawa actually brought the instrument to us.
And he actually played it.
Jara~~~~~~!
T: Oh!!! That's a good sound! It has a very thin body, but the raw sound is very solid. The line sound is also very dynamic with a wide range!
M: Thank you very much. It has a good reputation among the musicians I know.
T: As you say, the neck is quite thick, but it gives the sound more core.
M: Yes, it does. But it's still hard to play for a long time with this neck, so I'm going to have it resharpened (laughs).
Mr. Takayuki Minagawa, president of Minagawa Guitar Studio
After working part-time at Kurosawa Gakki for about two years, he joined Nakao Boeki Ltd. as a repairman in 1989. Ten years later, he moved to Saito Gengaku Koubou, and about five years ago, he became independent and set up his own workshop. I don't say, "You have to do it this way! He is a conscientious and skilled veteran repairman who insists on "customer initiative" and never says, "You have to do it this way! He has a wealth of experience and knowledge of PUs for acoustic guitars from his experience at Nakao Boeki, the distributor of "Ovation".
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Author's Postscript
In this article, we have tried to publish the honest opinions of the sellers and manufacturers of acoustic guitar pickups, the repairmen who install them, and the users who actually use them.
Mr. Onuki, who is on the production and sales side, makes the best use of his own assets, which he is proud of, to find the best solution. He never gives up and says, "If this doesn't work, I will try this way. Above all, the interview clearly showed Mr. Onuki's spirit "to make a good sound no matter what it takes. The fact that he does not stick to a single PU, but adds a new one if it does not work, may have made users a little more flexible in their thinking.
On the other hand, Mr. Minagawa said. The interview was impressive in that it showed Mr. Minagawa's "customer-driven" approach. The fact that Mr. Minagawa respects the customer's opinion shows his firm confidence in repairing guitars. I was also reminded once again that no matter how excellent a PU or guitar is, its quality depends on the person who installs it.
And then there are the users' voices. To be honest, when I started this project, I wondered "How much interest do users really have in PUs for acoustic guitars? There were times when I wondered if we were the only ones making a fuss, and the users might not be so interested. However, after conducting the survey and receiving many submissions, we realized that many people have various concerns and opinions. This is a great achievement and a real first step for this project. Unfortunately, we have not yet reached the point where we can completely answer all the questions, but we will continue to make steady, albeit slight, progress, and we hope you will continue to look forward to this feature.
Finally, we would like to thank Mr. Onuki of "Birdland" and Mr. Minagawa of "Minagawa Guitar Studio" for taking time out of their busy schedules to cooperate with our interview, as well as all the customers who filled out the questionnaire. We would like to take this opportunity to thank them.