String volume balance... piezo pickup

dapmdave

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Doyle's personal guitars at NAMM had the Barbera w/Baggs onboard pre...the Barbera's are easily recognized on sight.

My either or comment referred to staying fully external...least expensive, keeping guitar mostly original, or going with a custom internal.

The OP was interested in solving the string balance issue inherent with UST's...Barbera does that well and designs them custom for each instrument.

I think we're in agreement on that fact.

Definitely agree. I'm not a fan of the "barn door" preamp either, but it wasn't an option on the DD.
 

PittPastor

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The OP was interested in solving the string balance issue inherent with UST's...Barbera does that well and designs them custom for each instrument.

My issue with the Barbera is it replaces the saddle, right? Although I can see how this is probably best for a plugged in sound, it has to affect the unplugged sound, doesn't it? I'm getting ready to spend some money to get a bone saddle for my DC40 -- and then I just throw that all away to get a Barbera? It doesn't make much sense to me... IDK.
 
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Nuuska

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Hello

I watched that Barbera demo with Neumann U87 on one channel and PU on other - VERY impressive !!!

IF I could be sure it works that good on my guitar, I would immediately buy one - then later many more.

Hair splitting can be done about microphone choice and position - but all in all it sounded good. And best is you can use external or existing preamps.

Technically thinking the idea of putting the transducer on top of the saddle makes it clear, that the string sound is more pronounced than the guitar body sound - which leads one to think : does it make my F512 & F212 sound the same? NO - watching few of their demo videos proves differently - oh my - I´m getting itch.

Now comes the hardest part - on which guitar should I get one? Songbird - F50R - F512 ? ?

HEEELP !!!
 

GuildFS4612CE

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Ah, the Nuuska pro FOH engineer stamp of approval!!!

Listening at NAMM to what Doyle did with them was very impressive.

Which guitar? I would recommend you do the Songbird...since it's only a semi acoustic in the first place you likely would not be annoyed if you were to lose any unamplified acoustic tone or volume...

Good Luck!

PS, IIRC transducers respond to pressure...having them directly under the string and removing all extraneous obstacles would make the system far more responsive...feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
 
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