Ask Rudy
August 24, 2000
Ask Rudy is a column based on questions submitted by users like you. We are currently taking a break from the column, so please hold off on submitting new questions.
Q: Can I use a fuzz box with an acoustic guitar?
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If I put an external pickup on my acoustic guitar, is there any chance it would sound like an electric guitar? For example, if I plug it into Marshall's Jackhammer pedal will I achieve a powerful distortion sound as if I were playing a standard electric guitar?
Price Michael,
Israel
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Hi Price:
My initial reaction was no, but I tried it anyway. And you know what? The results were better than I expected. I don't have a Marshall Jackhammer; I used a Johnson J-Station instead. I plugged in my Gibson acoustic, first using a magnetic sound-hole pickup, then using a Piezo saddle pickup. Finally, I played the same part using a Gibson ES-335 electric. Let's listen to the results:
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Example #1 MP3 (88 KB) |
| Gibson Gospel Acoustic with old Bill Lawrence magnetic pickup, J-Station, factory preset 23 (no effects added). |
This sounds a little tubby to me (the guitar's natural resonance is exaggerated), but it's a fairly powerful sound. The J-Station has an effective noise gate, which is a good thing in this case. Listen for a bit of hum and buzz at the end of the phrase.
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Example #2 MP3 (92 KB) |
| Gibson Acoustic with Piezo saddle pickup, J-Station, factory preset 23. |
We hear less buzz, more tub. Because the part I'm playing uses a lot of palm-muting and banging on the bridge, the low-end is very thumpy.
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Example #3 MP3 (76 KB) |
| Gibson ES-335 electric, bridge pickup, J-Station preset 23. |
With the electric guitar, we hear much more definition and bite. The sound doesn't have the same tubby resonance we heard on the acoustic example -- you might even say the acoustic produced the "heavier" tone.
One important point! In any live situation, running an acoustic guitar through a fuzz box can land you in feedback hell. Even in the studio, you'll risk resonant feedback if you sit in front of your monitor speakers with the fuzz on and the volume up. Turn your amp way down or use headphones when distorting your acoustic.
-- Rudy
Q: What's the deal with active pickups?
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I've been playing electric guitar for 15 years, but haven't used an active pickup, such as an EMG. I'm curious -- am I missing something?
Robert,
Oklahoma City, USA
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Hi Robert:
Actually, I haven't owned a guitar with active pickups either, so I gave EMG a call. Here's what I learned: Active and traditional passive electric pickups both sense string vibration the same way (using a coil of wire wound around a magnet). The difference is that active pickups (like EMGs) incorporate an electronic preamplifier circuit built right into the pickup itself.
In both active and passive pickup designs, the coil interacts with the first circuit it is connected to. The circuit that a passive pickup "sees" could be the input of your amp, an effects processor, a wireless transmitter -- you name it. Each different type of circuit can affect a passive pickup's tone in various ways. Active pickups remove this variable, since the pickup's output always "sees" the same circuit (the built-in preamp). This makes for consistent performance, regardless of what the guitar is connected to. Active pickups can also drive longer cable runs without losing tone. Active pickups require a power source, typically a 9-volt battery installed on the guitar itself. (EMG reports that a typical 9v battery should last about 5,000 hours.)
Since an active pickup is a "closed-loop" system, its designer is in charge of the whole shebang, rather than just the coil/magnet assembly. The interaction between coil and input circuit can be tailored to create specific tones. (This is similar to the advantages of self-powered studio and PA loudspeakers. By including an amp and speaker in the same system, the designer has greater control over the end result.)
As to sound, that's a matter of personal preference. There's no single "active pickup" sound, just as there's no generic "passive pickup" tone. Lots of classic instruments have been built with passive pickups, and many folks feel that a passive pickup's interaction with their various amps and effects plays an important role in shaping their personal tone. Other players may prefer the consistency of an active system. I just wish there was an easy way to try different pickups out in my guitar.
More info:
EMG www.emginc.com
Seymour Duncan www.seymourduncan.com
Bartolini www.bartolini.net
-- Rudy
Q: Can our rig handle our first gig?
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Our band has been practicing for over a year but has never played out. Now we have our first gig at a bar that holds about 150 people. We run our vocals through a low-end mixer/PA amp into two PA speakers and a monitor. The PA has separate Main and Monitor outputs, but the built-in power amplifier can only be used with one or the other -- not both. Our PA sounds great in our basement, but I'm not sure how it will do at the bar. We planned on miking the kick drum and snare/hi-hat, but don't think the guitars or the bass need to go through the PA.
We are willing to rent gear if we need to. We watch a lot of other bands and are starting to think that we won't have enough stuff.
Thanks.
Ed Babor,
St. Charles, MO
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Hey Ed:
My advice for your first few gigs is this:
Keep it as simple as possible!
Do not buy or rent any new stuff for your first performance. I suggest not putting the drums through the PA. Run the two PA speakers and your monitor speaker off the same amp output and point the monitor at the lead singer.
After a couple of gigs, consider borrowing an extra power amp so you can experiment with separate main and monitor mixes. At that point, if your PA cabinets have 15" woofers, you might try putting the kick and snare through the system.
Finally, don't worry about how much gear other bands have. Put your energy into a great performance! After you've got your act together, you can start getting fancy with your PA. By the way, you'll find a ton of beginner-oriented live sound info in my book Live Sound For Musicians.
-- Rudy
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