B-Band AST 2002

Submitted at: 6:32, 6/11/2002

Product Info

Pickup features: Soundboard Transducer
Impedence or other specs:
Price Paid: US $51
Purchased from: FQMS

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Lakewood M1
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: B-Band UST
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): New Acoustic Singer Songwiter
Reason for pickup change: See text

Sound

Perceived output level: Not as loud as my old EMG but volume is not everything.
Tone: Good overall with a very slight lower mid peak that needs a touch of eq. I'm using it with a B-Band Core99 pre-amp.
Sonic evaluation: I'm really pleased with this- very natural for a pickup! I think any pickup working next to the strings is going to over emphasise the round-wound string sound. So, the distance from the saddle with this 'under bridge plate' pickup gives it a woodier tone- maybe less suited to playing with a band in terms of cutting through but far more realistic in a solo context.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play using the top for percussive effects and this pickup conveys the top very well. The UST really only pick up from the saddle area- which makes it ideal for high volume situations but unsuited to my technique.

Overall Rating

Comments: I'm sure something will sooner or later replace it but at the moment I'm really pleased as it captures my style as well as I have every experienced. I was using a UST/Mic combination but mics are a pain in live and this seems to do the job of both. It is extremely easy to fit. I use it through various house P.A s and it works ok- maybe a little more prone to feedback than a simple under-saddle transducer but less so than a transducer/mic combination. The sound through the PA does at least sound like my guitar!

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this pickup a: 8

Submitted by: Garry McNamara <gmcnamara@nescot.ac.uk>