My acoustic has an annoying bite!

[jjboogie]

I have a Gretsch Historic model.

It feels nice but when ever I plug it into a PA its sounds awful to me.

It has this rubbery sterile bite to it.

I need something warm and smooth.

Any suggestions? If I were to get something close to 1k I would have to sell of my electrics.

 

[Member 995]

It feels nice but when ever I plug it into a PA its sounds awful to me.

It has this rubbery sterile bite to it.

Sounds like how undersaddle piezo pickups sound to my ears. Maybe investigate different pickups or processing units? Fishman makes some interesting stuff.

 

[Ogre]

Bband makes the most natural sounding under saddle pickup. They can be tricky to install, so best use a experienced tech.

 

[A440]

some eq and a little bit of comp may help suss the piezo quack.

what kind/gauge strings do you use?

 

[Tomo]

I have a Gretsch Historic model.

It feels nice but when ever I plug it into a PA its sounds awful to me.

It has this rubbery sterile bite to it.

I need something warm and smooth.

Any suggestions? If I were to get something close to 1k I would have to sell of my electrics.

Are you going to tour in Japan soon?

Tomo

 

[jjboogie]

some eq and a little bit of comp may help suss the piezo quack.

what kind/gauge strings do you use?

Using Ernie Ball Earthwood lights right now.


I thought about getting one those little acoustic preamp things. I don't gig acoustically a lot. My wife does and when I accompany her I usually bring a small amp and an electric guitar. I am a wuss on acoustic!!! A lot of it though has been because mine is just doesn't sound good. Who wants to play something that doesn't sound good.


Oh by the way it has the stock Gretsch Fishman Prefix in it but I am not sure exactly what model.

 

[jjboogie]

Are you going to tour in Japan soon?

Tomo

We have been getting offers.

We usually do the Billboard Live clubs from Christmas until the New Year however this year we will be in Australia but at the end of the Australian tour we might hop over to Asia and do some dates then. I will let you know if we come!

 

[A440]

Using Ernie Ball Earthwood lights right now.


I thought about getting one those little acoustic preamp things. I don't gig acoustically a lot. My wife does and when I accompany her I usually bring a small amp and an electric guitar. I am a wuss on acoustic!!! A lot of it though has been because mine is just doesn't sound good. Who wants to play something that doesn't sound good.


Oh by the way it has the stock Gretsch Fishman Prefix in it but I am not sure exactly what model.

lol, I can relate to the difficult transition from electric to acoustic
it's like a whole other world for me.

if it's the set that starts with an .011, you may want to go a little heavier. even going up to 12-53 helps with the piezo. I think EB offers a phosphor bronze string. I'd also try that. In my experience, it cuts down on the brittle factor and is warmer than most 80/20 wrap strings.

outside of that, maybe hook up a fishman aura acoustic imaging pedal. if you're using an electric amp, that obviously has it's limits but I've done it plenty of times.

 

[lamenlovinit]

Sounds like how undersaddle piezo pickups sound to my ears. Maybe investigate different pickups or processing units? Fishman makes some interesting stuff.

yup. They sound, let's just say, that way... Rick Turner basically gave up trying to make them sound good and worked to develop this http://www.d-tar.com/mama_bear.shtml

It's not the only alternative out there. Lots of folks swear by the fishman. A used DTAR will run around $200.