Huss & Dalton’s Mark Dalton shares five points to consider when deciding how to amplify your acoustic.
Acoustic guitar pickups have been written about extensively in Premier Guitar by knowledgeable folks like Larry Fishman, but this month I’d like to touch on the subject through the lens of a guitar builder. I’ll avoid comparison between different pickup models and instead concentrate on the different types of pickups, along with considerations for choosing the right system for you and your guitar.
So, where do you play that requires you to plug in? It’s the very first question I’ll ask anyone who asks me what pickup they should install. It’s a simple question, but it’s critical to getting the best system for you. Over the years, I have identified roughly five different levels of performance/background noise that necessitate the use of particular systems.
Level 1
If you play at home on your own—or maybe with one other acoustic player—and you want to do some recording, I would question the need for a pickup at all. I believe that a good external condenser mic would be the better choice. A mic will usually give you the best tone for recording, and you can easily try out a number of different models and different mic positions to get the tone you hear in your head. Given the relatively low-volume (gain) level that you will need in this scenario, any guitar builder will likely tell you to go with a mic.
Level 2
Let’s say you want to venture out into a quiet coffeehouse or church setting, either solo or along with another player. This is where you might want to invest in a pickup so you can concentrate on your playing and not have to overplay in order to be heard. For this level, you might consider an internally mounted microphone. These will give you good tone and still allow you to have some control over the mic and placement when you’re outside of your home studio.
In the best rooms, a contact pickup will likely work well on its own. But when it’s loud, having the under-saddle transducer is the only way your guitar will be heard at all.
Level 3
What if that coffeehouse is not so quiet, and you’d also like to throw in the occasional acoustic-duo bar gig? In this situation, I’d suggest going with at least a combo pickup that incorporates an internal mic with another source, such as a bridge-plate contact pickup. This way, you can mix the mic signal in higher when the room is quieter, for better tone, but you can dial it back and use more of the secondary source when the room you’re playing in is noisier.
Level 4
Okay, now add several other players and a bit more noise. At this point, forget the mic—either internal or external. I would use a bridge-plate contact pickup for tone and also consider adding an under-saddle transducer, and then mix the two signals. In the best rooms, the contact pickup will likely work well on its own. But when it’s loud, having the under-saddle transducer is the only way your guitar will be heard at all.
Level 5
This is a full-blown band with drums and electric bass. At this point, you need to concentrate on simply being heard and worry less about tone. While it pains me to say that, it’s the reality of these situations. Considering the high gain needed and the tremendous feedback opportunities involved, I’d recommend finding a good under-saddle transducer. Remember: If nobody hears that great break that you just played, it doesn’t matter how great it was. I’m reminded of a friend (who is a terrific flatpicker) and the time he told me about a night where the sound was particularly bad at the venue they were playing. After the show, a friend of his came up and said, “Man, those were some great-looking breaks you were playing tonight.”
While no acoustic-guitar builder will necessarily tell you that using a pickup is ideal, it’s certainly necessary sometimes in order to be heard. I hope these quick guidelines will help you in achieving the absolute best tone—which is always my focus—at a listenable level of volume.
Six European fingerstyle masters you may not have heard of, but should definitely check out.
If you’re into fingerstyle guitar, you’re probably hip to the genre’s major “schools.” In North America, trailblazers like Chet Atkins, John Fahey, Stefan Grossman, Michael Hedges, Alex de Grassi, Don Ross, and Preston Reed are responsible for countless players trying to cop their styles. Then there’s the whole British Isles tradition, with players such as Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Davey Graham, and Martin Simpson. Stylistic differences between continents may not be so obvious among such newer players as Andy McKee, Jon Gomm, Thomas Leeb, Mike Dawes, and Antoine Dufour, yet there remains a core group of great and uniquely European players. They rarely visit the U.S., but YouTube and iTunes make it easy to investigate their music.
Claus Boesser-Ferrari
If there is such a thing as avant-garde fingerstyle, German guitarist Claus Boesser-Ferrari fits the bill. Though he started out as a folkie in the 1970s, today he’s more likely to share a stage or studio with “out” improvisers such as Mark Ribot or Fred Frith, or provide music for some of Germany’s most prestigious theater productions. Using percussive effects, angular chords and lines, and prepared guitar techniques, Boesser-Ferrari is a true sound painter. Check out his “Come Together” and “Light My Fire” medley.
Bob Bonastre
France’s Bob Bonastre combines a contemporary fingerstyle approach with North African rhythms and sounds. Playing on nylon strings, Bonastre uses two-handed tapping, body percussion, and a keen melodic sense to create his signature sound. Check out his take on “Third Stone from the Sun” from his album Grace.
Peter Finger
You can’t discuss European fingerstyle without including Germany’s Peter Finger. He’s more than a virtuoso player who writes incredibly deep tunes influenced by modern classical composers—he runs Acoustic Music Records (the label of all the other artists in this article), builds his own guitars, organizes the annual European version of International Guitar Night, publishes Akustik Gitarre magazine, runs a venue with a guitar shop, and produces videos. (And I’m still probably forgetting a few credits!) Check out “Getaway” from his album Between the Lines. If you’re not picking your jaw off the floor by the end, maybe no solo guitar performance will have that effect on you.
Franco Morone
If you’re ready for a serious groove—whether applied to originals, Celtic tunes, jazz standards, or Italian traditionals—look no further than Italy’s Franco Morone. Morone plays with remarkable fluidity that makes everything look and sound effortless, no matter how complex the music. Check out his original “Walk on J.J. Cale’s Walk” for a prime example.
Jacques Stotzem
Although Jacques Stotzem has received some recognition in the U.S., he has accomplished something pretty unique among solo guitarists: His album Catch the Spirit—a collection of fingerstyle arrangements of pop and rock tunes—cracked the pop charts in his native Belgium, beating out international superstars for several weeks. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Stotzem’s playing is firmly rooted in the country-blues styles he learned from Stefan Grossman instruction books in the 1970s. He plays almost exclusively in standard tuning and uses no tapping or extended techniques. Stotzem just plays really good fingerpicking guitar. Check out his take on “Purple Haze.”
Sándor Szabó
Hungarian Sándor Szabó is among the more free-spirited players around—a quality appreciated by frequent collaborators Kevin Kasting, Alex de Grassi, and Michael Manring. Playing 16-string, baritone, fretless nylon string, and standard steel-strings, Szabó fuses his Eastern European roots with a heavy Ralph Towner influence and an insatiable appetite for improvisation.
And There’s More!
I hope you’ve enjoyed checking out these guitarists. I can vouch for the fact that experiencing them live is even more stunning. If you find yourself hungry for more Euro fingerstyle mastery, search for players such as Ulli Bögershausen, Detlef Bunk, Pino Forastiere, Michel Haumont, and Tomasz Gaworek. And if you’re into bass, don’t miss Ralf Gauck, whose solo acoustic bass explorations are second to none.
Aimed at players looking for an all solid, concert level instrument at a reasonable price.
Santa Monica, CA (December 31, 2012) -- Due to the great success of the all solid Cordoba C9, C10, and GK Pro, Cordoba Guitars is proud to launch the Luthier Series, which will promote and expand on these models. Aimed at players looking for an all solid, concert level instrument at a reasonable price, the Luthier Series guitars are handmade by a small team of builders in a boutique workshop, using traditional Spanish construction techniques and carefully selected premium woods. The foundation of the Luthier Series rests upon building methods such as the Spanish Heel, hand carved necks and braces, and domed soundboards which are built on a traditional solera. New models include the C9 Dolce, a 7/8 size version of the C9, and the C12, which is based on the C10. The C12 features a raised fingerboard for enhanced playability, and lattice bracing – perfect for the musician searching for a more modern style build, and big, open sound. All models in the Luthier Series feature a mother-of-pearl hand-inlaid rosette inspired by a 1920s Domingo Esteso rosette, and include a humidified hardshell case.
The Luthier Series Lineup:
C9 Dolce – Street Price $799
C9 – Street Price $799
C10 – Street Price $999 (pictured)
F10 – Street Price $999
C12 – Street Price $1,499
GK Pro – Street Price $1,399
GK Pro Negra– Street Price $1,499
In addition, beginning in 2013, select Cordoba models will be fitted with the Acoustic Fidelity System (AFS), a revolutionary high fidelity acoustic pickup and preamp system. After three years of development, Cordoba is proud to introduce a pickup and preamp that almost exactly replicates the sound of the natural acoustic guitar. Inspired by the tradition of Hi-Fi analog sound reproduction, the AFS has been painstakingly tuned to retain all the inherent acoustical properties of the original instrument without resorting to digital renderings. The AFS is offered as a one-way or two-way pickup, depending on the model it is fitted in. Both versions include a digital onboard tuner and six unique piezo elements that enhance the clarity and separation of the strings. This eliminates the common imbalance in volume and quality of sound from string to string that can occur with a traditional under-saddle piezo strip. The two-way pickup also includes a high fidelity microphone strategically placed to avoid feedback, and comes tuned to augment the open airy sound of an acoustic instrument. Whether playing in a huge concert hall or a small room, the AFS captures the sonic brilliance of Cordoba’s acoustic-electric models.
For more information:
Cordoba
