Tips & Tricks for Soundhole Pickups - ASK ZAC EP 4
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
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In the Daniel Lanois autobiography, Soul Mining, Lanois tells of using Bill Lawrence soundhole pickups, a trick he learned from U2's The Edge. After reading, I was reminded of an interview I did with John Leventhal for Vintage Guitar Magazine back in 2017. When interviewing John, he spoke of his live electric setup, and that of his acoustic, that was a bit more complex than most as he used both an internal transducer going to a DI box, and a soundhole pickup through effects into a guitar amp. In this episode of Ask Zac, I talk about how to use the "Leventhal" dual-pickup setup, and what it has to offer.
My June 2017 Vintage Guitar Magazine print interview with John Leventhal
www.vintagegui...
My Truetone Lounge Video interview with Leventhal
• John Leventhal | Truet...
Clip of JL using the dual-pickup system with R&B great, William Bell
• William Bell - "The Th...
Gear used:
Waterloo WL-14 Ladder Braced guitar
D'Addario EJ26 Phosphor Bronze Custom Light Acoustic Strings
80's Bill Lawrence soundhole pickup
Medium Gauge pick
Effects:
Boss Volume Pedal
Mirage Compressor
Boss TR-2 Tremolo
Line 6 Echo Park
Truetone CS6 power supply amzn.to/38S9rZK
Amp:
1965 Deluxe Reverb with Celestion Vintage 30 Speaker #askzac #guitartech #telecaster
Adding a magnetic pickup to existing pickups works great! No acoustic pickup really sounds great, so the more sources, the better in my opinion. I have a RainSong with a Baggs Stagepro Anthem factory installed. I added a Seymour Duncan Mag-Mic, with a dedicated, permanently mounted endpin jack. I use a Y-cable to plug into the separate endpin jacks, then a single 1/4” into a board or amp. I don’t separate the signals, but can blend piezo, two different sounding mics, and magnetic. Can create a wide variety of sounds, and completely eliminate any feedback by blending the mics very low or completely out. One pickup usually has a weakness… four pickups hide the weaknesses.
Nice job! The tremolo ard a bit of chorus really do a great job of enlarging the sound of an acoustic guitar and the amounts of those you demonstrated were very tasteful and pleasant to hear.
Thank you, Jay!
Zac, this is great! I found you thru your Reggie Young interviews. Much respect.
Thank you for watching, Tom!
I have a Bill Laurence sound hole pickup from the 70s. The wound strings are quieter than the unwound strings.
I assume you are using bronze wound strings. If it has adjustable pole pieces you could correct the string balance. If not, you could try nickel wound strings.
Great video! I have a L-00 studio. Wasn't sure I'd like the Walnut, but I love it. More mid-range. Not sure I could add a sound hole pick up due to it having those L.R. baggs sound hole knobs.
I have a soundhole tuner from D’Addario I was able to leave on mine. You might just have to look at the various options.
This is just a good channel.
Thank you so much!
ocduff - You're not whistling dixie there. I only discovered this channel somewhat recently and feel a little like a groupie, singing Zac's praises and such to friends - 'hey you've gotta have a look at this channel, this guy loves Tele's as much as I do, probably more' and such. All Telecaster loving folks should add this channel to their diet of RUclips input.
Thanks for the Lawrence pickup tip. I’m always looking for alternative sound hole pickups at a decent price. Are these easy to mount?. Looks like u may have put a bracket on
Spring loaded. Very easy
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing! Great episode, cool idea and great playing.
Ok! I never knew that George L was once in business with Bill Lawrence!
Yes. They parted ways, and that is when George L's popped up.
@@AskZac But then there is this whole not so pretty saga about Bill and his earlier partner. Bill's widow and his daughter are making the terrific Wilde pickups in LA, while the other guy uses the name Bill Lawrence.
*Michael Hedges used to use a Sunrise S-1 magnetic soundhole pickup mixed together with either a FRAP soundboard contact mic, or a L.R. Baggs piezo bridge transducer, and he had one of the best live acoustic guitar sounds that I've ever heard... May he rest in peace...*
Ahh, Nashville. Explains the THREE telecasters just leaning on his wall
Dude, you never fail to deliver useful information in areas relevant to us players who are actually out there in the scene. Other channels may teach, but it’s a lesson about something no one needs or cares about. I know your content will always give me ideas that are actually useful, and for that I thank you!
John, that is my goal. To both share about important players and gear, and to share some useful tools that might work well for you.
Great sound! Not sure, but this sounds like what John Leventhal might have used on Rosanne's recording of Motherless Children.
You are probably right
This has been such a huge help. Finally have an acoustic set up that is sounding full and inspiring to play - no more mediocre piezo sounds. Plus, you introduced me to John Levental for the first time and, for that alone, I am very grateful. 👌🏻
John is a hero of mine
Sanctuary ??? That sounded really nice 👍❤️
After watching this video i am drawn to the Waterloo WL-14 for sure. The under-saddle pickup and soundhole pickup idea sounds really cool. I am also going to get that Daniel Lanois book which i'm sure is full of amazing ideas for guitar sounds and recording. Not sure i have any Waterloo dealers in my area but need to check them out. Did Carter's give you a pretty good deal? I have heard great things about that shop and love a lot of their videos and gear. Very cool place from what i can tell. Thanks again and your thoughts on this stuff is most welcome if you have time. God bless!
Carters is a great shop. They took care of me.
Wow awesome. I want to make a Frankenstein cheap small body guitar setup like this. That guitar is great.
As a late-90s/early-2000s kid, I recall reading interviews on how some of the Nu-Metal guys (here is looking at you, Wes Borland) would in the studio play an acoustic through distortion pedals to gain a fat sound.
I always loved what Monte Montgomery and Tim Reynolds accomplished with acoustics and effects pedals, yet those two ran their acoustics mostly as electrics. But Charlie Worsham is the first person of whom I took note, particularly within the Country format, utilizing a dual pickup system. I now plan to do the same with my Larrivee LV-04E. (Would you perhaps know what soundhole pickup Charlie has in his Martin M-36? Also, I would love if you or Truetone Lounge could get Charlie onto discuss his gear setup and his general approach to music.)
Love your channel!
Thank you, and Charlie would be a great guest for the Lounge!!
Excellent, can’t wait to hear this! It will help with my own videos a lot. Thanks Zac
I hope so.
This is how Steven Curtis Chapman achieves his live tone as well. Engineers swear by it!
Maybe it's just me but it sounded great until you added the trem. The trem was very woofy for me, imho.
I could never get comfortable with a sound hole PU because it often got in the way when using a pick.
TEACH ME SOME MELODIOUS SONNET SUNG BY FLAMING TOGUES ABOVE
Useful tip Zac - thank you, gonna give this a go :)
I think you will enjoy. Thanks for watching!
@askzac can that bill Lawrence pickup be plugged directly into an electric amp without pedals? I found a used one, but the volume output is _really_ low directly into my amp. Almost inaudible. Just wondering if thats the norm or maybe it needs a preamp or DI to boost it to a normal “amp” level?
Yes
I have a 1939 Martin 00-17 that would be perfect for a sound hole pickup, funny I never thought of doing this before. Thanks Zac!
It is a nice combination.
Great video Zac 👍 Huge Lanois and Leventhal fan. Gonna grab that book and that pickup now 😂
Do it! they are both worthwhile. Thanks for watching and subscribing! Zac
I have a very nice Waterloo king jumbo. My old Martin’s stay home and this Waterloo goes to town with me. Lately I’ve begun using fishman sound hole pickup which combines an internal mic.
You know it’s just so easy to use. It never sounds bad. Sound men seem to love it.
I have some very good K&K pickups and preamp setups in my guitars but they seem to be selective in the situation.
is the Echo Park your main delay? Never though of it but looking for a new delay for the road and trust your taste!
I use it for long delay or a Boss DD-2. For slap back I use a Boss DM-3.
I learn things every time I watch. Thank you
You’re a great communicator, thanks 🙂
Hello
Can I plug the magnetic\microphone pickups (for example:Harley Benton TrueTone SH-30 Pro Active) directly into the mixer Dynacord (analog or digital etc) and that the guitar sound comes out to the speakers connected to the mixer?
> Or do l need some accessories? (Guitar amps, Preamps)
Sure you can
Thx you very much!
Another great episode. I was just looking into sound hole pickups and had never thought of this concept. I also really like that guitar. Thanks Zac
Thank you, Barry. Waterloo makes great instruments
That is a great trick. Can't wait to try it in the studio
I think of doing the opposite - adding a piezo pickup to my electric guitar. Not to sounds like an acoustic. But to make it more percussive when strumming.
Hello Zac :D I've just become the proud new owner of a Fender DG3 1996 50th Anniversary sunburst acoustic guitar she's a beauty :D I really want to get a sound hole pickup for her so I can practice Rocksmith with acoustic guitar :D
Cool! I'm about to pull the Fishman piezo pup out of a $20 trashed acoustic & bung it in my "back from the dead, many times" mid 80s Aria Japan dreadnought. 1st guitar bought with my own wages... The bridge lifted mid 2000 ish, so I glued it & put a $12 brace to take the weight off the bridge. Unbelievable brightness & so easy to play. Rings out like a bell ❤
Zac, you are my go to for the last video of the night. I learn a lot and your mellow demeanor is a perfect fit. Thanks.
Awesome, thank you!
I have an old Bill Lawrence pick up somewhere in my house. I used it for a while, many years ago, as the primary source to amplify my acoustic. I hated it so put it off to the side and had a Barcus Berry transducer installed into my D-35. The Barcus was bright, but the D-35 was bassy, so it was a pretty good combination for its day.
Amazing! thanks for sharing this.
Do anyone know what is Marcus Mumford doing with his sound? Saw his liveshow in a park with alternative tuning, a soundhole pickup and (maybe), electric flatwound strings in his acoustic guitars... not sure if it is accurate, but his sound was fantastic!
Greetings from Chile
Thanks Zag.. Really love your “no Fuss” approach to reviews. Your inspire, and surely save us quite few quids in “dead end roads” of useless purchases 😅 greetings from Denmark.
Excellent playing!
Dimarzio dp1 think aswhat they called it, humbucker size 6 poles adjustable, hard wire coated , great sound though .
As usual Zac, always informative info. Much appreciated! RIP Reggie
Thanks, Rick
Two things that got my attention. First, the fact that you got a great acoustic sound out of and electric tube amp. Then there's the way the microphone picks up the sound of the guitar body and then the amp where the time alignment is just different enough to actually enhance the overall sound. It gives it texture. I'm sure that when you were recording the video that wasn't even something anyone was thinking of. That time alignment thing is a killer effect all by itself.
I have a little inexpensive Gretsch Jimdandy that actually has surprised me. I don’t have any pick up on it and am thinking about it now. Thank you.
Love your videos , I ounce owned a mid 30's L -00 , it was in excent condition but I needed cash and sold it for a lot less than it was appraised for . Lesson learned , don't get married .
The sound without the pick up, I heard the the start of like the rain by clint black sound. I like that guitar.
The two pickup system works really well in a Helix ;-)
Good info!
@@AskZac I've got an acoustic guitar with two independent volume controls, and it's sweet in the Helix ;-)
I do this with an lr Baggs vt pickup and a p100 in a epiphone ej160e
Great info Zac. Thanks
You are so welcome, friend.
U the man zac
wich is the brand of your guitar?
Waterloo
I never thought of using the sound hole pickup (thru pedals) in addition to the built in pickup. Hmmmm.
Ok. I'm convinced. Lol
LOL
I will definitely be messin round with that idea
Thanks Zac 👍
Sir , can I use sound hole pickup with Android phone for recording??
Love from india
I used one through an amp and recorded it on my phone.
Can I do this without an amp like directly plug in android using a 3.5 mm converter???
@@pradiptyabanik596 I am sorry, but I am not an expert on andriod phones
@@pradiptyabanik596 Try it and let me know please.
I have a piezo pickup installed and a fishman rare earth installed. Might use both for live settings, would it work?? Best of both worlds
Yes, that will work
Thank you. You didn't mention the strings. Are they bronze or nickel wound?
Bronze
😮
Zac, would it be possible to install the Bill Lawrence, and k&k, together through a stereo jack? I’ve got an Eastman 12 fret that I’ve struggled to find a good pickup for. I love the lr baggs m1a, but it is too large. The Lawrence would fit, I’m just concerned about having to removed it Everytime, and having the cable dangling. I play a good many solo gigs, and when I play acoustic at church, we run witless through shure packs.
absolutely they could be wired to a stereo jack. I have been tempted to get that done.
Can you have 2 jacks coming out of guitar straight to mixer and blend the two?
Hello
Can i plug the pickup with magnetic\microphone (for example:Harley Benton TrueTone SH-30 Pro Active) directly into the mixer Dynacord (analog or digital etc) and that the guitar sound comes out to the speakers connected to the mixer?
> Or do l need some accessories? (Guitar amps, Preamps)
Zac thank you! I’ve been experimenting with dual pick ups for a little over a year. I love love pedals! Probably to a fault. I use the trinity pick ups and only add a slight delay and verb. But with my double helix sound hole pick ups I run the rest of my effects. Mainly analog. I do have an analog distortion pedal which I add faintly for grit on a breakdown. I’ve considered adding an analog compressor to it at a very low level but not sure. I am struggling with the eq aspect. I might consider removing the delay and reverb from the K&K trinity and seeing how that sounds. More acoustic videos on dual pick ups would be appreciated. Oh and Strymon pedals and jam pedals work amazing on acoustic btw!
Your thoughts on using compressors? Thanks again
I have an epiphone dr-100 and upgraded to bone and graphtech neck bridge and sounds good, but I have a seymour duncan woody that isnt noise cancelling and I am wondering if I bought a soundhole feedback eliminator that covers the soundhole, if that would help, and would both fit and work together because it is based on squeezing in the sound hole and needs a ridge to fit in, the pickup and does that work, have you seen the two together before?
You can use the 2 together, but it takes some careful cutting of the rubber.
@@AskZac Ok, I was thinking about that but didnt want to ruin it, but that sounds like it will work.lol
I have been using a Lawrence on my Martin M-36 for over 40 years with a little reverb and chorus. I play solo through a PA with a drum machine (a Beat Buddy in recent years). Nothing I've tried gives a nice full sound that I get with the Lawrence. I have a Taylor 717 with their ES2 system and I much prefer the sound of the Martin/Lawrence setup. I use extra light PB strings and a Fender Thin pick. The thin pick creates an articulation and clarity that is missing with a medium pick on this setup.
I landed here because the cord on my Lawrence is broken and I was looking for a single pole alternative that I could mount more permanently with an end pin jack. Thank you for validating my setup! I will take the soldering iron to my Lawrence.
OMG I have M36 that I love to Pieces my favorite guitar ever. I already have a K and K and a Fishman Matrix but something is wrong with my K&K gets a loud booming noise if I barely touch the top of the guitar and I've been wanting to do the soundhole pickup dual Source thing. Now I just have to go find one of these Lawrence soundhole pickups. Is there something special about the Lawrence or does any soundhole pickup like a higher-end Fishman would be just as good?
Hello
Can i plug the pickup with magnetic\microphone (for example:Harley Benton TrueTone SH-30 Pro Active) directly into the mixer Dynacord (analog or digital etc) and that the guitar sound comes out to the speakers connected to the mixer?
> Or do l need some accessories? (Guitar amps, Preamps)
Great video!
As a singer songwriter one man band looking for ways to fatten up live shows this was exactly the encouragement I needed.
It works great for that!
What a great idea! So many applications. Thanks for the heads up!
You are so welcome!
Love me some waterloo
Nice. Wish mine could do that.
You can
Fun to find this. I was doing something really similar in the late 70's. About the only interior pickups were Barcus Berry, but Ibanez had just introduced "The Bug". I installed 2 onto the soundboard of my 76 Guild F50r, put in the Lawrence FT145. The Ibanez fed to a Maestro phase shifter, the Lawrence direct to the amp(Peavey Deuce 2x12 BIG tube amp). If I need a bigger sound(or recording) I set up a Sure SM57 & used 3 separate channels in my Yamaha EM150 PA.
I will warn those looking for the REAL Lawrence FT145, to make sure it IS made by Bill, NOT the latter pickup that George sold(under the same name & model #). They are NOT the same. Look for the "script" logo not the "printed" one. I got two from Bill at LSR in Nashville(late 70's), he also turned me on to the new HD pickup, red face inset instead of the black. I still have the HD & 1 of the 145's(& the Guild F50). Since then I've bought a few more, including the Archtop model that connected to the end of the fretboard.
As an aside, A very good friend & dobro wizard, said that the FT145 was the best, most realistic pickup for resonator guitars. I used 1 along w/a piezo on the cone of a Dobro(much the same as on the vid)
Another aside, when Guild introduced the B50 acoustic flattop bass, we spread the spring on a FT145 & amplified was as close to an upright that we ever hears(at the time).
The array of pickups is amazing 50 years later, but i'll never swap out my FT145.
Zac has always been inspirational & brings back memories, Thank you sir!
I really enjoy your channel and that sounds great!
Thank you so much!
From the Edge of what?
context?
In those sound bites , was the K&K in operation?
No, you are hearing the natural sound, and the Lawrence through the amp.
@@AskZac I also have the same pickup and the same age, I find it best with a nickel set , bronze seemed a bit unbalanced with louder unwound strings than wound, do you find that ?
@@petemathisonguitar5761 I found the same.
any tips on how to reduce buzzing on these kinds of pickups that have no volume or tone control knobs?
The one I am using is a hum bucker. What are you using?
@@AskZac I have a300 pretty sure it's humbucker. It looks like the one in this video but silver plated
@@julesnominal1804 what are you plugging it into?
@@AskZac direct into my soundcard interface. I guess I could help with stuff in between like a preamp
There is a button on my machine that has a boost for 1/4 inch inputs but it's not great
@@julesnominal1804 Do you get the same noise if you plug it into a PA or an amp? Is this from being too close to the screen?
I was in a two piece acoustic band for a few years in the late 80s. The 6 and the 12 string guitars both used sound hole pickups, then went into a first generation scholz rockman on the clean setting with the delay and or chorus setting, and into the mixer.
The Rockman was a great box
Every video you put out is awesome Zac...thank you.
I appreciate that!
Dimarzio looks a lot like yours
The Bill Lawrence a245c acoustic sound hole pickup on sale for around $50 at Amazon used they are $300 on eBay is the one on Amazon same as the vintage
No. $300 is crazy high though. Look for ones with the stylized font, and perhaps a brass plug. Those are 80s models made by the real Bill Lawrence.