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Post by gavdav on Aug 29, 2017 15:48:59 GMT
I've played Cropredy before but this year was something very very special for me! Also loved Richard Thompson's set and the final Fairport evening was amazing. (and I got to sing Meet n The Ledge with em too!)
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Post by gavdav on Aug 9, 2017 11:25:47 GMT
Phil Beer??! I was just about to say the same. Ben, do you know Phil? drop me a line on FB and I can put you in touch - he'd certainly be a good guy to do recommendations anyway.
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Post by gavdav on Aug 8, 2017 15:34:31 GMT
I use a DPA copy from Thomann which is surprising good. The mount does fall off, but I made a securing strap out of velcro which holds it (the mount) in place prefectly. I use it less since I got the rare earth blend, but it's a good back up on other instruments. This: Ovid DPA type copy
I have one of these, but I have found it's tendency to move mid show to be somewhat frustrating. I'm edging towards a Beta 57A, & thinking that if I combine that with the signal from the AKG contact mics I've been using that should give me a more natural sound whilst working within the limitations of the kind of venues I play. I made the couple of velcro fixings out of some fluffy velcro tape and a couple of cable ties for the Ovid and found it stayed put 100%. a bit reluctant to stick velcro to my guitar but it worked fine and didn't leave any marks
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Post by gavdav on Aug 8, 2017 12:36:01 GMT
Its quite a distinctive looking mic so you may recognise it. Looks like an (industry standard) Neumann U87 I wouldn't want to use one live outside of a small room setting like that, but they do sound great.
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Post by gavdav on Aug 7, 2017 11:15:31 GMT
I use a DPA copy from Thomann which is surprising good. The mount does fall off, but I made a securing strap out of velcro which holds it (the mount) in place prefectly. I use it less since I got the rare earth blend, but it's a good back up on other instruments. This: Ovid DPA type copy
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Post by gavdav on Aug 3, 2017 10:35:36 GMT
Indeed. the reviews are fairly universally great (people seem to have an issue with it not providing 48v to the instrument, but that's NEVER been an issue for me). My continual challenge has been finding something that did a good job of balancing different instruments and pickup systems, in terms of tone and impedance, and this does that and sounds natural (or at least fairly transparent). I have previously used the Headway (tiny fiddly controls) PZ pre (great with Piezo, not so great with magnetics or mics), the Baggs and its equivalent Behringer knock off, (not enough features or two inputs and the latter had a ghastly added shape/colour which didn't do anything nice). The D-tar made a nice sound but seemed quite divorced from the actual guitar sound! Its too easy to convince yourself that something else can do better than what you already have. Really nice to have this clear head-to-head comparison.
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Post by gavdav on Aug 3, 2017 10:08:34 GMT
I use one of these: www.deanmarkley.com/products/10582-ultrasound-di-max-outboard-preamptmI haven't come across anyone else using one this side of the pond, but it really does do a very good job. I keep thinking my gear snobbery should make me get something "better", but this handles soundhole, under saddle and mic based pickups very well, mixes two channels and is a very robust DI solution. Had it for about 2 years and never had any issues with sound persons either (a first!) Previously had the D-Tar Mama Bear and then a Radial PZ pre, which was much sexier, but this does a superb job.
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Post by gavdav on Aug 2, 2017 6:40:44 GMT
You're very safe, that's certainly not an "old avalon"
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Post by gavdav on Aug 1, 2017 15:24:20 GMT
I cleated and glued a crack on an old avalon using "sticky patches" made out of veneer cut with a craft knife, coated on one side with liquid hide glue and clamped on using a couple of neodymium magnets - worked a treat and I wouldn't have been able to hold them in place any other way
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Post by gavdav on Jul 20, 2017 13:05:52 GMT
Excellent, and confirms to me why I haven't got round to using mine! for sale on the forum if anyone wants one!
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Post by gavdav on Jul 20, 2017 8:12:52 GMT
Oddly, I find I (as a mostly plectrum player) cannot do alternate bass fingerstyle very well at all, but hybrid picked it sounds absolutely fine. I've only realised this in the past week, but expect to do a lot more of it!
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Post by gavdav on Jul 12, 2017 9:00:45 GMT
I have a lovely Lowden, and I always meant to have a pickup installed. Then I heard the sad news that Sheehans in Leicester had closed, and their brilliant luthier, Cedric, had returned to France. Can anyone recommend someone who they would trust with performing a delicate operation on a £3000-plus guitar? Buying the pickup isn't the problem. Finding someone trustworthy within a day's drive of my home is proving difficult. I've got a basic Fishman Rare Earth soundhole pickup installed in two Lowdens, and have lost count of the number of times people have commented favourably on the 'live' sound - plus, the installation work is non-invasive! yup - I've messed around with various things. Whilst I really don't like the look of the soundhole pickup too much, I have the Rare Earth blend in my Lowden (O32c) and it works better than anything else I've tried.
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Post by gavdav on Jul 4, 2017 9:43:25 GMT
I got to play this beastie at Halsway this weekend. It is an incredibly good instrument, superbly balanced, sounded great in any tuning you threw at it. Just lovely.
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Post by gavdav on Jun 27, 2017 12:21:52 GMT
I haven't played a bad one - I think they're a really good marriage of body shape and woods (some of the others listed above were quite different - Oberons are wonderful but a very mixed bag (all good but wildly different) in my experience). Hope it pans out for you!
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Post by gavdav on Jun 27, 2017 8:29:40 GMT
I am a long time Fylde fan - have owned two Oberons, a Caliban, an Olivia, two Falstaffs and a Leonardo. I am a "big" guitar person - I tune down to C and wanted a big, warm bassed, open sounding guitar and went for the Leonardo as it was the biggest guitar Roger did. I played everything up there before plumping for it and ultimately ended up playing my very battered Falstaff most of the time instead, and returned the Leonardo for resale a year or so later. I haven't found anything quite "big" enough from Fylde. The Falstaff sits in between a recently acquired Gibson slope D (for standard) and a Lowden O size cutaway (for Csus4)
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