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Post by Amit on Dec 15, 2017 10:21:30 GMT
I've always used a thumbpick, it's made by ProPik, and I trim the pick itself all the way down, so it's *really* short. I pair that up with a couple of metal ProPik Fingertone fingerpicks. I find it damn near impossible to play without them, and find I get more speed and articulation with that combination.
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Post by Amit on Dec 5, 2017 10:27:18 GMT
Hey Martin, now that you've had it for a couple of weeks, I can completely understand if you've grown tired of the Romero and want to move it on. As it happens, and totally unrelated - I really like Romero banjos....
Just sayin'...
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Post by Amit on Dec 5, 2017 10:22:32 GMT
Kelly Joe Phelps, Paul Curreri, Blind Blake, Mississippi John Hurt, Dave Van Ronk, Nick Drake, John Fahey, Julian Lage, John Renbourn, Charlie Parr, Kris Drever, Nic Jones.
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Post by Amit on Dec 4, 2017 17:02:17 GMT
His tone...
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Post by Amit on Nov 22, 2017 22:40:30 GMT
Thanks, Amit I didn't know you were one of us Get yourself along to Halifax next year and we can compare notes I am indeed part of the *club*. I’m most certainly planning on coming along next year, looks great fun, and a banjo geek out seals the deal!
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Post by Amit on Nov 22, 2017 15:48:34 GMT
Crikey!!! I can't believe I've gone so long without seeing this post - what a find! I've been drooling over Romero's for ages, like you I was tempted to join their waiting list. I heard on a podcast somewhere this year the list was full within 2 mins of it being announced! So I always keep an eye out for a used one (as unlikely as that may be..!). Yours looks and sounds just wonderful, and I can well imagine it bringing you years of joy Also - I'm massively jealous!!!
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Post by Amit on Oct 8, 2017 1:32:06 GMT
I managed to catch his show in Birmingham the other day. Really nice guy, and a true talent - what a player!!
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Post by Amit on Sept 20, 2017 9:28:19 GMT
Hello! I'll be playing a support slot tonight for Miranda Sykes (Show of Hands) as part of her solo tour. It's at the Red Lion Folk Club in Birmingham, think it's £13 and starts at 7:45pm. Cheers
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Post by Amit on Sept 8, 2017 13:17:08 GMT
I've had a mini-jack connector installed too, so I can unplug the pickup and slip it out of the guitar between gigs, leaving just the cable inside. Great idea Amit - it's a pity Fishman don't take a leaf out of LR Baggs's book and supply the RE in that configuration. Was it a complicated/expensive job? I've considered having it done myself, it would make life a lot easier! Agreed it's a shame Fishman don't provide it like that. I had someone do the work for me, it was Colin Keefe based over in Long Eaton - not a million miles away from me, and he was doing some work on an old Martin guitar I own, all seemed relatively straight forward after he'd ordered the little mini-jack. I've got a small sticky pad thing in the guitar which folds over the hanging cable to keep it from moving around too much when it's not connected, all looks really tidy
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Post by Amit on Sept 8, 2017 12:01:12 GMT
I presume andyhowell meant external preamp, Vinny . There's no method of altering the internal preamp settings. An external preamp is pretty much essential for getting the best out of most pickups in my experience - not just because of EQ adjustability in the case of the Rare Earth Blend but because the output isn't great, and you really need the extra oomph from a preamp to give a good strong signal to the PA. And the more mic is dialled in, the lower the output - the mic must be taking quite a bit of the power from the rather weedy batteries. I agree with Amit that the Rare Earth gives a bit of "bite" to the sound which certainly works well for me. I like the simplicity and directness of it. I've had the basic RE humbucker in several guitars, but am in the process of replacing them with Blend models as funds permit. The mic mitigates some of the metallic, electric sounding edge that you get from most soundhole pickups, and to me that's worth the extra cost. I've never had problems with feedback, but I never have the mic/pickup blend control above half way; about 60% pickup/40% mic works best for me. Hope that helps. Agree with everything here, the output of the REB is pretty low, so an external preamp is a must. I have to have the gain set very high on my Session preamp due to the low output of the pickup, but it sounds really nice to my ears. The mic definitely takes away some of that warm electric sound, and I've not had any problems with feedback to date (I usually have the blend control pretty much exactly in the middle these days with 50% mic and 50% pickup). I've had a mini-jack connector installed too, so I can unplug the pickup and slip it out of the guitar between gigs, leaving just the cable inside.
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Post by Amit on Sept 6, 2017 9:31:31 GMT
I just love these threads about K&K :-) I'm not knocked out by the sound but then no pickup is going to be perfect. Increasingly I just want something that will get me through and sound reasonable. In my view a good preamp — like an Orchid or Headway — is more important for shaping the sound. Last summer my main guitar was having some work done it. I did a gig using my old Martin J40 _ the first time it had been out in over 15 years. This had a standard Fishman USt installed when I bought it (nearly 30 years ago). The sound guy was was using his own PA which he knew back to front. The guitar sounded fabulous! My main guitar has a Headway pickup in which I feel is a pretty good compromise. Today, if I was installing it I would go down the Rare Earth blend route or (even the new Mimesis Kudos system from Mike Vandem who designed the Rare Earth). Over the last couple of years this has been the best sounding pickup I have heard in live environments. It is expensive but probably worth it if sound quality rather than simplicity is your main goal. Those who use the Rare Earth ( Riverman , Amit ) report the same experience I have when blending a mic with a pick up. You don't need too much mic in the blend to make a really big difference. I'd be inclined to wire the Rare Earth so that it send a stereo out to my preamp for individual channel adjustment there. But, if you are looking for a quick plug in and play the standard setup is probably better. This Rare earth system is the best I have heard recently by quite a margin. I was intending to do a workshop at Halifax on pickups and amplification but have aborted this year year. I shall be coming up on the train with only one guitar! Might see if I can do a You Tube video though. Yep I've used nothing else, it has a bit of 'bite' to it, which seems to suit my playing style, and as Andy says, just a little mic can make all the difference. I previously used an LR Baggs Para DI with it, but have recently just been sending it through an LR Baggs Session DI then straight into the PA, it's keeps things simple and the Session (although I have no idea how or why) makes it all sound really rather nice.
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Post by Amit on Aug 17, 2017 12:59:35 GMT
Think Pete lent the very same Josephine I use with my friend Dan with whom I sometimes play in a bluegrass band with - small world eh? We're still learning the ropes with ours, it sounds incredible, can feedback if not careful and yes - might not stand up to more energetic gigging environments. It's also a bit of a challenge to get the balance right between everyone (we all stand around this single Josephine) but it sounds lovely when we get our positions right - we're learning. We've used it in pretty big rooms before and it impressed us, even if it's a little pricey! (helped that we went 3 ways on it when buying)
Worth saying as well, I supported a blues guitarist called Blind Boy Paxton not too long ago, in a small cafe setting. He was using a Louise, it was fab!!
Although the mic's themselves seem a tad fragile, they come in a really sturdy tool box, I've taken it abroad for a couple of shows before with no probs. So transportation is fine, but if they're in an environment where they might get knocked over or bumped into once they've been set up, then I'd avoid.
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Post by Amit on Jul 28, 2017 10:48:28 GMT
Phil Taylor , as a JL aficionado which of his CDs would you recommend as most representative of his playing? Well you may be surprised that I currently only have two of his CD's - 'Worlds Fair' and the duo one with Chris Eldrige. I have listed to the preview on Amazon.com of his others which vary a lot in style and feature electric guitar and are not solo. I am considering one called 'Arclight' in which he plays a Telecaster with a double bass and drums trio which can be seen on YT etc. I think my recommendation to you would be 'Worlds Fair' which is his only all solo album using his 1939 Martin 00018 and this is one of my favourite acoustic guitar albums, very melodic with some stunning playing. You can listen here link and buy a proper CD here AmazonPhil +1 on Worlds Fair - it's lovely
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Post by Amit on Jul 19, 2017 11:51:49 GMT
Amit — Am coming back from London on Sunday but I'll pop along if I can. Fascinated as to what gothic alt-country sounds like! Excellent - maybe see you then!
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Post by Amit on Jul 19, 2017 9:34:11 GMT
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