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Semi Acoustic Guitar
Does anyone know
1) What level is produced by an active pick up in a semi acoustic guitar. Is it highre than mic level or lower?
2) What connector is typically used in a SA Guitar. I know its a 1/4 inch jack but is it sleev/ ring or tip /ring / sleeve.Thanks
Peter -
4 Replies
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Hello Peter,
Two things to think about here; semi-acoustic and pickups.
I have a semi-acoustic Telecaster. That’s more like a solid body electric than some of the larger, more hollow guitars that you frequently see being played by jazz guitarists.
The electronics is more what you’re asking about and the range can be pretty wide when you consider standard pickups, beefed up pickups and active electronics.
Among active pickups, there is broad spectrum of design. To get to the answers to the questions you’re asking, you really need to find out what that particular set of electronics is about.
Regards,
Ty Ford
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Watch Ty play guitar -
Hu Ty
Ill try to find out more tech spec on his guitar.In general do you find that guitar pick up outputs are
balanced jack, unbalanced jack or FXLR?
PeterPeter
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“Most” are 1/4″ TS, unbalanced, high impedance.
If I’m tracking with the pickup, I plug the guitar into a direct box then go low impedance, mic level to the rig. I use Groove Tubes Brick and DITTO tube circuit direct boxes. There are others. This is a versatile way to record because it allows you to reamp the signal.
With reamping, during mixing, you take that direct track and feed it to a guitar amp and mic the guitar amp and bring the miced amp back into the mix. (usually not in the same room as the one you’re mixing in.) That way you have the performance and a LOT of tone flexibility.
Regards,
Ty Ford
Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Watch Ty play guitar -
[Peter Groom] “What level is produced by an active pick up in a semi acoustic guitar”
It SHOULD be “instrument” level, or roughly -22@1v (according to my very old 1960s reference manuals). But since it’s an “active” system it’s probably a lot higher, maybe closer to -10 (consumer line levels). As Ty mentioned, it really depends on the actual system, the level of the battery and the load presented.
The output jack is wired TIP=signal/SLEEVE=ground. Some guitars do have a balanced output but they are rare, and they output a +4 level, usually through an XLR. also called a built-in D.I.
I guess I’m showing my age with that “instrument level” comment, eh?
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