Exotic electronics

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mcourter
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2008/07/06 20:22:55 (permalink)

Exotic electronics

I've been looking at some Carvin guitars with items I've never used on a guitar, i.e.: coil splitters and a phase switch. In theory, the ideas seems terrific, a lot of options for your tone. The piezo acoustic bridge still kind of mystifies me. Anyone here have any experience with these things? Do they really make a difference?
Mark

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    ToneCarver
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    RE: Exotic electronics 2008/07/06 21:59:20 (permalink)
    Mark, I have a Carvin HF2 with coil splitters and a phase switch. I used them a little when I first got the guitar but now I almost never use them. They do provide some tonal variations but for me they are more of a once in a while thing than a regular use thing. YMMV of course. I don't have the piezo bridge so I can't speak to that. Does it have separate outputs for piezo and mag pickups ? Some guitars do and I have heard of people using different effect chains for the different pickups. Also, you could check with folks on the Carvin forums for opinions on the switching options too. They are an ethusiastic and helpful bunch. Slightly OT, I am very happy with my Carvin and would easily recommend them on their build quality and their customer service.
    #2
    The Maillard Reaction
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    RE: Exotic electronics 2008/07/06 22:21:22 (permalink)
    I have one guitar set up like this.

    The most obvious thing you'll notice is that output levels are all over the map when you switch between the choices. It's not so easy to be spontaneous because you're always having to adjust the volume knob to get a decent level and tone.

    best regards,
    mike
    #3
    mcourter
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    RE: Exotic electronics 2008/07/06 23:05:39 (permalink)
    Bill, I ordered a Carvin kit recently (a UPS horror story there!) and have been hanging out at the Carvin forums. The only problem there is a severe pro-Carvin bias: they're crazy about everything Carvin. But I'm also impressed by their fervor.

    Mike, the variance in volume isn't a real problem with me as I play mostly at home anyway. It's like the five way Fender switch: the solo neck and bridge settings are quieter than the rest. I can work around that.

    M

    A few guitars, a couple of basses, a MIDI controller, a mandolin, a banjo, a mic, PodFarm2
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    #4
    The Maillard Reaction
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    RE: Exotic electronics 2008/07/06 23:22:07 (permalink)
    "It's like the five way Fender switch: the solo neck and bridge settings are quieter than the rest. I can work around that."

    yes, that's sort of the idea... but I think when you start splitting humbuckers it seems to be a much more dramatic difference.

    best regards,
    mike



    edit: change "that's exactly the idea" to "that's sort of the idea" because on the Strat I'm playing today the solo settings are louder than the blend settings.
    post edited by mike_mccue - 2008/07/07 15:30:08
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    Rbh
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    RE: Exotic electronics 2008/07/07 00:11:30 (permalink)
    You can tap a humbucker as long as it has seperate wires out for each of the coils...I.E a 4 wire pick-up. They also have push pull switched built right into the tone or volume pots so there's no need to hack up any guitar that has standard 2 volume 2 tone pots like your lespaul probably has. Might be worth looking into modifying ( non destructively ) what you already have instead of a new guitar.

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    #6
    Jessie Sammler
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    RE: Exotic electronics 2008/07/07 00:11:56 (permalink)
    .
    post edited by Jessie Sammler - 2008/07/07 04:35:14
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    The Maillard Reaction
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    RE: Exotic electronics 2008/07/07 08:34:58 (permalink)
    .?

    :-)

    #8
    The Maillard Reaction
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    RE: Exotic electronics 2008/07/07 15:05:46 (permalink)
    I went to the locker and pulled out an old friend... I hadn't seen her in a couple years.

    It's my only split pickup guitar. The two switches make *mystery changes*... one is a 3 way, the other is a 2 way.

    anyways,





    post edited by mike_mccue - 2008/07/07 15:31:20
    #9
    mcourter
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    RE: Exotic electronics 2008/07/07 15:31:53 (permalink)
    What a collection! I love those space age pickup covers on the Rick. But who made that futuristic axe on the far right?

    A few guitars, a couple of basses, a MIDI controller, a mandolin, a banjo, a mic, PodFarm2
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    #10
    The Maillard Reaction
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    RE: Exotic electronics 2008/07/07 15:56:49 (permalink)
    The guitar at right is the split pickup guitar... sorry I forgot to point that out.

    It's a Hondo II made in Japan imported thru Texas solid body copy of the old hollow Danelectros from New Jersey. The Hondo Longhorn or Guitarilin guitars were cool pawn shop specials when I was a kid. The real Dannys were already considered funky chic and were hard to find or overpriced.

    This one has a factory installed shipped over from USA Dimarzio pickup with all the crazy tap and phase permutations... which means there's basically only one good setting... the regular humbucker... but good luck finding that setting ;-)

    best regards,
    mike
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    ackenwalls
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    Re:Exotic electronics 2011/06/23 17:30:35 (permalink)
    Exotic electronics is vertically integrated the core electronics manufacturing technology, circuitous assemblies. These are used in military infrared fire control, missile seeker, reconnaissance, navigation, surveillance and thermal imaging systems.
    post edited by ackenwalls - 2011/06/23 17:35:17
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    skullsession
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    Re:Exotic electronics 2011/06/23 19:57:28 (permalink)
    Mark...you might recall the custom guitar build I documented here on a thread a couple of years ago.  And if you do, you might also recall that I utilized a Seymour Duncan SH-2 and an SH-4 - I can split either, or both.  I also installed a Fishman Piezo Tunomatic bridge.

    As a reminder...here's the finished photo...



    I'm a big fan of being able to split pickups.  The tonal variations are huge when you take a humbucker down to single coil.

    Add the piezo capabilities to it, and it's just endless.  A guy with your playing ability would love it.  The ability to go from Nashville single-coil/piezo cleans to the heaviest of the heavy humbucking on the same guitar is super cool.

    Carvin's not a joke, for sure.  I've also been big fan of their stuff...from innovation to just plain quality.  Never understood why they don't rank among the elite.  On the other hand...I know a lot of elite players who also love Carvin stuff.

    HOOK:  Skullsessions.com  / Darwins God Album

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    #13
    skullsession
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    Re:Exotic electronics 2011/06/23 20:01:20 (permalink)
    Mike...I just haven't had that volume problem when I split pickups.  They might get a bit noisier....but I don't have any sort of noticeable volume problems.

    HOOK:  Skullsessions.com  / Darwins God Album

    "Without a doubt I would have far greater listening and aural skills than most of the forum members here. Not all but many I am sure....I have done more listening than most people." - Jeff Evans on how awesome Jeff Evans is.
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    The Maillard Reaction
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    Re:Exotic electronics 2011/06/23 21:07:44 (permalink)
    I'm not worried about it any more skull... I've turned that guitar into a infrared missile seeking guidance system.

    :-)




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