Why don’t we like active electronics in a guitar?

[Maplelover]

to quote Bill Lawrence, "Batteries belong in flashlights."

and women might add to that

 

[Axeman826]

I Like them View attachment 511883 View attachment 511884

The man likes his Ibanez axes!!.. I like 'em too!!..

 

[Axeman826]

I can dig having a battery for a Sustainiac, otherwise, Nah, not for me... I have learned, throughout the years how to tweak my EQ through amp, guitar and pedal settings..

 

[Chipss36]

Not for me.

and I threw out my wireless keyboard and mouse as well.

I need less things to run a battery, not more.

and I am happy with my old crusty Luddite pickups.

 

[SlimTurnpike]

I have several Alembic guitars and guitars with Alembic PUs and electronics. The battery is no big deal. I always check and replace, if necessary, prior to a gig. I also always have extra batteries and a small tool set with me. I have built a couple of guitars with Fishman Fluence PUs and their clever rechargeable battery built into the tremolo cover. Great sounding PUs, but if you forget to recharge the battery you have a problem you don’t encounter with a 9v battery.

And the low impedance Alembic PUs sound great, especially for clean playing.

Bill, tgo

The Fishman Fluence pickups Greg Koch uses in his signature guitars supposedly go 300 hours between charges. They sound great.

 

[rlongnt]

I love love love my Lincoln Brewster Strat. Nitro finished, not true to any time period freak combo of old and new with a 9 volt battery and all. Although I recognize he’s an amazing artist it’s not even my style but oh my gosh that guitar picked me; not the other way around. We break our normal rules for things we love.

I love my standard config ones too.

 

[El Gobernador]

408.

 

[El Gobernador]

Microphones have had phantom power for decades.

Yep. Telefunken. Neumann.

 

[lazloryder]

I have 3 guitars that have active electronics. 2 of these are Fender Stratocaster Elite’s from 1983 and 1 Mexican Fender Stratocaster powered by Roland. They both have sounds that I like a lot.

Although the batteries are a small nuisance, if you like the guitar and want to use it.....get over it .....and plan. This involves thinking, so as to manage the batteries. It’s not hard. Make sure you have a spare, check the power level before a gig and take the battery/ batteries out before putting the guitar into storage for a period of time.

What is hard about that.

Bro, I’m a guitar player, not a spare batter checker storer guy!

 

[Namelyguitar]

What is this battery powered circuit you speak of? (All 3 of my electric basses are equipped this way!)

 

[mark1406]

https://guitarnuts2.proboards.com/thread/8288/bill-lawrence-filter-analysis

Here is the story behind the Lawrence Q filter. As usual there is an attenuation of the signal. On a Strat bridge pickup you want an increase in mids and output.

Regards

Mark

 

[mark1406]

This thing has potential on a guitar. Great range and stability.



Regards

Mark

 

[mark1406]

Bro, I’m a guitar player, not a spare batter checker storer guy!

What about your effects pedals?

Regards

Mark

 

[lazloryder]

What about your effects pedals?

Regards

Mark

All DC powered. The one battery operated item in my rig is the wireless transmitter. But the Line 6 G10 is so convenient to keep charged. The old replaceable battery wireless systems I would never use.

 

[mark1406]

All DC powered. The one battery operated item in my rig is the wireless transmitter. But the Line 6 G10 is so convenient to keep charged. The old replaceable battery wireless systems I would never use.

Cool, I know people who have batteries in their effects too in case the power supply ceases to work.

To all and sundry. Below is a video on how the Lawrence W filter works. I get the feeling it’s best suited to high output pickups.



Regards

Mark

 

[stevierayfan91]

Hi , @mark1406

I am a bit puzzled. I would think an individual player could just choose if they want active pickups or active tone knob with battery etc.?

 

[mark1406]

Hi , @mark1406

I am a bit puzzled. I would think an individual player could just choose if they want active pickups or active tone knob with battery etc.?

Hi SRF

I was wondering what the average player thought?

In this age of Kempers and AXEFX etc, have guitarists changed their view on what an electric guitar is.

On one hand I get plugging into a non master volume head and playing music, though effects are popular so getting creative with all things might have gathered pace.

Regards

Mark

 

[G-Point]

What if it was better for having a preamp.

EMG pickups have had active tone controls available for ages. You can have more output and no treble loss. Many of the treble bleed circuits on volume pots aren’t that flash.

There could even be active hum cancelling for single coil pickups, Chris Kinman did this prior to coming up with his pickup range.

Regards

Mark

And Chris Kinman designed and made the best pickups without active electronics. Just passive, so perfectly made and totally hum-free.

 

[Higgins1980]

I build my own preamp with treble and bass boost and cut back in the early 80’s. I used it for years. It ran on 18 volts and was a heck of a contraption. It was called a Craig Anderson Clarifier and was in a GP magazine with Frank Zappa on the cover. I drilled and etched the board and every thing.

I would put EMG’s in my other guitars so they could almost keep up with my Strat with my home made preamp in it. My Focus 6000 Kramer still has EMG’s in it from the 80’s.

You can see the wire running to the guitar strap where the batteries are in the photo from under the pick guard ….. this is 84 or 1985…

View attachment 511902

Please tell my you still have that exact set of clothes and wear them regularly.

 

[mark1406]

And Chris Kinman designed and made the best pickups without active electronics. Just passive, so perfectly made and totally hum-free.

You’re preaching to the choir about Kinman pickups, I had a set of Mark 1 pickups in my Strat. I A/Bed them against normal single coils and they were as good if not better.

However, the point is are we ready to rethink what the electric guitar is. Active pickups, active tone controls, sustainor pickup etc, etc, etc.

Regards

Mark