Lyric and Martin 00021

[gitaar0]

I installed the Lyric in my 1946 Martin 00021 and I am struggling to get a good sound. It works very well for direct reCording but as a pickup for live sound I still have to fiddle with it.
It is apparent that it works very well as an internal mic but it also amplifies every resonance that is inherent of the guitar.
My Martin has a resonance at around 2,5khz that I am not able to dial out with the amps I have. I have noticed this also with my UST and mic combo, but somehow it was not as evident as it is now wih the Lyric.

I changed the position of the Lyric a couple of times:
- under the sadle (on my Martin there is almost no room there for the Lyric as the bridgeplate is there
very close to the bracing and the lyric is fysically stuck between bracings and endpin) : very clear sound but with extreme resonance peaks at around 2,5khz.
- behind the end pins on the bridge plate: same sound but less clear, as if the resonance is now dominating.
- on the top, off the bridgeplate towards the endpin: best result for now, in a way more balanced. Still some correction needed for which I will need a parametric eq probably.

As the direct recorded sound is good, it seems like the sound the Lyric picks up coming back from the amp is an important factor. Logical as this is what also happens when you have a mic in front and run that through a monitor.

Still some stuff to try. I am open to suggestions if another location of the Lyric in this guitar would be an option.
Marc

[Caleb_Elling]

Hey Marc,
Have you adjusted the Mic's Treble control at each placement point? Adjusting that control, in the volume control housing, can make or break the overall sound of the Lyric system.

Resonances are inherent in every guitar. So if you are having issues, you may want to look into an EQ of some kind to dial out some specific frequencies. Changing the treble control is the best place to start though. The adjustment tool should have been included in the box when you purchased it.

[gitaar0]

hi Caleb,

Thanks.
Yes I have been adjusting the treble.
The resonace peak is in a different register, lower then the treble range.
I will have to get a preamp with a parametric eq to solve this.
It is not what I was hoping, but maybe it is because of this guitar specifically.
I will experiment more with the placement. Any more suggestion on that?

I am wearing out the adhesive. Is there more that I can get somewhere?
I am in Europe.

[Caleb_Elling]

The main thing that I would recommend is to make sure that the mic is not hanging over the edge of the bridge-plate at all. If it is, the sound pressure reading will be off and cause some odd overtones.

If you can get it closer to the bridge, even if it has to mount to the top, it will sound better than it would hanging over the side of the plate.

If you email me at [email protected] with your address, I'll send you some more mic adhesives.

[gitaar0]

I understand your suggestion and the consequence of installing it on a non-flat surface.
Installing on the bridgeplate is not going to work in this guitar. Too much resonance that I can not dial out ( boxy and hollow) It is installed now just behind the bridgeplate on the top but not touching the bridgeplate, as to avoid strange reflections. It is better but still there is a bit more resonance that is hard to dial out then I would prefer. How much of the surface around the lyric should be "flat"? Would you advice putting it further to the endpin to avoid starnge reflection to the edge of the bridgeplate or even putting it somewhere else?

I have sent an email with my info.
Thanks

[Caleb_Elling]

As long as the entire mic is over a flat surface, the mic should respond normally. If the mic is on a flat surface, and you've adjusted the treble control, and the system still sounds off, there is a chance that the mic or the preamp are bad. I've only seen this issue once since we've started shipping the Lyric, and it is something we test for. However, since it might be the root issue, I wouldn't mind replacing the Lyric for you.

If you email me at [email protected], I can set you up with what you need.