Hybrid guitars, need advice

George E · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 5:51 pm Post subject: Hybrid guitars, need advice

OK, here's the deal. I'm basically an acoustic guitar strummer, but I'm almost always playing amplified. Currently, I'm playing a cheap Squier dreadnought that I've electrified with an Artec three-band preamp and a Squier sound-hole mounted single-coil pickup. Actually, I bought a piezo to use with the preamp, but chickened out when it came to shaving down my bridge to install it. The result is a rather nice sounding semi-electric.

But, it's a kludge, and I'd like to upgrade.

I've got my eye on two different hybrid guitars. (It would be more, but a Taylor T-5 or a Parker Fly are too expensive to even dream about.)

The first is a Micheal Kelley, which is basically a hollow body electric with dual humbuckers and a piezo in the bridge which can be used alone or blended with the humbuckers. It's an electric that moonlights as an acoustic.

The second is a Wechter Pathmaker. It's an acoustic with a double-cutaway body (I know, it sound weird until you see it). It has a piezo, a single coil in the sound-hole, and a condensor mic stashed away inside the guitar, plus electronics in the pre-amp to blend and control all three. It's more of an acoustic that can get electric when you need it to.

Does anyone have any experience with either of those two axes? Any suggestions or insights into factors to consider in making a choice?

markm2553 · Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 4:30 am Post subject:

George, if you ever play unplugged I think you will want an acoustic with a pickup rather than the T5 or semi hollow body type setup. They sound good and have a tone all their own, but they have to be plugged up.
I have heard several of the acoustics setup with the “blended” pickup system, using the under bridge and internal mic combo and they sound great. But are kind of pricey, I get a lot of mileage out of the factory installed LR Baggs setup in my Seagull. You might want to try a built in active under bridge type pickup system before you go the extra mile. I’m pretty rough on my equipment and the idea of an internal mic always brought me worries, but they may be totally unfounded as I have never owned one.
I play at different Churches now and again, and the active EQ helps get the best out of whatever the “house” PA has to offer. I’m sure there are better sounding setups available, but I like simple rock solid performance, and this thing sounds better than I can play anyway.
Good luck with your search, looking for a new guitar is always a lot of fun, wish I could go with you.

George E · Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:40 am Post subject:

Mark,

No matter what extra guitar I get, I'll still have my good old Squier acoustic.

I hear what you're saying about cost. All of the piezo & mic acoustic/electrics I've looked at have been really expensive. But the Wechter only has a MSRP of about $600 or so, and a street price around $450. And I'm watching a used on on eBay with a "buy it now" of $300, inlcuding shipping.

The Michael Kelly is also rather reasonable. A single pick-up version is around $450, the two pick-up version is around $550 - $600.

In the case of the Wechter, it's the only one I've seen that uses the Artec pick-up system. Everyone else seems to go for Fishman. Not that the Fishman products are worth every penny, but it takes a whopping big pile of pennies to buy them.

The Artec products seem to get good reviews on Harmony Central. Some are "good for the price" others are "good, period".

I'm more concerned with any specific feedback about durability from anyone who has used either one, or even other examples from those makers. I've had one too many guitars that were great out of the box that didn't hold up well over a few months playing. Actually, I only had one. But that was one too many.

George

George E · Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:45 pm Post subject:

I learned some new things, which some of you might find interesting.

Not only does Wechter make the Pathmaker with the Artec triple-pickup system, they also offer the triple-pickup system on a brand called "Maple Lake". These are conventional looking single cutaway acoustics, available in jumbo, grand auditorium, dreadnaught, and parlor sizes. They're also about $100 cheaper than the Pathmakers.

I also finally swapped out my Samick pickup and installed an Artec single-coil in the sound hole, and plugged into my Artec pre-amp. I gotta say, it improves the sound. It's still only a Squier, with a laminated (OK, plywood, might as well be honest about it) top. But the hot single coil in the soundhole near the neck gives it the same configuration as the old Gibson J-200's that John Lennon and George Harrison used to use.

I still want the triple-pickup system, but with the new Artec pick-up, I'm getting really nice, bright tones from my Squier. It's especially good at sounding "jangly".

markm2553 · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 3:31 am Post subject:

Sometimes a little bit goes a long way!
Thanks for the update George, please keep us informed on your search.

George E · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject: