Obtained: Highlander battery box or similar

[Michael Messer]

Sept 17, 2019 9:10:52 GMT snakehips said:

Never had any issues with the battery box or pickups, ONLY the preamps.

The Orchid Electronics Acoustic Preamp works at 18V phantom power.
I don't understand the specifics about the difference only that I was told because of working at 18V, it gives the guitar signal more clean headroom, and thus less piezo quack.
Into big gig PA systems, the Orchid Electronics unit preamps the pickup signal, is powered by phantom power (so never need to worry about 9V batteries), and it DI's the signal to the mixing desk. I still dial down some treble and boost the bass (on the unit) on some of my Nationals, as not sure if the PA guy will make changes as I change guitar. This way, I just need the one standard (mono) jack to (angled) jack cable, and swap guitars as needed.
I used to use separate Highlander battery boxes, separate cables and separate PA channels for each Highlander but eventually found I just didn't need to as their signals as similar enough.

If I do a short wee solo support slot, I might plan on bringing just ONE guitar (ooh, that's rare !) - and thus use a National that I have the full Highlander system with battery box instead, but I prefer the Orchid Electronics preamp now. As I said,I clamp mine on (with the included clamp) to my keyboard stand leg, but it was designed to clamp on to your microphone stand so it's right in front of you.

Interesting. I have never had any of the problems you appear to have experienced with Highlanders regarding needing more clean headroom or getting rid of a piezo type of "quack", and I have played on hundreds of big stages through powerful PA systems. I am usually removing low end, not adding it. I would not be able to use one channel for two guitars as the signal coming from a Tricone is so different to the signal coming from a single cone guitar, and I need them both live because sometimes I change guitars during a song. I have recently been enjoying using the Highlanders and a mic, which gives me a very powerful sound, but still has the ambient sound that you get with a mic. Whenever I travel to performances in airplanes I usually only take one guitar. I have heard good things about Orchid Electronics from a few players, but not resophonic guitar players, apart from you. I would like to try one.

Shine On
Michael

[snakehips]

Hi Michael,

To be fair, I've hardly ever used a Tricone and single-cones at a gig.
Never really gel'd so well with Tricones, and even less with the Magnaphonic pickup.
Thus, I've not had the EQ issue (or bothered much with it). Sure, the IP-1X and Magnaphonic do require quite different EQ and volume settings.
Think I'm a single-cone kind of a guy.
Perhaps if my first reso was a Tricone, instead of much later in the game, I'd feel different.

I first heard about Orchid Electronics from Jim Murray & Pete Mason (the Hokum Hotshots).
I believe they have been using their custom-built Orchid Electronic acoustic preamps for 25yrs or so.
I saw Jim play his Style O about 15yrs ago in Dundee and was struck with how authentic-sounding his vintage National Style O sounded, through his PA system. And, ehrm, playing as good as he does, does help !!
As I couldn't see any mic in fromt of the guitar, I asked him after the gig what he was using - and he told me about using the Orchid preamp, with the Highlander pickup (but without it's preamp). That was enough for me to convince me to get one too (the standard unit, at £180 it was, now £200 I think).
orchid-electronics.co.uk/acoustic.htm
The picture of the mic-stand bracket doesn't look anything like the one on my preamp - I'd ignore that picture (the real thing is better looking !).

Also, the Mute button on the top side of the unit is very easy to press even with finger&thumb picks on.
When powered up, it starts on Mute, so no horrible pops and feedback if set too loud). Got a tuner output socket too (although I use clip-on headstock tuners.

[Michael Messer]

Sept 18, 2019 7:55:05 GMT snakehips said:

Hi Michael,

To be fair, I've hardly ever used a Tricone and single-cones at a gig.
Never really gel'd so well with Tricones, and even less with the Magnaphonic pickup.
Thus, I've not had the EQ issue (or bothered much with it). Sure, the IP-1X and Magnaphonic do require quite different EQ and volume settings.
Think I'm a single-cone kind of a guy.
Perhaps if my first reso was a Tricone, instead of much later in the game, I'd feel different.

I first heard about Orchid Electronics from Jim Murray & Pete Mason (the Hokum Hotshots).
I believe they have been using their custom-built Orchid Electronic acoustic preamps for 25yrs or so.
I saw Jim play his Style O about 15yrs ago in Dundee and was struck with how authentic-sounding his vintage National Style O sounded, through his PA system. And, ehrm, playing as good as he does, does help !!
As I couldn't see any mic in fromt of the guitar, I asked him after the gig what he was using - and he told me about using the Orchid preamp, with the Highlander pickup (but without it's preamp). That was enough for me to convince me to get one too (the standard unit, at £180 it was, now £200 I think).
orchid-electronics.co.uk/acoustic.htm
The picture of the mic-stand bracket doesn't look anything like the one on my preamp - I'd ignore that picture (the real thing is better looking !).

Also, the Mute button on the top side of the unit is very easy to press even with finger&thumb picks on.
When powered up, it starts on Mute, so no horrible pops and feedback if set too loud). Got a tuner output socket too (although I use clip-on headstock tuners.

Thanks for that info. I'll check one out someday.

"Also, the Mute button on the top side of the unit is very easy to press even with finger&thumb picks on".... I don't smoke any more, but when I did I could roll a cigarette and make a cup of tea with finger & thumbpicks on. Once they're on, they stay on for the whole session/evening. I have been wearing them for 40 years.

Shine On
Michael

[bonzo]

But you have to be careful where you scratch or pick! Lol!
(You can always rely on me to lower the tone).

Best wishes to you all, John

[Deleted]

Indeed you do John. An apocryphal tale used to do the rounds about Nick Lowe,who played with a thumbpick, needing a quick toilet visit before going on stage due to having ingested a white,grainy like substance one of the constituent parts of which was baby laxative. I'll leave the rest to your imagination.

[Michael Messer]

Shine On
Michael :-)