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Author Topic:   Kevin Hatton's Fluger Hollowneck
Hiro Keitora
Member

From: New York, New York

posted 09 June 2005 04:42 PM     profile   send email     edit
Folks! I just recieved Kevin's Fluger, and man, Bingo! That was the tone exactly I was looking for! I don't think you guys remember, but I posted to look for a Dobro with sweet, not in your face sound, but not a dead Dobro. I was leaning towards "California Dobro" from 30's, but then this Fluger caught my attention. It has an ultimate hybrid design. But I'm like one of those cat who tends to believe "hybrid" can be either "not good enough" for both world rather than capturing the best of both world. So to be honest, I was a bit skeptical before. Well, I was wrong this time...

The Fluger has that "oink, oink" sound, but it's more like Strat in out of phase kind of sound and it really is a neat sound!!

For you Dobro guys who's looking for bright and Brassy tone, I don't think Fluger is the way to go. It's almost if you want Gibson J-45, you won't pick up a Nylon strings guitar to satisfy your tone. Basically, I was looking for a Dobro that can do the tone of Iris Dement "My Town" kind of, sad, weak, but very sweet but alive sounding Dobro tone.

Well, Folks, I'm quite happy with this Fluger, but of course there's something I don't care for in it. That is Fishman active PU!! That things sucks to my ear. With a brand new battery, it's still not sensitive enough , and with that pre-amp built-in, I don't think we need to worry about plugging it in to any guitar amp, but through my '55 Bassman, '66 Deluxe Reverb, Webb 614-E, and Acoustic Image Clarus, I played through via Duanne Marrs Cabinets with JBL D-130F in them, the Fishman sounds weak and thin and useless. ( Unless something wrong with the circuit of that tiny pre-amp) but in any event, I'm not happy with the sound of Fluger with Fishman. It's useless, and not doing a justice for that wonderful Fluger Hollowneck Tone!! if you ask me.

But I'll tell ya again, the acoustic sound of the Fluger Hollowneck is faaaaaantastic! to me in my ears for doing solo Hawaiian/Folk Ballads type of things.

Well, I'm very, very pleased and happy with Fluger, but that $#@! Fishman has to go. That sounds terrible and it really bothers me.

Anyone suggest greatest sounding Pick-up? with EQ/Pre-amp built in to the guitar? I thought L.R. Buggs
stuff was pretty good on those "plastic" guitar called Rainsong. That system made that "plastic guitar" sounded so good.

I wanna give this beautiful Fluger a greatest sounding Pick up! Please guide me on this, folks!!

Dan Tyack
Member

From: Seattle, WA USA

posted 09 June 2005 07:46 PM     profile   send email     edit
The pickups all suck for dobros. The Fishman doesn't suck any worse than the others. The Baggs Para DI makes it almost acceptable amplified. For dobro, there's nothing better for live amplification than a good old SM-57.

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www.tyack.com

Hiro Keitora
Member

From: New York, New York

posted 10 June 2005 02:50 AM     profile   send email     edit
Dan, I think you're with me on this. But I like to try Braggs. Thanks for the info!
Drew Howard
Member

From: Mason, MI, U.S.A.

posted 10 June 2005 05:11 AM     profile   send email     edit
The reason why your dobro sounds weak thru your amps is that you need a buffer/pre-amp to bump up the signal.

What Dan said: LR Baggs Paracoustic pre-amp.

cheers,
Drew

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Drew Howard - website - Fessenden D-10 8/8, Fessenden SD-12 5/5 (Ext E9), Magnatone S-8, N400's, BOSS RV-3

Dana Duplan
Member

From: Ramona, CA

posted 10 June 2005 05:17 AM     profile   send email     edit
Hiro:
Since you already have the Fishman installed, I think it would be worth trying out the Fishman Aura. I'm not technically minded, but it is essentially a processing unit that takes the pickup signal, and emulates various microphones. I haven't heard of anyone using one with a reso yet, but folks are raving about the sound for regular acoustic guitars. You can try one in a store and if it gets close to the sound you need, you can send the instrument to Fishman and they will create a custom program for your specific instrument. You might contact them to find out their experience with resos and their Aura.
www.fishmanaura.com

DD

Hiro Keitora
Member

From: New York, New York

posted 10 June 2005 01:13 PM     profile   send email     edit
Humm...Fishman Aura, heh? O, by the way, the Fishman in this Fluger is one of those "Active" type with 9V battery, that's a pre-amp right there, so I don't know why output is not where it's at.

I've been thinking about having a good goose neck condenser mic to pick up the actual acoustic sound of this wonderful Fluger, but I think I'll run in to "Feed Back" problem...

Mark van Allen
Member

From: loganville, Ga. USA

posted 10 June 2005 02:54 PM     profile   send email     edit
Hiro, I'm another who's never been satisfied with the various reso pickups. I've been using an Audio-Technica AT-35 gooseneck mic (small, it's made for sax, I think) with very good results. You can't move into and out of the microphone for expression the way you can with a stand-mounted mic, but it gets very good acoustic tone, faithful to the reso sound. Small and un-obtrusive as well.

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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com

Hiro Keitora
Member

From: New York, New York

posted 11 June 2005 12:31 PM     profile   send email     edit
Mark, that Audio-Technica don't give "feed-back" problem when you play through amp and monitor?

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