2012 OM-02E - great box, pickup dissappointing

[danmcb]

hey guys and girls,

I just picked up this guitar used (my first Larrivee as it happens) and I'm very happy with it. I play mostly fingerstyle and really fell for the tone of this guitar.

It's fitted with some kind of piezo system, tone and volume accessible via the sound hole. 9V battery can only be replaced when removing strings.

I tried this through my Fishman mini-brute and actually have been a bit underwhelmed by the quality. Today I took it to a local guitar shop and had a very experienced player look, he agreed with me. B and A strings are really bright, E and D are dead. String balance is all over the place. Also the tone is pretty nasal and twangy even for a piezo.

We were wondering if there is maybe an installation problem. I will take it in in a week or two and get their tech to take a look. Actually though, I am not crazy about the battery that requires string replacement to access. I might just get them to pull out what's in there and put a K&K system in. I've had great results with them. Sound great, no battery required ...

Any ideas, suggestions, thoughts?

Many thanks, much happy twanging to ya.

[unclrob]

It sounds like the saddle isn't fitted right on the pickup,a good tech shouldn't any problem fixing it.As for the battery I'm guessing that its mounted on the neck block,see if you can get a battery bag that can be velcro'ed inside the guitar.I mount the battery just south of the sound hole on the back of the guitar.To change the battery all you need is a pair of long hemostats which will allow you to pull the battery up on the high E side and change it and use them to put the battery back on the velcro.It takes some practice to get use to changing the battery but you don't have to change the strings to replace the battery.Setting the battery there means that just detuning the guitar you can reach in and pull it out.

[ducktrapper]

Hard to say. Congrats on the new guitar. However, you don't say whether the pup is original or after market. And ... where's our donuts?

[danmcb]

Original pickup I think. Guitar is like it just came out the box.

I am remiss. My apologies. Here you go:

 

[ducktrapper]

Thanks so much. So, no barn door? If the controls are accessible through the sound hole, it may be a Fishman Matrix Infinity which is a very fine pickup. I've never heard of Larrivee using that kind of pup, however. Like Rob says maybe just not properly seated. Easy to fix and if it's a Matrix or of similar quality, well worth it.

[danmcb]

here is what is visible through the sound hole - pic attached.

[danmcb]

according to this review it's a Shadow nanoflex. The description matches what I see on the guitar.

https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/larrivee-om-02e-571879

[ducktrapper]

Well, where have I been? Okay but it still sounds like the likely problem is the set up and not the pickup. With a used guitar, you never know what the previous owner may have done. Taking it out and putting it back in is not out of the question. Or maybe they screwed up at the factory. Who's to say?

[danmcb]

yes indeed. I'll get my local guru to take a look. I must say though these Shadow pickups, just going from this YT vid -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpPcUSOwFzE

I think the K&K one with the 3 or 4 elements just sounds better.

[danmcb]

and by the way - thanks all for the friendly advice. Just wanted to put it out there and see if anything was already known about these.

May your donuts never break up and fall in the coffee.