IBeam ACtive

[CraigB]

I'm considering fitting an IR Baggs Ibeam Active to my L-02, and I would be grateful for any comments/suggestions around how good it sounds and how easy it is to fit

[unclrob]

Follow the instructions and installing is pretty easy.I use the Ibeam in my main gigging guitar and run it thru the PARA unit for more tone shaping control.Its also the one of the two pickups I recommend.I have become a big fan of the Baggs Anthem LS.My first Guild is being returned to me after living with my niece for a couple of decade's and I'll be ordering an active Ibeam for it.

[GGBB]

I have the iBeam in my C-09 (iMix actually).  It sounds exceptional - a very good natural sounding pickup which I love - but there are two things I don't like about it.  First is that it picks up quite a lot of surface noise whether it be your pick or fingernail hitting the pickguard, your palm sliding over the saddle or bridge pins, your sleeve brushing the top, or your body rubbing against the back.  Even the strap rubbing against the end and neck block get picked up.  The other thing is that it does tend to get lost in the mix easily compared to an undersaddle.

[unclrob]

Gord the downside's you mention my be caused more by the under the saddle part of the Imix.I use just the active Ibeam and don't have those issue's playing live.

[GGBB]

Gord the downside's you mention my be caused more by the under the saddle part of the Imix.I use just the active Ibeam and don't have those issue's playing live.

No - definitely not.  Those noises are only apparent when I have the iBeam in the mix.  When I pan the iMix to all Element (iBeam off), it's nice and quiet.  The iMix is actually the perfect tool for testing this since you can compare the sound of just the iBeam with that of just the Element.  I've read more than a few online comments about the iBeam being sensitive this way as compared to an undersaddle.  I don't think that it's specifically the iBeam - soundboards transducers in general pick up more handling noise which is part of the reason why they sound more natural than undersaddles.  And I suppose the guitar and the installation will have an impact on how noticeable it is.

[unclrob]

WOW!! I have never had that problem in any of the guitars that I've installed just the Ibeam in,including both client and personal guitars.I guess I need to listen even closer.but again its something that I have never noticed and I've installed a lot of active Ibeams.

[GGBB]

I put together a quick clip.  There are 5 sections - chord strum (to give an idea of the volume balance), bare forearm rubbed against corner of body as if strumming, fingernail tapped against pickguard, palm rubbed across bridge pins, and guitar moved around slightly on lap.  Each section is repeated, first time is iBeam, second is Element.  Each section except the chord strums are normalized by entire section (both samples) to -6dB in order to hear them better.

http://soundcloud.com/ggbb-music/element-vs-ibeam-handling

[Mr_LV19E]

Nice demo.