How to Run FM3 with Acoustic-Electric for Best Acoustic and Blended Sounds

vika12

vika12

Experienced
I’m considering buying an electric guitar that also has acoustic saddles. The guitar has 1 input jack and a 3-way toggle switch that can be set to magnetics or to piezo or to blend. I'm a bit concerned that the single input jack might not sound as good as A/E guitars with a double/stereo jack.

If I get this guitar, what is the best way to set this up with my FM3 to get the best acoustic and piezo/magnetc blend sounds?

At home I run the FM3 into a Xitone FRFR active wedge and at gigs I run the FM3 output 1 to FOH and output 2 to the Xitone.

Thank you.
 
Best acoustic tones would be via an Acoustic IR such as from 3 Sigma Audio in one IR slot, and your electric cab IR in the other.

Have parallel paths for amp and acoustic, with a mixer feeding the cab block, and via the mixer you can blend or solo one or the other path.

Another nice but not as realistic sounding option is something like the TC BodyRez in the FX Loop on the acoustic path.

You'll also need to have the mag pups feed one path via Input 1, and the piezos the other via Input 2 assuming you want to mix or cross-fade etc.

I've been doing this since the Ultra, works great.
 
You're sure the jack isn't stereo? I installed the Ghost system on one of my guitars and it has the same 3 way switch, and if you plug a mono cable in it'll send both down the same path, but if you plug a stereo cable in it will split it at the tip/ring.

If it's truly only a mono jack you're kinda screwed with being able to blend anything.

Like above, with my AX8 I use a stereo cable with a breakout at the floor end that sends the electric to input 1, the acoustic I send through a Zoom acoustic pedal, looper, and then input 2. The only awkward thing in my case is I have output 2 split off before the cab block (feeds a power amp & guitar cab on stage), so you have to choose whether you want to add the acoustic in to either output 1 or output 2, in my situation it can't be both because I don't want it to go through the cab block. So the acoustic goes only through FOH, not my stage cab (I have the input block last in line after the cab sim). ( <-- any AX8 people who know of a different way to do that, let me know)
 
I'm not sure if it's mono or stereo -- I'll find out. I know it's the Graph Tech Ghost system that has 6 acoustic saddles. I was not aware that there's a stereo cable that might be usable.
 
DJD100 said:
Best acoustic tones would be via an Acoustic IR such as from 3 Sigma Audio in one IR slot, and your electric cab IR in the other.

Have parallel paths for amp and acoustic, with a mixer feeding the cab block, and via the mixer you can blend or solo one or the other path.

Another nice but not as realistic sounding option is something like the TC BodyRez in the FX Loop on the acoustic path.

You'll also need to have the mag pups feed one path via Input 1, and the piezos the other via Input 2 assuming you want to mix or cross-fade etc.

I've been doing this since the Ultra, works great.
Click to expand...
With 1 output jack on the guitar I'm not sure I'd be able to utilize both FM3 inputs 1 and 2. ???
 
You can. Use a TRS 1/4" cable from the guitar output to a splitter (like an insert cable). Tip is magnetic/in 1, ring is piezo/in 2. I keep the switch on the guitar set for both and use a footswitch on the Fractal to change between them. There's a lot of ways to configure in the Fractal, you'll have to figure out what works best for you.
 
Thanks for your comments. After researching this further, I've decided against getting the piezo. It turns out that the single jack does not support TRS to TS (stereo) -- it simply sums to mono. In fact, my sales rep at the manufacturer advised me against it.
 
I have the ghost system in my Tele. I have a stereo jack in the guitar. The tip is magnetic, the ring is piezo. So I use a 1/4" TRS (stereo) cable from the guitar and split it out on the Fractal end with an insert cable similar to this (I got mine from Best-Tronics):

Amazon product ASIN B000068O5D
easy peezy, works great.
 
Rewiring a guitar for stereo operation is trivial, so you can do it yourself if you have the skills and tools, for the cost of the female 1/4" TRS connector ($2 max?), or find a local tech etc, as it should be inexpensive to get done.
 
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vika12 said:
Thanks for your comments. After researching this further, I've decided against getting the piezo. It turns out that the single jack does not support TRS to TS (stereo) -- it simply sums to mono. In fact, my sales rep at the manufacturer advised me against it.
Click to expand...

That still sounds incorrect, given that myself and others in this thread have had the complete opposite result...
 
vetteboy79 said:
That still sounds incorrect, given that myself and others in this thread have had the complete opposite result...
Click to expand...
Apparently, it's correct in this situation -- I've learned that they use the Ghost saddles, but not the Acoustiphonic system. The single guitar output jack is mono only and will not support TRS to TS stereo signals. Thanks for your help; I'm glad I researched this issue.
 
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