SE HB II Piezo IR suggestions?

[Flash6]

Just brought home a gorgeous (aren't they all?) black/gold SE Hollowbody II Piezo. Could not be more pleased.

I'm running the outputs thru separate signal chains in my Ampero 2 stomp and am using the free IR's from Worship Tutorials. So far I am quite pleased with what I've been able to dial up but I have read about people also using the 3 Sigma IR's with good results. I'd love to try them but not sure which one would be best, and don't want to pay $15 for every IR pack I try, so if I could narrow it down that would be great.

I get that this is subjective like all other "tone" questions, but I'd appreciate any feedback on which specific IR's people have found to work best with the SE HB II Piezo. Please feel free to recommend something other than the 3 Sigma stuff---their name just seems to pop up alot.

Thanks!

 

[JasonE]

I haven't used the 3 Sigma stuff but have read a lot of good things about it.

I use acoustic IRs in my FM9. One of the FAS Forum admins found a site that had some good acoustic IRs that were free. I pulled down one for a Hummingbird and a Taylor Dreadnaught. I put both in a cab block and blend them. It sounds pretty darn good. I also run my piezo through a Fishman Aura. That unit is expensive but it sounds really good and has a fantastic compressor in it.

 

[tdroid]

It probably isn't terribly helpful, but I don't consider the following opinion completely irrelevant.

The piezo pickups is very hot for an electric amp (at least on my Boss Katana). However, the piezo volume is perfect for the acoustic amp setting on that same amp.

My opinion would be to make sure whatever plug-in you're using, make sure its an acoustic one, as, and I could be wrong, a modelling amp's model shouldn't be too different from a plug-in.

 

[Prina]

I use acoustic IRs in my FM9. One of the FAS Forum admins found a site that had some good acoustic IRs that were free. I pulled down one for a Hummingbird and a Taylor Dreadnaught. I put both in a cab block and blend them. It sounds pretty darn good.

Gotta check that out for my FM9 too. That's a great idea blending the IR's, especially in stereo.

I'm a piezo newbie (recently got a P245) but have been impressed with both the free Worship Tutorial IR's as well as the 3 Sigma Martin-D28 pack. There's not a huge difference. The 3 Sigma seems a bit more realistic but the WT is very close and has a greater range of options. I'd recommend starting with the WT. You'll likely be very impressed and as I mentioned above having the ability to load dual IR's helps to dial in the sound.

 

[Gtrbldr]

Gotta check that out for my FM9 too. That's a great idea blending the IR's, especially in stereo.

I'm a piezo newbie (recently got a P245) but have been impressed with both the free Worship Tutorial IR's as well as the one 3 Sigma Martin-D28 pack. There's not a huge difference. The 3 Sigma seems a bit more realistic but the WT is very close and has a greater range of options. I'd recommend starting with the WT. You'll likely be very impressed and as I mentioned above having the ability to load dual IR's helps to dial in the sound.

I have the same 3sigma pack and it works like a charm

 

[JasonE]

Gotta check that out for my FM9 too. That's a great idea blending the IR's, especially in stereo.

I'm a piezo newbie (recently got a P245) but have been impressed with both the free Worship Tutorial IR's as well as the 3 Sigma Martin-D28 pack. There's not a huge difference. The 3 Sigma seems a bit more realistic but the WT is very close and has a greater range of options. I'd recommend starting with the WT. You'll likely be very impressed and as I mentioned above having the ability to load dual IR's helps to dial in the sound.

I would have to look at my cab block to verify the settings I ended up at but there is a volume in the cab block. It may be called gain. That is a way to volume match that signal path to the magnetic signal path. There is also an Air setting that helps a bit with getting the IR to sound a bit more realistic.

 

[Prina]

There is also an Air setting that helps a bit with getting the IR to sound a bit more realistic.

Thanks!

No doubt one of the 'deep parameters' you refer to in some of your other Fractal related posts. I'll play around with the Air/Room Level & Phase settings starting with those from your piezo preset on the preset exchange. Edit: Definitely gets complex pretty quickly with phasing issues / comb filtering when using air + multiple IR's.

If you want to share what some of your other deep parameters are I'd love to hear about those too.

 

[Maxime Bousquet]

I have some IR pack of Sigma.
I like them very much, it's still a decent price for very good quality!

 

[JasonE]

Thanks!

No doubt one of the 'deep parameters' you refer to in some of your other Fractal related posts. I'll play around with the Air/Room Level & Phase settings starting with those from your piezo preset on the preset exchange. Edit: Definitely gets complex pretty quickly with phasing issues / comb filtering when using air + multiple IR's.

If you want to share what some of your other deep parameters are I'd love to hear about those too.

I am not sure if this link is still good. This is where I found the IRs I have.

http://acousticir.free.fr/spip.php?rubrique2

 

[markd21]

I use some acoustic IRs from Worship Tutorials, Sigma, the site posted above, and from Glenn DeLaune:

https://www.glenndelaune.com/helix-...ations-Patches/p/390115125/category=117975648

I use my Helix like a 4 channel mixer, running four IRs in parallel. Usually the "guitars" I am layering will have different mic placements and bring different tonalities together. Each is preceded by a "mic preamp" and an optical compressor. After the IR I might add another compressor, or an EQ. At least one of the IRs is followed with some sort of modulation. I will often use the 12-string simulator that Helix has in order to blend in some more sheen to the sound. At least one IR is given a low mix of reverb (it still sounds dry, but some depth is added). Everything is tweaked with precision to balance what amounts to one acoustic guitar sound.

I have really not come across a "bad" acoustic IR. I have noticed, though, that not many can carry it convincingly alone. To my ears using multiples is the way.

The biggest thing I have done with my HB II Piezo is use these strings to give more "acoustic" character to the guitar itself:

Products - WHITE BRONZE™ - GHS Strings

Since 1964, GHS Strings has been winding electric guitar strings in the southwestern corner of Michigan. Striking a balance between tradition and innovation, GHS Strings is a major manufacturer of strings for electric & acoustic guitars, bass guitar, classical guitar, banjo, mandolin and much more.

www.ghsstrings.com

I really like what they do to the tone. Now, in all fairness, my HBII is not really used very often and ONLY for clean/delicate guitar parts and some psychedelic lead stuff where I am using both sets of pickups.