A Publication of Carlton Music Center
Volume 3, July/August 2014
RESONANCE
Wood | Strings | Vibration
In This Issue
Editor's Note
Martin CS-00S-14
Amplifying Acoustic Guitars Part 1
Martin OM-ECHF Navy Blues
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Editor's Note
Welcome to the third edition of Resonance. Nothing beats the sound of  an acoustic guitar played in a quiet space. While amplification is a compromise, it doesn't have to be bad. In fact, it can be quite good.  In this issue we'll present part 1 of how to amplify an acoustic guitar. If you're new to playing amplified then you're about to discover a whole new world of possibilities.
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"To stand up on a stage alone with an acoustic guitar requires bravery bordering on heroism bordering on insanity."
  
Richard Thompson
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We'll also introduce you to two very special guitars that just became available from C.F. Martin. The CS-00S-14, and the OM-ECHF Navy Blues. We mentioned both in a prior issue but will present them more fully here. Please feel free to leave any feedback or suggestions you may have concerning Resonance, including subjects you would like to see covered in future issues, by clicking the link to our website at the bottom of this page.
Enjoy the issue, Joe Gavin
  
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Martin CS-00S-14

 

 

Sometimes a guitar comes along that is so special it's hard to ignore. The CS-00S-14, one of C.F. Martin's recent offerings, is one such guitar.  The materials alone make this a guitar to covet. The back and sides are made from rare Honduran rosewood, renowned as being a more than acceptable replacement for Brazilian rosewood, which is protected and very expensive. Some claim it is superior, producing a well-balanced sounding guitar with great projection and strong lows and highs. The CS-00S-14 is the very first Martin model to feature this exotic tonewood. Martin acquired just enough sets to complete a scant amount of only 114 guitars. This guitar also boasts a Swiss spruce top that has undergone torrefication, an ancient process developed in Scandinavia where wood or grain stores are exposed to extreme heat in a low-oxygen setting to avoid combustion. The process removes any moisture the target material has taken on from the environment, and more importantly, the moisture inherent in its cells. This greatly changes the physical properties of the wood, dramatically increasing longevity and stability. The use of torrefied guitar tops is a new fad, as experiments suggest it may result in a top that behaves or possibly sounds like one that has been played-in for many years. 
 According to Fred Greene, Vice President of Manufacturing with C.F. Martin, the CS-00S-14 is "a hide glue 00 slothead in Style 42." Style 42 includes the very highest grade tonewoods, along with abalone pearl inlaid around the top and fingerboard extension, as well as other premium cosmetic appointments. Martin is not the first to use torrefied spruce tops. Other instrument makers have used these tops in the past. They can be found on French violins from two centuries ago and more recently on guitars by small shop builders. This is the first Martin to feature a torrefied top, yielding a new guitar that sounds just like a vintage Martin from the days of legend. One thing is very certain: this guitar is resonant. It comes to life with the lightest touch and it actually feels alive. This guitar seems to enjoy the sound of its voice; from the warm lows that are impressive for this body size, leaving a substantial thickness in the mid voices, to the beautiful trebles adding a distinct chime that stands out with openness and clarity. With its rare woods, premium appointments and vintage tone, the new Martin CS-00S-14 is a striking guitar both to behold and play.
J.G.
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    Amplifying  Acoustic Guitars Part 1
L.R. Baggs Lyric Acoustic Guitar Microphone
  
  Playing acoustic guitar in front of a live audience can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. While your guitar produces enough sound to be heard just fine in your living room, you'll probably need more sound than your instrument is capable of producing on its own to be heard in front of a live audience. This is where amplification comes in. There is an almost endless list of available gear and an equal number of opinions on how to achieve that elusive "sounds just like my guitar only louder" sound.  With so many available gear choices and differing opinions it can seem like a complicated proposition to amplify your acoustic guitar.
I have yet to hear an amplified acoustic guitar that sounds the same as it does acoustically. I don't believe it's possible with the currently available technology. That said, I believe there are many acceptable compromises and it's up to each individual player to determine which compromise best fits their playing style and desired sound. Let's take a closer look...
  
   Microphones and pickups transform the acoustic energy of a musical instrument into an electrical signal. This is the first step to amplifying your acoustic guitar and different pickups and microphones will collect this energy in their own unique way.  While a microphone in front of your instrument can be a great sound, it  will be satisfactory in few performance situations due to the occurrence of feedback  with the desired level of volume.  If your performances will mainly be in Listening Room  environments then a condenser mic in front of your guitar might be your best bet for an accurate representation of you guitar's tone. If you need to be louder than this you'll need to use a pickup of some type. Before moving on I should  mention that are some products that use an internally mounted microphone combined with a preamp as the only source of sound to great success. The L.R. Baggs Lyric pictured above is one such system. Magnetic pickups have enjoyed a lot of popularity over the years due to the affordability and ease of installation of many models. These types of  pickups capture sound vibrations through a magnetic field that pulses in time with the vibrations around it. They have a strong fundamental and are very resistant to feedback. Some manufacturers have active models that have active electronics allowing the user to define the sound further through equalization and output control. Some companies combine a magnetic pickup with a mic or other type of pickup in the guitar to capture the guitar's sound from multiple, combinable sources. Check out the L.R. Baggs and Fishman line of magnetics for good examples of high end magnectic pickups. Piezo pickups are very popular and come in a variety configurations. The most common type is the undersaddle pickup, which is  the sound that most people are used to hearing when they see an acoustic performance.  Pickups  mounted directly under the saddle tend to have a very direct, bold, and feedback resistant sound due to the downward string pressure and energy transfer occurring at the saddle. Other types, such as the K&K Pure Mini, which mount under the guitar's bridge plate are not under the extreme pressure an undersaddle sensor would be  and are able to "listen" to more of the top and therefore have a less direct sound. Piezo pickups are also sold alone, or combined with other sources, to create an elaborate and detailed amplified sound.
  
   Ultimately the choice depends on the individual's perception of good sound and which compromises he or she can live with. There is more to getting your acoustic guitar to sound great amplified than just the pickup you've decided on. Preamps, direct boxes, effects and cables are all part of the equation and can have a profound effect on your ability to achieve a great sound in different venues. There is still a lot to cover so stay tuned for our next issue.
 J.G.
  
  
  
 Martin OM-ECHF Navy Blues
                                                                                                                       

 The OM-ECHF Navy Blues is the third in a series of collaborations with Eric Clapton and Hiroshi Fujiwara. This OM edition incorporates the longer 25.4" scale for added string tension and tonal projection. The neck and body are lacquered and polished with a striking dark navy coloration combined with East Indian rosewood back and sides and a European spruce soundboard. Each OM-ECHF Navy Blues guitar includes an interior label that is individually numbered and personally signed by Eric Clapton, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Dick Boak and C. F. Martin IV.
 Imagine a guitar cooperatively conceived by a British musical icon and a Japanese trendsetter, built by America's most respected guitar company. The new Martin OM-ECHF Eric Clapton/Hiroshi Fujiwara Navy Blues stands as one of the most stunning looking and sounding limited editions in Martin's long and colorful history. A legendary musician and performer for nearly 50 years, Eric Clapton needs no introduction. Hiroshi Fujiwara stands as one of modern Japan's most important cultural figures: a visionary artist, actor, musician, activist and DJ who is responsible for creating and introducing cutting-edge "club" music and fashion designs throughout Japan. The two became fast friends while working together on music projects. During one of Clapton's visits to Japan, he and Fujiwara began envisioning a series of custom acoustic guitars that blended the best in design and sound. Over time, the ideas were fleshed out, with Martin's Dick Boak facilitating the projects. This third edition follows the previous black "Bellezza Nera" and the white "Bellezza Bianca" models and features a  polished dark navy blue lacquered body, neck and headplate, with a black ebony fingerboard and bridge in a long scale 14-fret OM Orchestra Model format. Clapton loved the prototype's tone and projection and opened the Crossroads Festival with the OM-ECHF at New York's Madison Square Garden on April 12th, 2013. The unique two-ring rosette that adorns the soundhole features a center ring of Martin's traditional small Mother Of Pearl slotted square inlays set against a black Corian background. Fine pattern herringbone encircles the top, while bold pattern herringbone bisects the back. Grained ivoroid body binding is accented by black/white/black fine line purfling on sides and back. The grained ivoroid heelcap and end piece sport matching black/white/black line inlays. The polished headplate provides an elegant backdrop for Martin's elaborate "alternative torch" inlay, a design originally created on one of the first Martin 00-45s in 1902, inlaid here in colorful abalone pearl. This pattern was revived for the Eric Clapton 000-42ECB Signature Edition issued in 2000. The fingerboard features Martin's Style 45 abalone snowflake inlays. The black bridge pins and end pin are topped with abalone pearl dots. To allow its elegance to shine unrestrained, this guitar comes without a pickguard. Within the OM-ECFH Navy Blues' handsome appointments lies a tone monster crafted in the Martin tradition. Premium solid tonewoods are featured throughout. The top is European spruce, revered for its rich, powerful tone. Scalloped 1/4" top braces contribute crispness and balance. The back and sides are crafted from East Indian rosewood, which provides both strong projection and roundness to the tonal palette. The modified V-shaped neck measures a comfortable 1 3/4" at the nut. Carved from solid genuine mahogany, the neck features Martin's diamond volute at the base of the headstock. The nut and compensated saddle are made from genuine bone to assure impressive string-to-string definition. This guitar comes with a special Geib vintage style hardshell case. Limited to no more than 181 special instruments.
  
  
Martin OM-ECHF Navy Blues