mac.calder Posted June 23, 2005 Posted June 23, 2005 I am looking for a wireless guitar bug - I have used belt pack ones which are just a lead between the guitar and belt pack, but am not fond of them - esspecially when I have to give the same person a wireless mic as well.. Does anyone have a suggestion? Prefereably I want a variable freq. system which I can have belt pack for as well - ie buy a few recievers and transmitters including bugs and then mix-n-match. I have used the AKG WMS40 with lavalier's and hand held mics, which is set frequency, and it has a GB option. Any opinions and suggestions?
Mr.Si Posted June 23, 2005 Posted June 23, 2005 I have an AKG WMS40 handheld mic version, and the receiver is only single diversity and therefore the drop outs are loads and v obvious too. I know samson audio do a unit, which is true diversity, but don't know whether you can swap frequencies or not. I'd be interested to hear what other people say, cause I wouldn't mind a bug for my les paul, rather than use wires all the time.
charlyfarly Posted June 23, 2005 Posted June 23, 2005 Sorry if I'm being a bit dim here (it must be the heat!) but I can't see the problem.The bass guitarist I work for has his transmitter in a pocket I made that is on the guitar strap. If we do a show where he is singing into a radio mic that is no problem because it is on a totally different frequency! We use Shure systems and to my knowledge they all have the short cable going from guitar jack to belt pack.All our receivers are diversity. Bass guitar and radio mic. In-ears for the lead singer are on a single antenna TX.
Mr.Si Posted June 23, 2005 Posted June 23, 2005 which system do you use? I know that beltpacks the the usual way of doing things. I'd prefer to do it that way too. what does the OP think?
mac.calder Posted June 23, 2005 Author Posted June 23, 2005 The thing is I do not want to have TWO beltpacks on my guitarists. If it was the same guitarist all the time, some form of mod, or arrangement could be made, however I rarely work with the one person. However the main reason at the moment, is because the guitarist is actually an actor, and picks up the guitar about 5 times, slaps the strap on and starts singing away, or strumming something in the background. If it is not ready to play within 15 seconds, it is too long. The way it is usually done (or so they tell me) is they use a real guitarist in the pit who plays these sets as the person on stage mimes. I don't mind suspending belief in cases like that and doing it, but the director wants it to be authentic - and since the actor can play guitar, why not. And it is a nice piece of kit to have. Re the AKG's - I know, I am not a fan of them either, but a google for Guitar Bug turns up about 100 entries for the WMS40/GB, and I have used them before (well the unit anyway, not the GB variant)
the kid Posted June 23, 2005 Posted June 23, 2005 Im no sound guy but what would the effects be of taping it to the back of the said guitar? its always there and not going to get tangled.
mac.calder Posted June 23, 2005 Author Posted June 23, 2005 I will ask him, however I have known some guitarists who are analy retentive about balance. If he is not, it seems it would be a workable solution. However if micing an acoustic with inbuilt mic, it would not work - it effects the resonance of the body.
Peter Russell Posted June 23, 2005 Posted June 23, 2005 I worked with a guitarist last summer, who had bought himself an AKG WMS40 because he wanted to run round the venue while playing,After one gig during which it kept falling out while he was playing I persuaded him to sell it on e-bay. ;) :) The problem with it lay with the fact that it relies on the spring inside the guitars jack plug to hold it in place, short of a piece of gaffa tape I don't see any other way of using one reliably.The most common way as suggested above is to sew a pouch onto the guitar strap, if you are going to be working with several different guitarists why not either; make up your own strap and ask the guitarist to use yours, or make the pouch removable so that you can put it on any strap as and when the need arises.You may not want your actor to have two packs on him but it is the best solution. HTH, Peter
J Pearce Posted June 23, 2005 Posted June 23, 2005 Samson do kits where the transmitter is effectively just a jack plug.A band I work with have two, problem is they are both on the same fixed frequency, so the first guitarist to set up gets to use theirs. The quality is good, but the receivers are foot pedal style, so might be a bit awkard to integrate into a rack. They are fixed frequency so you might have to retune your lapels to avoid the guitar. I will try to find a link [edit]found one here
mac.calder Posted June 24, 2005 Author Posted June 24, 2005 Samson do kits where the transmitter is effectively just a jack plug.A band I work with have two, problem is they are both on the same fixed frequency, so the first guitarist to set up gets to use theirs. The quality is good, but the receivers are foot pedal style, so might be a bit awkard to integrate into a rack. They are fixed frequency so you might have to retune your lapels to avoid the guitar. I will try to find a link [edit]found one here<{POST_SNAPBACK}> They look like a good unit, though I would be worried about distance - due to the fact it is a pedal, I would think it is built fairly low powered. As for racking it, it would not be as hard as you think, but I don't have a rack case to put it in anyway - not enough of my own kit to warrant the extra cost, seeing as most places I do jobs for either give me hire budget or have their own kit. I have a couple of wireless mics and a bunch of cables really, charge them a tenner for use of my kit for however long the gig is if they need it. One day when I am not a poverty strickened Uni student though I will be able to justify the purchase of some stuff. --EDIT-- Same site This one is a bit better
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