Modern worship church guitar

[Drock2k1]

oops, missed that you got an 814. Nice choice. Be sure to get a nice DI like a K4.

[mgap]

oops, missed that you got an 814. Nice choice. Be sure to get a nice DI like a K4.

So what can a K4 do for me.

[Edward]

K4s are very nice ...suffice it to say Rupert Neve didn't become a household studio name for nothing.

That said, a good DI that is both dead-quiet and tone-shapes well, is all you need to make any decent pup system shine when plugged in live. 

FWIW, I used a Baggs PADI for many years and it had served me (with different guits) very well.  And within the past couple of years, I've since gone to the Baggs Venue which I like even better.  A good DI helps most any pup-system sound better, but is essential for other systems (like the passive K&K type which is horrendous without one, but great with one, IMHO).

Edward

[joelvan77]

Yes, I've heard about the new LR Baggs Di.  Our church has the BBE Acoustimax.  It's nice but the sonic maximizer makes my guitar buzz in our worship center.  And any Taylor for that.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but is the advantage a DI like the ParaDi, Venue, Acoustimax, etc has is that there are more manipulable frequencies than other preamps?  Yes, of course, circuitry changes a lot, but when you get to the nicer boxes arethere much more for differences other than the sweepable frequencies?

[Edward]

The better DIs offer one better tone shaping, yes.  But that's not just by mere virtue of "more bands" that you can alter, but also by the quality of their circuitry.  Some boxes, despite having bands to adjust, simply sound "bad" or "harsh" ...that's due to how their designed/built so yes, one may sound better than another, while others may sound just as good.  Let your ears be your guide.

But another thing you get with a better box is silence.  A good box not only does not add any noise, it isolates potential bugaboos like ground loops or interference (say RF).  Dead silence at volume is a one sign of quality, IMHO.

FWIW, in my experience, the PADI and Venue were equal in "quality" in that both were dead quiet under varying circumstances over different guitars and shaped tone well; thereby being equal in that respect, so I liked both.  But I simply prefer the Venue (and sold the PADI) because of the extra bands of tonal adjustment (and I like having a mute and boost switches ...the tuner is hideous).  Just sayin 

Edward

[briguysm]

The better DIs offer one better tone shaping, yes.  But that's not just by mere virtue of "more bands" that you can alter, but also by the quality of their circuitry.  Some boxes, despite having bands to adjust, simply sound "bad" or "harsh" ...that's due to how their designed/built so yes, one may sound better than another, while others may sound just as good.  Let your ears be your guide.

But another thing you get with a better box is silence.  A good box not only does not add any noise, it isolates potential bugaboos like ground loops or interference (say RF).  Dead silence at volume is a one sign of quality, IMHO.

FWIW, in my experience, the PADI and Venue were equal in "quality" in that both were dead quiet under varying circumstances over different guitars and shaped tone well; thereby being equal in that respect, so I liked both.  But I simply prefer the Venue (and sold the PADI) because of the extra bands of tonal adjustment (and I like having a mute and boost switches ...the tuner is hideous).  Just sayin 

Edward

Spot on, as always, Edward.

I love the Venue for the tone and the absolute silence. I also like the tonal adjustment availability, and as you mentioned the tuner is a joke.

The mute switch I can't live without, and the boost switch is great for when you want to fingerpick.

L.R. Baggs Venue FTW.

[leeasam]

I am the music ministry leader at our church. I am also usually the only guitar player and lead worship on certain sundays. I have used many different Guitars over  the years. I started out ith an 01 410CE with Fishman system. While ok it was prone to feed back rumble at times and through the PA really did not sound any different than a cheap Ibanez I had. IMO down fall of undersaddle piezo systems.  Not that true to the guitar it is in.

  The went to a 03 810CE with the then new ES. I have had several other ES equiped models and they always sounded good. the earlier versions though did have to have some creative EQ( read massive mid cut) For two years I went to a Composit Acoustic GX with the BAggs I-Mix.  While the I-Mix sounded great with more of the iBeam in the mix it was horrible for feedback. Ya one could EQ and dial in more piezo but then you are back to sounding like every other cheap guitar with a piezo so what is the point.

    My latest and favorite of all Taylors I have had is my latest.  2010 816CE with the latest version of the ES. Sounds incredible and have gotten many comments on live sound. I also at one event got comments from die hard blue grass players that said my guitar sounded great through the mic. I told them it was not mic`d!! but plugged in. their eyes lit up!

  I don`t always have a full band so the 816CE give me a wide tonal spectrum and with creative playing style can cover alot of ground.  And at home by myself it just sounds sweet.   in a full band a mape guitar may cut through better and not fight with piano and bass instruments like say my Rosewood 816CE does.
   I have found usually those who have issues with the ES just don`t know how to use it. I find many right off the bat don`t even set the volume knob correctly for the best tone.  These are NOT Hi-Z piezo systems and should NOT be treated like such.  I simply use a 1/4" TRS into guitar then other end of cable is a XLR and plug into a 100' snake thne to sound board.  NO other equipment. at the board I EQ the channel to taste.  It sounds better than a breedlove with piezo( baggs system) that a student has and even last week another student had an undersaddle piezo that I plugged into my Baggs Para DI ( i use this for my PRS P22 on the acoustic side)  even her guitar through the baggs unit did not sound or cut through as good as my Taylor with ES.

 Anyway if you are going to install an element then you NEED a good preamp to get anything that I would call decent tone out the PA.   I would recommend the Para DI. not to expensive and works great for a piezo. If you want a few more features and a bit higher price tag then the Baggs Venue is a good pick for the Element.

   Hope all goes well -- I know I would never use an undersaddle piezo system agian after what I have with my ES equiped 816CE