Sustainer

[Mojoe01]

Some guitars, (Jacksons being the only ones I know of, but I imagine others do this too) have a sustainer in place of a neck pickup. I have no idea how it works, but its a cool effect. I'm putting together a strat-type guitar that I'll be using for slide work, with humbuckers in the neck and middle positions. I was thinking it might be interesting to try one of these sustainers in the middle position. Would this work? And, where could I even find one of these? If anybody knows, are they passive or active? Like I said, I know next to nothing about these, I just thought added sustain with slidework could be a nice effect from time to time.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Sustainer

I don't know if they'll work in the middle position. I think they have to be located under the 24th fret node (neck position) in order to work correctly, but I could be wrong.

 

[Mojoe01]

Re: Sustainer

ah, thats very possible...i hadn't considered that.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Sustainer

It can only be mounted in the neck pup position ...

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: Sustainer

I've wondered about that sustainer system myself... reliable?

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Sustainer

I've wondered about that sustainer system myself... reliable?

Yes, very. I have an ooold Fernandez guitar, circa late 80's that I inherited from my singer ... it has the Sustainer on it ...

 

[y2stevo]

Re: Sustainer

Why is it that they will only work in the neck???

 

[some_dude]

Re: Sustainer

Why is it that they will only work in the neck???

I think it's because it has to be under the 24th fret node, but I could be wrong.

 

[darren]

Re: Sustainer

Magnetic sustainers work by taking the signal from the bridge pickup, amplifying it, and pumping it out through a magnetic coil in the neck position (sort of like a pickup in reverse) that then vibrates the string. This gives you a pseudo-feedback effect that sustains the string for as long as the battery is pumping the juice.

Because the sustainer driver pumps out a pretty powerful electromagnetic field, it has to be positioned as far away as possible from the pickup it's getting its signal from, otherwise the magnetic field will cause serious feedback/interference with the bridge pickup's signal. That's why the bridge pickup is used as the source and the driver is located in the neck position.

For a lot more detail, take a look at the Sustainiac site. Check out their FAQ section as well. FYI, Sustainiac/Maniac Music have been in the sustainer business a long time, and they have continually been refined. Their sustainers are specifically designed to retrofit into existing guitars.

 

[y2stevo]

Re: Sustainer

Ah isee... Thats cool pic in the site, HAs a Sustaniac and a Mini Bucker in the Neck Position of an epiphone..