Inflames626
New member
This should probably go in the bass section, but I wanted to reach out to guitar players who play bass as well.
Does anyone have opinions on/experience with Lightwave systems?
I'm interested in buying a used Willcox/Lightwave bass, especially fretless, and also perhaps one of their acoustics. The sound for fretless bass is excellent since there is no magnetic drag on the strings. The optical pickup system seems to lend itself well to legato playing styles.
As for acoustic guitar, it sounds a little warmer and more lifelike than the magnetic pickup in the neck of my Ibanez SX-90 parlor acoustic.
I would say the Lightwave is definitely better than an acoustic through an acoustic amp and is probably the closest thing to recording an acoustic with ideal mic placement. It's very balanced although I'm sure something was probably done in video post production to help the guitar sound better.
Thus far I've only been recording my Ibanez direct into my interface and using plugins to simulate room/mic placement, but I'm hoping for better results with a Lightwave acoustic.
I don't have a piezo acoustic, but I know they can be a bit brittle and have that piezo quack, even though I think piezos sound great in Musicman basses as a way to round out the tone. The Lightwave basses at least also have piezos, at least on the high strings, and the acoustics may have as well--some of the high notes are a bit cutting.
Not sure it would make a difference with an optical pickup but I tend to prefer mellower phosphor bronze strings over 80/20.
Problems aside, ultimately I like piezos. I just thought I'd get some input before pulling the trigger someday.
Also, the Lightwave acoustics have MIDI functionality. This reminds me a bit of the Carvin NS1 Steve Oliver MIDI equipped classical guitar from the 90s/00s.
I figure if I'm going to have an acoustic why not spring a little extra for something with MIDI to also get a MIDI controller out of the guitar. My Steinberg UR44C USB 3 interface has traditional MIDI inputs as well. I imagine I could use the guitar with plugin software samples.
I will most likely be recording with these only and not gigging, so no worries about stage lighting interfering with the pickup system.
I'll be looking for these used btw. They do sound good to me but I'm not sure I'd spring MSRP for them without more experience with them.
Thanks.
Here's an example of the acoustic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukiYEvtwaFs
Here's one of the bass:
https://youtu.be/RheshR-9Q0w
Does anyone have opinions on/experience with Lightwave systems?
I'm interested in buying a used Willcox/Lightwave bass, especially fretless, and also perhaps one of their acoustics. The sound for fretless bass is excellent since there is no magnetic drag on the strings. The optical pickup system seems to lend itself well to legato playing styles.
As for acoustic guitar, it sounds a little warmer and more lifelike than the magnetic pickup in the neck of my Ibanez SX-90 parlor acoustic.
I would say the Lightwave is definitely better than an acoustic through an acoustic amp and is probably the closest thing to recording an acoustic with ideal mic placement. It's very balanced although I'm sure something was probably done in video post production to help the guitar sound better.
Thus far I've only been recording my Ibanez direct into my interface and using plugins to simulate room/mic placement, but I'm hoping for better results with a Lightwave acoustic.
I don't have a piezo acoustic, but I know they can be a bit brittle and have that piezo quack, even though I think piezos sound great in Musicman basses as a way to round out the tone. The Lightwave basses at least also have piezos, at least on the high strings, and the acoustics may have as well--some of the high notes are a bit cutting.
Not sure it would make a difference with an optical pickup but I tend to prefer mellower phosphor bronze strings over 80/20.
Problems aside, ultimately I like piezos. I just thought I'd get some input before pulling the trigger someday.
Also, the Lightwave acoustics have MIDI functionality. This reminds me a bit of the Carvin NS1 Steve Oliver MIDI equipped classical guitar from the 90s/00s.
I figure if I'm going to have an acoustic why not spring a little extra for something with MIDI to also get a MIDI controller out of the guitar. My Steinberg UR44C USB 3 interface has traditional MIDI inputs as well. I imagine I could use the guitar with plugin software samples.
I will most likely be recording with these only and not gigging, so no worries about stage lighting interfering with the pickup system.
I'll be looking for these used btw. They do sound good to me but I'm not sure I'd spring MSRP for them without more experience with them.
Thanks.
Here's an example of the acoustic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukiYEvtwaFs
Here's one of the bass:
https://youtu.be/RheshR-9Q0w
