"The dual system is very easy to handle, offers many-sided yield of sound and leaves the guitar unimpaired..."

Good things come to those who wait

Maybe that doesn’t always apply but surely for our Lakewood test guitar. At Musikmesse 2006 Lakewood presented the new Sonic-System. Finally we take the final version of the dual pickup system on a detailed test.

The pickup system is a cooperation between Lakewood and Shadow. It works with two pickups: a polymer-film (Shadow Nanoflex) in underneath the bridge saddle and a magnetic pickup (Shadow NanoMAG) invisible in the fingerboard. Both signals land in the preamp that is sits inside the guitar at the edge of the soundhole.

The preamp has a blend control with mid-point detent. Two rotary potentiometers influence the volume and tone. The tone potentiometer either adds trebles and cuts the bass or pushes the bass and cuts the trebles. A two-band control is hidden in a single potentiometer.

The dual system is very easy to handle, offers many-sided yield of sound and leaves the guitar unimpaired.

The Nanoflex pickup in the bridge sounds spotless clean, natural with a lot of trebles. It is without the dreaded Piezo sound. The pickup also senses the vibrations of body which you will hear by the percussive play on the top or frame.

The NanoMAG represents the world of magnetic pickups and sounds astounding clear and open. Actually this pickup can be played solo and provides a charming sound with a little erosion of the mids which can be used optimally for jazz tunes.

By use of the blend and tone control all variations of these sounds are possible. The system’s lack of noise and hum is remarkable. The Sonic system is absolutely reliable and has something to offer for each playing style and sound you can imagine.

Summary of test review: Lakewood M-18 CP equipped with Sonic System