"The sound from my speakers is very interesting...very recommendable!"

If you have a closer look at the history of German pickup manufacturer Shadow, you will see how trendsetting this company is because it was in the business much earlier than its American competitors and always led the way with innovative products.

Joe Marinic – Shadow’s mastermind – presented in the early 70’s the world’s first dual pickup system for acoustic guitars which combined a magnetic pickup and an undersaddle pickup. Marinic named this system Doubleplay – and returns nowadays with a system of the same name. This system was developed in cooperation with Martin Seeliger of Lakewood Guitars and contains again something new: Marinic’s Nano-technology which is the basis of both Doubleplay pickups.

Construction:

Nano means small, tiny – suitable for Nanoflex (undersaddle pickup) and NanoMAG (magnetic pickup). The Nanoflex pickup sits underneath the bridge saddle and is supposed to take not only the vibrations of the strings as usual piezo-pickups do, but also the oscillation of the instrument’s top. This should create a mixture between Piezo-signal and microphone – a high aim.

The NanoMAG is a magnetic pickup that sits at the end of the fingerboard. For a magnetic pickup it is amazingly small which makes it almost invisible. Magnetic pickups are known for a warm and full tone which is a good combination to Piezo-pickups.

The feather-light preamp mounts with double adhesive tape inside the guitar close to the soundhole. There is no need for drilling holes in the guitar’s frame for installation and the instrument stays in its original condition. Beside a volume- and tone control it has a fader-control to mix both pickups. The tone control is actually a two-band EQ because by the time you increase the bass you decrease the trebles. The LED control shows you the time to change the 3V cell batteries.

Practice:

The sound from my speakers is very interesting…The Nanoflex and the bridge sounds actually are not like a regular piezo pickup, but much softer, warmer and more dynamic. The sound spectrum of the guitar is reproduced very well; which means there are no artificial trebles.

If you add the NanoMAG you will fill up the bass fundament automatically. The sound receives a soft cushioning base and the trebles a shimmering brilliance – that fits! This tiny NanoMAG does a good job alone – I would not have any problems amplifying my acoustic guitar with only this pickup. 

Soundfile:

The first part of this small improvisation which was recorded on a Martin HD-28 with a Line6 TonePort and the Nanoflex bridge pickup, the second part shows the NanoMAG and the third part is a mixture of both pickups. The tone control was turned up all the way (direction trebles). The fourth part contains a rhythm part played with the mix-sound and the solo recorded with the NanoMAG. Enjoy it!

You will find the soundfile of Gitarre and Bass’ website www.gitarreundbass.de if you search for “SOUND”.

The following link will take you directly to this page:

http://www1.gitarrebass.de/magazine/index.php?ID=200710188