daveq Posted December 6, 2004 Report Share Posted December 6, 2004 I installed one this weekend in a new guitar that I'm building. I have the Model C (the type that clips on to the headstock) but I wanted to see how well the magnetic type works. The Model C is incredible and I would highly recommend it. The only drawback to it is the extra cord. The Stealth Plus is the magentic type (similar to the Fernandes sustainer) and also functions as an active pickup when the sustainer isn't on (and the neck pickup is selected). The pickup actually sounds very good - better than some of my duncan mini-HB's. The sustainer works perfectly. It sustains as long as you want it to. I love using the mode that fades the note into a harmonic and keeps it sustaining. The only controls that I had to add were a toggle for activating the sustainer and a push pull pot for handling the control options (the sustain, harmonic mode, ...). Bottom line is that this thing is sweet! I have never owned or played a fernandes so I can't compare against that product but I'm very happy with it. If anyone is considering buying a sustainer - check them out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marossy Posted December 6, 2004 Report Share Posted December 6, 2004 You're making it very tempting for me! Thanks for the "build report". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyG Posted December 6, 2004 Report Share Posted December 6, 2004 i'll second that. is mildlly annoying that they dont do the 7 string version anymore tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted December 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2004 I didn't know they had a 7 string version of it previously. Does anyone else make a 7 string sustainer? I guess the model C would be the only choice from that company then. Not that it's a bad thing to resort to a model C - that thing is awesome also. It's just not meant to be played out (due to the extra cord) but then again I don't know how many people use sustainers in live situations anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted December 6, 2004 Report Share Posted December 6, 2004 Sounds great...did it take much to install and how much did you have to pay for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted December 6, 2004 Report Share Posted December 6, 2004 Yeah the sustainer has always been tempting to me. but I just cant say goodbye to my rio Grande Punchbox neck pickup. I'll have to wait for psw to create his ultra small sustainer device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted December 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2004 The installation isn't going to be "easy" for people who get nervous around wires and solder. There are two connectors (on 8 pin and one 10 pin) that get wired in to various points in your system. Not all of the pins have wires connected but most of them do. The nice thing about Maniac Music is that they provide manuals and techincal info right on the web site. The pricing is also on the web site. If anyone knows where I can get the same info from fernandes, please let me know. I looked at their web site and couldn't find anything but a few pics of one already installed. It probably took me about 2 hrs to get it wired and ready for trial. I really like the way they incorporated most of the controls into one push/pull pot. I have been playing around with it and found that I can do some really cool effects by holding a note and adjusting that pot. I can get a sound very similar to Satriani's "Flying in a Blue Dream" (the intro) without needing to crank it up for feedback! What I mean is, I can change the pitch of the note with that pot as I'm sustaining it. I'm still interested in comparing this against the fernandes sustainer. Does anyone know where I can find info on how it works, what controls it has, can it act as a pickup when not sustaining, ...? Installation info? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marossy Posted December 8, 2004 Report Share Posted December 8, 2004 That sounds very cool! I always thought that the feedback thing in "Flying In A Blue Dream" was way cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted December 8, 2004 Report Share Posted December 8, 2004 All the information on the Fernandes Sustainer system is on their website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted December 8, 2004 Report Share Posted December 8, 2004 The is so much potential in this device it's unbelievable! Obviously your hooked Daveq! I wish I could get one...I'll have to diy and see if I can't come up with something even better! The Sustaniac website is great and I can recommend people to their links. The Langcaster (35,000 year old wood from NZ!) has some nice sound bites: Sustainiac Site Langcaster Site After you've played around with it for a while, let me know how the Model C compares to the magnetc driven version. For those who have been following my progress, you'll recall a post early on (page 7) from darren wilson: Well, if it's any consolation, the folks at Maniac Music/Sustainiac have been refining their driver and amp designs for about 10 years to get increased performance and efficiency. Rome wasn't built in a day! I don't have all the reference material handy but Manic Music were originally supplying Fernandes with their system. Just below the above post, on page 7 of the sustainer thread, I posted a series of links which will direct you to various patents for the technical who wish to compare. This will take you there: psw sustainer patent links post There really is very little difference, I'd say none, in the principle, but both companies have been working on the drivers and battery consumption issues. Manic Music also worked with Micheal Brooks (inventor of the "Infinite Guitar") early on. They are the only ones to acknowledge his contribution to the device's evolution. Their customer service seems well above par and they are continually evolving systems...like the stealth plus....so I would recommend them to anyone contemplating a choice between the two. Don't hold your breath for my system anytime soon. There is still more that can be done and ways to do it...as the Model C demonstrates! I'm working beyond the current technology for the simple reason that the guys at Manic Music already have today's technology down. I got to the point of creating a driver system and technology that would be cheaper and easier to manufacture and small enough to be surface mounted without the removal of any pickups. If Manic music had my drivers, I'm sure they'd be able to adapt thir circuitry and have it up and running in no time...if for no other reason thane they have a 10 year head start on me! Perhaps, like me they're already working on the same thing...(if your out there Maniac Guys....contact me!). I have just tested the principle of a third generation of drivers that looks as if it has the potential to address a lot of the issues still outstanding. Basically, it should combine the benifits of both the Stealth and Model C with a few further improvements for chord work in particular. It's slow progress, but you can follow it on the sustainer thread if you've got the patience! Sorry to hijack the thread there, Daveq...thanks for reporting on the Sustainiac systems and keep us posted on how they're going psw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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