This really could be an issue for you. A good preamp, like the StepABout, would probably give you a sound closer to what you want. It would be different from what you are getting now. You SoloAmp has a very high input impedance, how does it sound plugged straight into that?

-Eric

Very interesting to read everyone's impressions of the PASV4! As a total Stick newbie I only had vague ideas of what to expect and I must say I was totally blown away by the sound of this mic as my grand arrived. Me and my brother are guitar players since decades, mostly "strat guys", and we both were amazed how this stick sounded almost "stratier than a strat", speaking parallell single-coil position. My own preferred PASV4 sound though is the plain neck mic, both melo and bass side. I play it into two mono inputs of an RME Fireface400 with a laptop running Apple's Mainstage, different processing for each side. Funnily I think the stick sounds better without any software amp/cab simulation stuff; clean PASV4 sound with just a little compression and musical overtone distortion edge. With distortion the PASV4 reminds me of a typical "vintage guitar tone". Yes, "electric" is the word.

There is one thing I'm missing though, and that is a seamless tone knob... because I like to adjust the sound by ear while playing. However, that's not a big deal since using a laptop rig I can slap a software EQ on the signal chain and tweak whatever MIDI knob available for the instant sound trimming. Maybe I should put a little blue-tooth knob somewhere on the stick for this purpose?

Hi Matt,

Congratulations on your new Stick!

As for the pickups, I'm sure your ears will guide you in the right direction.

Cheers,
Andy

I have a question for some more experienced with the PASV-4 than myself. I just recieved my 12 string Grand w/PASV-4 today and mono mode is confusing me.

When the Stick is in mono mode should I be able to use a mono (guitar) cable? When I put the Stick in mono mode and use a stereo to dual mono cable the signal will go to just one side of the dual outs, and then both when switched to stereo mode. But if I use a mono (guitar) cable I have to turn the amp volume nearly all the way up and will barely get a signal from bass side only.

I have another Stick with ACTV-2 and I use a mono (guitar) cable often and it has never been a problem. I am just wondering if this is how the pickup is set up or if I am a victim of rough shipping.

Thanks

I sometimes practice with my 12 str grand PASV4 set to mono amplified through my guitar tube top and I noticed you that when you plug in a normal guitar cable you can't push it all the way in. If you do, you get the phenomenon you mention. I use to push it in and then pull it back a little bit until both the bass and melody mic are covered fine in the mono output. You may also have to adjust the little trim pot for mono mode level balance, but that's a matter of taste and depending on what PASV4 filter settings you prefer.

I like the PASV4 pickup a lot and appreciate its "electric guitar" color.

After a couple of months getting to know this pickup, I must say that it's fantastic. I was just so used to hearing the ACTV2 on all of our recordings and live playing that it simply took some time to get a feel for this beast. I was able to find pickup/filter combinations that made it fit in better with Mark's ACTV2 Grand, and I'm really enjoying playing solo with it. The PASV4 really screams with distortion, by the way. I like using the bridge pickup with the filter on the "nasal" setting with lots of distortion and drenched in wah-wah. I'm glad I took the time to give this module a fair test run; now there's no way I'd part with it!

Hey, I saw a bunch of videos of you guys on youtube. Love the stuff! That said, I don't know about you, but I've always enjoyed bands where people playing the same instrument (Guitar, usually, since most of the bands i see are rock/metal bands), have drastically different tone. It, in my opinion, fills out the sound, and makes each individual instrument more audible.