(skinny) Songbird electronics knobs/dials

[mavuser]

can anyone here please explain to me how the skinny Songbird controls work?

I played someone's red songbird and it sounded super clean. i don't know what amp or rig he had.

then i just picked a NT songbird, and unplugged it sounds great, but plugged into my Baggs Para pre amp (into silverface vibro champ), it sounds overdriven. my D-25 with Fishman rare earth single coil soundhole pickup, and M-20 w K&K mini, sound the way they should thru the same Baggs pre amp and Fender amp. i messed with the settings on the pre amp a little, but before digging up user manuals, i thought I should ask here, since i still won't know what the controls on the guitar do. the one closer to the lower bout seems to just be volume or signal, but i'm not sure. the "double nipple" closer to the neck...I am just clueless on. any info appreciated! I am considering calling the guy w the red one for a lesson or two! i'm sure he would get a laugh at least, if he recieves that call. cheers everybody

 

[SFIV1967]

Ralf

 

[Nuuska]

hello

The skinny Songbird has built-in preamp - Volume-Bass-Treble - and the output is strong enough to be connected into any guitar amp or mixing console. If you add a second preamp into that circuit, it will surely lead to overdrive - unless there is a 0 dB option - in which case it does nothing - with exeption of possible tone controls.

 

[mavuser]

thanks to both of you so much! I actually have it mostly sorted out. my Songbird is basically NOS mint. it looks like someone played one song with it on Christmas morning 1990 and put it away. Thus, the pots were (more than) a little scratchy, it was making it like a fuzz pedal. but after I turned them a bit they smoothed right out! I also figured out on my own to keep all the dials in the center position.
I have it to the point that it can sound basically the same directly into the amp, or into the pre amp, but it does not seem to want to be in the pre amp. my next step is to change the mystery 12 gauge strings to JP 11's, because now that the controls are sorted out, the tone sounds...not very good. i really prefer passive acoustic pickups. hopefully with 11's it will sound sweet, at least unplugged. then I can figure out how to amplify it best. perhaps not with a 1975 Fender vibro champ. although it sounds fine for my other acoustics. Thanks!

 

[mavuser]

that guys red one sounded really good, even with 12's down a half-step. he was a real professional. maybe he had some sort of "clean boost" in the circuit or something? just throwing darts here

 

[Nuuska]

Maybe he had "magic fingers" - actually it all starts in the brain - but fingers sound more romantic - or whatever

If the pots are scratchy - it is because they have not been used - even the crappiest pots can take 10 000 s of turns before they wear out - so go ahead and crank the H%&l out of them - you'l notice the difference - in non-existing scratching - sound of guitar remains the same.

And please notice what Ralf has put in post #2 - about tone controls - experiment may lead you somewhere.

And just so you know it - I have red + white Songbirds - and I have Silverface Fender Vibro Champ - together they make nice sounds - I'm the weakest link in that chain.

 

[mavuser]

Maybe he had "magic fingers" - actually it all starts in the brain - but fingers sound more romantic - or whatever

i was the one playing the red song bird. but was more talking about tone and clarity than talent!

 

[cupric]

Watch Eva Cassidy's video of Somewhere Over the Rainbow with her Songbird. The tone is pretty good!

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

Considering how old that live video is...she wasn't called the Songbird for nothing...she sure could play...and sing...so sad she died way too young...think what she could have been.

 

[Phrankenstrat]

I have a '97 (skinny) Songbird. It's still my favorite guitar but I'm afraid the preamp/pickup system is going on it. I've been desperately trying to find a replacement but so far, no dice. I've even emailed their support but haven't heard anything back. I've tried several other makers to see if I can come close to that Songbird sound through a PA but there is just something magical about that guitar. No Taylor's, Martin's, Takamine's and even a Godin Ultra A6 (which I thought should be close and it is good) don't cut it.

 

[mavuser]

i unloaded my Songbird. just couldn't get into it at all

 

[hansmoust]

I have a '97 (skinny) Songbird.

If it's really a '97 then it should not be a 'skinny' one, unless you feel that the deeper 2-1/2" body is still skinny compared to a full size body!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Phrankenstrat]

Perhaps I have the year wrong but this is the guitar.

 

[hansmoust]

OK, that looks like a late '80s guitar, maybe early '90s!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Phrankenstrat]

OK, that looks like a late '80s guitar, maybe early '90s!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

Perhaps it's an '87. I purchased this a long time ago. I reckon it's given me around 30 or so years of great service. I need to get a new preamp/pickup for it though. I would love to get this back in action.