by Gadjo » Fri Apr 27, 2007 11:35 am
If it helps I have collected my thoughts on the whole Stimer issue.
I have two units, a Stimer 51 that Maurice Dupont gave me with my VRB and a Miller (without the volume control) that I bought as a spare. I use allsorts of amps including an AER, Evans, Matchless and even a Boss microcube into the p.a. I am generally happy with the sound and use it primarily as it allows me to use my Dupont or new Gitane for all my jazz work meaning I don?t have the problem of picking up a high action, big necked guitar after using a skinny Gibson neck on a regular gig. I don?t know about you but I prefer to use one guitar and get comfortable with it. This week the Gitane has done gypsy gigs, mainstream jazz gigs and will be in use at the London Guitar Show where I will be playing on the Saga/Gitane/Gremlin stand.
I must say I prefer the sound of the Stimer as it has a hotter output and drives the amp giving that classic Django hot sound. The Miller is much better made and sounds great but has a slightly lesser output. Don?t be put off ? there is not much between them. I guess the main reason I use the Stimer is the volume control.
Fixing on both is best done with Blu-tack or similar. The Miller is designed this way and the reason I got the Stimer FOC was the clip had broken off. Why I like the Blu-tack solution is that I can put more under the bass end to allow for compensation against the copper wound strings. It also helps with feedback and rattles. The other main reason is that in 10 seconds it is acoustic again. Any pickup of this mass kills the top and reduces the acoustic volume of the guitar by some way.
To deal with the string balance problem I avoid silk and steel Galis and use their regular gypsy strings. These are the same as Argentines and sound great acoustically but the copper means a dip in the bass strings. In addition to another lump of putty I find amps like the AER and Evans have a tendency to naturally compress the sound when pushed giving the sound a more even balance. Valve amps like the Matchless sound the best but are a killer to hump around. Nickel strings like the Newtones are the best electric solution but I prefer to retain my guitars as acoustic instruments and prefer the copper windings.
No magnetic pickup on its own will sound like an acoustic guitar. You have to get on with the sound it produces and rely on the type of guitar, your technique, heavy pick and what notes you play to get the gypsy vibe.
If anyone is thinking about buying one check first you have 10mm clear between the top and strings around the soundhole area. Selmers are OK as are ?correct? copies that have a thick fingerboard. This includes my Dupont and signature Gitane that is based on a JJ model (which are also OK by the way). The regular Gitanes, most Aylwards and LeVois I have seen struggle with this dimension however.
Hope this helps.