Schatten HFN-C Series Pickups for Nylon String Classical and Flamenco Guitars
Studio Microphone Quality Sound
 HFN-C Player (passive) |
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 HFN-C Artist (active) |
"The sound of this new guitar pickup is as close to that of a good quality mic as you've ever heard from a guitar pickup..."
The HFN-C models give you a sound that is much more realistic and acoustic than anything that you have ever experienced before. More realism in attack, more realism in overall response, these pickups actually allow your instrument to sound just as good plugged in as it does unplugged.The only thing missing from the HFN-C in a classical is the 'quack' that everyone has come to expect and accept in classical acoustic pickups.
The HFN-C series for nylon string classicals and flamenco guitars is available in two model ranges: The HFN-C passive which does not come with a preamp, and the HFN-C Artist which is an active pickup and has an endpin jack preamp. We offer the passive model of the pickup for use in instruments that already have a preamp onboard or for those customers that wish to use an outboard preamp.
The HFN-C Artist now comes with our latest generation of Artist II endpin jack preamp featuring multiple power capability. This means that the preamp can be run from an onboard 9 volt battery, or from Phantom Power (up to 48 volts dc), or from an outboard battery box.
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Details
HFN-C Series
The HFN-C Series is designed to give you a full, rich sound and will
reproduce exactly what your guitar sounds like.
The HFN-C series of
pickups utilizes an elegant combination of materials: rosewood for its
main structure and arching with a light weight brass shell for its noise
shielded piezo unit. Total weight of the pickup is a very light 0.2 ounces
(7 grams). It will not affect the acoustic sound of the instrument when
not in use.
The HFN-C's will fit virtually any classical or flamenco guitar. The only hole that
needs to be drilled is for the endpin jack or endpin jack preamp. The HFN-C's have
been tested on and installed in 7 and 8 string instruments and
work well on those as well.
About The Preamp That Comes With The HFN-C Artist
The HFN-C
Artist models now comes with our latest generation of Artist II endpin jack
preamp featuring multiple power capability. This means that the preamp can
be run from an onboard 9 volt battery, or from Phantom Power (up to 48
volts dc as supplied by a PA system or amplifier), or from an outboard battery box. The Artist II preamp
has a trim pot on the circuit board
for setting maximum gain.
So, the choice is yours: "Do I put a
battery in there.....or don't I?"
The
HFN-C Artist is available with
a thumbwheel volume control. This provides the
player with fingertip control over the output volume. The thumbwheel control
simply sticks to the underside of the lip of the sound hole.
Installation is quick and simple and takes about 15 minutes. All HFN-C's
come fully wired, complete and ready to install. The Artist models also
include a self adhesive velcro mount cordura nylon battery bag. Neat and
tidy.
Pictures
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HFN-C sensor shown mounted to the soundboard of a classical. Note that the center arch of the pickup base is designed to provide clearance for the instrument's center brace. |
Technical
The Design Of The HFN-C Series
Due to its' design, the HFN-C's for nylon string guitars sounds like and
behaves more like a good quality studio microphone; something that you
would never expect from a pickup. Noticeably absent is the usual 'quack'
that you get from under the saddle pickups because what you're getting is
the sound of the instrument itself, not just the percussive response that
you get from placing a pickup in contact with the underside of a guitar
saddle. Since the pickup really does respond and sound like a mic, adding
any sort of microphone in conjunction with the HFN-C is
unnecessary.
The pickup is designed to allow it to flex and move
along with the soundboard of the instrument. There is a certain amount of
flex built into the arching of the rosewood pickup base and as well there
is both some flex allowed and some isolation from the soundboard provided
by the 3M VHB foam mounting tape.
Utilizing a single piezo sensing
element that comes into contact with the soundboard of the guitar through
the 'feet' of the pickup base allows for several things. First, the HFN-C is
able to sample from more than one spot and to sample those spots across a
span of time. Second, since we are able to do all this with just the one
element, the chances of creating mechanical phasing issues caused by
having to use more than one sensing element is eliminated.
A Word About Classical Bracing Patterns
The HFN-C's are designed to fit virtually all classical and flamenco guitars. The only exceptions are those instruments built with the very rare Fleta bracing pattern which has the braces much closer together than is found in a normal classical. We do make a specially designed pickup base for these Fleta braced instruments and that is available at no additional charge but must be ordered directly.
Fitting Template
Should you have any concerns about whether an HFN-C will fit
properly within your guitar, you may download the following pdf which
contains full size drawings of all HFN bases. Do not scale this page when
you print it after downloading: HFN Pickup Template
- pdf
Reviews
I
have just returned from a very successful UK tour including shows
with Jethro Tull, Donovan, The Animals, Martin Simpson, Andy
Fairweather Low, and many others performing at various festivals
and venues. Was a great trip.
I just wanted to let you know that I have installed the pickup in
my classical guitar and am very happy with the results. There is a
nice bit of depth and clarity to the Schatten unit that I really
like. It also allows for great percussion sounds on the body of
the guitar which I use extensively. All in all, a great sounding
pickup.
The newly amplified guitar will be doing four international guitar
festivals over four countries this year, including numerous other
festivals and concerts. I look forward to hearing it on the road.
Guy Buttery
buttery@iafrica.com
http://www.myspace.com/guybuttery
Hi Les,
I recently installed the HFN C passive pickup into my
classical guitar.....The installation process was very easy
..... I found the thicker tape had the best tonal response and
output for my guitar.
I have to say this is by far the most natural sounding pickup that
I have ever tried in any of my acoustic guitars. It's extremely
well balanced with sufficient output for use with my Raven
preamp.
It really does sound like I'm playing
through a good quality microphone. I have been searching many
years for a pickup that does not alter the sound of my guitars.
You've nailed it! Thanks so much.
Bill Sova, St. Pete., Florida.
HFN-C Artist: "The HFN-C soundboard pickup sounds much better than my previous under-saddle pickup. It's very open and natural sounding without the piezo quack."
Jason Fowler
"When I first saw The Schatten pickup I didn't expect it to sound very good. Boy was I surprised! Rich, warm, fat and completely natural. The promo read 'Studio Microphone Quality Sound' I said to myself yea, right, sure..... After I installed it YEA, RIGHT! It sounded great. I am now using it for all of my performances and recordings. Keep up the good work guys!"
Anthony Arizaga (La Quinta, California)
Dear Schatten,
I would like to say that the Schatten pick up for classical
guitar is the Best in the World...:-)
I am, after short test. The sound is very natural.
I looked for a pick up like Schatten for a very long time.
Congratulations.
Best Regards
Kris Wolinski (Poland)
Related Items
About Pickups, Preamps, Amps
Terminology
Passive Pickup - A piezo pickup.
Impedance - To simplify things as much as posssible we'll say that impedance refers to the range in which an amplifying device can 'hear' a pickup plugged into it.
Preamp - A device specifically designed for use with piezo pickups that increases the signal strength and lowers the impedance of a passive pickup.
Active Pickup - A piezo pickup with an attached preamp.
Microphone Preamp - a device that may be built into P.A.systems and mixers that is designed to work with microphones. These units will not generally work with passive pickups.
'Normal' Electric Guitar Amps: A passive pickup has an impedance of approximately 2 mega ohms (2 million ohms) which virtually all 'normal' electric guitar amps can generally handle without issue.
'Acoustic' Amps: may or may not require the use of a preamp with a pickup and that will depend upon whether or not there is a special built in preamp section to that amp that specifically allows for the choice in plugging in either a passive (non-preamped) or active (preamped) pickup. This choice is quite often in the form of pushbutton on the amp's control panel. Many acoustic amps show a selection that may indicate the choice of 'high impedance' and 'low impedance'.
Low impedance in these instances usually indicates that in this range the amp will handle an impedance of 1000 ohms or less - which will allow active pickups with preamps to be used.
High impedance in these instances may indicate an allowable impedance into the 2 or 3 mega ohm range - which will allow passive pickups to be used. Or it may indicate a maximum input impedance allowed of 20,000 ohms or less - which will handle magnetic electric guitar pickups but not passive pickups. You should carefully read the technical specifications of your acoustic amp in order to see what it will do.
P.A. Systems, Mixers: all of these units will require the use of a preamp between themselves and a passive pickup. Microphone preamps built into P.A.'s and mixers are not designed for use with passive pickups and will not work properly.
Computers: Due to the vagaries and variables inherent in the sound cards found in computers, the only thing that we can advise is that a preamp will almost certainly be necessary.
