[LAU] OT: Guitar level- Mic or Line?

[Reuben Martin]

Back on Tuesday 27 May 2008, Fons Adriaensen was like:
> On Tue, May 27, 2008 at 02:49:29PM -0500, Reuben Martin wrote:
> > Back on Tuesday 27 May 2008, Simon Williams was like:
> > > Are guitars mic or line or what?
> >
> > Hi-Z Line level. (The output level can vary quite drastically depending
> > on the type of pickup though)
>
> Well, I'd say they are neither. Typical levels for a guitar are
> well below standard line level, and on many pro equipment the
> line input Z could well be as low as 10k so, which is too low
> for a guitar. It can work, but the sound won't be the same.
> This is because the impedance of a typical guitar is not only
> high but also inductive, and in many cases (depending on the
> setting of the controls on the guitar) this can resonates in
> the audio band with the capacitance of the cable. Connecting
> it to a medium Z line input will kill that resonance. Guitars
> expect at least a few hundred k.

Well, to you I would say "neither". To somebody asking if they should plug it 
into their mackie mixer line input or mic pre-amp input, I say "line" simply 
because I know the chance of them actually going out an purchasing a DI is 
kind of low, and if they're going to plug it direct, it's better for them to 
stick it in the line input than fry the mic pre-amp. :o)

>[...]
>
> Today (and for the last 30 years) it would be perfectly
> possible to make guitars low-Z, balanced, and compatible
> with a normal mic input. It would save all of us a lot of
> trouble, and would also allow for phantom-powered active
> electronics in the guitar. So why didn't this happen ?
> Because a guitar manufacturer would push himself out of
> the market by doing it. People expect any guitar to work
> with existing guitar amps.

I think I read an article in TapeOp a while back that Les Paul did just that. 
IIRC, he rewired a pickup to be Low-Z because he thought it better retained 
it's character by being able to plug it directly into a preamp. Or something 
to that effect. I should dig around and see if I can find that article.

-Reuben