Nu Multi

The Nu Multi is a complete multi-channel pickup comprised of multiple Nu Capsules in a form that is easy to install in a standard electric guitar (or electric bass). The capsules sit on a 1mm PCB that can slightly flex and held stable by a piece of medium density EVA foam, known for its “rubber-like” softness and flexibility. Two screws at each end of the pickup serve as curvature adjustments. The Nu Multi form factor is easy to customize for other applications.

See the Meredith Nu Multi Reference Setup for more information. Use this guide as a use-case reference on how to install and integrate a Nu Multi Pickup, including controls, together with other monophonic pickups.

Frequency Response

The Nu Series active polyphonic pickups have a uniform frequency response from 20Hz to 20Khz. The sound is very clean with lots of overtones and crystal clear highs. The low impedance coils give the pickups its characteristic wide bandwidth.

Unlike traditional high-impedance passive pickups, there are no big peaks and dips in the response. Such a wide and flat frequency response gives you the freedom to sculpt the tone using analog or digital filters. The low-impedance pickup imparts very little coloration to the sound. You get whatever tone you want using appropriate tone-shaping EQ rather than a fixed, predetermined tone.

Sound Clips

See Sculpting the Tone for details about the sound clips. The multichannel recordings take advantage of the stereo field to great effect. For best results, put on a good set of headphones or better yet, have your reference monitors ready, or a good HiFi stereo system. Cheap earphones or laptop speakers won’t do this justice, please don’t bother using those!

Here’s a short clip: Vale Vanezolano no.3 (by Antonio Lauro) recorded using “classical” EQ capture of the Cycfi Nu multichannel pickup mounted on a Fender Stratocaster in the bridge position. The strings are panned with the low-E center, A at 3 o’clock, D at 10 o’clock, G at 4 o’clock, B center and high-E at 9 o’clock. Listen to how the notes seemingly chase each other in the stereo field.

Vale Vanezolano no.3

Here’s a short composition: Thousand Paths (Joel de Guzman 2014). This one is mixed to mono using the EMG-81 EQ capture before applying distortion and amp simulation.

Thousand Paths

Recuerdos de la Alhambra —A classical guitar piece composed in 1896 in Granada by Spanish composer and guitarist Francisco Tárrega performed on a Fender Stratocaster equipped with the Nu multichannel pickups, again with a “classical” EQ capture.

Nu Multi Pinout

Nu Multi Standard vs. Basic

The only difference between the Nu Multi Standard and Nu Multi Basic (available as options) is the inclusion of the Internal breakout (see below). The Nu Multi Basic does not include the Internal breakout.

The Nu Multi Basic by itself has all the power, signal and ground connectors available that you can use to connect to whatever audio input devices you wish to connect to. The Internal breakout that comes with the Nu Multi Standard expands the inputs to other audio sources such as other pickups and control voltages (CVs).

Internal Breakout

The Nu Multi connects inside the guitar via a multi-pin cable to the Internal Breakout board which provides easy access to all the Nu Multi pins using standard header (2.5mm and 2mm) connectors. The small breakout board includes pins for up to 15 channels of audio inputs and up to 7 channels of control voltages. Audio inputs can come from the Nu Multi as well as other monophonic sources (e.g. standard guitar pickups). Control voltages allow by-wire control of volume, tone, patch (or just about any effect for that matter). The Internal breakout includes reverse polarity protection plus a low-noise voltage regulator for the Nu Multi, other active pickups, and auxiliary circuits.

Open Source

This Project is entirely Open Source. The designs (schematics, PCB layout, software, bill of materials, CAD drawings) are freely shared and 100% free, under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source code is distributed under the MIT License.

All hardware design files and source code are available in the Nu Github Repository: https://github.com/cycfi/nu

Hardware design files licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Software source code distributed under the MIT License.

All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders. The use of these trademarks does not imply any affiliation or endorsement by the trademark holders.

Nu Multi 6

Nu Multi 7

Nu Multi 8

Nu Multi 6 Acoustic

Nu Multi Custom