The sound clips below showcase the sonic quality of our Cycfi XR Extended Response Pickups. For best results, put on a good set of headphones or better yet, have your reference monitors ready and immerse yourself in a truly 21st century listening experience. Enjoy!
First we have a rendition of the classical piece Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring composed by Johann Sebastian Bach (1716 and 1723). This piece is performed using a Fender Stratocaster. The Cycfi XR neck pickup EQ is matched to a classical guitar, with a touch of higher harmonics. (See article on Sculpting the Tone for more info on the processing involved.)
Solitude is a short and simple instrumental piece I composed for the Cycfi XR. In the intro, I tried to somehow capture the EQ of an acoustic guitar. No, it is not an emulation, I didn’t try that hard! I simply wanted something with a similar tonal character, especially with the bright upper harmonics. For the lead part, I auditioned various effects until I came up with something that suited the melody. I wanted a timbre that is both familiar but at the same time has unique elements. I started with a “Clapton-ish” Strat sound (it is a Strat after all), but arrived at a result that is new and fresh.
World Anthem is a classic rock piece by Frank Marino (Mahogany Rush). This sound clip features the Cycfi XR Quad Coil installed in a Charvel. No shredding here, folks! It’s all about tone, sustain and feedback. When pushing the Cycfi XR pickup through high levels of gain it is best to use a pre-filter, with a cutoff around 2kHz to 5kHz and a gentle resonance peak, before the gain stage. This filter setting dials-in more of a “humbucker” sound.
Here’s another composition for the Cycfi XR. The backdrop gives you a swirling modulated effect that sweeps through the entire spectrum of the pickup, with some trippy panning and delay. Then, the same rhythmic pattern repeats, with medium overdrive. Finally, the lead section pushes the gain even more.
Raw Sound Clips
The following samples are recorded via DI (Direct Injection) to the mixing board and are unprocessed (no EQ, no effects). Here, just the raw sound of the Cycfi XR pickups is showcased.
Note: Keep in mind that no one really listens to recordings of guitars DI-recorded with flat EQ! The guitar amplifier is an integral part of the sound and imparts its own coloration. If you want to audition the Cycfi XR, try Reamplification: take the guitar samples below and send it back out to a real amplifier. Or if you prefer the easier route, send the signal to your favourite DAW plugin.
These five clips are recordings of the Cycfi XR (single width) pickup. Neck, neck + middle, middle, middle + bridge, and bridge pickup combinations are featured in their own individual tracks.
The next three clips are recordings of the Cycfi XR Quad Coils (full sized humbucker width). As before, each pickup combination is featured in a unique clip highlighting neck, neck + bridge and bridge position tones.
Resonant Filter
Finally, here’s our optional Resonant Filter in action. I started with maximum resonance (Q) and maximum frequency. Next, I sweep through the frequency until I find what I want. (It’s easier to find the right cutoff frequency with a high resonance for starters.) Finally, I turn down the resonance to achieve the tone desired.