Willcox Lightwave Saber Hybrid 4 Red 2nd Basso elettrico con pickup ottico

Conventional pickups produce a magnetic field that interferes with string vibration. We created the LightWave Optical System to give musicians a non-intrusive, absolutely transparent pickup that provides the purest and most natural sound from string instruments. Our patented infrared light technology is the first and only of its kind. The pickup “sees” the vibration of the string without affecting string motion in any way, harnessing the pure power of light to deliver accurate, full-range sound.

LightWave technology utilizes light sensing electronics to detect the vibration of the string, enhancing the instrument’s true voice by eliminating the magnetic influence or “pull” inherent in traditional pickups. Our optical sensors provide a flat, even response throughout the tonal spectrum of the vibrating string, producing a sonic foundation that accurately represents the intended musical expression of the player. It’s the most powerful and responsive method of string transduction ever developed.

What you will hear is extraordinary: the sound of the strings, the sound of the instrument, and most importantly, the sound of your music. You will notice a whole new sensitivity in the interaction between your fingers and the strings. Whether playing chords, slap style, screaming leads, tight intervals, complex voicing or harmonics, your LightWave instrument will be a revelation. You will hear an openness, transparency and dimensionality unlike anything you have previously experienced.

The LightWave Optical Pickup System does not interfere with the vibration of the strings, allowing them to sustain naturally. These highly sensitive pickups read string vibration for its full duration, fading in a pure, linear fashion into silence, without an abrupt ending or distorted artifacts. The vibrations from the string are like ripples upon water that gradually get smaller over time, and the optical pickups can effortlessly read these vibrations far beyond the capacity of human hearing. Due to these unique characteristics, our instruments do not require greater mass to achieve higher levels of sustain. You can play longer and with less strain, without having to give up the tonal qualities a heavier instrument will normally give you

Unlike magnetic pickups, the LightWave Optical Pickup System has virtually no inherent noise. As a result, you can play at any volume without annoying background hum or buzz. This is an breakthrough for recording: virtually noise-free, extraordinarily transparent sound. Even with your amp at high volume, you experience amazing dynamic range and sensitivity – loud notes will be loud and clear, while soft notes and subtle nuances are not masked by hum or buzz.

If you wish to use EQ or signal processing to shape your sound, you can create subtle or dramatic tonal variations without artifacts. Since the output of the LightWave pickup is pure and transparent, you augment the actual sound of the string, as opposed to the odd response curves and background noise found in conventional pickups.