Leadmusic is one of SUSTAINIAC’s few long-standing dealers, and I started working with this brand even before opening the Leadmusic store in 2002. Every guitarist should have at least one Sustainiac in their arsenal… The Stealth Pro system is a concept that can be adapted to most instruments and, upon special order, can be installed on 7-string guitars. The Stealth Pro driver is, with some exceptions, installed in the neck position and acts as an active pickup when the sustainer is switched OFF. When the sustainer mode is engaged, the Stealth Pro becomes a sustainer driver and excites the strings by creating a magnetic field. The string signal is automatically picked up by the bridge pickup, which then sends the sound to the amplifier. Therefore, it is essential for the instrument to have at least two pickups.

Alan Hoover subsequently introduced some brilliant modifications to the SUSTAINIAC systems. In addition to the ON/OFF switch controlling the sustainer, the new operating mode selection for the Stealth Pro no longer simply makes the strings vibrate, but allows you to create astonishing sound effects.

This HARMONIC MODE can be switched either via a Push/Pull control potentiometer or via a mini-switch (the choice must be specified when purchasing and installing the system). When Push/Pull potentiometers are used, here are all the possibilities available to you:

1) Potentiometer in its normal position, fully open — NORMAL mode The magnetic field generated excites the strings, which then vibrate normally, regardless of which fret is being played. This mode is particularly suitable for long notes, violin-style volume swells, slide playing, and effects obtained by playing chords.

2) Now, by completely closing the potentiometer, you switch to HARMONIC mode. And this is where the magic happens: as soon as the note is played, it transforms, depending on the position, string and fret being played, into a harmonic third, fourth or fifth. The notes scream and the entire instrument starts to sing. Impressive. This mode is particularly effective for solos, bends and vibrato playing.

3) By pulling up the Push/Pull potentiometer, the rotational functions of the potentiometer remain the same, but the overall mode accessed is called HARMONICS MIX MODE. This combines the NORMAL and HARMONICS modes of the STEALTH PLUS. It creates completely crazy harmonics, sometimes with no apparent relationship whatsoever to the original note. Generally speaking, however, in this mode the thicker strings respond better to HARMONICS mode, while the thinner strings respond better to NORMAL mode. This mode quite accurately imitates the natural feedback response obtained with a distorted amplifier played at high volume, with harmonics gradually appearing on lower notes. This subtler mode tends to produce second and third harmonics of the notes being played.

It is, of course, entirely possible to replace the Push/Pull controls with mini-switches and obtain the same results. In this configuration, one ON/OFF mini-switch, one 3-position mini-switch (NORMAL / MIX / HARMONICS MODE), and one of the instrument’s original tone controls — one of the two tone controls on a Strat, for example — can be used as the intensity control for the selected MODE.

The new preamp circuit board included with the systems is now compatible with both passive and active pickups, EMG or Fishman pickups. A small potentiometer allows the board to be adjusted to match the type of bridge pickup installed on the guitar.