The concept of a guitar equipped with 64 pickups might seem like pure fantasy for gear enthusiasts, but it is now a tangible reality. Developed by David Wieland of Dark Art Guitars for his master’s thesis in electrical engineering, the Polymap system takes traditional pickup design to unprecedented levels.
The foundation for this technological marvel is an eight-string, headless Alchemist guitar featuring a 26.5-inch scale length. It combines a swamp ash body with a stunning maple burl top, although a significant portion of the wood was routed out to accommodate a massive electronics cavity.
The decision to use exactly 64 pickups was highly intentional. The instrument uses eight pickups per string, creating numerous listening points along the length of each string. This configuration essentially captures the neck position, the bridge position, and every sweet spot in between simultaneously, completely isolated from one another.
A Built-In 64-Channel Audio Interface
To process this immense amount of audio data without signal blending, the instrument digitizes everything internally. The guitar houses a custom-built 64-channel audio interface that transmits a single digital signal directly to a computer.
Cycfi Research
The Polymap completely reimagines how the guitar signal is captured. Rather than mixing string vibrations into a standard mono output, this design captures multiple isolated data streams per string using Cycfi Research pickup capsules.
These signals travel through an internal control board that buffers them before feeding them into 64 distinct analog-to-digital converters.
Once the raw audio reaches a Digital Audio Workstation, users can manipulate the data using a custom VSSD plugin. This software enables musicians to mix the 64 channels, add effects, and generate a standard stereo output suitable for regular headphones or studio monitors.
Unprecedented Post-Production Control
For recording artists, the workflow possibilities are groundbreaking. Musicians no longer need to commit to a specific pickup selector position, tone, or pedal chain while tracking. Because the system records raw string data rather than a mixed output, all tone-shaping decisions can be made in post-production.
This flexibility allows producers to record a take once and subsequently audition different pickup combinations. Users can pan individual strings across the stereo spectrum, or even send the lower strings to a bass amplifier simulator while routing the higher strings to standard guitar amp plugins.
Furthermore, blending multiple pickup positions on a single string with slight delays can generate unique physically grounded spatial effects, transforming the guitar from a standard analog instrument into a fully spatially mapped recording tool.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the Polymap guitar?
The Polymap is a custom eight-string guitar created by Dark Art Guitars that features 64 individual pickups, allowing it to record every string from multiple positions simultaneously as isolated audio channels.
How are the 64 pickups arranged?
The instrument features eight pickups per string, capturing the vibration of each string at multiple points between the bridge and the neck.
Do you need a massive external audio interface to record it?
No external interface is required for the guitar inputs. The guitar itself acts as a built-in 64-channel audio interface, converting analog signals internally to digital and sending a single digital connection to your computer.
Can I change my guitar tone after recording?
Yes. Because the guitar captures raw, isolated data from every pickup, you can choose your active pickups, apply effects, and completely shape your tone in your DAW after the performance is finished.
How do you mix the 64 channels?
The creator developed a custom VSSD plugin specifically designed to route, mix, and process the massive influx of channels into a manageable stereo output.
The Verdict
The Polymap by Dark Art Guitars represents a monumental leap forward in recording technology and instrument design. By merging an eight-string guitar with a 64-channel audio interface, David Wieland has created an unparalleled studio tool.
While its highly specialized nature and reliance on custom plugins might not replace the traditional plug-and-play gigging guitar, its potential for studio engineers, sound designers, and experimental musicians is limitless. The ability to route individual strings to different amplifiers or change pickup positions entirely in post-production makes the Polymap one of the most innovative guitar concepts in recent history.
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