# Acoustic Guitar Pickups



## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

What's everyone like?

I'm currently using the L.R. Baggs M1 passive with L.R. Baggs Para DI.

The EQ on the Par DI isn't the most straight forward thing. If you aren't careful your tone can get a little honky pretty easy.


Always looking for better...


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## exhausted (Feb 10, 2006)

i put lr baggs active i-beams in all of my acoustics. i got complements from sound guys on them. just plugged straight in with some minor tweaking at the board i'd imagine. my 12 string sounded beautiful in a live setting.

at home for recording, i run them through a POD for EQ adjustments and i get good results.

i pulled a b-band stereo system out of my larrivee in favour of the baggs.


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

exhausted said:


> i put lr baggs active i-beams in all of my acoustics. i got complements from sound guys on them. just plugged straight in with some minor tweaking at the board i'd imagine. my 12 string sounded beautiful in a live setting.
> 
> at home for recording, i run them through a POD for EQ adjustments and i get good results.
> 
> i pulled a b-band stereo system out of my larrivee in favour of the baggs.


I had the I-beam in a Taylor 814CE-LTD. I really like it.


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## WarrenG (Feb 3, 2006)

exhausted said:


> i put lr baggs active i-beams in all of my acoustics. my 12 string sounded beautiful in a live setting.


I'm surprised you could get an I-beam in a 12-string (I haven't found enough room between the forward set of bridge pins and the x-brace). What kind of 12 do you have?

BTW, I'm all about the I-Beam...


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## exhausted (Feb 10, 2006)

it's a taylor 355. i didn't actually do the installation myself in that case but it worked out.


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## cohenj (Feb 7, 2006)

I use the Fishman Matrix II, usually straight to the board, but occasionally through a Boss AD-3. Sounds fine to me.

Jeff


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## Daz-o-matic (Feb 12, 2006)

Funny this thread came up - i just ordered a K&K Pure Western Mini for my cheese-doodle old Fender acoustic. I'll post back to this thread once I Install it and try it out.

On te same note - I'd like to build a simple tube preamp for this - anyone have any thoughts or ideas (i.e. is this even feasible)?

Daz


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## Yerffej (Feb 7, 2006)

http://www.schattendesign.com/

these people operate 15 minutes from my door and make some really nice acoustic stuff. excellent repairs too


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## Teleplucker (Feb 5, 2006)

Daz-o-matic said:


> Funny this thread came up - i just ordered a K&K Pure Western Mini for my cheese-doodle old Fender acoustic. I'll post back to this thread once I Install it and try it out.
> 
> On te same note - I'd like to build a simple tube preamp for this - anyone have any thoughts or ideas (i.e. is this even feasible)?
> 
> Daz


I'd like to hear your thoughts. That's probably the pickup system I'd go to next with the K&K outboard pre-amp.


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

My M1 really came around when I finally spent some time with my ParaDI.

But...

Last night I installed the K&K Trinity so we'll see how the recordings turn out from tonight's sessions. Normally I'd record with a small condensor, but this has one in it along with Western.


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## paragonGuitars (Apr 23, 2006)

Most bang for your buck, IMO, is the K&K Pure Western mini. A step up from that would be the Trinity system, for greater blending of tones, and I think they came out with a better version of that one now. 

To me, K&K delivers the most natural acoustic sound of any pickups that I've installed in my guitars. That list includes various B-Bands, Fishmans, Sun, Petillos, Highlanders and LR baggs. The mini Pure Westerns are better than the full size ones because they control the low end better than the standards do--the only complaint I've ever heard about Pure Westerns--but that could be fixed in the mix. The minis are also guranteed to fit any bridge plate, while standards may be too big for some. I also like that they are passive and require no battery, and the mixing is done off the guitar--I hate on board mixers, myself 

Because Pure Westerns are soundboard transducers, and not under-saddle, there is no mucking around with the action set-up. Also, it's very critical to have a perfectly flat saddle slot for contact with an under-saddle type pickup. If you don't, you will have uneven response and will have to put some kind of clay in between to get the contact right. I've swapped K&K's for B-Bands in a few guitars with excellent results! Lastly, K&K is a family run business, and if the customer has any concerns, they can speak right to the inventor himself!

Rob


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## Stephen W. (Jun 7, 2006)

I concur whole heartedly. I've heard (and played) many brands including L.R. Baggs. As well as many on-board priority systems from as found on Taylors, Ovations, Yamahas etc. I've always thought each of them as being very good. I mean can anyone build a bad product these days? But nothing seemed as true to life as the first K & K transducers I heard. One was on a stand-up double bass. The others being used by the guitarist he was accompanying. I think she had the standard size Westerns in her instrument. So I was hooked. I went all out and got the Trinity System but had to settle for the minis due to the small bridge plate in Ruby. 

Here is a before 








and an after shot from inside Ruby.









Now to be fair I have had some sound problems. I have only played open mike nights and two multi player evenings. So I've been at the mercy of the guy who did the set up. I have had a couple of real good performances. But usually I find the mids or the bass just WAY to over powering. We spent a day playing, recording, adjusting and repeating until we had the pre amp pots set so that the play back sounded as close to unplugged as we could get it. Now I'm waiting for next night out to see how it she sounds now.

If you would like to see what she looks like on the outside then check out the photo thread. #27


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## Benee Wafers (Jul 1, 2006)

For excellent pick up reviews and audio samples go here
Benee Wafers

http://www.fingerpick.com/pickups.htm


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