# Acoustic Guitar Pickups - what's out there?



## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

So. I got my new acoustic, and I love it, but I know I'll be playing in full band situations a lot, so I know I want/need to install a pickup. Last night I used a condenser mic and it worked OK in a fairly quiet situation, but with other louder drummers I play with it wouldn't work as well, plus I'd like to have some mobility.

I've heard K&K are very good, but prone to feedback. Baggs makes a bunch, but I have no idea which to choose. What would people here suggest?

FYI, I'd prefer to use an external preamp and keep the guitar as "unviolated" as possible.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

K&K are fine kit, feedback wise, if the pickup is properly placed. Add a soundhole cover and Bob's yer uncle.

Peace, Mooh.


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## six-string (Oct 7, 2009)

Baggs make great stuff. also worth checking Fishman. the Rare Earth soundhole p/us are widely used by pros.


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## gtract (Jan 18, 2008)

Pickup the World have external preamps and their pickups sound great. I've used their #54 on stage and never had feedback issues, but that's solo. Their saddle pickup sounds pretty good, as does the Dtar Wavelength system. Doug Young has a very informative section on pickups on his website, where you can listen to many pickup/guitar combinations, all with mic recordings for comparison. This is the address: Doug Young | Acoustic Guitarist | Pickup Tests. Take care.
Dave.


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

I've tried several different pickups in several different instruments over the years and have become convinced that a dual source system is the most practical, for me.

Currently using K&K Minis (loved the Baggs IBeam, but didn't like the need to have a battery on board) paired with a Fishman Rare Earth Humbucker on my two main instruments. I split the signal on a TRS cable and process each signal separately (individual Pre and EQ) and then sum back to mono, adding a touch of reverb for the stereo spread. The option of the two different pickups allow a mix that works well in just about any situation (more K&K for a truer acoustic tone, more Fishman when I need higher feedback resistance and bite to cut through a busy mix).

Selecting the proper signal chain for buffering and processing is as important, perhaps more so, than the style and brand of pickup used, IMO.


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## monson (Sep 27, 2010)

I use a *FISHMAN NEO-D* soundhole pick up


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

I've got a Sunrise soundhole pickup that works great. I don't play my acoustic plugged in much, so I never keep it mounted on my guitar (I don't think the added weight clamped on to the top helps the acoustic tone of the guitar), but when I want to plug in, it's easy to install and sounds very good.

Read about it here... lots of pros use them:

http://www.littlebrotherblues.com/Gear/SunrisePickup/index.htm


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## HarpBoy (Jun 10, 2009)

mrmatt1972 said:


> So. I got my new acoustic, and I love it, but I know I'll be playing in full band situations a lot, so I know I want/need to install a pickup. Last night I used a condenser mic and it worked OK in a fairly quiet situation, but with other louder drummers I play with it wouldn't work as well, plus I'd like to have some mobility.
> 
> I've heard K&K are very good, but prone to feedback. Baggs makes a bunch, but I have no idea which to choose. What would people here suggest?
> 
> FYI, I'd prefer to use an external preamp and keep the guitar as "unviolated" as possible.


I put a Fishman Infinity Matrix in my Martin J12-16GT. I like this one because the transducer sounds pretty good, it has a built in preamp, and the controls are very discreet. Just two little thumbwheels inside the sound hole. I think quite a few pros use this set up as well.


Cheers


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

K&K mini. If you need to play with/against a drumkit or have high stage levels, have it wired with an internal jack so you can fit a Sunrise (or similar) soundhole pick-up when you need to. It can be wired to the ring of the jack and your sound guy can have a twin feed from the guitar.


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