PIckup for a vintage M20?

[kittyboy]

The mini-western I put in my hoboken F20 sounds very good, although I wish it could be amplified even louder sometimes.


I'm really loving my M20 lately and wishing I could play it live. Unlike the F20, however, it's in excellent cosmetic condition, so I'm a bit more reluctant to fit a pickup.


So, two questions:


* Do you think putting a pickup on a vintage guild is a mistake?

* Would you go with another western, or something else?

Thanks, and thanks for this great forum!

 

[Theem]

Just mike it up from the front of the sound hole, the result will be much more organic. I always thought plugged in acoustics sounded artificial and bad.

And considering good condition m-20s are in demand, installing a pickup is something of a blasphemy I guess. I remember reading a few years back on the martin forum about a guy who drilled a hole in his war era 000-28, that guy got so much crap you wouldn't believe. Then again those guitars cost 30 times as much, but still, messing with good sounding vintage instruments even of the cheaper variety just ain't cool, but maybe that's just me.

 

[Ian]

yep I'm kinda with theem on that one, would certainly affect resale for me, but what is it about '65 M20's at the moment ? This would be the third one on this page !!

 

[charliea]

On my JF65-12AB I'm using a Baggs soundhole pickup and one of these http://www.tapastring.com/vintagejack.htm Works great, sounds great, and you don't have to alter the instrument.

 

[kittyboy]

Thanks for the replies.


What are vintage M20s in good condition going for these days--$1200 or so? Certainly not like drilling a pre-war Martin, but I get your point.



Mic'ing is great, but plug'n'go is so convenient, and the western pickup sounds much better than any piezo i've heard...

 

[Ian]

Thanks for the replies.


What are vintage M20s in good condition going for these days--$1200 or so? Certainly not like drilling a pre-war Martin, but I get your point.



Mic'ing is great, but plug'n'go is so convenient, and the western pickup sounds much better than any piezo i've heard...

Yes but remember that 1937 Martins probably werent awfully expensive in 1955 either. My thoughts are that your M20 will only appreciate in value over time, they are already fairly sought after due to the Nick Drake connection, and now theres a bunch of guys like William Fitzsimons using them, it's only a matter of time before they are unobtanium. If it were me I wouldnt f... it up, if you want to plug in buy another Guild with a pickup in it!!!

Cheers, Ian

 

[Theem]

I think the last three in good condition went for around 950-1100$

On this forum a nice one would get more I bet! whatever you decide, only resale value would suffer as so many never plug in a guitar, and people, including me, get romanced by vintage guitars that are original.

Original guitars are damn cool!

-edit-
and as stated above, they will increase in value. Especially the next 10 years when real mahogany will be hard to get, remember that genuine mahogany might become a cites restricted wood, much like Brazilian rosewood. Then all mahogany guitars will slowly get more expensive. In the 50s and 60s mahogany was cheap as dirt. Today its an expensive wood.

 

[Bltprf502]

Yeah, my 65' M20 is in excellent condition and I couldn't put a p/u in it. I would say mint, but the bridge is cracked and repaired, but that's it. You could do the vintage jack thing and it would be fine, but I would mic it. You will get the vibe which that guitar has earned the right to put out.... No pickup will come close.

 

[markus]

If you don't want to drill give those AKG C411a try.
(If your stage is not too loud and phantom power is provided!)
Markus

 

[kittyboy]

i dunno guys--i hear everything you're saying, but at the same time there's that whole "made to be played" thing, and then i think, "this is a tool and if it can be maximized to that purpose with no alteration to it's appearance, and no degradation of sound, then how could that be a bad thing?"

except for perhaps the 20% reduction in resale value, although to tell you the truth i'd probably pay more for one with a k&k--and i don't think i'll be parting with this one anyway!

 

[markus]

"If you don't want to drill …" was what I said. I like the K&K (in two of my guitars) very much, too. And they also offer a "Vintage Jack" that might work without drilling.
Markus

 

[chazzan]

IMO:

what did they say about Guild? Made to be played!

I have a K&K in my F-20 and it sounds great- very warm and woody- I never liked the piezo undersaddle pickups and they also effect the cound subtly, plus they involve more wires and drilling in the giutar.

I say put in the K&K with the vintage jack- a good luthier can remove the contact pickups very easily. To me what more important than a some small left over super glue residue (if the pickup is eventually taken out) is how the guitar is cared for overall.

what is that line about owning our possessions or our possessions owning us????????

whatever you do- hope you feel good about your choice!

 

[kittyboy]

thanks again for your suggestions...


i'm waiting for the CV-2 to arrive, hoping it might be a nice compromise between my two 20s and the D55 and end up being the box I use for most live amplified stuff...


but the M20 may end up with a K&K in her before long!