Best acoustic pickup?

[Sergnaps]

Hello all! I have a guild D140 Dread (same as my profile pic) and my Dearmond tone boss pu just stopped working. The wiring is hot so I know it’s getting juice but when I plug the mini 1/8 inch cable to the pu….nothing. Waiting to hear back from them about it.

In the meantime, what are some acoustic pickups anyone could recommend? I’m willing to spend some $$ if it’s worth it. Lmk. TIA!!

Sergio

 

[Neal]

Most folks prefer a K&K mini passive pickup, into a preamp.

 

[Br1ck]

For a deal price, JJB pickups equal K&Ks for half the cost. The pickups I use are two hundred bucks and perhaps too much to put in your guitar. The hot product on the market is the Baggs Hi Fi but that's two hundred too, though it has an on board pre. On a budget, it's hard to beat a JJB.

 

[jeffcoop]

Am I right in thinking that the new Baggs system looks like a K&K Pure Mini but without the need for superglue and with an included preamp? Could be promising. I've been using the Pure Mini for the last decade and generally like it, but without eq I do think it sound sa bit metallic.

 

[West R Lee]

Am I right in thinking that the new Baggs system looks like a K&K Pure Mini but without the need for superglue and with an included preamp? Could be promising. I've been using the Pure Mini for the last decade and generally like it, but without eq I do think it sound sa bit metallic.

I installed a Baggs Anthem in one of mine last year. No glue, just adhesive backing on everything.........preamp, internal mic, battery pouch, even on the wire clamps.....all have adhesive backs, and all pull right back off if you need to. It took about 30 minutes to install and gives you both an under saddle, and an internal microphone, and the ability to mix them. If you've already got the 1/2" hole at the endpin for your cable, then there's nothing to it.

West

 

[Maguchi]

If I had my druthers, money is no object, I'd go with a "Sunrise."

Sunrise S-2 Acoustic Pickup With Installation Kit

The Sunrise Pickup has earned the respect of professional players on stage and in the studio for over 20 years.In that time it has proven itself as a reliable, tough, professional unit. This pickup and matching preamp represents the ultimate in the uncompromising search for a truly acoustic...

www.chicagomusicexchange.com

 

[West R Lee]

Here's one some of the more "refined" players are big on. I've never played though one, so you know how unrefined a player I am.

Trance Audio Products - AMULET M

www.tranceaudio.com

West

 

[plaidseason]

I'm going to chime in and chime the same thing I always chime. I long ago stopped trying for a "natural acoustic" live acoustic sound and instead went for a good (also "natural") sound. My typical setup is a Fishman Rare Earth soundhole pickup through a Fishman Platinum Pro for EQ and compression. And I'm always running some level/kind of reverb or echo through the EFX loop.

Over the years I've come to love "acoustic" sounds live and on record from Merrie Amsterberg, Gimmer Nicholson (and Big Star), and Daniel Lanois. Not more than lively, natural acoustic sounds in a room with good ambience, but in a similar way.

 

[Grassdog]

It really depends on how much you're wanting to spend, how the rest of your rig is set up, aesthetics (some don't like the look of soundhole pickups) There's a lot of love for the K&K's pickups here on this forum, and for good reason. I've had an older K&K active system with the 3 transducers mounted under the bridge on my GF-30 for over a decade now and it still sounds phenomenal. I've also had good experience with the LR Baggs Anthem SL active p/u with the blended undersaddle and internal mic system. You have a lot of great options.

 

[plaidseason]

If I had my druthers, money is no object, I'd go with a "Sunrise."

Sunrise S-2 Acoustic Pickup With Installation Kit

The Sunrise Pickup has earned the respect of professional players on stage and in the studio for over 20 years.In that time it has proven itself as a reliable, tough, professional unit. This pickup and matching preamp represents the ultimate in the uncompromising search for a truly acoustic...

www.chicagomusicexchange.com

Also part of how I ended up leaning into soundhole pickups.

Sidebar to this: A couple of years back I tried to add another pedal to my chain that promoted the sonic qualities of a mic'd acoustic guitar.

I only found one setting that I liked and the pedal wasn't well labeled. After some research I determined that the particular setting wasn't doing anything but buffering my signal. I really liked it though. It was a small, but noticeable improvement - rounder and warmer. I only later figured out that it was sort of budget way of getting closer to the sound of a Sunrise pickup through a Sunrise buffer box. I ended up ditching the pedal, but added a Boss TU2 to the beginning of my chain, which is comparable to the setting on the pedal I ditched.

And so while I love the Fishman Rare Earth, I admit I've never stopped longing for a Sunrise.

 

[Br1ck]

One important fact, remember that if you have a passive piezo pickup, you need a devise to match impedance from a Hi impedance guitar output to a low impedance signal suitable for a mixing board, etc. It is true that many mixers and most acoustic amps do have input switches for this, you still need either a basic DI or a Pre amp. If you play an open mic, even if the board has one, you can't count on the operator to know how to use it. That $100 pickup could need a $200 preamp, or however much you want to spend. A passive pickup on it's own will sound bad.

 

[D30Man]

For a deal price, JJB pickups equal K&Ks for half the cost. The pickups I use are two hundred bucks and perhaps too much to put in your guitar. The hot product on the market is the Baggs Hi Fi but that's two hundred too, though it has an on board pre. On a budget, it's hard to beat a JJB.

Plus one for the JJB. I have had great luck with them and they cost half of what a K&K costs.

 

[Doc Hanson]

My experience with K&K has been very good. I put one in my CV2 that has an active volume control (I really like being able to adjust volume at the guitar) and it sounds great as long as I run it through a preamp with some eq control.

Having said that, I don't think it's as good as the Seymour Duncan Mag Mic I put in my 79' D40. It's a magnetic soundhole pickup with a built-in condenser mic. Very versatile and is the best sounding acoustic pickup I've tried.

 

[Sergnaps]

So many good options here. I’d only ever used a sound hole pick up so similar to the fishman or DeArmond tone boss. Will do some more research on these recs. Thanks everyone so far!

Sergio

 

[dpc915]

For a deal price, JJB pickups equal K&Ks for half the cost. The pickups I use are two hundred bucks and perhaps too much to put in your guitar. The hot product on the market is the Baggs Hi Fi but that's two hundred too, though it has an on board pre. On a budget, it's hard to beat a JJB.

The HiFI is brand new so not sure yet (review wise) if that’s worth it. LR baggs have a lot of great stuff. The element or even the M-80 you put in soundhole. I’ve used both. Good luck

 

[Songwriter99]

I use an Anthem and lately I've rediscovered some nice tones with my Aura pedal.

 

[Mapleman54]

I use Baggs LB6 bridge with internal preamp on my Buscarino Starlight nylon (my most played guitar at the mo’). It is astonishingly easy to get a good sound in a variety of spaces, from teaching studio to noisy exhibition hall. It’s has an active preamp on the end pin jack, so battery needed. I also use a small Schertler Guilia acoustic combo as a stage monitor/DI, with lovely, trouble free results. I think nylon presents a whole different set of problems, and this is my best result yet.
Just installed a James May Ultratonic on my treble nylon (currently tuned at G) so I can do Joni tunings without much capo adjustment on stage. It looks like a 3 element k+k, but John Buscarino swears by them and I trust his ears! I’ll report back when thoroughly tested, but initial tests are promising, with great clarity. Can’t yet say it’s better than k+k though!
One last thought… my ‘85 Guild Mark 3 classical, a lovely clean example I got from Elderley, has no pickup yet. It’s smooth, even, mahogany/spruce sound should be great for vocal accompaniment and I’m going to try a variety of condenser mics first, find a sound I like, and try to match with a pickup that delivers same. Report to follow (might take some months!) I really enjoyed reading all the highly informed opinions here - thanks to all!

 

[Nuuska]

Hello

For reference it would be good to know :
- how did you like the Tone Boss while it was working?
- was there anything missing?
- anything annoying?
- do you play solo - or in a loud band?
- if in a band - is it soft or loud volume?
- etc etc

We all have individual opinions about good sound - so above questions are trying to help you pinpoint YOUR SOUND

 

[Br1ck]

The HiFI is brand new so not sure yet (review wise) if that’s worth it. LR baggs have a lot of great stuff. The element or even the M-80 you put in soundhole. I’ve used both. Good luck

And here is where the question becomes problematic, and everyone has a different idea of what they like. I've had two Baggs products, a Lyric and now the Element that came in my Santa Cruz. Like the K&K that came with my Martin D 35 Custom, neither was satisfactory. The Lyric has no low end, the K&K needs so much EQ I won't be bothered. Now I've got an Element I spent an hour with trying to get a combination of the tone control and the three band, sweepable mid, EQ of my amp to smooth it out. Didn't find a setting I liked. I guess it's back to Teddy Randazzo for a 7th set of Dazzos once I get over the Santa Cruz cost shock.

Now I just mentioned some popular pickups, but once you get the right Dazzo set, say goodby to EQ period. I can't remember ever touching the tone knobs on my SunnAudio. I think the only alternative would be a ToneDexter. I'm afraid pulling the Element will require a new saddle.

 

[Sergnaps]

Thanks for asking @Nuuska . I play both solo and in a 4 piece indie rock, folk rock and alternative style band. Nothing too loud with the acoustic. I really did enjoy the tone boss for a while. It was balanced and served my needs well. The D140 is a sweet, full bodied dread that sounds great live. I’m contemplating just getting another tone boss for now so I can gig and eventually figure out what’s next.