D4-12 pickup - factory or what?

[josh brokaw]

Howdy all,
Been happily playing a D4-12 since buying it fall of '21 in a craigslist deal in SE PA. I'd hat tip the member here who pointed out the listing if I knew how to find my old posts.
Anyway, great guitar, basically new, and the previous owner, who had bought it at a LMS on consignment, was not even aware that it already had a pickup installed.
It's an endpin jack pickup. There is a single black wire running from the jack to the bass side of the bridge, where the wire disappears into the bridge plate.
There's no on-board EQ/battery or anything.
Curious if anyone knows if these guitars ever came with that kind of pickup or if not, what style of P/U it is. It's OK, rather tinny, would like to get some sort of preamp or EQ pedal to pair with it for future gigging.
Last 4 of serial # are 1502, which puts it just before '97 production according to the chart. (Oddly, no production of this model is listed in '96).
Photo taken by a bypassing Leica-holding man of me 'working' on a something in a Keys beach pavilion last year.

 

[plaidseason]

It could be an old school Fishman Matrix, but if one was factory installed it would likely/should have an an "E" on the model number. But a single black wire would cause me guess it's some kind of passive pickup. Do you see a 9 volt battery anywhere inside?

Assuming/guessing it's passive, an outboard preamp/EQ should really help. I've been using either the current or earlier incarnation of the Fishman Platinum for twentysomething years. But even something like a Behringer ADI21 could greatly improve things.

That said, you might consider a different pickup altogether. And with the hole already reamed, you could install it yourself.

 

[Guildedagain]

Pretty sure I have a typewriter somewhere, but where?

 

[fronobulax]

I'd hat tip the member here who pointed out the listing if I knew how to find my old posts.

Find your avatar on the left side a post and click on your name. The page you get to has links for Latest Activity and Postings. Scroll though one or the other until you find the post you remember making.

https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/d4-12-in-kennett-square-pa-500.209724/#post-1988456 is probably the trigger post so you can thank @gjmalcyon.

 

[josh brokaw]

Find your avatar on the left side a post and click on your name. The page you get to has links for Latest Activity and Postings. Scroll though one or the other until you find the post you remember making.

https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/d4-12-in-kennett-square-pa-500.209724/#post-1988456 is probably the trigger post so you can thank @gjmalcyon.

You nailed it! Thanks for the info.

 

[josh brokaw]

Pretty sure I have a typewriter somewhere, but where?

I'm like that, except x20. Makes it easier to find them when I want one.

 

[Cougar]

It's an endpin jack pickup. There is a single black wire running from the jack to the bass side of the bridge, where the wire disappears into the bridge plate.
There's no on-board EQ/battery or anything.

Love that action shot! I am FAR from knowledgeable, on much of anything actually, but it sounds like an installed under-saddle. In any case, US-built Guild 12-strings are five-star!

 

[josh brokaw]

Love that action shot! I am FAR from knowledgeable, on much of anything actually, but it sounds like an installed under-saddle. In any case, US-built Guild 12-strings are five-star!

I thought K&K at first, but at least the modern ones all seem to be a stick-on. But I don't know much either! Definitely a passive pickup.