Hey, thanks for the welcome guys!
Nuuska, I bet that two pickup combo sounds fantastic. I go wireless though, and I don't really want to deal with two packs, and to be honest, for me a little of the mag in the sound hole goes a long way. It's maybe more irrational than that- I feel like sound hole pickups hold the top and block air. I did it once years ago, and I swear it changed the sound of the guitar. Might be in my mind...
Y'know what, never thought of that before, but that actually makes a lot of sense for the types that clamp firmly to the edges of the soundhole.
They would after all be acting like a damper for the top vibrations they're unavoidably absorbing, even if they're already somewhat damped by the soundhole reinforcement plate used on some builds.
The only soundhole p/u I ever used is an old Dean Markley design that just "squeezes on" by using sponge rubber in the edge slots and volume was always more of an issue than fidelity.
Thanks for all the feedback, and one more question- does everyone who tunes to concert use .10's on the top? This guitar came strung with Martin SP Extra Lights, and while I love SP's, I swear this top could stand some more tension to really move.
Thanks again!
Good question, think it depends on build era more than anything else, but "IIRC" I saw a piece of Guild lit from early 70's (?) did recommend tuning down by a whole step because of the tension issue, but at that time I don't think they offered .010's.
('72 price list shows bronze "light" sets only but doesn't spec gauges, note however that they also show both light and medium under the silk'n'steel sets):
http://www.westerlyguildguitars.com/files/pricelists/72-7.pdf
By early '80's I think it was they specifically made reference to the 12's being able to take standard tension, and that coincides with their "built like a tank" era.
By the '90's they had the .010's available and still didn't specifically suggest tuning down, but they'd also gone back to "lighter builds".
RE the Martin SP's, different makers' PB alloys do have slightly different total set tensions.
First thing I'd do is try the D'Addarios (uncoated), then maybe try the next gauge up but I'd tune it down then, for that guitar, for the sake of preserving the neckset if nothing else.
GHS offers a wide variety of alloys and has convenient total set tension tables on their site, too.
They even have a conversion chart showing what the tension is for individual strings at other-than-standard pitch, allows you to calculate a total set tension even with a custom gauge mix, or, for example, to calculate what you'd get by going to a heavier set tuned down. In some cases you'll wind up with something only slightly higher than what top was designed for.
And for full balance, I recall at least one member who has strung at least one of his with mediums at standard ever since mid '70's "IIRC" and still hasn't needed the neck re-set, but forget who it is.
"12-string", maybe?