brynte5 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 i'm considering buying a pickup for my gibson honky tonk deuce, to get a better sound for both recording and live performances. would you recommend an active or passive pickup? what are your opinions about these 2: * lr baggs m80 (it's the latest pickup from lr baggs, right?) http://www.lrbaggs.com/pickups/m80-acoustic-guitar-pickup * dimarzio black angel (i think it's new on the market, so not sure i can get a hold of one just yet) http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/acoustic/black-angel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I had an LR baggs m80 active but it sounded too much like an electric guitar trying to sound like an acoustic. I would use this pickup for playing in a bar and needing a lot of volume. The most pure sounding pick up I have is in my Jackson Browne http://www.tranceaudio.com/amulet.html I hade this one installed in a custom Martin I have and it really sounds good and is very versatile. http://www.fishman.com/products/view/ellipse-matrix-blend-1 There's a lot of good sounding systems that keep that acoustic sound for you so if you get the chance try a few of them out or go on line a listen to some samples from dealers like http://www.maurysmusic.com/pickups A lot of it comes down to what sounds good to you in the guitar you're going to use it in. How do you like your Dwight Deuce? I really like mine. For some reason it is the easiest playing guitar I own. All my friends have dib's on it if I get rid of it. Good luck with the search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse_Dylan Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 My personal opinion--you are not going to find a pickup that sounds like your guitar, and recording with a pickup just never sounds good. That is just my opinion, though. There are still things you can do, though! The way I see it, there are two options: 1) Fake it. Just use an under-saddle pickup, and get a Fishman Aura Spectrum DI. This uses modeling to "adjust" the signal and make it sound more like a guitar instead of piezo crystals being squashed and feeling string vibrations. Pickups are not microphones. Even the best are just sensors that sense vibrations. 2) Microphones. I'm sure you know about microphones, and if you wanted to use a microphone, you would not be looking for a pickup. However, L.R. Baggs makes something called the Lyric. This is basically a microphone that attaches to the bridge plate and works about the same as a pickup would. It doesn't sound as good as a nice, external mic, and there can be a lack of bass (which can be fixed with EQ), but it is still a microphone and sounds pretty good. Some people EQ it and record with it. It is designed for live use, though, not recording, as are all pickups. Just my jaded opinion. :) Even with the Lyric, it only hears the top of the guitar, not the back/sides. But that is better than a piezo pickup which just hears the strings, or just senses vibrations of the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I've got the Lyric in one of my AJs. It really is a warm sound. They run around $200. I'm very pleased with it, and it was an easy install if you're looking to do it yourself... If you want the Anthem, it goes for around $300. Never used one, but I've heard they're really superb. I don't think you can go wrong with either, but we all like different things. Lots to pick from. Fishman offers some great choices too. A good mic is likely the closest you will get to the actual acoustic sound of your guitar, but there are some truly good pickups that can get you pretty close. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse_Dylan Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I agree--we will all like different things for sure, too (although it sounds like MissouriPicker and I like the same things!) Some people really like the Anthem because it uses a combo of undersaddle (Element) and Lyric. The Element handles the bass, which is trickier for the Lyric. So when it's the Lyric alone, they used the best of their best mic capsules, but it is still not as meaty-bassy. However, if you are like me and just flat out hate the sound of piezo, you can still hear that in the Anthem. Most people seem easier to please than me. :) Funny thing is, I am easily pleased when it comes to basically any microphone... Not sure why I'm so unpicky about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 That DiMarzio looks pretty interesting. I had a Fishman Rare Earth sound hole pickup in a Martin D-28, and loved it - the guy I sold the guitar to still uses it touring all over the western US. I have a Lyric in my J-45, and its a good pickup, but does pick up every little tap of the body: I used to have a D-35 with a Highlander Undersaddle pickup, and loved that one to no end, recording and live. I am with Dave on the Trance Audio Stereo being the best I have ever owned, no hesitations live or recording. Next is the Trance Mono, then the Lyric Then that Fishman Rare Earth sound hole - Have not had my K&K Pure Mini long enough to give it an honest ranking. Out of the two you mentioned, I am most intrigued by the Black Angel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I have used K&k pure minis for years. $99 bucks, and a fairly simple install once you take your time and get the hang of it... Or pay your repair guy $75 to do it. It's an under bridge transducer... 3discs that are superglued. It is passive. No preamp in the guitar. It sounds great plugged in close, or you can use many preamps along with it. Sometimes they can be prone to feedback issues, but frankly I haven't had a pickup that wasn't.. My son has a Baggs M80 in his Taylor Gs Mini. I used it for a gig a week ago, as my main guitar's pickup failed. It has a decent sound, but if you have a heavy hand, the strings can get too close to the magnetic pole pieces and click. In general, it is a great pickup, but I think the K&k is less intrusive. Edited Just checked out the Dimarzio online... It's like a Baggs, but cheaper. No batteries and all passive, like the Baggs M1. I bet it's almost indistinguishable from the Baggs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I play with a fella who got the baggs anthem installed and honestly don't think it's any better than my k&k. The k&k is certainly more , er , lively? As in - both plugged into same board same settings and the k&k sits with volume on the guitar about half and his is almost full. Don't know what that means technically. Might be a bad thing. I think that a decent pickup with a good DI box is money better spent than all your pennies on the most expensive pickup you can find. Just stay away from piezos is my only definite. But I'm a hack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I use a 'bunch' of acoustics...6 and 12 string... From Ovation through Yamaha to Guild and Takamine All with stock under-bridge piezo's.... :blink: IMO a simple plug in beats the sound-hole magnetic approach for ease of use Room/hall acoustics are all different, as are amp settings etc So again IMO there is no 'perfect' solution....just a good compromise that works and sounds pretty good out front... Piezo's are far from perfect but have evolved over 40+ years...largely with the help of Ovation....allowing robust, usable guitars with quite decent sounds.... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 By using my FASDI black box which is silver and getting talked about a lot by me this week.....(Fishman Aura Spectrum D.I. - come on chaps, can we call it something easier to type tap? 'The Fish' or something?...........I actually prefer a simple piezo no battery for pickups and run it to Fishy. Baggs in BK is preamped and a lot louder and have to remember to change battery. Main ingredient - great sounds and no quack! Guaranteed! Here is a video from Sam Ash: I have had Aura pedals since they came out, which is getting along now and as soon as the Spectrum DI came out I swapped my other pedal to that to use all the different guitars I can... the only negative is that they must have some new version coming any minute, but I love mine. BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brynte5 Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 thanx a lot to everyone for your responses and advice :-) actually i already have the Fishman Aura Spectrum DI, but i haven't used it much since i bought it (just tried it out a couple of times), maybe about 1 year ago. i guess i was looking for a quick fix at the time and didn't spend enough time with it, to really learn to appreciate it. but your comments about it means i'll probably give it a new shot asap :-) lately i've only been connecting my guitar through my voicelive 3 pedal in live performances, which has some great patches for acoustic guitar called bodyrez, which i suppose do about the same magic as the aura. th helicon actually released a separate pedal recently called bodyrez, but i assume it's the same stuff that's already in the voicelive 3, since that's the name of the patches and all. so, instead of buying a pickup/ installation, i'll give the Fishman Aura Spectrum DI a new chance :-) might save me some cash and give me that great sound we're all in constant pursue of ;-) Dave F: yeah, i really like this guitar :-) i spent a day trying out all kinds of acoustics, both more and less expensive than this one, but in the end it sounded better than all the competition, so i just chose my guitar by ear :-) i've been looking for one of those feedback busters, but i still haven't found one that would fit my guitar... do any of you guys know of any? the problem is that the volume wheel would get in the way, as it sticks out a bit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 As far as I know you can cut a little slot out to reach your volume wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Or , use the volume on your DI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 thanx a lot to everyone for your responses and advice :-) actually i already have the Fishman Aura Spectrum DI, but i haven't used it much since i bought it (just tried it out a couple of times), maybe about 1 year ago. i guess i was looking for a quick fix at the time and didn't spend enough time with it, to really learn to appreciate it. but your comments about it means i'll probably give it a new shot asap :-) lately i've only been connecting my guitar through my voicelive 3 pedal in live performances, which has some great patches for acoustic guitar called bodyrez, which i suppose do about the same magic as the aura. th helicon actually released a separate pedal recently called bodyrez, but i assume it's the same stuff that's already in the voicelive 3, since that's the name of the patches and all. so, instead of buying a pickup/ installation, i'll give the Fishman Aura Spectrum DI a new chance :-) might save me some cash and give me that great sound we're all in constant pursue of ;-) Dave F: yeah, i really like this guitar :-) i spent a day trying out all kinds of acoustics, both more and less expensive than this one, but in the end it sounded better than all the competition, so i just chose my guitar by ear :-) i've been looking for one of those feedback busters, but i still haven't found one that would fit my guitar... do any of you guys know of any? the problem is that the volume wheel would get in the way, as it sticks out a bit... There you go! You already have the Fish! The Deuce is based on the J45, isn't it? Run the Fish into a computer and download all the J45 sound images into the user preset, plug in guitar, set image percentage to about 1/3 for live and 2/3 for recording...and away you go, problem solved. Then run a lead out of the Fish into your guitar input of TC VoiceLive, set BodyRezz to 'flat', then you have it all! The Fish also has feedback busting settings and knobs! Try it and see! I used my Gibson Blues King through the Fish to my TC Helicon 'Play Acoustic' in the thread called Test Recording...really pleased ...have a listen if you want. BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 The Aura Spectrum DI is a great little black box, with great results. Very easy to use, spend half an hour with it and you will find a whole new world. Been using it for 5 years now with excellent results live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 I was playing my Martin OM28 Marquis after putting it in standard tuning and thought how a nice wireless pickup would be great for vintage and expensive guitars that are too precious for pickup installation. Something like the Fishman p/up linked below, ONLY wireless. http://www.fishman.com/products/view/blackstack-passive-soundhole-pickup No such thing as yet, of course - a few rubbery and rubbishy ideas that are close, but they aren't going on my OM! (I have the Seymour Duncan sound hole pickup that I can put in and have the lead dangling........) Probably be big money to the first inventor!!!!!! There is this big ugly: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acoustic-guitar-pickups/shadow-panamag-acoustic-guitar-wireless-system-pickup BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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