Which soundhole pickup?!

[gypsyseven]

I´m into buying a soundhole pickup for my Eastman AC-320, but i just don´t know what to get....

To be honest, i don´t wanna spend that much money on a pickup.I probably won´t use it that much...just every know and then...

Had a look at those wooden Dean Markley and Seymour Duncan pickups - are they good or "OK" ????

[kidblast]

I've had the Duncan Pro Mag Gold, used it for a a few years until I finally decided to install an under saddle transducer. They sound pretty good, are easy to put in and take out, there's felt padding so it wont muck up your sound hole.

 

The only negative I can relate to you is that it got in the way a little bit when I was finger picking. Which I do a lot of.

I was always able to manage getting around it, but it was a bit of a PITA for me.

 

the other thing I experienced is the cable just flat out stopped working, it wasn't the plug end because that is fixable, it was inside the unit. Which was a bit of a surprise because to be honest, I hadn't used it all that much when it failed.

But I sent it back, and they replaced it very quickly with a brand new one. So they were really good about that.

[gypsyseven]

I've had the Duncan Pro Mag Gold, used it for a a few years until I finally decided to install an under saddle transducer. They sound pretty good, are easy to put in and take out, there's felt padding so it wont muck up your sound hole.

 

The only negative I can relate to you is that it got in the way a little bit when I was finger picking. Which I do a lot of.

I was always able to manage getting around it, but it was a bit of a PITA for me.

 

the other thing I experienced is the cable just flat out stopped working, it wasn't the plug end because that is fixable, it was inside the unit. Which was a bit of a surprise because to be honest, I hadn't used it all that much when it failed.

But I sent it back, and they replaced it very quickly with a brand new one. So they were really good about that.

 

Thanks mate!

[Geezah]

I wouldn't bother with a soundhole pickup if I were you. I bought a used Seymour Duncan Woody (humbucker) for my dread and was totally unsatisfied with the sound. It didn't sound anything like my guitar at all; the B string came through much louder than the rest of them, and nothing I could do evened things out. And given that I have other guitars to use when I plug in ( both with UST's), there's no way I'm going to spring for a graphic EQ box. I think you'd have a much better chance of getting a good amplified sound with a decent UST. You have a pretty good guitar and a UST will sound a lot closer to what you're used to hearing than a soundhole PU.

[milod]

I've used soundhole pups - usually single pole - since the mid '60s. Also a somewhat similar sort of pup on an apparatus for archtops.

 

I've generally been pleased with them. One needs to remember that until somewhere around the early 1970s a variation of magnetic pup was all that there was available for a flattop other than variations of contact microphones of various sorts that tended really to howl.

 

My observation is that they work well in general. I still have an inexpensive one on my only 12-string and it's quite able to do the job well enough. A friend has an old Gibbie with a mag pup that was original on it from the early '50s and I think it sounds quite nice - and his second of that style has a recent aftermarket single pole on it that works well too.

 

OTOH, some of us are awfully picky on tone and likely won't be very happy with anything short of various high-end stuff and even then may question it.

 

Strings will make a difference too, depending on the overall setup, how one plays, etc.

 

m

[DrRogerFisher]

I'm very pleased with my "California Lace Acoustic" pickups.

They amplify the acoustic sound without distortion, they're small and relatively invisible, and they're attached with small pads that don't damage the guitar at all.

The 1/4 jack inserts through the strap-pin hole, so no damage there.

Also the $90 price is reasonable.

Here's one in action:

 

[

Lace Acoustic pickup[/url]

 

Here's the manufacturer's link.

 

manufacturer's link

[Mickthemiller]

Dr Roger, That pickup sounds very nice indeed - thanks for the post and the video

[jonnyg]

When I bought a 12 string I got a Seymour Duncan Woody SC1 for it thinking it wouldn't be much good for an acoustic sound but would be useful for an electric sound on the cheap. I was amazed at how good the Woody was for an acoustic sound and it seems as good on 6 strings as well. I have a couple of acoustics with Fishman under saddle pickups and I find the Fishmans are a bit 'quacky' sounding against the Woody. Unfortunately, the Woody didn't give me the 12 string electric on the cheap sound so I bought a cheap Artec PUP which works well for that, but I really couldn't recommend that if you want an acoustic sound. One bad point on the Woody is that the output is quite low so it needs an amp or preamp with a fair bit of gain available.

[Mel-odious]

I had a soundhole pickup that I wasn't satisfied with. I finally settled on an bridge plate style (K&K Western Mini) because it was simple and it didn't put a lot on stuff inside the guitar.

The tone is great and is so loud that it doesn't need a preamp. All it takes is a reamer for the endpin, and three drops of super glue. JJB makes a great low cost version as well.

 

Mel

[milod]

For what it's worth, I think that almost any mag or piezo pup that's lasted on the market very long would be a workable choice.

 

Technique will make a difference, ditto the amp/pup combination. I think also perhaps the size/shape of the instrument may make a difference in ways.

 

I've used soundhole pups through the years along with the rough equivalent on acoustic archtops back in the '60s.

 

I think a lot d'pends on what you expect.

 

m