Sound hole plug and LR Baggs volume control

[Country-Rocker]

Hi All,

 

I am taking my American Eagle in to get a strap button put on the heel. Does anyone really feel that they need to use a sound hole plug when playing their Gibby acoustic live? I have never had an acoustic with a pickup, so I don't know. The plugs I saw looked like they would damage the wood around sound hole and possibly mess up the volume control.

 

Do I need to pick up a sound hole cover when I take it in? I plan to start playing it out soon.

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

Freddie

[craig_no]

Hi All,

 

I am taking my American Eagle in to get a strap button put on the heel. Does anyone really feel that they need to use a sound hole plug when playing their Gibby acoustic live? I have never had an acoustic with a pickup, so I don't know. The plugs I saw looked like they would damage the wood around sound hole and possibly mess up the volume control.

 

Do I need to pick up a sound hole cover when I take it in? I plan to start playing it out soon.

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

Freddie

 

Depends on the pickup. I had an iBeam, which had a very simple volume wheel. I just cut a small wedge out of the underside of a Planet Waves soundhole cover. Anthems and Lyrics have bigger controls, so it is trickier. Plus, you'll lose access to the controls. You might want to control feedback another way...with EQ/feedback notch filter on an acoustic amp or a preamp like the Baggs Venue. More expensive than a soundhole cover, but useful for a lot of things. Ask the shop.

[Jeremy Morton]

I would try playing out before you make that decision. Many DI boxes come with controls to notch out feedback. I play 2 gigs a week with my acoustic and very rarely have feed back issues. The LR Baggs Stage Venue is a great DI and will help with EQ'ing and notching out problem frequencies.

JM

[Old Dawg]

My J-45 has an LR Baggs Element in it with a volume control in the sound hole. I also cut a notch in the cover to access the wheel. In my experience if you have a bunch of electric guitars aimed at your face in the monitors you pretty much can't get by with out it. The LR Baggs DI is a terrific tool once you get some time with it to dial it in.Have fun!

[kebob]

Jeremy is correct. Play it out a few times -- chances are you won't need one. I've played in a full band for years and have never needed one -- I run the acoustic through a DI box, then to PA. If your pickup is resistant to feedback (which is pretty much any piezo or magnetic pickup), you most likely won't need one.

[ballcorner]

You won't typically get feedback from the Baggs pickup. The only issue I had was playing in a long narrow room where I was playing from the side, not the end, so I had a lot of sonic reflection from a wall only 12 feet away. Even then, I just had to angle the guitar a bit and I was fine.

 

If you do need a feedback buster you will have to notch it for the volume control as stated in a previous reply. Then, you have to make sure you have the volume setting right before you install the cover - all the way up is not always the ideal setting, so I suggest around 80% volume.

 

I am not familiar with any damage occurring on finishes from feedback busters, but anything is possible. I find recent Gibson nitro more vulnerable to sweat rash, for instance, than any other finish in history. So you never know. The main point for me is that your stage guitar should be a good working instrument, not your best baby. So, if this is the guitar you would trade your girlfriend in for, get something else for a gig.

[Drog]

So, if this is the guitar you would trade your girlfriend in for, get something else for a gig.

Hmmmm, I wonder how much I could get for her???? Could be a nice new guitar in my future.