Do all L. Baggs short scale Gibson sound the same plugged in?

[Country-Rocker]

Hi All,

 

I am curious to know if all short scale Gibson Acoustics with L. Baggs element pickup sound the same when plugged in? For example, the Gibson American Eagle and the J-45, despite different size and bracing, the neck and saddle/bridge are basically the same. Will they sound alike when plugged in? I just wonder if guitar body size affects an under saddle pickup sound. A friend and I were discussing it and we wondered if the bigger guitar body sounds more bassy through the under saddle pickup.

 

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

 

Freddie

[onewilyfool]

Interesting question…if they DO sound alike, that would not say much about Baggs pickups….

[Jeremy Morton]

They will all sound different. The guitar, strings and setup all impact the sound of the PU for sure.

J

[MR GIBS]

Hi All,

 

I am curious to know if all short scale Gibson Acoustics with L. Baggs element pickup sound the same when plugged in? For example, the Gibson American Eagle and the J-45, despite different size and bracing, the neck and saddle/bridge are basically the same. Will they sound alike when plugged in? I just wonder if guitar body size affects an under saddle pickup sound. A friend and I were discussing it and we wondered if the bigger guitar body sounds more bassy through the under saddle pickup.

 

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

 

Freddie

To hear that you just have to go in a Guitar Center and plug in some guitars.

And the result will be that the bigger guitar body sounds "bigger".

But that is not the point here.

The point is that all L.R.Baggs Element in the Gibson Acoustics are just L.R.Baggs Element undersadle piezzo pickups.

And all they impart an unnatural shade of the plugged in sound of the beautiful Gibson Acoustic Guitar.

 

My personal opinion: if in the Boseman Montana Gibson Acoustic factory they forget about the tusk nut&saddle + plastic bridge pins combination = this will be a better Gibson Acoustic World

And if they forget about the L.R.Baggs Element undersaddle thing = even BETTER Gibson Acoustic World!!!

People, this "element" doesn't sound acoustic!

[Phelonious Ponk]

They will all sound different. The guitar, strings and setup all impact the sound of the PU for sure.

J

 

As an absolute statement, I'm sure this is true, but any insinuation that a J 45 will sound like a j 45 and a n AJ like an AJ is pretty silly. The body of the guitar is basically an amplifier. It amplifies the energy from the strings transmitted through the saddle and bridge. An undersaddle pickup picks up that string energy under the saddle and sends it to a completely different amplifier, the one tou plug into the wall. It takes the body of the guitar almost completely out of the equation. Yes, the vibration of the strings is affected by the body, you'll hear differences in sustain, but not much else. Use uniform, consistent saddle material, like Tusq, and there won't be much difference between an L 00 and a j 200. Don't believe it? Plug an acoustic with a passive under saddle pup straight into a PA -- no preamp. Set all the EQ flat. Now crank it up and play. Hear that? Pretty awful, huh? That's the sound of a UST, bi-passing a guitar. Now run it through a nice pre. Fiddle around with the controls. It's amazing how much you can get that previously awful sound to sound like a guitar. But if you think it makes a D 28 sound like a D28 and a j 45 sound like a j 45, I want some of what you're smoking.

 

P

[Country-Rocker]

As an absolute statement, I'm sure this is true, but any insinuation that a J 45 will sound like a j 45 and a n AJ like an AJ is pretty silly. The body of the guitar is basically an amplifier. It amplifies the energy from the strings transmitted through the saddle and bridge. An undersaddle pickup picks up that string energy under the saddle and sends it to a completely different amplifier, the one tou plug into the wall. It takes the body of the guitar almost completely out of the equation. Yes, the vibration of the strings is affected by the body, you'll hear differences in sustain, but not much else. Use uniform, consistent saddle material, like Tusq, and there won't be much difference between an L 00 and a j 200. Don't believe it? Plug an acoustic with a passive under saddle pup straight into a PA -- no preamp. Set all the EQ flat. Now crank it up and play. Hear that? Pretty awful, huh? That's the sound of a UST, bi-passing a guitar. Now run it through a nice pre. Fiddle around with the controls. It's amazing how much you can get that previously awful sound to sound like a guitar. But if you think it makes a D 28 sound like a D28 and a j 45 sound like a j 45, I want some of what you're smoking.

 

P

 

 

Yes this is what I thought too. Under saddle means just that. I don't mind the Element pick up at all and with a tad bit of EQ they sound great.

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

 

Freddie

[zombywoof]

Never owned a guitar with onboard electonics. Then again, they did not exist when the guitars I own were built.

 

I use Dearmond soundhole pickups which are great equalizers. In a way it is kinda silly to slap one across the soundhole of a 1942 Gibson J-50 or because it will sound pretty much the same when plugged in as a Harmony Stella. But as I like the Elmore James/Lighnin' Hopkins vibe they work real well for me.

[Jeremy Morton]

Each PU will sound slightly different in every guitar. One J-200 may have a little more or less bass, mids or treble than another. The Baggs Element is not a normal Piezo PU, the element flexes with the top of the guitar so it picks up more body resonance, this body resonance will be unique to the individual guitar. The PU will react to different saddle materials as well.

I hope this helps with your original question.