Undersaddle pickups? Yes/No?

[Towzend]

Hey Guys, i was thinking of having a undersaddle pickup fitted to my j200, something lika a Fishman matrix ect

but then i was reading a lot about bridges & saddles and the materials there made of to give the guitar its

optimum sound.. but more importantly i was interested in the saddle, and its job, trasmitting vibrations through

the soundboard.. so the saddle has to sit in the bridge nice and firm in the slot, now, they also sdvised AGAINST

useing undersaddle pickups , because(understandably) it can interfear with the important vibrations the saddle

trasmitts to the soundboard?

So, its ok perhaps plugged in, but unplugged is quality of sound compromised? i think i would play my guitar

more unplugged than plugged?

At the moment i mic it with a Behringer condenser B1 into a Hartke acoustic amp!

 

So Wot yer fink?

[Murph]

I'm finkin' my '03 J45RW has a pickup. I've never seen it. I have to change the battery when I change the strings.

 

It kills Martins. Unplugged.

 

It had the best tone at the Bluebird a few years ago, plugged in.

 

Sorry, my mind wonders.

 

What was the question?

 

Murph.

[jchabalk]

Those things make me nervous.

 

I had a guitar with an undersaddle and it sounded like crap. I'm pretty sure it was a baggs. I had to have a bunch of work done on the guitar a while ago and had the guys get rid of it.

 

the sound just wasn't for me - sounded like when you have really fresh strings on the guitar and play it right up at the bridge. If i were to put a pickup in one of my acoustics i think i'd look at the K&Ks

[John Lee Walker]

When I had my J200 customized with the combo LR Baggs iBeam/iMix/Sig Hot Dot system I had him remove the under saddle transducer for just that reason. It's my thinking that any material between the natural vibration of the saddle material and wood is going to interfere with the overall transmission of sound quality. I am totally satisfied with the custom system I had installed. Kept the thumb wheel active for Baggs volume and put the J160 front knob configuration on it for master volume with a tone blend knob. Never had an acoustic that sounded better amplified than this one:) I think you'd do well to remove the Baggs under saddle pickup. I replaced my Tusq saddle with fossilized walrus ivory and all I can say is ... whoa. The overall result is absolutely amazing. I get compliments all the time from other guitarists when I play my solo set, and always the same question - what the heck did you do to that guitar? lol

[Gitfidl]

Undersaddle pickup is a mixed blessing. The knob on the end is worthless for a guitar strap. You need to get a reliable knob or your $2500 Gibson is on the floor!. Lousy knob. Lots of amp feedback (loud unwanted noise)(because it is acoustic). Better than the old "De Armond" pickups. You can also put a mike up to the guitar hole and amplify it that way.

[ballcorner]

Never put an under saddle pickup in a guitar you intend to play acoustically. I wish there was a more polite answer.

 

Instead, use a KandK Mini Western, a Schatten Artist or some other form of passive/active transducer - then you aren't sacrificing acoustic tonality and you have a pickup that sounds more like your actual guitar.

[asmith9509]

If you perform at all, they are pretty handy to have. I have never tried the K&K system although many rave about it; I have the Baggs Element in one guitar and a Fishman Matrix in the other. Both sound great either unplugged or plugged in.

One idea- if you have it installed, have the installer make a new bridge saddle to go with it. That way if you decide you don't like it, you can easily go back to the original setup.

[Taylor Player]

+1 on the K & K mini western here. Have one in my AJ and it kicks butt over the Highlander UST I had installed in my Taylor 612C 15 years ago.

[Jinder]

I would avoid retrofitting an undersaddle. I am about to get a K&K Pure Western Mini fitted in my SJ200 which I am very excited about. Out comes the buzzy Fishman Matrix Natural II, in goes a Fossilized Walrus Ivory saddle and the K&K. It should be done in a month...watch this space!

[pohatu771]

I have one in my Martin and my Fullerton... I'm happy with both of their sounds. I added it to the Martin, and I do notice a difference in acoustic tone. Of course, I also didn't shave the saddle down, so that could have an effect on it.

[MR GIBS]

Undersaddle pickup is a material under the saddle, hence I don't put this on my M-R GIBS.

On the other hand I don't like the "splashing electric shade" of the sound of an undersaddle pickup when I am plugged in.

I have installed L.R.Baggs M1.

I liked the sound - I was listening samples of different pickups and I liked M1 sound, plus the sound I liked the colour.

Well - it is on the hole...

There is no complete happiness...

But the guitar sounds good to me plugged in and other people allso had taken the same decision:

 

 

[H]

Never put an under saddle pickup in a guitar you intend to play acoustically. I wish there was a more polite answer.

 

Instead' date=' use a KandK Mini Western, a Schatten Artist or some other form of passive/active transducer - then you aren't sacrificing acoustic tonality and you have a pickup that sounds more like your actual guitar.

[/quote']

 

I installed a K&K Pre Western Mini into my Hummingbird recently and can confirm the last sentence absolutely!