Soundhole pickup? piezo?

[Velouria]

Two days ago I came across a really beat up Gibson Gospel acoustic from the 90's in a hock shop, it needed some love so I managed to get it very cheap and I want to use it as a beater for playing bar gigs. I've already fixed all the small issues with it and it turned out to be a really nice sounding guitar, now I just need to get a pickup in it. My other acoustic has a D-Tar wavelength piezo in it and it does sound pretty good to me, less quacky than alot of the piezo pickups I've had in the past, but in reality I know pretty much nothing about acoustic pickups. Any suggestions for what to slap in? I just want a flat natural tone and I'd rather not alter anything cosmetically about the guitar other than installing the input jack at the back strap pin. I have an LR Baggs paracoustic DI with all the usual preamp controls on it, so pickups with extra fly-wheels and such are kind of overkill. I'm not overly concerned about price range of the pickup since I paid next to nothing for the guitar in the first place.

 

Thanks!

[drathbun]

Two days ago I came across a really beat up Gibson Gospel acoustic from the 90's in a hock shop' date=' it needed some love so I managed to get it very cheap and I want to use it as a beater for playing bar gigs. I've already fixed all the small issues with it and it turned out to be a really nice sounding guitar, now I just need to get a pickup in it. My other acoustic has a D-Tar wavelength piezo in it and it does sound pretty good to me, less quacky than alot of the piezo pickups I've had in the past, but in reality I know pretty much nothing about acoustic pickups. Any suggestions for what to slap in? I just want a [b']flat natural tone[/b] and I'd rather not alter anything cosmetically about the guitar other than installing the input jack at the back strap pin. I have an LR Baggs paracoustic DI with all the usual preamp controls on it, so pickups with extra fly-wheels and such are kind of overkill. I'm not overly concerned about price range of the pickup since I paid next to nothing for the guitar in the first place.

 

Thanks!

 

If you want warm acoustic tones with none of the edge or harshness of a UST pickup, stick with Baggs and get an active iBeam. They attached to the underside of the bridge plate, not under the saddle and they pick up the vibrations of the entire soundboard. I have two of them. If you want a pickup you can put in and take out easily, again stick with Baggs and go with an M1 soundhole pickup. There are a lot of pros using them and although I've never tried one, I've heard some sound samples and read the reviews and it sounds impressive.

 

The other pickup system that most acoustic users swear by (again I've not experience these) is the K&K Pure Western. It, however, is a pretty permanent install as the three pickups are superglued to the bridge plate (the iBeam uses double sided tape which can be removed).

[Taylor Player]

I am going to say check out the K & K Mini Western. I have one in my Advanced Jumbo and love it. Nothing but natural acoustic tone, no battery on the inside of your guitar and you can use the double tape if you prefer but it will sound best if superglued. Total cost for mine including the install by an excellent Luthier/tech at the Podium in Minneapolis was about $160. (I also have the LR Baggs PARA DI which works quite well with my K & K Mini).

[MR GIBS]

I have a M1 L.R. Baggs (in the soundhole) on M-R GIBS (SJ 200). Sounds to me perfect (because I don't like the "piezo" sound of undersaddles pickups). M1 gets the sound from the strings and from the body. For me this is good enough. I listened to samples of different pickups in the internet and I choused M1 L.R. Baggs from those samples. I was thinking do not put thet M1 permanently on the guitar, but 8 days ago I played on stage and I decided that that black sticking up cable from the soundhole spoils the beauty of M-R GIBS... So I told the luthier to put it permanently.

[ballcorner]

Dean Markley Pro Mag. Definitely.

[Velouria]

Thank for the help guys, after researching the options laid out I'm thinking I'll go with the K&K Mini Western. All the reviews are pretty glowing and the sound clips I've found are great. Really liking the idea of not having to worry about batteries too! The M1 sound clips are really good as well and a few acoustic guys I like seem to be using it (Ray Lamontagne, Jeff Tweedy, even Paul Simon!) but I think the look of it would bug me after awhile. I know sarcasm can be hard to convey in writing, but as for the Dean Markley Pro Mag, I'm hoping the sarcasm is as clear as I think it is! I've seen so many guys (bar band guys, not pros) use those live and it's gotta be the worst sounding acoustic pickup going. Speaking of which I tried my friends Fishman Neo-D in it at a gig this weekend and after one song I had to switch back to my other acoustic, that pickup just sounded weird and the 60 cycle hum was almost as loud as the actual signal. Anyways, thanks again, big help!