J-45 - Pull electronics out?

[KIGTO]

I really like my new (2008) J-45. Just a great guitar. She'll never get plugged in, and I intend to keep her forever. So, I'm thinking of getting bone pins/saddle/end pin from Colosi and pulling the electronics out. Anybody done this? Did she sound better afterwards? Should I just get pins and a saddle and put them in without pulling the electronics out? The saddle that's in there is already is starting to groove. Any advice would be appreciated.

[larryp58]

If you prefer new stuff, IMHO, you can't go wrong with Colosi's bone pins and saddle. You'll get a lot of differing opinions on this. As for me, I could immediately hear a sonic change for the better. As for the electronics, it's not hurting anything to leave it be. Maybe someday you might want to "plug up" and it'll be there. It's not taking away from the tone of the guitar.

[BigKahune]

... As for the electronics' date=' it's not hurting anything to leave it be. Maybe someday you might want to "plug up" and it'll be there. It's not taking away from the tone of the guitar.[/quote']

 

+1

 

You'd be hard pressed to tell the difference in the acoustic (unamplified) sound when listing to guitar with or without having one of the newer acoustic pickups onboard. Very unobtrusive IMHO (all of my acoustics have saddle pickups).

 

I'd rather have bone than plastic, tusq or corian.

[Jinder]

A friend of mine is the touring guitarist for Jon Allen (brilliant singer/songwriter, well worth your attention), and Jon recently bought a J45 and Hummingbird (both LH models as Jon is a southpaw, and both MCs). The first thing JA did was pull out the Baggs Elements and install bone saddles, then had both guitars fitted with Fishman Rare Earth Blend soundhole mag'n'mic pickups.

 

Apparently, this allowed the best of the guitar's acoustic tone to come through, and also improved the plugged-in tone.

 

I love te Baggs in my Hummingbird and the Fishman in my '200 (both undersaddles) and have no complaints in general with my acoustic or plugged in tone, so I'm in no hurry to change anything, but I can see it being an issue for a home player.

 

You can get oversized endpins to plug the jack socket hole in the endblock of your guitar once the Baggs is removed, and a Colosi saddle fitted by a good luthier will be a real boon to your tone, so I say go for it and whip that sucker out-you can always keep the pup and have it reinstalled for when you decide to embark on that world tour :-)

[Swicket]

I removed the fishman under saddle pickup

and all of the wires/battery mount prior to installing

my colosi saddle. I then installed one of colosi's oversized

ebony endpins. I had owned the guitar for 9 years and will

never sell her. I had also never plugged her in. I do play

with a strap and found the new endpin much more secure

than the fishman strapjack.

 

I thought about leaving in the pickup itself, but

my luthier recommended against it.

 

Sonically, my guitar became noticeably

louder, with an improved treble response

and incrreased sustain overall.

[RASHARU]

In my opinion.. Any substance sandwiched between your saddle and your bridge slot has to diminish your sound quality a tad. Noticeable??.. only you can make that judgement.

 

The string-to-soundboard vibrations will transfer best between two perfectly flat (mated) rigid resonant surfaces. Some saddle pickup strips are quite rigid while others are more like ribbon shoe laces.

 

Yes, your guitar will still sound fantastic either way you go. Just a preference.

 

I've never tried one, but there's got to be a reason why the K&K style pickups are getting so popular.

[ajsc]

I removed the pickup in my J-45. Replaced the saddle with a compensated bone saddle, from Bob Colosi,

as well as plain bone pins, & an over sized bone end pin.

I removed everything, & have never looked back.

I have no need for the electronics.

If you don't play plugged in, I say go for it!!

[KIGTO]

Thanks for the advice.

[Murph]

I play both ways and love the sound of mine plugged into my Carvin acoustic amp, or a p.a.

 

It's all on you....