recommended pickups

[Mr G]

Hi all, im a new user and was just looking for some advice on recommended acoustic pickups. I own a sj 200 tv which i'm sure your all aware come without pickups, which wasnt a problem at the time of purchasing as i brought the guitar to use at home (never really wanted to sit behind a mic entertaining), but thats whats happened and now need to fit some kind of pickup! there's no way i want to be drilling holes and maybe some kind of wireless pickup would be prefered. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

[brums]

K & K MINI PURE WESTERN......

[ponty]

If you want no holes - including end pin, go for a sound hole pick up. I can only speak for the type I have which is a Mimesis

single coil. This pick up is now called Rare earth by Fishman. It is good quality, economical, removable, and sounds excellent.

There are lots of this type to choose from. Here is Bob Fox using one on a Martin thingy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ROhJuVZJPLs

[EuroAussie]

Fishman Rare Earth Blend

[drathbun]

LR Baggs iBeam or K&K Pure Western Mini. Can't go wrong with either.

[Jinder]

I'm currently looking for the same thing for my AJ. Having used USTs for years, I can't on this guitar due to the bridge design.

 

The general consensus I've had from luthiers is that the K&Ks are brilliant in small-to-medium size guitars, but the extra bass response and top real estate of a dread or jumbo can make them sound rather woofy and feedback prone.

 

The iBeam was on my short list, but all I've heard are tales of it being a feedback nightmare at volume. Great sound at coffee-house levels, though.

 

I know it's not comparable to an SJ200TV, but I have an Epi EJ200 which was a gift to me earlier in the year. I slung in a Fishman Matrix Infinity UST which I had kicking about (bought it for my L-00 but it never shone in a small body), and it sounds AMAZING in the Epi. Maybe the best plugged-in sound of any guitar I've owned...these pickups are voiced brilliantly for a large bodied guitar, and I've never been able to make it feed back once-even when looping and playing an overdriven solo over the loop-the thing has a fantastic volume-before-feedback capability.

 

If I was in your position, it'd be the Matrix Infinity all the way-very classy pickup.

[Gio]

You might want to consider this:

 

http://www.tapastring.com/vintagejack.htm

 

It allows you to install a pick up without modifications to the endpin hole.

 

My favorite pickup is the LR Baggs M1 passive (soundhole magnetic pickup). I have it in my Hummingbird Artist and in my Martin 000-18GE and, to my ears, it sounds great.

[Jeremy Morton]

The Pure Western mini is a great pickup but even better when paired with the Pure XLR DI. Has some tone control on it.

JM

[Scratch47]

K&K Pure Western Mini on six stringers and Pure Western Standard series on the twelve strings'.

 

One exception: Had an expert luthier install an LR. Baggs M1 convertible setup on the Guild G312 a few years ago. Easy to quick disconnect or re-connect routed through the end jack... Gigged out with it in a local restaurant Saturday evening and received some nice comments about the natural acoustic sound pushed though a small Marshall (50W) amp...

[ParlourMan]

Considering a K&K pure mini western for my SJ-200TV, see a few mentions here, good for a big old maple girl too?

[Del Nilppeznaf]

I recently purchased the LR Baggs M1 active and was blown away by the 'natural acoustic' sound it gives. I usually go thru a Pod Line6 when gigging, I wanted the active for versatility.

Now waiting for a Hummingbird TV to be shipped then having the M1 fitted!!!!

 

Any thoughts on this from anyone? Sacrilege? :)

I have heard different thoughts on having a soundhole pickup fitted to a true acoustic instrument, but the M1 is easily removed leaving just the lead and 1/4inch jack inside the guitar. Am thinking of a way to ask the luthier to secure the 1/4 inch jack connection when not actually in use.

[Mr G]

Thanks for all your info folks, ive had a look at the k & k mini and thats not really what i'm looking for, besides i couldnt find any stockists in the U.K.! but i'm very impressed with the sound of the m1 active from what i've heard of it on you tube and like the idea of the freshman rare earth blend of how you can swap from the pickup to the mic or play them both together, but not to sure if it will be worth the extra money! Decision time, i think i might have a sleep on this one. :)

[Scratch47]

I recently purchased the LR Baggs M1 active and was blown away by the 'natural acoustic' sound it gives. I usually go thru a Pod Line6 when gigging, I wanted the active for versatility.

Now waiting for a Hummingbird TV to be shipped then having the M1 fitted!!!!

 

Any thoughts on this from anyone? Sacrilege? :)

I have heard different thoughts on having a soundhole pickup fitted to a true acoustic instrument, but the M1 is easily removed leaving just the lead and 1/4inch jack inside the guitar. Am thinking of a way to ask the luthier to secure the 1/4 inch jack connection when not actually in use.

 

Did exactly that a couple of years ago. See my prior post (above)...

[Del Nilppeznaf]

Did exactly that a couple of years ago. See my prior post (above)...

 

 

Yea was just backing up ya post Scratch :) some great reviews out there, of this new (?) technology for the M1, using the natural resonance of the actual guitar to enhance the acoustical sound from the pickup.

[Scratch47]

Yea was just backing up ya post Scratch :) some great reviews out there, of this new (?) technology for the M1, using the natural resonance of the actual guitar to enhance the acoustical sound from the pickup.

 

Oops. My bad, Del...

 

You've got a Hummingbird on the way? I'm Jonesing for one real bad... There's a 1965 player at my favorite hill country guitar shop down the road, but considering the condition, a $3,600 price tag makes it a no-go... One day... some day...

[markwillplay]

here iws my OJ with kkmini. I really like these pickups and use them in all my guitars for consistancy. They can get a little boomy on big guitars but it really does depend on the sound of the guitar. This is what mine sounds like coming through a mackie 808s with 12 inch speakers. There is very little room sound on this recording believe it or not. The PA was loud. Now, if I had a D-18GE or something with a huge low end, I would prbalby have to eq a little more but in most cases, this pickup does great in all venues. I would say that a sound hole cover may be needed depending on amount of glass (windows in bar) or a really "live" room. But I have so far not played any venue that it did not work in and I have played small bars and very large clubs that hold over 1000 people on huge PA's. I would recommend the pre-amp they KK makes...just goes very well with the pickup. The guitar was a bit hot but that illustrates more how it is still under control....and strumming always seems to give most piclkups the most challenging trouble to me so that is why I show this video...I think the strumming sound of these pickups is good. If you have an OM sized guitar...forget about it..KK is by far the best single source pickup I have tried inthat size...and I still like them in my slopes.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY7OeEa5KYg&feature=player_profilepage

[EuroAussie]

Interesting. My experience with the M1a was exactly the opposite. I found it to have a very magnetic, phasey tone and certainlh not natual. For all my 'modern' guitars I use a Fishman UST pickup combined with Aura Spectrum, bot for my 69' CW I use a fishman rare earth blend which i found the tone to be very natural, warm and signifcantly bette than the M1a.

 

I recently purchased the LR Baggs M1 active and was blown away by the 'natural acoustic' sound it gives. I usually go thru a Pod Line6 when gigging, I wanted the active for versatility.

Now waiting for a Hummingbird TV to be shipped then having the M1 fitted!!!!

 

Any thoughts on this from anyone? Sacrilege? :)

I have heard different thoughts on having a soundhole pickup fitted to a true acoustic instrument, but the M1 is easily removed leaving just the lead and 1/4inch jack inside the guitar. Am thinking of a way to ask the luthier to secure the 1/4 inch jack connection when not actually in use.

[BluesKing777]

Interesting. My experience with the M1a was exactly the opposite. I found it to have a very magnetic, phasey tone and certainlh not natual. For all my 'modern' guitars I use a Fishman UST pickup combined with Aura Spectrum, bot for my 69' CW I use a fishman rare earth blend which i found the tone to be very natural, warm and signifcantly bette than the M1a.

 

 

 

 

Fishman UST (passive) on most of my guitars so I can run them in my Spectrum Aura DI (with power adaptor) - no batteries to fiddle with on guitar or gadget.

I am considering changing the Baggs in my Blues King and J45 for these passive US pickups as well.

 

 

BluesKing777.