Non UST Option for Presys+ Preamp?
 

I picked up a Blueridge BG1500E last weekend and really like it unplugged. With a string change, it really does a nice job for me in what I think a super jumbo should sound like. But plugged in, it's pretty weak. It came stock with a Fishman Presys+ preamp and I'm guessing a cheapy UST, probably the Sonicore.

The preamp seems OK, but the UST is exactly what you'd expect in terms of lack of character and the ever present "quack."

So it has me thinking I want a different pickup, preferably one that will play nice with the Fishman Presys+, so I started looking at my go-to SBT options from JJB, but they specifically say their pickups won't work with Fishman preamps because of the input impedance mismatch.

So that leaves me wondering what UST might work with the Presys?

Or should I be looking at a changing the preamp out as well?

Your going to struggle with anything other than a UST with that preamp.

Removing it would leave a big hole in the side of your guitar too?

Maybe just fit the SBTs as well as leaving the UST in there? Or try a soundhole pickup.

Thanks and yeah, I'm starting to realize you're right. I'm also thinking I may look into one of the processing options that helps USTs sound better. BodyRez or maybe the Aura Spectrum.

I have a Fishman soundhole pickup in another guitar that I may try running through the preamp as well.

Bodyrez gets some decent reviews with UST pickups. Not too pricey either

I know I'm a good 6 months late to the party, but you can always solder a 1M resistor from hot to ground if you want to better match the Presys impedance to that of a JJB or K&K or similar passive transducer. I'm sure it's been said before with people doing this with their K&Ks, but I figure I will expand on this further.

By soldering a resistor from hot to ground you are creating resistance parallel to that of preamp, thus reducing its impedance. Most Fishman pres have an input impedance of 10-20M, whereas pickups like the JJBs or K&Ks work best with around 1M impedance. By adding the 1M resistor in parallel to the preamp you are reducing the impedance to roughly 909K-952K (close enough).

You would use this formula to determine the value of resistor you will need:

Rtotal = (R1 x R2) / (R1 + R2).

I'm about to order a Prestige 330 system with 15mm pixels to install into a Presys Blend preamp, because I feel like a SBT and an internal mic will provide the most natural amplified tone to me. I'll let everyone know how that goes.

I suggest you leave your guitar alone. You'll probably not improve it without major modifications. More likely to make it worse. Grab a Body Rez pedal, a Zoom A3, or Fishman Aura pedal and try using modeling on the dry UST signal to improve the tone.