Best 'plug and play' system
 

I am waiting on the Tone Dexter but would also like a guitar than I can plug straight into any PA/amp and get a great sound.

I feel like the Anthem is the best I have heard for this situation so far. Would you guys agree or would you suggest the Fishman Aura+, ES2 or something else?

That is a very loaded question. First, decide which guitar you want to play, then settle on a pickup. Of the factory integrated systems, Taylor's ES2 and Martin/Fishman's Aura Plus are my favorites. Of the (installed) aftermarket systems, the Trance Amulet M, K&K Pure Mini, and the LR Baggs Anthem are my favorites.

These are just a few of my favorites. There are many others that are popular.
Acoustic amplifications is trial and error process based on individual preferences and the application (venue, volume, style etc.). Any of the above will sound good through a PA system, or an acoustic amplifier.

That said, with a Tonedexter, any basic pickup system that is well installed should work very well. In fact, the simpler the better. Therefore, a basic UST should be expected to work very will with the Tonedexter, as you may have read in other threads on the topic.

I have yet to find a PA system my ART equipped Yamaha guitars don't sound great through. The transducer pickups sound natural. If you're looking for bells and whistles, the 3 series from the A - series can get you just about any sound you're trying to get with a blender from mic modeling to under saddle piezo. Onboard resonance too. I'd agree the Taylor ES2 systems sound great too. I guess it comes down to budget, brand preference, what kind of sound you're going for, whether you'll be using an amp too, what you need for looping, etc.

I actually like some of the Yamaha ART systems too. I'd like to test the new A5s when they come out.

The higher end Yamaha systems actually include IR modeling built in. Like the Aura Plus, that also uses IR modeling, it would be redundant when using the Tonedexter.


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The Anthem system is the best that I've found, but its not quite plug'n'play for me. I need to run it though a Zoom A3 for EQ assistance. I've also recently discovered that one of the A3's models (the 00028) seems to help with my particular guitar.

Here's a gig vid from last week which I just put up today. I was quite happy with the guitar sound.
https://youtu.be/7PlOAwU7NPE


I should mention that the A3 runs on rechargeable batteries, so it has an edge in the portability department. Its more convenient to set up than anything which needs an electrical outlet or power strip.

I have a ooo18 with the Aura plus and cannot believe how good it sounded straight out of the box, and i only ever use number 2 of the 3 basic images, the rest that you can edit and edit and edit just don't sound as good to my ears.

But for plugging straight into a p/a then that's where those presets would probably come into their own, with the endless editing on those presets i guess you could get a great sound..

MIJ Takamine with Cooltube or CT4BII straight into Fishman Loudbox Performer or Artist, DONE! ...have used this for years & sounds wonderful as well as versatile for many of the different venues I play.

eric

+1. I've tried a lot of stuff, but I've found for a plug and play guitar it is difficult to beat a Tak with a Cooltube or CT4B.

There are a lot of good aftermarket pickup systems out there (and this is a favorite subject of mine), but if I wanted to buy a guitar that was "plug & play" I would go with Takamine, Ovation, or Taylor. Their proprietary systems, IMO, are the best proprietary systems on the market and have the highest level of flexibility when going into a live setting. They are all built in, powerful, and toneful (some more than others). Each has enough gain and output to feed a passive DI at a bar, restaurant, or coffeehouse just fine. Ovations and Taks are especially effective at plugging in, just about anywhere, and working great.

Each system/brand has its own pros and cons and each has a different level of "realism" to their pickup. Taylor and Tak are probably the most natural and I would be willing to bet that Ovation would be the most powerful.

If I was buying an after-market system that was the most "plug & play" I would go with any of the LR Baggs pickups/systems, with the exception of the iBeam. The rest of their systems from the old-school LB6 to the Lyric are very effective in a live setting. If I had the dough, I would spring for the Trance Audio as it's, in most cases, the highest fidelity option while remaining very usable.

MrErikJ, We speak the same language. I am a self professed pickup-a-holic. I have to try all the new gear. There is no perfect one indeed. But I want one that is simple and easy. I want to be able to go straight into an amp and sound great. I am willing to go through a preamp before going into the mixer.

The Dazzos I use are available in various bass responses to best match your guitar's voice and my needs. They sound good set flat. That is just a really good place to start in order to adjust your sound for the playing situation.

Taylor ES2, and Trance Audio Amulet M and Trance Audio Amulet Stereo.

Dazzos sound really good and I like the passive nature of them (anything that requires less in my guitar). However, when I e-mailed Teddy he was hard to successfully communicate with. I don't think writing is his talent (emails were hard to follow) and I think he needed pics of my guitar...it seemed complicated.

I thought Dazzo sounded better than K&K but I, personally, prefer Pickup the World and use their #54 blended with a Baggs LB6. I, essentially treat the PUTW as a mic (but a more stable one) that adds air and resonance to the steady and clean tone of the LB6. I actually mix it like the Anthem, with the LB6 providing bass and the PUTW the air and treble.

However, to your point and the OPs, this isn't a "simple plug & play" setup. I get good sound, but I have two pickups wired in stereo mixed with the Baggs MixPro and then run to another DI/Preamp or Amp. It's not terrible, but a Tak or Ovation is definitely simpler, at the expense of some naturalness.

What is the difference between the m and the stereo?

The Trance M is mono, a single output. I believe the Stereo unit allows a split of the two sensors to be EQ'd and managed separately, like in two channels of a mixer.

Best plug and play in my experience is the Anthem for sure