[akafloyd]

I've used most options in one form or another and I think that the standard UST still works well for probably 90% of situations. But it really depends on pretty much everything else in your particular setting, music style, type of audience, quality of the rest of the sound system, etc. I think that the best quality of sound comes from a dual source system of a SBT combined with a microphone, but in some situations that just won't work. With every pickup there are lovers and haters and there is someone out there playing for a living every night using that system to great effect. But a UST just works pretty well in most settings well enough that they're just about plug and play, you'll get a sound that's ok, it's a sound that people know to expect and sound board operators know what to do with, it works well through most acoustic guitar amps, and the better the sound system the better you'll sound. I have options and if I don't know what I'm getting into or have control over much I bring a guitar with a UST and a PADI just to keep it simple.