MARTIN! Acoustic to Acoustic Electric

[C.F. Angee]

Originally Posted by The Real Jake

Getting a lot of comments about K&Ks and similar Passive electronics. So if I go that route, I guess i'll have to get a good preamp.

A couple of observations. I just had my first open mic night with a Prestige 330 in my Martin dread: D-28 woods and finishes with D-15 bracing. I loved it, with no preamp.

There are advantages to a preamp. They are well understood and may be worth the price. A simple and appropriate preamp can be gotten for as low as $75.

But my Prestige 330 was $90 installed, and it was quite hot without a preamp, doing everything I asked of it. I was thrilled last night, and have no intentions of yet acquiring a preamp.

Install a Prestige 330 in the guitar you most want to play out. Use it a little. Promise yourself to decide, after two or three outings, whether the next most important thing to you is (1) adding some control and maybe quality by adding a preamp, or (2) adding diversity with another 330 in another guitar, or (3) having $50 to $90 in your pocket instead of in your gear.

Have fun!!!

[jtwine]

I just had a fishman matrix infinity installed in new series d-18 and sounds great with mini fishman amp. My local luthier (A Martin authorized warranty shop) explained that Martin notches the saddle for fishman pick ups so made it sense to go with fishman. jt

[akafloyd]

I find it more and more difficult to recommend a pickup system anymore. For every brand and model there are pros using them effectively, lovers of the sound each one makes, and there are haters. I think the best thing to do is talk to the people whose live sound you like, utilize your local shop, recognize that no single source pickup will be totally satisfying but might be perfectly adequate. And, no matter what the system you'll need EQ somewhere in the signal chain; at the amp, at the mixer, or near your fingertips because every room and sound system is different. I've also found that every pickup benefits from having a microphone added one way or another. Have fun in the search!