L.R. baggs M80 vs Mojotone nc-1 nc-2

Scatcat · #1 12-18-2023, 07:55 AM

Anyone have experience with this pickups? Which one you prefer? For percussive sound are similar?
Now I have the baggs M80 but when I hit the magnetic pole with the strings the sound isn't good, like a quack. Sometimes I 'slap' on the strings when I play.
Thanks

Ps I hope you understand, I'm italian

brancher · #2 12-18-2023, 08:38 AM

Played ‘em both. I prefer the mojotone for clarity and tone, but if you hit it (or any other shp) with your pick, it will still make a sound.

Scatcat · #3 12-18-2023, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brancher

Played ‘em both. I prefer the mojotone for clarity and tone, but if you hit it (or any other shp) with your pick, it will still make a sound.

The sound when I hit the pole in the M80 is metallic like a click if I hit the mojotone is tha same sound?
I need a persuasion, no problem for the sound , but a problem for the 'click'

nostatic · #4 12-18-2023, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scatcat

The sound when I hit the pole in the M80 is metallic like a click if I hit the mojotone is tha same sound?
I need a persuasion, no problem for the sound , but a problem for the 'click'

Yes, with the NC2 giving more of a click than the NC1.

fwiw, I have been very happy with the NC2, bought an NC1 and am quite unhappy with it - totally different sound, with the NC1 being quite stuffy in the mids. As in I need to eq the heck out of it to get it sounding decent. By contrast the NC2 has worked on Martins and Collings with almost no eq necessary. Maybe I got a bad NC1 but if not, then the mic on the NC2 makes for a night-day difference.

SalFromChatham · #5 12-20-2023, 05:30 PM

I had the NC-1 as well as all three Baggs. I prefer the Baggs, especially the M1 passive. I’m using a floor EQ preamp anyway, so I get the gain and tone shaping there.

The Baggs pups just seem to work real well for me.

massimo · #6 04-09-2024, 04:10 PM

Reviving an old-ish thread...
I bought the NC-2 and installed it on my guitar.
Mixed bag I must say. The sound is very good, even with the mic zeroed. But I find it very annoying that it picks up all kinds of noises, even with the mic disengaged. String squelch, minor taps on the guitar body, all come out very loud. High noise floor, not in the technical sense - it is very quiet if you do not touch the guitar - but in practice those extraneous noises are very prominent when one plays. What a shame, because it does sound good. I have the Rare Earth Blend on another guitar. The NC-2 sounds a little better, the mag sound is more natural for sure, but extraneous noise is much more tamed with the Fishman. Also, raising the mic volume makes much more difference with respect to the Mojotone - as I mentioned the mag section in the NC-2 is very "microphonic" anyway.
Same experience anyone?

BlueStarfish · #7 04-09-2024, 04:43 PM

Have had the Mojotone NC1, and the Baggs M-80. Also the Seymour Duncan SA-6. To my taste, the Baggs M-80 is the best of the three. It has adjustable pole pieces (which the NC1 doesn't have). I also like the "feel" of the pickup when playing. The M80 feels like playing a guitar, not a pickup. The NC1 and Seymour Duncan felt like playing a pickup, not playing a guitar. Tough to describe exactly how or why, but these things matter. I mostly flatpick and a small bit of hybrid picking, so my fingers are nowhere close to the pickup. I could see how a thumbpick up close to to the pickup might cause a problem, but doesn't really apply to me.

At this point the NC1 and SA-6 are both gone, only the M80 remains. I don't play the guitar that the M80 is in very often as I prefer two of my other guitars a little more. Those two both have a Baggs Lyric in them, which works great at lower volume amplification. But if I needed to go play out someplace where I was really worried about feedback and volume, I would take the guitar with the M80 and feel confident I'd get a good musical tone.

noledog · #8 04-09-2024, 05:26 PM

I play 4-7 shows a week and most of the time I use MIJ Taks as they sound so good and consistent. However, I've used a mag in my D18 for certain shows and for many years I enjoyed the M80 over most others. I had the M1A and others too. I currently use a DeArmond Tone Boss and it's become my fav with only one negative that it doesn't pick up my percussive taps like the M80. That said, the aforementioned mags all have great balance once the poles are dialed in. In fact I'd say in my experience that the balance string to string, fret to fret is more consistent with these mags then even with my beloved Tak Palathetic pickup... less over resonant notes caused by venue characteristics. It may be why many pros use them in addition to their jazzy tone... harmonics are great too!!

SalFromChatham · #9 04-09-2024, 05:35 PM

I’m selling an NC-1, and I just sold my M1A. Two buyers approached me asking me which I preferred and why. I told them the Baggs. Why?

The sound is extremely similar between both, but…

You can adjust the pole pieces for string to string balance on the Baggs.

Also, The NC-1 has a permanently wired endpin Jack. However, with the Baggs you can plug in an 1/8 to 1/4 cord for temporary installs, and you can also install the endpin Jack AND STILL have a semi-temporary install. Just unplug the cord from the pickup, remove the pickup, and the endpin Jack harness can remain in the guitar quite unobtrusively.

See this:

For those reasons the Baggs is a better design.

jricc · #10 04-09-2024, 05:57 PM

I've had and gigged the Mojotone, M1a and M80. They're all good pickups. I like both of the Baggs a little bit more for the reasons stated above, adjustable poles etc.
The Baggs M80 has a little less gain then the M1a and has a lower pitched tone then the M1a when playing percussively. Maybe slap the upper bout instead of the strings, you'll get that lower tone.

The vol control on the Baggs are easier to get at then the Mojotone if that matters to you.