Active Soundboard Transducer PUP (up to $200)

Ed-in-Ohio · #1 10-08-2017, 02:32 PM

I'm looking to drop an active SBT (up to $200) into a rosewood dread. Stages for this guitar will be fairly quiet, and playing will be solo and small acoustic ensembles.

I would prefer something active, but not under-saddle. I'll also have a mic stand mounted A-T Pro 37 mic that I can use as a second source if the stage/venue/audience makes that practical. (I usually play seated, but am still always worried about moving around when using a mic as a second source.)

Lyric? iBeam Active? Are there others?

Groovekings · #2 10-08-2017, 04:29 PM

Canadian made Schatten HFN is a great passive pickup that can be ordered with either an internal active endpin or an external tiny preamp with vol control. Sounds just like a high end mic.

Doug Young · #3 10-09-2017, 12:19 AM

Trance, putw (with mi-si preamp), dazzo (with mi-si), b-band, probably many more im forgetting. Prices made ght be a bit higher than your budget, tho

fotofantom · #4 10-09-2017, 07:40 AM

K&K Sound offers onboard preamps for their K&K Mini soundboard transducers, as well as for their dual and triple source pickups. Might be a little over your budget though.

Ed-in-Ohio · #5 10-11-2017, 08:55 AM

Thanks to everyone for all the great replies.

I decided to go with the Lyric, since it seems to do best in Dreads, and since I'll pretty much only be using this guitar in very quiet environments. It seemed like a good tool for this job.

I know the Lyric is not technically a soundboard transducer, but it is soundboard mounted, which is what I was looking for.

SpruceTop · #6 10-11-2017, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed-in-Ohio

Thanks to everyone for all the great replies.

I decided to go with the Lyric, since it seems to do best in Dreads, and since I'll pretty much only be using this guitar in very quiet environments. It seemed like a good tool for this job.

I know the Lyric is not technically a soundboard transducer, but it is soundboard mounted, which is what I was looking for.

Did you order the Lyric yet? Mine didn't work well in a 2012 Martin D-18 or in a 2013 Taylor 528 First Edition Grand Orchestra. I even bought an LR Baggs Venue DI as a preamp to try to get a satisfactory tone, which was barely possible. Got rid of the Lyric after playing endlessly with it. Maybe the latest Lyric is better than the one I had which I bought about a year after it was introduced?

Ed-in-Ohio · #7 10-13-2017, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Did you order the Lyric yet? Mine didn't work well in a 2012 Martin D-18 or in a 2013 Taylor 528 First Edition Grand Orchestra. I even bought an LR Baggs Venue DI as a preamp to try to get a satisfactory tone, which was barely possible. Got rid of the Lyric after playing endlessly with it. Maybe the latest Lyric is better than the one I had which I bought about a year after it was introduced?

Thanks for your concern and post.
Yes, the horse has already left the barn.

I am hopeful that between my Carvin AG-200 amp and TC BodyRez pedal I'll be able to find a decent setting. We'll see.
Fortunately for me, this is not my primary guitar, so I don't feel a lot of pressure for the amplified tone to be "perfect".
I'll be sure to report back here.

disclaimer/admission: Having frequented the AGF for some time, I realize that I am very fortunate in that I tend to be more accepting of my amplified acoustic guitar pickups and tone than the average poster here. I like a wide range of tones and amplified "tone colors", and have really only "strongly disliked" a few under-saddle pickups (that were just too brittle sounding and "quacky" to deal with). I do always make an effort to make the pickup perform at its best (with amp and preamp settings), and I have found that my audience/listeners tend to frequently comment on how good my guitar sounds amplified compared to other local performers. I think that we often over think this on the AGF, and that WE are MUCH more critical of our amplified sound than the average audience member.