Pick-up for Yamaha

[Ronnie DP]

Hi,
I have a Yamaha FG750S. Need recommendations for a good pick-up.

The guitar has a Sitka Spruce top, and laminated Sycamore back and side.
http://www.pbase.com/ronniedp/image/141185116/original

Sorry can't get the image to insert in the thread,

Thanks for the help.

Ronnie.

[Ronnie DP]

Well maybe I can give two possibilities I have come across and get some comments.

Fishman Matrix Infinity

LR Baggs Element active.

Thanks
Ronnie.

[martingitdave]

Lots of good threads on this topic. In your case, I would take price into consideration. Some of these professional pickups can be quite expensive - more than the value of your guitar.

Here's a response that I made for a pro player looking for a pickup. Much of it won't apply, but I would probably recommend the $99 K&K pure mini pickup in your case.

__________________________________________________ ___

Most of the pickups today fall into three categories. Under saddle transducers, Sound Board Transducers and magnetic soundhole pickups.

Usually, pickups with an under-saddle transducer (UST), magnetic soundhole pickups, and some sound board transducers (SBT) are reasonable good at fighting feedback.

It has been my experience than some USTs will alter the acoustic tone. Some of the USTs use a softer material that slightly compresses under the saddle. It makes for better amplified tone, but *might* be perceptible to some players. Some of the heavier (SBT) systems will also alter the tone. Moreover, some active (internal) preamp systems will come with controls that mount to the underside of the sound hole edge. Active systems also come with batteries. Now, some people will complain that these things will alter the tone. Others will claim that is nonsense. You'll have to be the judge.

You'll hear a lot of recommendations for the K&K Pure Mini on this forum. I have used these extensively in the past, but don't use one now. One of the reasons it is so well regarded is that is provides a "good" amplified tone but it is extremely light weight and doesn't alter the un-amplified acoustic tone. Also, in its basic form, it uses no batteries and has no controls. You simply plug it into the mixing desk directly, or (more appropriately) into an impedance matching direct box or preamp. It has reasonable feedback rejection. Not excellent, but people use these in bands every day. Lastly, the passive version costs only $99.

"So, why would anyone be crazy enough to use anything else", you might ask? For two reasons. One, the pickup is adhered to the bridge plate with super glue. While the pickup is removable, the glue residue is not, for all practical purposes. This can be an issue when/if you want to install a different style of SBT in the future. This is the primary reason I don't use K&K anymore in high end guitars. I'm generally satisfied with the tone, but I had a bad experience removing one from a guitar. Which, brings me to reason two. There are better sounding systems on the market. How much better? Not a whole lot better. But, there are higher fidelity systems which can be useful for finger style, solo work, or for audiophiles who want the best they can get. The down sides to these options is cost, complexity, *possible* degradation of acoustic tone. An example of this kind of system is the Trance Amulet M, which is about as good as a pickup can be, without using a microphone.

Lastly, there is a newer technology called impluse/response convolution. It's the technology behind the Fishman Aura and a new product called the Tonedexter. This technology records your guitar through a microphone and a pickup at the same time. The data is stored in computer file called a wavemap. That wavemap translates the pickup input signal into the microphone recorded sample in real time. It's nifty stuff. The Fishman works best with Fishman hardware because there is no user training. The maps are pre-recorded. The Tonedexter is trained by you, with your guitar, and is pickup agnostic.

If you're like many players, you stopped reading this post at the K&K description and thought "yeah, that's good enough for me." You wouldn't be alone. If you are a "tweaker" like some of us, you dive down the rabbit hole chasing the "my guitar only louder" holy grail.

Let us know if you have questions.

[akafloyd]

Originally Posted by Ronnie DP

Well maybe I can give two possibilities I have come across and get some comments.

Fishman Matrix Infinity

LR Baggs Element active.

Thanks
Ronnie.

Those are probably the two most used under saddle transducers, hard to go wrong if that's the sound you like. Some will say the the Element will change your acoustic tone, I haven't found that in my use.

It's getting increasingly difficult to make a pickup recommendation without a lot more information. How do you play? Do you play solo, duo, rock band, etc.? What kinds of settings do you play - coffee house, theaters, arenas? What is the rest of the signal chain - amplifier, small PA system, large PA system, etc?

[Ronnie DP]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

Lots of good threads on this topic. In your case, I would take price into consideration. Some of these professional pickups can be quite expensive - more than the value of your guitar.

Here's a response that I made for a pro player looking for a pickup. Much of it won't apply, but I would probably recommend the $99 K&K pure mini pickup in your case.

__________________________________________________ ___

Most of the pickups today fall into three categories. Under saddle transducers, Sound Board Transducers and magnetic soundhole pickups.

Usually, pickups with an under-saddle transducer (UST), magnetic soundhole pickups, and some sound board transducers (SBT) are reasonable good at fighting feedback.

It has been my experience than some USTs will alter the acoustic tone. Some of the USTs use a softer material that slightly compresses under the saddle. It makes for better amplified tone, but *might* be perceptible to some players. Some of the heavier (SBT) systems will also alter the tone. Moreover, some active (internal) preamp systems will come with controls that mount to the underside of the sound hole edge. Active systems also come with batteries. Now, some people will complain that these things will alter the tone. Others will claim that is nonsense. You'll have to be the judge.

You'll hear a lot of recommendations for the K&K Pure Mini on this forum. I have used these extensively in the past, but don't use one now. One of the reasons it is so well regarded is that is provides a "good" amplified tone but it is extremely light weight and doesn't alter the un-amplified acoustic tone. Also, in its basic form, it uses no batteries and has no controls. You simply plug it into the mixing desk directly, or (more appropriately) into an impedance matching direct box or preamp. It has reasonable feedback rejection. Not excellent, but people use these in bands every day. Lastly, the passive version costs only $99.

"So, why would anyone be crazy enough to use anything else", you might ask? For two reasons. One, the pickup is adhered to the bridge plate with super glue. While the pickup is removable, the glue residue is not, for all practical purposes. This can be an issue when/if you want to install a different style of SBT in the future. This is the primary reason I don't use K&K anymore in high end guitars. I'm generally satisfied with the tone, but I had a bad experience removing one from a guitar. Which, brings me to reason two. There are better sounding systems on the market. How much better? Not a whole lot better. But, there are higher fidelity systems which can be useful for finger style, solo work, or for audiophiles who want the best they can get. The down sides to these options is cost, complexity, *possible* degradation of acoustic tone. An example of this kind of system is the Trance Amulet M, which is about as good as a pickup can be, without using a microphone.

Lastly, there is a newer technology called impluse/response convolution. It's the technology behind the Fishman Aura and a new product called the Tonedexter. This technology records your guitar through a microphone and a pickup at the same time. The data is stored in computer file called a wavemap. That wavemap translates the pickup input signal into the microphone recorded sample in real time. It's nifty stuff. The Fishman works best with Fishman hardware because there is no user training. The maps are pre-recorded. The Tonedexter is trained by you, with your guitar, and is pickup agnostic.

If you're like many players, you stopped reading this post at the K&K description and thought "yeah, that's good enough for me." You wouldn't be alone. If you are a "tweaker" like some of us, you dive down the rabbit hole chasing the "my guitar only louder" holy grail.

Let us know if you have questions.

Lot of info to process. I just need to bear in mind that the range of pick-ups are very limited here. Most likely that it will need to be imported. And find someone capable of doing a good installation.

Ronnie.

[Ronnie DP]

Originally Posted by akafloyd

Those are probably the two most used under saddle transducers, hard to go wrong if that's the sound you like. Some will say the the Element will change your acoustic tone, I haven't found that in my use.

It's getting increasingly difficult to make a pickup recommendation without a lot more information. How do you play? Do you play solo, duo, rock band, etc.? What kinds of settings do you play - coffee house, theaters, arenas? What is the rest of the signal chain - amplifier, small PA system, large PA system, etc?

Mostly play using fingers. Play in a church band, through a Fishman Loudbox Artist. Only eq is done on the Fishman.

Ronnie.