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-   -   Amplification for occasional open mic (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=607984)

tbirdman 02-23-2021 12:12 AM

Amplification for occasional open mic
 
I just received my Martin HD28. I will be fingerpicking and strumming at occasional open mic events. Is using an inexpensive sound hole pickup the best way to go for now. I was considering using Dazzo pickups with an external Sunnaudio preamp, but seems like a lot of $$~$500 plus installation cost for the occasional open mike. I would like to keep the installation if anything to the minimal intrusion in the guitar.

penrithrdstudio 02-23-2021 03:11 AM

If you want a transducer style pickup, the JJBs seem to be well liked, and cost half as much as a K&K, let alone a Dazzo. A soundhole pickup is the least intrusive, but I still prefer to drill the end block for a jack socket rather than trailing the cable out of the soundhole. I use a Shadow SH141 in my main gigging guitar and am very happy with the sound.

YamahaGuy 02-23-2021 04:40 AM

Why not just leave the HD28 home and take the Taylor? Wouldn't want someone inadvertently bumping into the Martin or asking to borrow it.

meb 02-23-2021 04:51 AM

If use is truly 'occasional', I would look at the Seymour-Duncan
Woody Sa-3XL for the ease of installation. I must admit that I have not heard
one yet. Since it is passive, you will probably want a preamp with it.

The Black Angel is fairly easy to install/remove alternative and sounds
wonderful with the sunnaudio stage.

I am sure the Dazzo/sunnaudio would be in great
but sure seems like a lot of installation hassle for 'occasional'.

Good luck!

Methos1979 02-23-2021 08:06 AM

For minimal invasion you can't go wrong with a sound hole pickup. As long as you're a strummer that will be more than good enough for most any open mic.

Another option for extreme minimal intrusion is the Clingon pickup system. It definitely needs help from a preamp with EQ but you don't have to permanently alter your guitar in any way, you can easily install it yourself and it only costs $70.

Here's a recent review I did:

Clingon Pickup video review and demo

6L6 02-23-2021 08:33 AM

Dazzo pickups sound extremely good providing they are installed correctly.

Teddy lives locally and has put his pup in a good friend's guitar, a D-35, and it sounds wonderful.

In my own case, I have K&K's in all of my acoustics (Martins and Collings) and am very happy with them.

All of that said, I've reverted back to my old days of micing my guitar at Open Mics whenever possible to get the purest acoustic tone.

When solo gigging, however, I plug into either my Fishman Loudbox Mini or Performer amp (for 95% of the places I played pre-pandemic, the Mini was all the amp I needed). The K&K's sound great through both.

Can't go wrong with either a Dazzo or K&K.

Brent Hahn 02-23-2021 09:10 AM

Pre Covid, I ran FOH at the busiest open mic in LA, and for efficiency's sake they didn't allow amps (other than the house backline) stomp boxes, preamps -- nothing but either a straight wire to the DI or a mic.

When open mics resume in earnest, I bet they'll be swamped and lots of them will adopt a similar policy. Better forewarned, as they say.

Also, I don't think anyone these days considers the installation of a strap-button output jack to be an "intrusion" into a good guitar. Value-added, if anything. But have a luthier do it, it's an easy thing to screw up if you try to DIY.

tbirdman 02-23-2021 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy (Post 6644377)
Why not just leave the HD28 home and take the Taylor? Wouldn't want someone inadvertently bumping into the Martin or asking to borrow it.

Now you have me paranoid about someone stealing the Martin:). You have a point with the Taylor already setup with the electronics.

fazool 02-23-2021 11:23 AM

If you can tolerate a (minimal) installation I'd suggest a K&K Pure Mini with an external preamp like n LR Baggs Gigpro.

If you want something 100% removable I suggest an LR Baggs MagMic sound hole pickup with mic

tbirdman 02-23-2021 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn (Post 6644584)
Pre Covid, I ran FOH at the busiest open mic in LA, and for efficiency's sake they didn't allow amps (other than the house backline) stomp boxes, preamps -- nothing but either a straight wire to the DI or a mic.

When open mics resume in earnest, I bet they'll be swamped and lots of them will adopt a similar policy. Better forewarned, as they say.

Also, I don't think anyone these days considers the installation of a strap-button output jack to be an "intrusion" into a good guitar. Value-added, if anything. But have a luthier do it, it's an easy thing to screw up if you try to DIY.

Yes the strap button output jack isn't that much of an extrusion and they make strap buttons large enough for the enlarge hole. I wouldn't try to drill the end hole myself. What I would consider is just placing the pickups inside the guitar without the preamp inside.

tbirdman 02-23-2021 11:28 AM

I forgot to mention that a mic would be a possible option as I do sit for the open mics although I have only done 3 open mics as a beginner guitarist last year before covid shut them down.

I would probably do some fingerpicking solo and also play along with a friend who has a keyboard.

AeroUSA 02-23-2021 11:33 AM

How about a DPA mic? I really want to try one of those.

Brent Hahn 02-23-2021 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbirdman (Post 6644718)
I forgot to mention that a mic would be a possible option as I do sit for the open mics although I have only done 3 open mics as a beginner guitarist last year before covid shut them down.

I would probably do some fingerpicking solo and also play along with a friend who has a keyboard.

Fingerpicking, especially with another player up there, I'd go with a pickup rather than a mic for sure.

Big Band Guitar 02-23-2021 12:12 PM

I do from time to time attend an open mike. I don't have a pickup in any of my guitars. I just use whatever house mike is on stage.

I have heard sound persons really screw up the sound on acoustic instrument pickup.

Sound persons look at me like I have 2 heads when I tell them I don't plug in.

If you really like the sound of your guitar then use a microphone.

Brent Hahn 02-23-2021 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Band Guitar (Post 6644759)
I do from time to time attend an open mike. I don't have a pickup in any of my guitars. I just use whatever house mike is on stage.

I have heard sound persons really screw up the sound on acoustic instrument pickup.

Sound persons look at me like I have 2 heads when I tell them I don't plug in.

If you really like the sound of your guitar then use a microphone.

Bad pickups do a fine job of screwing up the sound without any help from us sound persons. While firm, solid playing on a reasonable instrument will sound good with just a mic, lovely-but-tiny fingerpicking has no chance without a pickup. And if I look at you funny, well, I look at everyone funny. Not singling you out.


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