What is the consensus on the Baggs Element?
Recently I joined a new band where I play acoustic while the other guitarist plays electric. i bought a Gibson j-35 Collector's Edition with the Element installed for this purpose (a great guitar).
I also bought a Jam 150 amp. The sound I'm getting from this combination (just guitar straight into ch3 of the Jam) is Ok, Better than I expected but not earth shattering. I was planning to change out the pickup but I'm not sure. What do you guys think, what are your experiences with the Baggs Element? Should I keep it and maybe just buy a BodyRez or something or change to some other pickup? |
You can get a good sound with the element - and it's ideal in a band situation because its very feedback resistant.
I would think about a decent preamp in conjunction with maybe a BodyRes pedal and that should give you the control you need. |
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Perhaps try an LR Baggs Session DI. It tames the annoying frequencies (quack, honk, and woof) with a multiband compressor and it fattens and warms the sound with analogue saturation.
It doesn't heavily process the sound. It's subtle, but after you play through it for a while you will not want to play without it. At least that has been my experience. By the way, you want the gain to be flashing yellow and an occasional red is ok on the peaks. If you run the input gain lower it will not give you the full benefit of the compressor. |
I use a Fishman ToneDEQ's compression to tame my Element based Mi-Si. So much depends on what you want to hear that you really need to audition the alternatives in-person. Between the Zoom AC-3 & A2, TC Bodyrez, Fishman Aura, Tonedexter, etc., sticking with a UST for its practical aspects (feedback resistance, consistency, lack of strange resonant peaks you only discover at the gig, etc.) and being finicky about genuine acoustic tone, has never been easier.
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I have a Baggs Element VTC in my Breedlove Root OM/SRh. I have K&K in my others. I get consistently good comments about my tone with the Baggs, despite it being, according the collective "wisdom" in this forum, a cruddy UST.
What pickup works for YOU is largely dependent upon what work you want the pickup to do for you. |
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If you're interested, I now have a dual sytem (Element & K&K Pure Mini) connected into a stereo TRS socket in the guitar. I also add a Seymour Duncan MagMic to this combination if the mood takes me :) |
The AGF is a great place to come for good information and lively debate. But I'm not sure you'll find a lot of consensus here. :D
You might want to do a search on the ToneDexter. Many users here have been getting a very mic-like, feedback-resistant tone from USTs with this brand new pedal. |
If you need a pedal to achieve a decent sound, other parts of your rig should be looked at. The Jam 150 has band limitations, I have one.
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Thanks for the informative replies all of you!
I was not aware that you could add half of the Anthem system with the Element, that looks like an option to explore. Also I know that I will need to look for a decent preamp/EQ, the Session looks great but the price also I'm afraid...:eek: Aknow, what do you mean by the Jam 150 has band limitations? |
The consensus seems to be that the DTAR Wavelength is the best pure UST system that incorporates the Element transducer, and that the Anthem SL or regular Anthem are the best anything goes system choices which employ the Element transducer. You won't be able to simply add a mic to the Element system which you have, however. You'll need to purchase the complete Anthem SL or Anthem system.
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