Help with 2004 Martin HD-28V Pickup
 

I recently picked up an HD28v and planned to put a LR Baggs Anthem pickup in it, but was told by the shop that the saddle wouldn't accomodate it. It's not a drop in saddle I don't think, not sure what it is, just know they did something different for a few years in the early 2000's.

So any suggestions on a pickup that would work with this guitar? Ideally something that has at least a volume control at the sound hole. Thanks!

I think your guitar has a glued in long saddle. There is a modification that can be done, but it is not as simple as a drop in saddle.

The HD-28V has a "long" cut thru saddle. if you want an active pickup and like Baggs the Lyric is a bridge plate mic that has a volume wheel. I'm not a big fan of it but a lot of folks are. If I was bent on an active pickup from Baggs I'd go with the M80 sound hole pickup. Just my 2 cents...I use a passive K&K Mini SBT in all my acoustics.

Thanks Jim, I'll check out the Lyric. I actually have an M80 pickup in their right now, and it does the job, but not the organic sound I'm looking for. Would the K&K Mini SBT work in my guitar? I've always heard good things about them.

The HD-28V has a long drop-in saddle. It looks like a cut-through but, unlike a true cut-through saddle, it sits in a routed ‘pocket’ in the bridge. It isn’t glued-in, it’s drop-in.

A UST isn’t a good solution because it would require a recess equal to the length of the transducer strip to be cut in the bottom of the saddle, which can cause problems in achieving a consistent pressure, and hence a consistent signal, along its length.

Yes, a K&K should work in your guitar. Don't underestimate it because of the price and simplicity. It's an excellent pickup.

Do you have any suggestions for a good pickup besides a K&K pure mini?

I think they are great pickups but you do need a good preamp for it to sound it's best. There's a lot of talk about impedance issues and only using a K&K matched preamp. I have a K&K "Pure XLR" preamp and it will certainly work well with the K&K Mini but I've been using (and prefer) the LR Baggs Session DI with the high pass filter set at 80. Helps ease out some of the bottom end. I use the Session DI every week. With phantom power it's a no brainer. XLR out to the stage box to the board. Simple and sounds like the guitar I'm playing...just louder. Best of luck!

Here are some suggestions besides the K&K (love it in my Gibson J45):

James May's UltraTonic: Very intelligent design based on the K&K but better and more consistent sounding (less boom and low end rumble, good high end), super glue install, love it in my Merrill C28.

Schatten HFN: First choice when ease of installation is important, double adhesive install, sounds great in my Merrill OM18 and Altman A super SS+.

Dazzo: As natural as a pick up can sound once you chose the right size, epoxy install, love it in my Merrill OM28. I'd suggest 60s or 70s for your HD28V, but better ask Teddy Randazzo, who invented this awesome pickup.

2004 should be a drop in. I think Martin swapped to drop-in in 2003.

If the saddle ends look like this, you can not put an undersaddle transducer and should try a soundboard transducer (K&K, ultratonic, Dazzo, HFN…)
http://www.rod-neep.com/rod/instrume...d28marquis.jpg

If the saddle ends look rounds it is a drop in

http://www.rod-neep.com/rod/instrume...dle-hd28vs.jpg

In this case, the saddle slot is routed through and you can put an undersaddle transducer like Fishman Matrix or Baggs element (used in Anthem). The router bit is round and so are the saddle slot ends.

Sorry, I don’t. I dumped USTs years ago, and I hate soundhole pickups. I like a pickup that’s as uninvasive as possible so, since 2007, I’ve used only K&K Pure pickups - nothing under the saddle to degrade acoustic tone, no ugly lump of metal or plastic across the soundhole, no batteries, no barn-doors, no on-board controls to act up and go duff. K&Ks work fine for me but I don’t play in loud bands so…

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

The Ultra Tonic. I have a K&K in my HD-28V, and I'm reasonably happy with the sound I get through the ToneDexter, but I plan on adding the Ultra Tonic upgrade for the K&K based on the reviews I've read here.

http://jamesmayengineering.com/

Cuki’s response is a great example of why this forum is so valuable. The depth of knowledge and willingness to share is amazing!

All the merit goes to the UMGF where this was posted long time ago. I just have read that post few years ago and remembered it.