Baggs "Hex" system

architectx · #1 12-31-2002, 12:14 PM

Alright - first question: has anyone installed one of Bagg's "Hex" pickups into a Taylor? It is the one that comes standard on the DDSM. If so, is this the sort of thing one "should not try at home", or is it a fairly painless installation?

I'm contemplating replacing the standard Fishman setup in my 02 614CE LTD. I've only really considered the Bagg's retrofit system (I think it is an I-Beam with a pre-amp made to drop right into the slot where the Fishman is now) and the Bagg's Hex system (assuming I can use the pre-amp mentioned above with the Hex system).

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on either or both of these two possible setups. I've searched the forum for "Baggs" and read some stuff about the Ibeam, but haven't seen much of anything about the other system. I was also surprised to see there doesn't seem to be much of a consensus about the Ibeam - some folks love them but others don't.

Thanks.

bnjp · #2 12-31-2002, 12:31 PM

I'm not sure it can be done. I looked at DDSM a couple of weeks ago and it looked like the Bridge was routed completely different from a standard drop-in saddle bridge. That's just my thought.

GordonHLau · #3 12-31-2002, 01:40 PM

It is possible to replace the Fishman OBB with the Baggs Hex system. A person on rmmga emailed me a few pictures of his 714CE that he converted from the OBB to the Baggs Hex system. He made a great looking rosewood coverplate to cover the barndoor opening and mounted the Baggs Hex preamp (the one found on the DDSM) onto the coverplate.

He also just mounted the pickups directly into the existing saddle slot. The only downside to this method is a possible intonation problem on the B string since it won't be compensated. Taylor routes a seperate slot for each individual pickup and therefore was able to route the B string pickup further back for compensation. He did say he didn't have any intonation problems so I'll take his word for it. I can email you the pictures if you interested.

I would guess that the retrofit preamp would also work with the Hex pickup making the install a bit easier. Mrs. Baggs told me at the NAMM show last year that they experimented with all kinds of undersaddle pickups including the Fishman Matrix using the retrofit preamp with great results.

GL