Adding a pickup to my acoustic only RS SGA-FLE Shorty LE?

[HeavyDuty]

I bought a Limited Edition Shorty new from Ted back in 2012. Life got very complicated a few years later, and it hasn’t gotten any play since around 2015. (Nothing has, not even my basses which are my main instrument.)

Now that life is on an even keel with me in Texas, I want to start playing again. I ordered a new WS1000 reissue as a general acoustic and originally thought to sell off the Shorty, but spending an hour with it last night made me realize I can appreciate it for what it does best - a dedicated fingerstyle guitar.

I ordered it without a barndoor, but now I’m thinking about installing a pickup. I used to have a couple of Tacoma Thunderchief basses, and I put a K&K in one. I liked the tone but thought it was too dynamic for me - any body touches were amplified (as expected.) But that may be an advantage for a fingerstyle guitar.

Any suggestions?

[HeavyDuty]

Anyone? I’m out of my league here.

[waterboy]

I have just added a Baggs Anthem to my X30. Not played it plugged in much yet, only to test it, but I liked the combination of UST and internal microphone. You can adjust the level of the mic and the balance between it and the UST. No barn door on these, which for me is a good thing. I did need to smear a little epoxy on the inside of the guitar to get the sticky pads on the electronics to hold and also set it a little further inside the body than is usual - the X30 has a bit of a lip on the sound hole which got in the way.
I had it professionally installed.

[HeavyDuty]

I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Anthem - that’s definitely an option.

[HeavyDuty]

I’m starting to focus on two different Baggs options - Lyric or iBeam. Has anyone here tried either on a CF guitar, preferably a Rainsong? Lyric in particular appeals.

[BlueStarfish]

The Lyric has a reputation for being fussy. When it works well in a particular guitar and playing environment, it is fantastic. But there are lots of reports of it not working well for many players in their guitars and / or gigs. It was supposedly designed with bluegrass players as the target market. Think Martin D18’s flat picked with a heavy hand, on relatively quiet stages in all-acoustic string ensembles with no drummer.

Have you considered the Anthem or Anthem SL? It may be not quite as perfect for that amplified bluegrass gig with a D18, but it sounds great for most situations. And it’s much less fussy — it works well in a much broader range of guitars and playing situations. Rainsong installs them from the factory in their top-of-the-line models.

[HeavyDuty]

I’ll check out Anthem and Anthem SL, too!