Mag pickups with mini-jack interface

VinceM · #1 08-03-2019, 12:48 PM

I'm in the market for a new soundhole pickup. I'm currently using an M1 and am getting tired of the high end sizzle in the sound signature. I like the mini-plug interface so I can easily disconnect and remove the pickup from the cable inside the guitar.

So far the top candidate is the DiMarzio Black Angel - it has the mini plug interface and it has gotten great reviews here.

I seem to recall another one discussed that had an additional input jack so you could plug in a mini microphone into it and blend it to taste. Can someone refresh my memory as to what that one is?

Any other thoughts?

Thanks!

Jinder · #2 08-03-2019, 01:42 PM

The Sunrise with the installation kit has the mini jack interface. I've tried most mag pickups and absolutely adore the Sunrise. So much bigger and warmer than almost all of the others. None of the high end sibilant tone you mention in the M1. I have two Sunrises, one in my Maple AJ and one in my D18GE. Gorgeous tone.

VinceM · #3 08-03-2019, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jinder

The Sunrise with the installation kit has the mini jack interface. I've tried most mag pickups and absolutely adore the Sunrise. So much bigger and warmer than almost all of the others. None of the high end sibilant tone you mention in the M1. I have two Sunrises, one in my Maple AJ and one in my D18GE. Gorgeous tone.

Oh cool - I didn't realize the sunrise pickup connected to the wire via a mini plug. I thought the cable was hard wired to the pickup.

Is the pickup easy to remove from under the strings when not needed?

meb · #4 08-03-2019, 03:15 PM

I am a soundhole pickup user. The Baggs m1c2 is the endpin jack harness
that comes with the M1, M1A and M80. I bought a couple extra m1c2's
so I could go back and forth between the Black Angel and the active Baggs
pu's. It also successfully worked with the Schertler AG-6/S-mic which uses the
mini-jack in one guitar. In another guitar with the m1c2 and AG-6, the
battery drained rather quickly....I suspect my buddy/dealer mis-wired
the m1c2 install, but was never able to confirm. Meanwhile, I installed the
Schertler harness. It too, works fine with the BA; so I can switch out those
2 pickups.

fwiw, I prefer the BA to all the Baggs offerings. You should try it. It
is so easy to test. Preamps with good synergy are Venue, PADI, Fishman Platinum Pro EQ,Red-eye Twin but the sunnaudio Stage is exceptional.
Not so good were the Grace Alix and Mesa Rosette......ymmv.

I have never tried the Sunrise since I am pretty happy with the BA,
but admit to thinking about it. I wonder if it works with any mini-jack???

Good luck....keep us posted.

Mike

63telemaster · #5 08-04-2019, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meb

I have never tried the Sunrise since I am pretty happy with the BA,
but admit to thinking about it. I wonder if it works with any mini-jack???

Good luck....keep us posted.

Mike

The Sunrise is hard wired. You'll need to buy the installation kit (or make one up yourself). Note that with all the pre-wired ones I've seen including my own, the pickup comes with a shortish wire and a male mini jack. You then have a separate wire with female jack to the end pin assembly so Baggs type fittings won't plug and play unless you terminate the pickup with a female jack. Pictures are easier than words....

https://reverb.com/item/1068654-sunr...stallation-kit

I have both the Sunrise and he BA and the Sunrise is certainly a "better" pickup imo. BA is tonally similar but just doesn't have the presence and depth of the Sunrise. Both are far "better" than the Baggs/Fishman pickups I've used. Again, in my opinion.

meb · #6 08-04-2019, 05:39 AM

Thanks for the clarification 63t. That cleared up my confusion. It also
brought up another concern....all the metal connections inside.
Looking again at he Sunrise website, I was reminded of the need to
solder wires to install....not for me. ...Is the S-1 LWJ an easier way?
Feel free to pm me....I do not mean to hijack the thread.
Thanks.

63telemaster · #7 08-04-2019, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meb

Thanks for the clarification 63t. That cleared up my confusion. It also
brought up another concern....all the metal connections inside.
Looking again at he Sunrise website, I was reminded of the need to
solder wires to install....not for me. ...Is the S-1 LWJ an easier way?
Feel free to pm me....I do not mean to hijack the thread.
Thanks.

The ready wired option from Sunrise is excellent quality........quality hardware and Mogami cable (IIRC). You'll need to secure those interconnects inside the guitar to stop them rattling around but good velcro will sort that out.

VinceM · #8 08-04-2019, 12:48 PM

Based on meb's post, I think the candidates are the BA and the Schertler AG6. The Schertler is the one I couldn't remember - thanks! I think the Sunrise is a different animal with its interconnection scheme.

I am using a vintage jack at my endpin that's already wired up so I can just plug a mini-plug into the pickup - thus my interest in this interface.

How does the Schertler compare to the BA? Do you think it's worth the extra cash? It appears a little smaller so it's probably easier to take in and out. It is also very clever that you can plug another mic/pickup directly into it and blend it via the pickup itself.

BTW here are some good photos of these two pickups:

VinceM · #9 08-04-2019, 01:00 PM

BTW here is a recent youtube of my current setup to show what I am going for. I am blending the M1 with a cheap Dean Markley Artist transducer (covered up by my right hand) and it is working pretty well. You can definitely hear the annoying brittle high end of the M1. Frankly, Neither pickup sounds that great by themselves, but when they are blended each seems to cover up the weakness of the other. I am planning to have my tech put a mini plug on the Artist so I can also run it out the vintage jack.

The cool thing about the mini plug idea is I can get rid of both pickups and leave the wires clipped in the guitar when I don't need the electronics.

SpruceTop · #10 08-04-2019, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VinceM

BTW here is a recent youtube of my current setup to show what I am going for. I am blending the M1 with a cheap Dean Markley Artist transducer (covered up by my right hand) and it is working pretty well. You can definitely hear the annoying brittle high end of the M1. Frankly, Neither pickup sounds that great by themselves, but when they are blended each seems to cover up the weakness of the other. I am planning to have my tech put a mini plug on the Artist so I can also run it out the vintage jack.

The cool thing about the mini plug idea is I can get rid of both pickups and leave the wires clipped in the guitar when I don't need the electronics.

Vince, Nice Song & Nice Playing! Frankly, your recorded tone sounds good to me, as is, with what you're using for pickup systems. Do you play fingerstyle all the time? The reason I ask is that playing with a flatpick can really bring out the bad in a pickup system or systems.

VinceM · #11 08-04-2019, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Vince, Nice Song & Nice Playing! Frankly, your recorded tone sounds good to me, as is, with what you're using for pickup systems. Do you play fingerstyle all the time? The reason I ask is that playing with a flatpick can really bring out the bad in a pickup system or systems.

Hey thanks! So glad you like this. I spent a ton of time working all that out!

Yeah the recorded tone turned out pretty nice. I actually get better results with this type of setup than using a mic. It's so hard to find the sweet spot and then when I do, it's in the way of the video!

I play mostly fingerstyle, and you are right - it is definitely easier to get a good sound out of pickups when fingerpicking. However, at church I need to strum and that can get harsh.

Another thing that gets harsh live is when I do the percussive hitting of the strings. That is hard to get sounding good. Part of it is my technique - I'm new to this. But it seems super sensitive with the M1.

63telemaster · #12 08-04-2019, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VinceM

Based on meb's post, I think the candidates are the BA and the Schertler AG6. The Schertler is the one I couldn't remember - thanks! I think the Sunrise is a different animal with its interconnection scheme.

Well it would be a very simple soldering operation to replace the Sunrise's hard wired male jack with a female jack meaning op could simply swap pickups in and out quickly. Alternatively any local tech could do this for little cost.

VinceM · #13 08-04-2019, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 63telemaster

Well it would be a very simple soldering operation to replace the Sunrise's hard wired male jack with a female jack meaning op could simply swap pickups in and out quickly. Alternatively any local tech could do this for little cost.

Ah yes now I see - that would be possible - thanks for the clarification. I think I was misunderstanding the picture. So does the male end coming out of the pickup connect to a corresponding female end on the endpin? I can't see this from the picture.

63telemaster · #14 08-04-2019, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VinceM

Ah yes now I see - that would be possible - thanks for the clarification. I think I was misunderstanding the picture. So does the male end coming out of the pickup connect to a corresponding female end on the endpin? I can't see this from the picture.

Yes, I must get around to swapping mine over so that I can change pickups more easily.

I believe the op was also asking about a pickup with a mic input. Seymour Duncan do a pickup with blendable internal mic and Fishman with a blendable goose neck mic, neither of which I have tried. Suitability of mag/mic pickups would very much depend on application imo.....can't see them being any use to me in my full band situation, but maybe for solo/quiet "acoustic" performances?

VinceM · #15 08-04-2019, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 63telemaster

Yes, I must get around to swapping mine over so that I can change pickups more easily.

I believe the op was also asking about a pickup with a mic input. Seymour Duncan do a pickup with blendable internal mic and Fishman with a blendable goose neck mic, neither of which I have tried. Suitability of mag/mic pickups would very much depend on application imo.....can't see them being any use to me in my full band situation, but maybe for solo/quiet "acoustic" performances?

BTW I'm the OP!

Yeah I was asking about the mic input - it was the Schertler that meb pointed out. The main requirement though is that I can plug the pickup into the mini plug that's already in my guitar connected to the endpin, as I described a couple posts above. I don't believe the Fishman and SD magmic meet that criteria.