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  #1  
Old 01-18-2012, 12:52 AM
Cream Cream is offline
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Default Pickup help for a Martin 000. K&K, D-Tar or LR Baggs?

Greetings, I've been lurking for awhile and finally decided to join. Thanks so much for all the information and help already. First off, I know these "best pickup" threads are annoying but since many systems are permanent, I'd like some last opinions. I have already read many threads about pickups and have narrowed it down (or so I think).

I'll be purchasing a 000-28EC from Maury's and am wondering your opinions on these:

D-Tar Lock-and Load Wavelength
Pros: Active! Easy to change battery, seems to get good reviews
Cons: Adding a mic could improve the "air" and unplugged qualities though

D-Tar Multi-Source
Pros: Active! Soundboard transducers+mic, looking up
Cons: No lock-and-load system, but other than that this looks promising

K&K Ultra Pure Western
Pros: Active again. Gets great reviews.
Cons: Some clips seem a little dark and muddy

L.R. Baggs Anthem
Pros: Active, mic + under-bridge piezos for a complex sound
Cons: Pricier than the rest

Am I on the right track here? What about USTs? I'm lost. Can anyone help? I am a 50% finger-style, 50% flat-pick player leaning towards blues and blues-rock. I don't play in a rock band and would be using this for solo/duo acoustic/voice gigs. Thanks so much!
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Old 01-18-2012, 05:42 AM
chitz chitz is offline
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I'm a fan of Sound Board Transducers. Either the K&K PWM or the JJB Prestige 330. If your pluging into an acoustic amp, thats all you'll need, but if your pluging into a PA system... You'll want to add a DI/pre amp. Something like an LR Baggs PARA DI works great.
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Old 01-18-2012, 08:46 AM
kydave kydave is offline
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Friends don't let friends use undersaddle pickups...

(or batteries in the guitar)

Get the K&K!

Last edited by kydave; 01-18-2012 at 09:07 AM.
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Old 01-18-2012, 09:00 AM
jalbert jalbert is offline
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While I am a fan of the D-TAR Wave-Length, I will offer a word of caution about the Load-N-Lock version: it requires drilling out the endpin to a 7/8" diameter (IIRC) hole. That pretty much locks you in (pun intended) to using that pickup on the guitar. The others, including the non-Load-N-Lock version of the Wave-Length, all use a 1/2" diameter hole, and therefore are freely interchangeable at a later time if/when you decide to upgrade pickups. I would have no qualms about buying a guitar that came from the factory with a Load-N-Lock, like several models of Guilds I've seen. They're good pickups with good electronics.
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Old 01-18-2012, 11:17 AM
Cream Cream is offline
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Ah, thank you all so much for your opinions. The point about the Lock-and-Load system is great. I don't think I'm going to go that route for that reason. Hadn't even thought of that.

However, I'm curious why the objection to the preamp/battery being in the guitar? My goal is to have an active pickup so that I don't have to carry an extra DI/pre. The active system with battery would accomplish this, yes?

Anyway, thank you very much and keep the opinions coming.
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Old 01-18-2012, 11:26 AM
cary cary is offline
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I installed a K&K Mini in my 000-18GE, and it sounds phenomenal. It isn't dark in the least. If you go with the K&K you just need to make sure you're going to plug it into something that matches its impedance, otherwise you'll need to do a lot of EQ tweaking to get it to sound good.

I go into an Orchid Muting DI for this purpose, and then into a Schertler David. The tone is wonderful. It sounds amazing in a 000-sized body.

Good luck!
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Old 01-18-2012, 11:34 AM
williejohnson williejohnson is offline
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Another big fan of the K&K. I have both the pure mini and the pure mini with the active preamp and volume control (in different guitars!) love them both.
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Old 01-18-2012, 12:08 PM
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El Conquistador El Conquistador is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray Jones View Post
However, I'm curious why the objection to the preamp/battery being in the guitar? My goal is to have an active pickup so that I don't have to carry an extra DI/pre. The active system with battery would accomplish this, yes?
On your list of pros and cons, I am guessing you didn't even think about an issue that amy very well be a priority for you. Effect of the pickup system on your un-plugged sound. For instance, the Anthem uses a soft braided element that is placed between your saddle and your bridge. A Baggs representative is on record here as stating that this element WILL effect the tone of your unplugged guitar. So, if this is an issue I suspect it might be for you, you will need to give serious thought to any UST.

Second, I am 100% with Dave in that I want no batteries anywhere in my system. Why? Simple, batteries have a nasty habit of going dead in the middle of a performance. It will not take many occurances of this to convince you of the wisdom of eliminating batteries.

Third, I am aware that the UMGF has some very strong advocates of making sure that whatever pre-amp you use has a correct impedance match with the K&K. However, most of the AGF feel this is a complete non-issue and have used many different pre-amps that are not "correctly impedance matched" with the K&K with great success. So, that will be up to you to decide.
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Old 01-18-2012, 01:58 PM
Cream Cream is offline
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Thanks again for all your replies, you're really forcing me to think hard.

I had considered the point about the pickup affecting the unplugged nature of the guitar but I had just assumed that any pickup -- whether it was a UST or a soundhole pup heavily hanging on the guitar's top -- would affect he unplugged tone negatively. However, it's interesting to hear that USTs unduly affect the tone so much.

As well, I had wanted an active pickup simply so I didn't have to carry around anything extra with my guitar. I can see now that most folks prefer passive systems and lug around an external DI/pre. Is that fair to say? I can see how a battery dying mid-performance would be troublesome.

Now I've just got to consider whether I want a passive Soundboard transducer or Soundboard transducer + Mic blend. Still so many options and things to think about, but thanks again. I appreciate all the help from the more experienced members. I'll be sure to put up clips, offer reviews and share more of my experience as I learn.
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Old 01-18-2012, 03:02 PM
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El Conquistador El Conquistador is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray Jones View Post
I had considered the point about the pickup affecting the unplugged nature of the guitar but I had just assumed that any pickup -- whether it was a UST or a soundhole pup heavily hanging on the guitar's top -- would affect he unplugged tone negatively.

Now I've just got to consider whether I want a passive Soundboard transducer or Soundboard transducer + Mic blend.

A. The K&K or the McIntyre Feather will have the least impact because they are extremely light.

B. If you start with just a K&K, it will be easy to add a mic since the jack will be wired to add a mic. So, you might just want to start with the K&K and see how it goes. The only caveat here is that, while you would not need a preamp capable of blending dual sources with just the K&K, you would need it if you decide to add a second source (mic). So, that would be an issue for you when you consider which pre-amp to go with.

Sorry all this is so confusing, but, in the words of Eryk Skye, "Amplification is where the fun begins with electric guitars, and the fun ends with acoustic guitars."

Steve
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Old 01-18-2012, 04:05 PM
DrBromiAndufEwd DrBromiAndufEwd is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by El Conquistador View Post
"Amplification is where the fun begins with electric guitars, and the fun ends with acoustic guitars."

Steve
Thats hilarious. Im in the same boat. I just got an Epi Masterbilt and want to start playing in the church worship, so i need to add some electronics, and am trying to narrow down my options...its way more involved than i would have guessed!
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