L.R. Baggs M80 vs Sunrise S-2

[Roquave]

Has anyone compared them? I'm wanting to put a setup on my HD-28 but all I have really ever used is the M1 and I'd like something more responsive and also something that captures the guitars tone fully, also I'm wanting a setup not too invasive. Thank you for any input.

[jpbat]

Not much significant difference between M1 and M80.
Also, Sunrise is passive, Baggs is active, so more output.

If you're looking soundhole PU, I would suggest trying other models, like the Seymour Duncan, the DiMarzio, the MiSi, the Fishman, etc…

There are a lot of models these days. Sunrise is a bit passé, Baggs… stays in the drawer.
(I'm a certified soundhole PU freak, so I own these two… and much more)

Soundhole mag PU have the advantage of being easily installed and tried in a store.

[lizzard]

Okay, I own an s1, an m80, a Schertlers a6 and have k&k pwms in several. The sound holes stay in a case unless I have a loud outing or want a specific tone recorded.

The sunrise is NOT passé but it sounds the most electric. It also is the heaviest and therefore damps the top the most. The a6 is the most natural sounding and by far the lightest. For finger style in a church or coffee house - YES. But it can be overdriven. It is delicate but true. The m80 is a great compromise unless you need 1) huge volume or 2) really delicate tone.

For recording it's a mic for me. The k&ks are closer to the a6. I would blend in certain situations. Think of it as having the equivalent of a mic cabinet.

Good luck.

[Roquave]

Thank you both for your input! It's a tough decision for me primarily because there isn't a decent guitar technician or luthier around for 250-300 miles. I was contemplating a saddle pickup system but I don't trust myself to do the work. The only luthier around here swears by the fish man matrix system but I'm not feeling that.

[stephenT]

The Sunrise is still the best soundhole pickup on the market. If that's passé,...

Second best you might ask? Dimarzio The Angel passive.

[dcmey]

Originally Posted by talkgtr

The Sunrise is still the best soundhole pickup on the market. If that's passé,...

Second best you might ask? Dimarzio The Angel passive.

It sounds very electric, different strokes for different folks I guess.

[lizzard]

Originally Posted by talkgtr

The Sunrise is still the best soundhole pickup on the market. If that's passé,...

Second best you might ask? Dimarzio The Angel passive.

No reason to speak in absolutes or present your opinion as fact. There are many very good PUPs on the market. Several may be "best" for a given situation, objective or taste.

The Sunrise is by far the heaviest and damps the top (the most important element of acoutic sound) more than alternatives.

The A6 is the lightest and has the most svelt clamping. It sounds FAR more acoustic than the Sunrise (IMO) but if you strum heavily it can be overdriven. Almost like its ribbon technology

If I had to grab one for a gig, I would grab the M80 as it can go passive or active and is a mix of the two for sound and sits squarely in between for weight.

The key is to experiment and draw one's own conclusions based on what they like and are after.

Chris

[Fusion01]

I do want to try the Dimarzio DP234 Black Angel soundhole pickup and DP235 Black Angel Piezo set when the piezo model comes out I was told later this month. From the demo videos on YT they sound pretty nice for what they are. Hope it wasn't just because of the way they produced the video. Hope they sound half as good at least.

[Yamaha Man]

I put a LR bags M-80 in my new Pono DS-20, and I'm very happy with it.

By the way, the M-80 can be used passive or active by flipping a switch on the bottom of the unit...not really easy to get to, but it is there. I'm using the passive mode because I don't want to depend on a battery. However the passive mode is a bit quieter than the active mode. You'll get a much stronger signal with the active mode's pre amp engaged, which translate into a much louder signal. The nice thing about the M-80 is that you have that choice.

If you use the active mode, you have to remember to unplug the guitar when not in use or else you'll run the battery down in no time. This is why I use the passive mode...I keep forgetting to unplug the guitar after each use.

[stephenT]

Originally Posted by lizzard

No reason to speak in absolutes or present your opinion as fact. There are many very good PUPs on the market. Several may be "best" for a given situation, objective or taste.

The Sunrise is by far the heaviest and damps the top (the most important element of acoutic sound) more than alternatives.

The A6 is the lightest and has the most svelt clamping. It sounds FAR more acoustic than the Sunrise (IMO) but if you strum heavily it can be overdriven. Almost like its ribbon technology

If I had to grab one for a gig, I would grab the M80 as it can go passive or active and is a mix of the two for sound and sits squarely in between for weight.

The key is to experiment and draw one's own conclusions based on what they like and are after.

Chris

I've owned the A6. Owned the M-80, M-1, M-1a, Mi-Si, Fishman Rare Earth, three different Dimarzios, on and on. 20+ years w/ the Sunrise. Yes, it's heavy, I'm sure it dampens the top some, although that can be adjusted a bit by carefully loosening the "wing" clamps.

The professionals who used Sunrises when I first started using them, still use the Sunrise.

So it's not without perspective that I offer my absolute.

Originally Posted by dcmey

It sounds very electric, different strokes for different folks I guess.

Sounds different in every guitar I've put it in over the last 20+ years. I guess it must be picking up something other than the strings.

If this is electric sounding,.. then we disagree on what an acoustic guitar sounds like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lCH5JgWCZY

[noledog]

After years of gigging & gear, for now I'm an M80 guy for it's tone, versitilty for the wide range I play and nice features ( I like the look too). I think it shines when finger picked and has plenty of headroom without feedback. I've done a good amount of experimenting and tweaking to mine, I dig 'em. Easy to take in & out without removing or slacking the strings, but I leave 'em in all the time except changing battery...btw no dampening issues.
Here's two samples at a lite venue gig; one with my Goodall which demonstrates the percussive abilities I like (I'm a reggae dude) and another with my D18...all straight into my Loudbox Performer, pretty natural imho!

[TOCS]

I like my Sunrise. It has a very defined bass response which is what I want. It doesn't sound very acoustic, and to be honest, I haven't heard any magnetic pickup reproduce much if any of the acoustic qualities of an acoustic guitar. I wouldn't rely on magnetic pickups for that. If you want the sound of the guitar body to come through a pickup buy a soundboard transducer instead, such as the Trance Audio Amulet system.

[Marshall]

There's a new soundhole mag pickup out there. The Mi-Si Magpie. I just got one and like it a lot. It's a smaller profile. And it's black. So less visible. But more importantly, it has a tone control and a volume control. So it allows better sound control on the unit. It's a single coil, with some technology that eliminates hum without having to have a humbucker double coil.

And it's got a weird feature; no battery. But you have to charge the capacitors within 16 hours. But the charging only takes a minute.

I've had it a week and played out twice with it and like it a lot so far. The tone shaping helps.

I used to use M1a pickups. Then I went back to soundboard transducers. Recently I was looking for something better for loud stages. When I got the Magpie, I tested it against an old M1a. I liked the Magpie a little better.

[tahoenow]

The truth is that there are several very good in-hole pickups. I've had three different ones over the years and the lone survivor is the Sunrise. I am also an electric player and to describe the Sunrise as "electric" is anything but true. What is does have is a purity of tone without the artifacts you get with piezos. Combined with a Tonewoods amp it sounds incredible because the Tonewood gives it the depth and resonance we are all looking for. A great combo. Without the Tonewood, a K&K mixed with the Sunrise is the bomb.

[sdelsolray]

A bit under the radar, but the K&K Double Helix magnetic pickup is quite nice.