Budget amplification advice for "open mics" - updated

[varmonter]

Originally Posted by Vindellama

I'll look into the kk xlr.

I don't want to leave it in since it would require a permanent intall, which would require drilling the end block, which would require sending it to a luthier 300 miles away (due to incompetence from other ones).

I don't have the tonedexter... It could be an upgrade down the road. Would not work with the magmic. But the mic would be useful for the training process or for blending if I choose to go the sbt+mic path instead of the tonedexter path.

i guess since you mentioned it a few times in your
original post i thought you had a tondexter.

[Irish Pennant]

Originally Posted by BT55

Drilling an end plate is not tough. If you have any friends that have carpentry skills they should be able to watch a YouTube video or two and successfully drill the end plate.

I use a tapered hand reamer to open up the end plate hole. The hand reamer gives you control over the tool that a powered drill doesn't have. The tapered reamer also fits the bridge pin holes, I've used it to improve the fit of the bridge pins. A luthier's tapered hand reamer can be purchased for less than 10 dollars US.

I've played a ton of open mics, no two are the same. A good percentage of them have poor gear and inattentive host. IMO there's no low budget fix. For the OP to have some control over the sound and be able to have a quick stage setup, I'd buy the hand reamer, a K&K PWM pickup and a battery powered preamp/DI such as a PADI or a Zoom A3.

As an open mic host, I keep in my gear bag a Fishman Neo-D Humbucking Acoustic Sound Hole Pickup and the K&K Pure Preamp. It's there for guest that want to use their guitar plugged in but don't have a working pickup. I don't recommend this to the OP if it will be the OP's primary pickup. I had it on a low end guitar when I was first learning about plugging in. The sound hole has wear marks that I attribute to repeated installing and removal of the pickup and from the pigtail wire getting caught up on things when the pick up is left installed over long periods of time. The risk of damaging the guitar is greater with a sound hole pickup than it is to install a K&K PWM pickup.

[takatsukimike]

There are really 3 options:

1: Get a cheap "house guitar" which already has a pick-up
2: Either of the easily swappable magnetic pick-ups mentioned
3: Clip-on microphone or single spot stick-on piezo

I would go for option 1 based on simplicity - you know the levels, can keep it plugged in, and it's there for not only those without pickups in their guitar, but also the odd walk-in to the bar who didn't even know it was an open mic night (my best nights as a participant have been when I wasn't prepared and did it on a whim)

Option 2 would sound like ***, but it's an open mic, the talent on display is variable and the aim is simply for sound to be "acceptable" and at least there are no feedback worries

Option 3 can offer the advantage of usability on violins, banjos, etc but will be the most problematic from a feedback and EQ perspective.

Whatever you decide, remember these events are for the fun of all participants, so keep it simple and easy, and don't sweat the small stuff