Reason for using UST pickup?

[douglasfan1]

I heard there's a lot of disadvantages of using UST pickup like:
1. Affecting the acoustic sound of the guitar
2. Quack sound when strumming hard
3. unbalance signal between strings

On the other hand, is there any reason attracting ppl to choose UST pickup comparing to others?

[Marty C]

I only know of a few.
1. Cuts through a band mix well.
2. Less prone to feedback as compared to other types.
3. Lots of devices are created to improve the result of this type of pickup (Tonedexter and TC Bodyrez to name a few).

All I can think of at the moment.

[jonfields45]

No obstruction in the soundhole relative to magnetic and very consistent performance compared to soundboard transducers (note all the postings on adhesive and placement choice).

For lead players, you can tune the string balance by adding paper shims under strings you want louder.

If you play in a band at higher stage volumes, or play in venues with house sound systems and floor monitors, the much loved on the AGF soundboard transducers (the exception might be the Ultratonic) are impractical.

[pieterh]

I would add that there are modern USTs that sound way better than their forebears. USTs understandably get a bad press based on how they used to sound and many of the cheaper models still sound, well, cheap.

Good electronics (onboard or external) as well as filters (such as TC Body Rez) or IR units (Tonedexter, Fishman Aura etc) work wonders. Taylor’s approach (putting the piezo sensor behind rather than under the saddle) also sounds very natural and is a great live pickup system.

Under saddle (or behind saddle) transducers still have their strength in feedback resistance. I’m a big fan of sound board transducers (eg K&K Pure Mini) and in the situations I play in feedback is rarely an issue but USTs do offer a degree more of gain before feedback.

[Rudy4]

I've gigged my Taylors fitted with K&K Pure Mini transducers and had no problems using them at high volumes providing I used a sound hole plug.

USTs do have more resistance to feedback because they don't react to the soundboard's resonance as much as a surface-mounted transducer like the K&K Pure Mini. Unfortunately that's why they don't sound as good.

With amplification in mind you have to pick your poison.

[Brent Hahn]

I think the main attraction of a UST for most folks is that it's already there. Also, in most cases you can swap in something better while leaving the UST in place and you can always go back to it if you decide to sell. In the market where I live, guitars with no pickup at all take a longer time to sell.

[Petty1818]

For me it’s the immediacy of the attack that I don’t get with SBT’s. I just like how a UST responds. With that said, I use a Tonedexter or Aura so I don’t like the straight UST tone. The negatives you point out are only with certain brands. You shouldn’t have string balancing issues if the install is done right and I don’t find a change in my unplugged tone with the Matrix but I did with the Element.

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

Also, in most cases you can swap in something better while leaving the UST in place and you can always go back to it if you decide to sell.

When I removed the factory UST from my Martin D-2832 Shenandoah, the acoustic sound improved dramatically. This may have been an issue with this particular UST, which was Martin's first attempt at electrifying their acoustic guitars, and was known to have problems.

[fingeryoga]

I use a baggs lb6 , the only pickup ( and I have tried them all ) that works with a super low fingerstyle action . Most UST's have balance issues when it comes to very low action in my experience.

[jseth]

I've used three different UST's extensively... and the only one that dramatically altered the unplugged sound of my guitar was the Baggs Element; I suspect that the slightly "squishy" covering may be the culprit... Baggs says that that cover hardens over time, conforming to the saddle's bottom edge.

It seemed to me that, after a period of perhaps 6-9 months, the Element in my Anthem SL no longer affected the overall unplugged volume of my guitar, even though the tone spectrum still seems to be slightly altered. I'll know pretty soon, as I'm taking the unit out of that guitar in the next couple weeks... it'll be for sale in our Classifieds!

Also, unless you really "dig in" to UST's, they can sound very good, certainly serviceable for my ears...

[T.Lime]

I have the Trance Amulet system in my Gibbie. No feedback even at very high volumes. Is the purest sounding acoustic pup I have yet heard. no post guitar modelling needed.


I have a Walden that uses a UST Baggs Element, and A Crafter that has a dual pup system ( mic and UST). Sometimes you just want that near electric sound and UST is perfect for that.