Need Suggestion For Soundhole Pickup

[Methos1979]

I tried several over the years looking for the best soundhole pickup. I tested the LR Baggs M80, the Schertler AG6 with S-MIC and finally the DiMarzio Black Angel. All were well regarded and quite frankly all were good systems that performed pretty much the same with that typical slightly electric sound.

But the one I landed on that was a cut above the rest is the K&K Double Helix Solo. The form factor/footprint is relatively small and light but it has a tone switch on it that works fantastic for switching from strumming with a pick to playing delicate fingerstyle. It can also be combined with a K&K Pure Mini if desired.

I did a lengthy review with an embedded demo video from K&K that can be seen here:

K&K Double Helix Solo review - long and detailed

Here's a direct link to a review/comparison I did of the Black Angel vs the Schertler AG6:

Dimarizo Black Angel vs. Schertler AG6 with S-MIC-M

[Rudy4]

I played yesterday with a friend who is using a Mojotone in his Larrivee SD-60. It was quite nice sounding, perhaps a bit bass-heavy, but that can be cut with the EQ.

[noledog]

After using several over my professional career I like the M80 and currently I’m using the D’Armond Tone Boss that I like even more with the exception that I can’t the percussive that the M80 has, but the tone of the Tone Boss suits me better in my D18

[jricc]

Originally Posted by meb

The mini-jack plug-in allows you to screw in the pickup
before you leave the house, and just plug in the cable when you get to church.
btw, the Baggs SH pickups use the same mini-jack...I just found them much harder to
maneuver for temp installs.

vs the Neo, I would probably take a chance on the Tone Boss at the same price
as the Neo.

Also for the record, if you are doing a permanent install, there are many other options.

One thing about the ToneBoss, it has an unusual 2.5mm plug into the pickup. The Baggs and Dimarzio use 3.5 jack into pickup. Hard to find a 2.5mm to 1/4" ( 6.3mm) cable to run out of soundhole.

[jricc]

Originally Posted by EllenGtrGrl

Thanks for the info and input everybody.

It's too bad my OM-120, isn't like my Gibson J-35 pickup-wise - the J-35 has a Baggs Element system installed in it, that sounds great, but I want a little variety, when I play in the church band, hence the reason I've started alternating between my J-35, and OM-120. Because the music director plays rather loudly on a Steinway concert piano (it was donated by a well-to-do couple who are members of the church), my Fishman Loudbox Mini Charge, has has become a necessity, just for me to hear myself. I could get miced, but there aren't enough monitors to hear myself through. As it is, the Loudbox Mini Charge is loud enough, that it isn't miced, or run directly into the church PA system (I've actually had to turn it down at times, to avoid feedback into the singers' mics).

In short, I need a pickup in the Guild OM-120, or it just plain isn't usable at church. Oh well.

One more out of the box thought, the iRig acoustic pickup system, a bit more fussy, but installation is pretty much nil, you just literally hang it on the soundhole. i haven't any experience with this and probably not what you are looking for, but just another thought.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...-pickup-system

[meb]

jrcc, thx for the clarification. Despite looking, I never was able to verify the ToneBoss interface, but had guessed it was the 3.5mm. That's why I said 'take a chance' on the TB.
Based on your info, I do not think it is a good fit for the OP.

[jricc]

Originally Posted by meb

jrcc, thx for the clarification. Despite looking, I never was able to verify the ToneBoss interface, but had guessed it was the 3.5mm. That's why I said 'take a chance' on the TB.
Based on your info, I do not think it is a good fit for the OP.

Yes you would think it would be 3.5mm like the other pickups... I found out the hard way

[j38guitar]

I have an LR BAGGS M1A in my D35, it sounds great! I actually just ordered another one for my OM guitar.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by jricc

One more out of the box thought, the iRig acoustic pickup system, a bit more fussy, but installation is pretty much nil, you just literally hang it on the soundhole. i haven't any experience with this and probably not what you are looking for, but just another thought.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...-pickup-system

Probably worth a separate topic on it's own, that's a lot of mic technology for the minimal price of the iRig system.

I can see where it would have a lot of appeal to players, and even has a usb output to use it as a recording interface into a DAW.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has actual experience in using it.

[ssstewart]

I have abunch of different soundhole pickups: k & k/fishman/dimarzio/etc and although some of them i like more than others depending on what im going for, none of them hold a candle to this one

circa 60's Lawrence soundhole pick up gives me the absolute cleanest/purest sound and is phenomenal for jazz or fingerstyle or folk. Bought it in a random box of stuff from a pawn shop for $20. (worked out to about $3 for the pickup)

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Probably worth a separate topic on it's own, that's a lot of mic technology for the minimal price of the iRig system.

I can see where it would have a lot of appeal to players, and even has a usb output to use it as a recording interface into a DAW.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has actual experience in using it.

I have one, I use it, I think it's a good tool at a good price.

It is a microphone, so it sounds more like a microphone, much less like a pickup. It's super easy to install or move between instruments. It greatly minimizes untreated room issues. It's not overly sensitive to external noises and sounds, though it can pick them up if they're loud -- but typical low-level room noise (HVAC, mild outside traffic, computer noise, etc) isn't an issue for me. It will pick up (bleed) vocals at a low level (less than mic bleed with an external mic, but enough that I can't use it to record tracks where I replace the vocal with a later pass). I'm a flat-pick user, and it is sensitive to pick noise. It really reminds me how sloppy my technique is, but bare flesh finger-pickers will not have that issue. It records in mono of course, which bothers me rarely when used in a mix. I have fake stereo'ed tracks from it a couple of times when I needed width (stereo chorus or Izotope Imager...) put of course that's a first -choice vs a nice mic'ed stereo.

I've not gigged with it. My main use: when I need to record acoustic guitar in my small converted bedroom/home office/"Studio B" which would be a tight fit for an external mic and is not treated nor sound isolated. Really does the job. The resulting tracks, particularly in a mix, pass muster compared with what I can get in my studio space. Not identical, maybe even 95% of the quality or something.

[jricc]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Probably worth a separate topic on it's own, that's a lot of mic technology for the minimal price of the iRig system.

I can see where it would have a lot of appeal to players, and even has a usb output to use it as a recording interface into a DAW.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has actual experience in using it.

Agree Rudy, I would like to hear of users experience. The one thing I have heard/read is that the cable that holds the "pickup" is very thin and might not hold up to constant live use and installing/uninstalling.

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by jricc

Agree Rudy, I would like to hear of users experience. The one thing I have heard/read is that the cable that holds the "pickup" is very thin and might not hold up to constant live use and installing/uninstalling.

Yes, everyone notes that on their "unboxing" comments. I've had mine since it was a new device, use it fairly often, no problems to report yet from the cable. It's actually kind of nice that it isn't a full-size and weight cable in that I don't do anything to tape the cable down to the pickguard or anything.

[Rudy4]

Thank you, Frank.

It's great to have a first person review. This confirms what I suspected, that the ultra-close proximity of the mic decreases the ability to pick up external sounds. I don't know the specifications, but I'd assume this is an omni element to get away with using it so close.

I suppose if this was something that a person used all the time that it could have the output cable of the mic terminated at a end pin jack. It looks to be a electret element powered by the tip / sleeve plug, so it could probably be routed to the center ring of a jack installed for a K&K transducer so you could use either or both through an external preamp/mixer.

I'd also be curious what the iRig preamp would do for a typical K&K Pure Mini transducer, although you'd need to add a DC blocking capacitor so the electret supply voltage that normally goes to the iRig mic would be prevented from going to the K&K Pure Mini transducer.

Regarding pick noise, this is going to sound totally wacky, but you can cut pick noise almost totally by rubbing the pick edge against the side of your nose before playing. (Really.) The pick will have enough lubrication that you loose all the edge noise from the pick. If you can't bring yourself to do it then a light rub of the pick edges across a chap stick does the same thing. I read about the nose trick years ago from an article by a session guitar player who said it was regularly done by all the session guys that he knew.

[jricc]

Yes thanks for your thoughts Frank. A quick question, is the pickup useable without the belt pack preamp?
Or maybe with another preamp/eq pedal?

I like the idea of this pickup for use with my ukulele and/or my nylon string guitar.