Best and least invasive off the shelf pickup options for vintage guitars?

[gmm55]

I am well out of the loop as far as acoustic guitar pickups go. I bought a Magmic about 10 years ago, and that is the extent of my experience.

What are the best options out there if someone has a vintage instrument they do not want to modify? I used to leave my Magmic wire hanging out, and that worked for a time, but it was a pain. It's now installed in a guitar I had no qualms about drilling out for the jack.

[maxtheaxe]

It was for this very reason that I initially became interested in K&K Pure Minis. I wanted something with no battery, no extra junk, no effect on the acoustic tone whatsoever, no visual impact on the guitar.

You don't even know they're there until you plug in, and then they sound very, very natural...far more so than undersaddle piezos or sound-hole pups.

[CycleBob]

Originally Posted by maxtheaxe

It was for this very reason that I initially became interested in K&K Pure Minis. I wanted something with no battery, no extra junk, no effect on the acoustic tone whatsoever, no visual impact on the guitar.

You don't even know they're there until you plug in, and then they sound very, very natural...far more so than undersaddle piezos or sound-hole pups.

This. I’ve installed a K&K Pure mini using the same logic and have been happy with the result. I do typically use it with a tonedexter though....

[JayBee1404]

Another vote for K&K Pure. If you purchase the K&K with the 'Vintage' jack, you don't even need to drill/ream the endpin hole - the 'Vintage' jack fits straight in to a Standard endpin-hole. You do, however, need a cord with a 1/8" (Mini) plug on one end and a standard 1/4" plug on the other end, or a 'pigtail' fly-lead with a 1/8" plug one end and a 1/4" socket the other (so you can then use a standard guitar cord).

https://kksound.com/products/purepickup.php

https://kksound.com/products/vintagejack.php

[ripdotcom]

a microphone

[Aaron Smith]

I put a K&K PWM with the vintage jack in my old J-45. I love the tone. If I were to do it again, I would just ream out the endpin hole for the standard jack- I don’t trust that little 1/8” plug on stage, nor do I trust myself to not lose the adapter. One mistake like that, gig over.

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by Aaron Smith

I put a K&K PWM with the vintage jack in my old J-45. I love the tone. If I were to do it again, I would just ream out the endpin hole for the standard jack- I don’t trust that little 1/8” plug on stage, nor do I trust myself to not lose the adapter. One mistake like that, gig over.

I had the VJ in my OM-28 Marquis, but it didn't take me long to realise that the standard 1/4" jack would be more reliable, so I had the block reamed out and a 1/4" jack installed.

When I was using the VJ, I had the risk of losing the pigtail-fly lead covered - I carried two around. They're small and light, no problem with carrying two of them in the case's accessory box.

[Robert M]

The K&K is the best but I would go with the standard 1/4 inch. I did not like the 1/8 inch.

[GuitarLuva]

Least invasive you say. There's nothing less invasive than a Barbera Soloist pickup. Even less invasive than a k&k.

[RedJoker]

Originally Posted by ripdotcom

a microphone

Though I'm normally not a fan of microphones for performances, I think in the case of vintage instruments, it's the best route. For me, it completes the aesthetic and experience of "vintage". That's how it would have been done 'back in the day', as the kids would say....

[jafranks]

LR Baggs M1 soundhole pickup works great!

[BluesBelly]

While the LR Baggs M1 active sound hole is a great pickup my first choice is the new version of the Fishman Rare Earth Blend (short internal mic gooseneck) sound hole humbucker with internal mic. This can be switched between guitars easily and without damage. I prefer the sound of the Fishman as well as its compact size and the fact that it does not readily pick up body noise or string squeaks and its black color is not as noticeable as the Baggs.

Blues.

[James May]

I quickly scanned the title of this thread as "...least offensive off the shelf pickup...".

I guess that says something about what I've learned in the last 6 years.

Carry on.

[1Charlie]

+1 for a Baggs M1, passive, with an external preamp/EQ.

My method on all of my vintage guitars is to use the 10-foot cord, fed out of the upper bass side of the soundhole, along the bass side of the fretboard extension, along the heel, across the back of the guitar and tied to the strap at the end pin.

The only bit of the cord seen by the audience is tucked right along the fretboard extension. Nice, tidy, and zero impact on the originality of the instrument.

Sound? Pretty good when correctly EQ'ed. Not as warm as a K&K, but without the need to superglue three transducers onto an 80-year-old bridgeplate! And no enlargement of the endpin hole, or reliance on a 1/8" jack.

Plus, you can buy two M1's, take two guitars to gigs, and remove them when you get home in about 30 seconds.

[gfirob]

+1 K&K's and a Tonedexter (The Breakfast of Champions)...