Best built-in pickups (for acoustic guitar)?

[silver mica]

I've never been fond of acoustic guitar pickups - but I'm playing live and also record a little. My Taylor's ES2 (which is a piezo pickup) didn't sound as bad as I was expecting. I'm looking for another guitar to leave in the studio 24/7 - and was curious to get feedback on what guitars for, say, under $1500 have decent sounding built-in pickups. For now, I don't want to consider adding a pickup myself. And, I'm open to good sounding piezo pickups.



Cheers!

Silver Mica

[fuman]

If you're talking a factory system, I think Takamine probably makes the best, but I've heard great things about Cole Clark and the D-TAR system Guild was using.

[ripdotcom]

I think a Maton could be picked up in that price range used and would have a superior pickup system.

[noledog]

* From many years and gear as a full-time musician, I prefer and currently use an upper-end MIJ Takamine with the Palathetic pickup combined with their on-board, interchangeable CT4BII and CTP-1 Cooltube preamps for straight in plug n play. The only other system that I also prefer that rivals it is the now discontinued F1 Aura Plus system I have in my Martin 000-18e Retro.

** The Matrix VT Enhance, Taylor ES2, Baggs Anthem, which can and do all sound nice, but they can't touch the F1 Aura Plus and Palathetic systems imo and experience with all of them thru my rig and playing my style...ymmv but Tak & F1 are in a class all their own.

*** Too bad the F1AP is discontinued, I'm gassin' for an OM28e Retro with one...there are a few around and I may find one at the right price down the road. For price tho, it's hard to beat a Pro Series 3 MIJ Tak for $1,200. My advice, try out a MIJ Tak, excellent craftsmanship and tone, especially the Pro 3 series both unplugged and amplified.

eric

[Ruppster]

I agree the Takamines come with great pickups. Another guitar in your price range is a Yamaha AC5R. MAP is $1,400 and for that you get an all solid guitar with a baked top, wood binding and a very, very nice pick up that gives you the option of blending their UST with two mic models.

Just a really nice guitar.

[JackB1]

I've heard that the dual pickups on the Epiphone DR500s were excellent.
Also the Yamaha A3 or 5 series.

Also, installing an after market pickup on a guitar isn't a huge deal and should be part of your consideration.

[llew]

I use K&K but realize a lot of people don't care for them. The Baggs Anthem dual source would be my choice if I wanted all the hardware inside the guitar.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by silver mica

I'm looking for another guitar to leave in the studio 24/7 - and was curious to get feedback on what guitars for, say, under $1500 have decent sounding built-in pickups.

So you want guitar with a pickup to use in the studio? There are lots of good pickups out there for live use. For recording, the cheapest possible mic will beat the best pickup hands down. I'd skip the pickup for recording, If it was me, I' look for a good all around guitar that sounds good when mic'd.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

So you want guitar with a pickup to use in the studio? There are lots of good pickups out there for live use. For recording, the cheapest possible mic will beat the best pickup hands down. I'd skip the pickup for recording, If it was me, I' look for a good all around guitar that sounds good when mic'd.

Ditto on Doug's comment. A $100 Shure SM-57 or 58 will dust any pickup out there. I believe those mics are mainly for live performance, but of course Shure has a huge lineup for all recording situations. Also, great stuff out there from AGF, Sennheiser, Neumann (sp?), Audio Technica, etc.

You might also post this question in the Acoustic Amplification section. A lot of very experienced folks over there.

scott memmer

[ChalkLitIScream]

The Yamaha A series will not disappoint
The 3 series models should fit right in your budget. All solid, scalloped bracing, torrefied top, cutaway, and a choice of a dread or OM size and RW or hog b/s.

I have had experience with the LR baggs anthem, the ES2 and I have to say the yamaha srt system is quite better plugged in.

[YamahaGuy]

Yamaha A5 record wonderfully.

[difalkner]

Ditto on using a mic in the studio. I've only played a handful of times in the studio and the first thing they told me is to get comfortable so they could place the mic, that nobody would be plugged in. I already knew that but they told me anyway.

For live play in our Praise Band at church I use a Takamine. The sound is good but much better with a mic.

David

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

So you want guitar with a pickup to use in the studio? There are lots of good pickups out there for live use. For recording, the cheapest possible mic will beat the best pickup hands down. I'd skip the pickup for recording, If it was me, I' look for a good all around guitar that sounds good when mic'd.

Hi Doug…

Amen to that!

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

So you want guitar with a pickup to use in the studio? There are lots of good pickups out there for live use. For recording, the cheapest possible mic will beat the best pickup hands down. I'd skip the pickup for recording, If it was me, I' look for a good all around guitar that sounds good when mic'd.

My sentiments exactly when I read the word "studio". That's not the place for a built-in pickup, or anything other than a high quality mic.

[Sonics]

You can save yourself a lot of 'coin' by plugging your Taylor into a mic modelling foot pedal. You'll also have the added bonus of a tuner, a DI and other useful 'goodies' for live use. I won't vouch for the accuracy of the 'modelling', but the sound is significantly better than raw piezo.

Yamaha, Zoom, BOSS and Fishman have all put their modelling technology into stomp boxes.