Dual acoustic pickups, how to??

[Draper B]

I recently purchased one of Gibson's new G45 models, It came equipped with a Fishman Sonitone, which is ok, but a bit shrill for my main gig player... so I decided to order a Prestige 330 by JJB electronics(similar to K&K pure mini), now I plan to install the 330 when it arrives, but I wanna leave the stock fishman installed, so that got me thinking about running both with a blend option, so I researched and found Schatten makes a 2+2 endpin preamp that accommodates two pickups, but I'm unsure how they connect, do they plug in, do I solder to the endpin preamp? Also, will I need to remove the preamp of the fishman and just wire the under saddle directly to the endpin preamp? Any thoughts or experience on this would be awesome... and as a side query, anyone here use the prestige 330? Any good? Thanks y'all!!

[j.blay]

I soldered my JJB 330 and an internal condenser mic to the stereo output jack that came with the JJB. I didn't need an internal preamp because I used a TRS 1/4" guitar cable to plug into a DTAR Solstice Blender with phantom power. I only used the Phantom power for the internal mic. The Solstice has plenty of EQ and a really clean signal. Took some practice to get the blend I wanted, but the result was a really sweet acoustic sound.

[Draper B]

Ok... good info... first off, how did you find the 330, like compared to an average under saddle trans? And forgive my lack of technical knowledge, but, the jack that comes with the JJB is a stereo Jack? And you blend them externally? I'm gonna be honest I'm a newbie when it comes to this technical stuff... so if I wanna use my fishman UST and my JJB 330 together, I just wire the passive UST into the jack of the JJB 330? Any insight or instruction you can give me would be appreciated and well received...thx

[Draper B]

Ok, while waiting for a reply(not impatient, just unable to sleep due to a nasy flu lol), I've been doing some research... I should be able to wire my Fishman UST into the jack that's coming with my JJB 330, then I can use a stereo guitar patch cord to my 2 channel Roland acoustic amp, then I have a stereo splitter at the amp and run one output into one channel and control volume and tone/effects for one pickup signal, then do the same with my 2nd input on my acoustic amp? Am I correct in coming to this conclusion?? Lol... I'd like to buy a nice blender Preamp, but after buying the Gibson acoustic and the pickup, and another Les Paul on Lay away, Its just not in the financial cards lol... thought a??

[Doug Young]

Note that you have two identical posts here. I responded to the other one :-)

[j.blay]

Originally Posted by Draper B

Ok... good info... first off, how did you find the 330, like compared to an average under saddle trans? And forgive my lack of technical knowledge, but, the jack that comes with the JJB is a stereo Jack? And you blend them externally? I'm gonna be honest I'm a newbie when it comes to this technical stuff... so if I wanna use my fishman UST and my JJB 330 together, I just wire the passive UST into the jack of the JJB 330? Any insight or instruction you can give me would be appreciated and well received...thx

Sorry for the delay. Haven't been back till now.

1st question:
Only under saddle pick up I have is a Takamine with the CoolTube preamp. Much different goal as the Takamine is for easy plug and play in any venue with minimal adjustments needed to avoid feedback with a good sound. The other guitar is a luthier built, lightly braced. high end guitar I want to get the most natural sound I can in small venues, without worrying about big volume.

2nd question:
yes, it comes with a stereo jack. I have much experience soldering, so I was confident in doing a good job. If you aren't confident, I'd pay someone to do it for you. Both pick ups will be soldered into the JJB 1/4" jack, replacing the original. The TRS carries both signals which work best if you can control the gain, volume, Eq, and effects on each channel. The Solstice is just one of many blenders that will do a fine job for you.

[Adrianw]

I recently installed (just now, actually) a passive UST in a Martin HD28 with an existing passive K&K mini. I did this recently in an Eastman slope-shoulder and liked the results. I run it to either a Schatten Mini Pre 2 where I can blend the two or, for a quick setup, just use a stereo cable with a mono plug on one end. The mono plug has both tip and sleeve combined at the tip. I'm not a fan of the Sonitone or any of the coaxial UST's. In the Eastman I used an old Martin Thinline. In the Martin, believe it or not, I tried one of those $12 red undersaddle Thinline/Fishman clones from Amazon. It works fine and if there's a difference between that and the Thinline I don't hear it. I'm never using it on it's own anyway .