Which soundhole pickup

Degenerates · #1 07-24-2021, 08:07 AM

Has anyone experienced (or even using) any of these 4 soundhole pickups:

1. LR Baggs M1 Active
2. LR Baggs M80
3. iRig acoustic stage
4. Seymour Duncan Mag Mic?

Was doing some live takes of some lessons I do and the condenser mic I was using was picking up the speaker monitor playback (for backing track) which caused feedback so I don't think I'll be using a mic!

My initial choice was the M80 as I liked its sound but the M1 is said to be good and so is the Mag Mic.

Any other suggestions/recommendations welcome.

MrErikJ · #2 07-24-2021, 09:00 AM

I’ve had the M1A and the Mag Mic and I’m currently using the Mag Mic. The M1 is good for strumming but I didn’t care for the trebles. I currently really like the Mag Mic but who knows where I’ll be in a year 😂

Degenerates · #3 07-24-2021, 09:03 AM

I'm more of a strummer than a fingerstyle player so it needs to have that nice percussive clicky sound as opposed to boomy lows. Does the M1a have any mic blend options? I know the Mag Mic does (probably why it costs more)

geewhiz · #4 07-24-2021, 09:06 AM

You might want to add the Mojotone NC-1 to that list. I've tried soundhole pickups in the past and I've disliked every one I've tried (including the M1 and M80). The NC-1 is the best sounding soundhole pickup I've ever heard. At least through my ears

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YamahaGuy · #5 07-24-2021, 09:30 AM

I installed the SD MM in an Eastman E1OM and was satisfied with its tone. I like the battery life too. Very very good at 400 [claimed] hours. I have since sold the guitar to a band mate so I get to hear it being played plugged in and to my ears, it sounds better than a Taylor 214ce with their 3 piezo system. Once song in our set features the guy who plays this fingerpicking a solo and we can bump his volume up quite a bit without feedback.

Degenerates · #6 07-24-2021, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geewhiz

You might want to add the Mojotone NC-1 to that list. I've tried soundhole pickups in the past and I've disliked every one I've tried (including the M1 and M80). The NC-1 is the best sounding soundhole pickup I've ever heard. At least through my ears

.

Ok will check it out. What guitar do you have it in and why didn't you like the M1/M80?

PANDAPANDELO · #7 07-24-2021, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geewhiz

You might want to add the Mojotone NC-1 to that list. I've tried soundhole pickups in the past and I've disliked every one I've tried (including the M1 and M80). The NC-1 is the best sounding soundhole pickup I've ever heard. At least through my ears

.

+1 on the Mojotone!

I have used the M80 (in passive mode only) and M1 Passive on my HD28 in the past. The M80 have a more natural sound, and not much worse into feedback rejection when compared to the M1, so it's a win for me.

The problem about the M80 is that I have a constant noise, like a hiss. I don't have it everywhere... only at places with bad electrics. But it breaked the deal for me. I don't use it anymore because of that. If you don't play in places with bad electrics, or if you play in a band situation, then you should be fine with it.

But I do think that the Mojotone NC-1 should be in the options. Seems to be a really nice pickup.

Degenerates · #8 07-24-2021, 10:01 AM

Wow the Mojo NC-1 sounds really good! Just checked a few YT videos, I really like how its very natural sounding, as I hate that Piezo quack all acoustic guitarists hate when amplified! Also its meant to be very lightweight so that's a plus, the M80 looks heavy and could possibly take a few turns to really screw it in the soundhole tight.

Only drawback is it looks pretty hard to source in the UK, is it a relatively new release? I can't see any retailers here (not even Thomann who say it'll be "available in several months").

But yeah thanks for alerting me on this, it sounds great!

MrErikJ · #9 07-24-2021, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Degenerates

I'm more of a strummer than a fingerstyle player so it needs to have that nice percussive clicky sound as opposed to boomy lows. Does the M1a have any mic blend options? I know the Mag Mic does (probably why it costs more)

No, the M1A doesn’t have mic blend options but the designs allows it to “sense” too and body resonances, which makes it good for strumming and light percussion. It sounds pretty natural and benefits from a good preamp and EQ.

The Mag Mic’s microphone has a fairly high lowcut so it doesn’t “boom” per se. the mic adds treble and mid range primarily, with the mag providing the bass.

Jinder · #10 07-24-2021, 11:40 AM

MagMic is superb…have had one in my Dove for several years. Wouldn’t part with it, it’s a great pickup. I perhaps very slightly prefer my Sunrises in my other guitars but the MagMic has the blend option and is very, very good. Much prefer it to any of the Baggs mags I’ve tried.

The Mojotone NC1 is a hot up and coming unit…lots of praise for it. Would love to try one soon.

Degenerates · #11 07-24-2021, 01:06 PM

The Mag Mic would be easier to source in the UK, as several retailers sell it (though a lot of them are out of stock) but I really like the Mojo one at the moment which is harder to get as there's no UK retailers selling it. Sunrise looks like another US based brand.

Jinder · #12 07-24-2021, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Degenerates

The Mag Mic would be easier to source in the UK, as several retailers sell it (though a lot of them are out of stock) but I really like the Mojo one at the moment which is harder to get as there's no UK retailers selling it. Sunrise looks like another US based brand.

JP Guitars in Bristol is the Sunrise resource in the UK. I’ve bought from them in the past and found them excellent. My other two Sunrises were sourced secondhand, one a gift from a Texan friend and the other via eBay, where they very occasionally pop up. If you’re a magnetic pickup enthusiast, you owe it to yourself to try a Sunrise. They’re not cheap, but truly are the gold standard.

I’ve just finished a gig using my Sunrise equipped SJ200 into my AER Compact 60. Heavenly tone and response. It’s just a pickup of course, but a very, very good one.

douglasfan1 · #13 07-25-2021, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jinder

MagMic is superb…have had one in my Dove for several years. Wouldn’t part with it, it’s a great pickup. I perhaps very slightly prefer my Sunrises in my other guitars but the MagMic has the blend option and is very, very good. Much prefer it to any of the Baggs mags I’ve tried.

The Mojotone NC1 is a hot up and coming unit…lots of praise for it. Would love to try one soon.

I totally agree with you. I have sunrise and Seymour Duncan magmic. Magmic is good but sunrise is better. However, sunrise is a bit heavier than the magmic.

Degenerates · #14 07-26-2021, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jinder

JP Guitars in Bristol is the Sunrise resource in the UK. I’ve bought from them in the past and found them excellent. My other two Sunrises were sourced secondhand, one a gift from a Texan friend and the other via eBay, where they very occasionally pop up. If you’re a magnetic pickup enthusiast, you owe it to yourself to try a Sunrise. They’re not cheap, but truly are the gold standard.

I’ve just finished a gig using my Sunrise equipped SJ200 into my AER Compact 60. Heavenly tone and response. It’s just a pickup of course, but a very, very good one.

Ok thanks for the link, I looked on their website and they're sold out of the Sunrise. There's not too many demos on YouTube, but the only ones I've seen I haven't been blown away lol.

I really like the Mojotone NC-1 though, it sounds amazing and natural even with no mic blend option. I think for live use I will want a pure magnetic one as I reckon as soon as I blend in any mic (even if its 10%) it'll probably feedback!

Oh and another brand has entered the list, the Schertler AG6. It sounds amazing on the 50/50 mic/pickupblend as you can purchase a separate little condenser mic the size of a thumb to screw into the pickup. But again, for live use its probably not going to work well and they're Swiss I believe so hard to source in the UK unless I want the ballache of long shipping times and import taxes etc.

FrankHudson · #15 07-26-2021, 08:15 AM

I've used the iRig Acoustic Stage as a tool to record acoustic in a very constrained and untreated space. It's a microphone. Easy to attach and setup, or to move between instruments. Surprisingly decent recording quality. Location means it records more of the pick strike sound (I'm a flatpicker) which is a drawback. Not immune to picking up loud outside noise, but much less sensitive and the typical external condenser mic to that.

When recording or streaming I monitor through headphones.