Mag Soundhole pickup in a Rainsong

AZLiberty · #1 06-02-2019, 10:21 PM

Anyone (probably Earl) ever drop a magnetic soundhole pickup into a Rainsong for a temporary pickup solution?

Just spitballing a solution for the CH-PA for when I fly out to places. I'm not normally going to need to play the CH-PA plugged in. If I drive I take the Shorty.

Probably a Dean Markley, or maybe spend a bit more and pick up a California Lace. That needs a screwdriver to install though, the DM just pops in and out without tools. Would definitely prefer something with a female end for convenience.

Is this a really bad idea?

jonfields45 · #2 06-03-2019, 05:30 AM

RainSong uses the same guitar soundboard tooling for 12 and 14 fret guitars. This places the bridge further away from the end of the fretboard and the string height over where you install the pickup is less than a 14 fret guitar. I found for my CH-PA and a Fishman Rare Earth Humbucker that the high E string would touch the pickup fretted above the 12th fret. I imagine there will be some variation from guitar to guitar and maybe this won't be an issue for you.

Here are the pictures I took for my work-around. The clasp on the Fishman won't actually close completely with too little padding and in addition to reducing the pad on the pickup I had to increase the pad on the clamp.

Earl49 · #3 06-03-2019, 01:07 PM

Cannot really help, as I've never tried a magnetic pickup in a Rainsong. My WS-1000 came with a factory installed Fishman blender on board (still my best sounding stage rig when set to about 30% microphone). The PMJ-1000 has no electronics.

My prior experiences with adding temporary mag pickups in the sound hole were a Bill Lawrence pickup with spring tension holding it in place, and a Seymour Duncan Woody. But once my Taylor 414ce and the Rainsong came home in 2001, I then always had workable stage ready on-board electronics, so stopped experimenting with magnetic pickups. Friends have had tonal and functional success with the Fishman magnetic pickup, and especially the Sunrise -- a nice but pricey pickup.

Consider using an end pin jack, and an internal plug to easily remove the sound hole pickup, if that is desired. Fishing loose wires out through the sound hole and securing them using gaffer tape is NOT an elegant solution. FWIW we will likely be in Phoenix again during mid-July (yikes!) and I can bring the Lawrence pickup with me at that time. It hasn't been out of the box in years.

kramster · #4 06-03-2019, 02:42 PM

I had an early Lawerence with the spring thing...an antique and might still have it ...have a Sunrise in my Cargo, plus a factory thing it came with...plus a K&K had someone install years ago... when I was just a kid. Have a Mag Mic and some others around here somewhere... none were on RainSongs.