non-intrusive pickup?

[hat]

I just acquired a very minty 1972 Alvarez Yairi 5080 OM size acoustic. Its a great guitar, not a single scratch or ding on it, and sounds like a 50 year old guitar should. What are the best options for a non intrusive, non permanent pickup that I could use. I don't want anything glued on or in it, and I dont want to drill out the endpin for a jack. I want to retain the acoustic tone, so soundhole mag pickups are out. What does that leave me with?

[Lost Sheep]

Maybe a lavalier microphone pointed at the soundhole. Could be clipped to the guitar (with padding, so as not to mar the finish) or clipped to the guitar strap (would require a boom and restrict your ability to move the guitar around).

For an example, see the microphones designed to clip to a saxophone or violin.

[jricc]

Hi Tom, maybe the irig acoustic? It just clips on the edge of the soundhole, easily removable. Hope this helps.

https://www.ikmultimedia.com/product...ex.php?p=range

[RogerPease]

That pretty much leaves you with an external mic on a stand or one of those iRig clip on mics.

[fwphoto]

Maybe the DPA 4099?

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...-mounting-clip

Frank

[guitarman68]

Bruce Bartlett makes a great clip on. Three versions to chose.

https://www.bartlettaudio.com/produc...hantom-powered

[Marshall]

Soundboard Transducers such as Schatten HFN can be stuck to the underside of the soundboard with putty or sticky tape. Not permanent. You don't have to drill out the end pin, but you'll have a cord coming out ot the soundhole.

[SalFromChatham]

I have this in my guitars case as a backup …. Still sounds good.

https://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/aco...rtual-acoustic

[Stringmaster]

There's also the Schertler DYN series. I don't hear much about them anymore. I have a couple of the older ones that I've owned for years, but have never had the need to use them. I do recall getting some pretty good tone out of them in past when testing, after finding the best placement, and by tweaking the PA some.

[L20A]

I have to wonder how a K&K could be installed that could easily be removed if wanted?
The Vintage end pin Jack would be a good way to go.

Other than this, my answer is what I do in my band and use a Mic on the guitar.

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by hat

I just acquired a very minty 1972 Alvarez Yairi 5080 OM size acoustic. Its a great guitar, not a single scratch or ding on it, and sounds like a 50 year old guitar should. What are the best options for a non intrusive, non permanent pickup that I could use. I don't want anything glued on or in it, and I dont want to drill out the endpin for a jack. I want to retain the acoustic tone, so soundhole mag pickups are out. What does that leave me with?

Given all the constraints, I’d book my shows like the Magic Castle here in LA books their performers. The audience sits way way up close. Failing that, the Russians supposedly have this technology where they can eavesdrop on conversations by bouncing lasers off windows. Maybe that could be turned into a non-guitar-touching pickup system.

In my world, though, a 50 year old guitar — my Martin just turned 51 — looks like it’s been played for 50 years. Heck, my LA Phil friend, her fiddle looks like it’s been rode hard for more like 300 years. That thing’s worth something like 3/4 of a mil.

[generalliamsayn]

Originally Posted by L20A

I have to wonder how a K&K could be installed that could easily be removed if wanted?

I once installed a K&K for a friend who didn't want to go the superglue route so I used the double-stick tape method.

We were both so disappointed in the resulting sound that he had me re-install it using superglue.

[L20A]

Originally Posted by generalliamsayn

I once installed a K&K for a friend who didn't want to go the superglue route so I used the double-stick tape method.

We were both so disappointed in the resulting sound that he had me re-install it using superglue.

I would think that even with superglue, it would not be very difficult to remove the pickups if needed.
With the Vintage Jack, a guitar could be put back to original condition.

[Mandobart]

Absolutely no permanent mod needed when I mounted JJB piezo SBT's to my HD-28 bridgeplate With blu-tak putty, wired to a Tapastring Vintage jack. I can return to 100% stock if desired any time.

[calvanesebob]

Originally Posted by hat

I just acquired a very minty 1972 Alvarez Yairi 5080 OM size acoustic. Its a great guitar, not a single scratch or ding on it, and sounds like a 50 year old guitar should. What are the best options for a non intrusive, non permanent pickup that I could use. I don't want anything glued on or in it, and I dont want to drill out the endpin for a jack. I want to retain the acoustic tone, so soundhole mag pickups are out. What does that leave me with?

I have a Yairi DYM60HD and a Martin HD-28. If I ever wanted to amplify them I have an LR Baggs M80 that I can just throw in the sound hole, and then remove after, or I could just mic them.

If I go to an open mic, I would just bring my Strat and multi effects pedal.