Removing a barn door pickup?

[hamburg325]

Is there any hope for an otherwise nice guitar that is blighted by a barn door pickup?

Does anyone make any sort of replacement cover?

Thanks!

[fazool]

I'm not a fan of barn doors, either.

I would make it into a soundport.

[lowrider]

It's probably not something that you could do at home, but I don't see any reason that any good luthier or tech couldn't make something in matching wood to cover the hole. I don't think they could make it invisible, but they should be able to make it pretty nice.

[Oldguy64]

I don’t understand the hate for barn door preamps.
They are not pretty, but they are functional.
Every pickup with a battery bag is a pain for me.
I’ve had several.
They have all had that stupid bag come loose and start banging around inside the guitar.
I prefer an “ugly” but functional barn door, that has a battery compartment that can be easily accessed.
Barring that, a K&K style passive pickup, and an external tone-shaping DI work for me.

[Rosewood99]

I made mine into a soundport:

martin-soundport.jpg

[woodbox]

Hey paulzoom,
that looks very nice!

Is that stainless steel?
Aluminum?
How did you choose to use metal vs wood?

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by woodbox

Hey paulzoom,
that looks very nice!

Is that stainless steel?
Aluminum?
How did you choose to use metal vs wood?

It’s steel. I actually had someone make it for me. I used the website service upWork. Gave the measurements and sent the barn door to them and they made it for me for under 50 bucks. I actually had seen someone else on the forum do the same design so I asked him to replicate it.

[rmp]

that port plate mod is a decent idea.

I also have never been a fan of side wall mounted pre-amp control plates.

Once they fail, you have a bit of an issue if you can't fix it.

[Mbroady]

Originally Posted by Oldguy64

I don’t understand the hate for barn door preamps.
They are not pretty, but they are functional.
Every pickup with a battery bag is a pain for me.
I’ve had several.
They have all had that stupid bag come loose and start banging around inside the guitar.
I prefer an “ugly” but functional barn door, that has a battery compartment that can be easily accessed.
Barring that, a K&K style passive pickup, and an external tone-shaping DI work for me.

I agree. I would not go cutting up a good guitar to put a big old barn door pre in it but if a stage guitar sounds good both plugged in and acoustically, and has a barn door pre in then I’m ok with that. In fact I can see getting one of the higher end Taks with the cool tube pre for a road/gig guitar

[Oldguy64]

Originally Posted by Mbroady

I agree. I would not go cutting up a good guitar to put a big old barn door pre in it but if a stage guitar sounds good both plugged in and acoustically, and has a barn door pre in then I’m ok with that. In fact I can see getting one of the higher end Taks with the cool tube pre for a road/gig guitar

You should try the Cool Tube and the CTB4ii before you decide.
I wanted a GB7. But I waited too long, and a P3DC was what was left.
Now, I’m glad I didn’t get the GB7.

[Mbroady]

Originally Posted by Oldguy64

You should try the Cool Tube and the CTB4ii before you decide.
I wanted a GB7. But I waited too long, and a P3DC was what was left.
Now, I’m glad I didn’t get the GB7.

Back before the cool tube pre came out I had a Santa Fe Tak. It had the standard Fishman barn door pick up. The guitar was very nice, but the pickup was bla. A few years later I got to try the cool tub pre on another guitar and I was impressed. Haven’t played any recent Taks but before I start gigging again I would like to try some of the new higher end offerings.

[Oldguy64]

Originally Posted by Mbroady

Back before the cool tube pre came out I had a Santa Fe Tak. It had the standard Fishman barn door pick up. The guitar was very nice, but the pickup was bla. A few years later I got to try the cool tub pre on another guitar and I was impressed. Haven’t played any recent Taks but before I start gigging again I would like to try some of the new higher end offerings.

My “good” Takamine is the Pro-series with the CT4BII.
It is literally “plug and play”.
I play only at church and we have a rotating band, and rotating sound people.
I can walk on, plug in and go.

That said, the TK-40d in my GJ72CE-12 has also served me well.

[stormin1155]

Here's one I did for a customer.
[IMG][/IMG]

[lowrider]

Nice job. If it was for me, I'd like it like that without the sound port.

[martingitdave]

I'm not a fan of barn door preamps myself. However, if you are regular performing musician and you need a plug and play solution, the side of the guitar is the best place to put the internal preamp and controls. It has the least impact on the tone of the guitar.