Your Recommendation: Best P/U under $200 that is EASIEST to install

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

I've been reading a fair number of those posts, but it seems to me a number of people have posted about having to move the location of the different sensors quite a few times to locate the sweet spot. That is my main concern with that rig.

thanks,
scott

Scott,

Simply put, I've found the Schatten HFN needs a kick in the Bass!

Ken

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Scott,

Simply put, I've found the Schatten HFN needs a kick in the Bass!

Ken

Ken, hi. Are you saying that the Schatten is not among your faves? Just wanted to make sure I understood your position.

Thanks!
Scott

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

BTW that HFN is in my CO-PA. After EQ (bass boost, treble cut, well within the control of my mixer), it sounds great! I'm still gigging with my Mi-Si as I've got too much experience with that pickup and how to put a lead line over the top (volume wise) without getting into any problems (too shrill or feedback). At the end of the day I'm still imagining I'm the lead guitarist in my high school rock band (I'm 62 in July)...

This is an old thread... I've since fixed that bad install making sure each leg was securely attached, all my guitars now have HFNs, and none of them need EQ to sound good.

[murmur70]

I would go used LR Baggs M80 soundhole pickup.

[JackB1]

Easy to install the guitar jack on the inside?

Originally Posted by murmur70

I would go used LR Baggs M80 soundhole pickup.

[noledog]

Originally Posted by murmur70

I would go used LR Baggs M80 soundhole pickup.

+1... easy to take in and out as well as being a nice pickup. I have two; I use one in my D18 and the other is a spare which I may sell for $175.00.

[murmur70]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Easy to install the guitar jack on the inside?

Take it to a tech to drill the endpin. Probably cost you $14

[Oregon Donor]

I remember in one of the Schatten threads a few folks mentioned that it’s less “hot” than the K&K—is it a significant adjustment? I’ve got a K&K in my Taylor 310 and my preamp gain is roughly at noon (slightly above or below depending), and I worried about potentially having to crank it with the Schatten.

I want to move on from the K&K and haven’t decided on whether the Schatten HFN or the Ultratonic would be a better fit (I know there’s an Ultratonic Conversion kit for the K&K but my strings are not balanced in the first place, so I don’t know if it would be applicable to my rig).

[mstymnt]

Originally Posted by Oregon Donor

I remember in one of the Schatten threads a few folks mentioned that it’s less “hot” than the K&K—is it a significant adjustment? I’ve got a K&K in my Taylor 310 and my preamp gain is roughly at noon (slightly above or below depending), and I worried about potentially having to crank it with the Schatten.

I want to move on from the K&K and haven’t decided on whether the Schatten HFN or the Ultratonic would be a better fit (I know there’s an Ultratonic Conversion kit for the K&K but my strings are not balanced in the first place, so I don’t know if it would be applicable to my rig).

There is a the HFN schatten plus that I believe has a preamp built into the input jack, to give it some more output. I had the schatten passive in my lowden f-50 ran through a Red eye Di with boost and it sounded very natural, even more so than the k and k ran straight into the board with no eq.

That being said I play in a trio and was having a tough time cutting through the mix with the other guitarist who had a k and k. It seemed my upper strings lacked in being able to cut through. Even messing with the eq it just wouldn’t work for me. I ended up taking the schatten out and going back with the k and k. With some good eq, the k and k can sound just as good as natural as the schatten but with more girth and volume
If it were me I would stick with the k and k and work on your eq and the preamp your using. Red eye with k and k is great, I have used that set up with three different guitar sizes and had great success. I tried to go schatten after reading all the positive reviews, and like I said it sounds great if your a solo artist, but is a group doesn’t do it for me.

Cheers!

[guitarman68]

Same experience: I love the Schatten for simplicity of installation and - much more important - natural, balanced sound. But it can get lost in a busy mix. Not enough cutting through power, but great for solo gigging.
Ultratonic is a nice and effective upgrade if you are used to the K&K sound.
Best of both worlds ( natural sound AND girth) and therefore my favorite is the Dazzo.

[jonfields45]

I use compression rather than plain boost, for a soloing with my HFN passive. I think compression is a better choice to cut through the mix with most any pickup.