Narrowing down pickup choices

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

It's funny how none of the Schatten photos show a battery line. One would thik by the photos that a AAA might be placed in the long tube connected to the end jack.

The Trance Amulet system sounds wonderful, until you see the price of $319 to get two pickups a preamp and a volume/tone control. If this guitar were gigged every week I would consider such an expense. I was thinking around $100... but $150 for the Schatten VST or an upgraded version of the K&K might be ok... I dunno. It's all a gamble, no?

Yes, the Trance systems are a bit pricey but you're getting a top-quality preamp with the systems, and in my experiences they aren't a gamble but yield a nice amplified tone from the get-go. Yes, you can mess around with the placement of the Amulet transducers but installing per the company's instructions, or my own, will yield good to great amplified tone. Although I like the overall amplified tone, I've found the Schatten HFN installations that I've worked with in 2012 (Rosewood base), and now in 2019 (ABS base), have yielded less than balanced--read that as reduced 6th-string bass response--using the 3M VHB tape from both ends of the chronological spectrum of my installations. I tried the putty installation back in 2012 with the same results as the 3M tape installation. The reason I first tried Trance was that I was less than thrilled with the tape and putty Schatten HFN installs back in 2012. The preceding are my thoughts but you should probably go with what most responders to your OP indicate you should do as that will give you some comfort in doing so, and will let me off the hook for recommending Trance should you decide to try it and not like it.

P.S. I have no affiliation with Trance Audio and urge everyone to use whatever systems they feel will best suit their acoustic-guitar amplification needs.

[sublro]

shout out to my new favorite, the Ultratonic SBT from james may engineering. once installed and calibrated (some very clever tech under the hood), the result is startlingly good acoustic tone (a bit better than my old fav k&k’s) and VERY feedback resistant! finally i can use my preamp to sweeten instead of to do battle with the feedback monster. passive, no battery, with an onboard volume wheel and works well with Tonedexter if you want to go all the way... what’s not to like?

[vindibona1]

It almost looks like anything would work with a Tonedexter, no? Hmm... Wish the things weren't $400.

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

I don’t think the Schatten is a gamble. It’s $150 and installs with tape. Again, until recently, I wasn’t a fan of this pickup. But, once he changed to ABS plastic and started using tape for the install, I liked the sound difference. And, it seems to fit your needs. Trance may be a bit cleaner sounding, but that value might be lost if you’re not gigging this guitar very often.

Thanks so much for the follow up reply. I found this comparison this morning and found it interesting that the putty vs the tape made so much difference.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

Thanks so much for the follow up reply. I found this comparison this morning and found it interesting that the putty vs the tape made so much difference.

To me, the Schatten HFN tape installation sounds the best out of the two systems and three methods of installation. The K&K sounds too shrill while the Schatten putty installation lacks the bass response needed to balance out the overall tone. The Schatten tape installation sounds best, overall, but still needs some bass (6th-string enhancement).

[shufflebeat]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

It almost looks like anything would work with a Tonedexter, no? Hmm... Wish the things weren't $400.

Not quite, sometimes just a better class of rabbit hole.

[GuitarLuva]

I voted Schatten HFN. Either version is fine but I prefer the passive. I don't use a preamp with my Fishman amp.

[Wild Bill Jones]

I’ve switched all my guitars over to the Trance Amulet. I think it is that good, best I’ve ever used or heard