Acoustic 12 String with a Mag PU

[MarkF_48]

I had always wanted an electric 12 string like a Danelectro, but never could justify the price and I'm now at an age where I should be downsizing what I have rather than adding to. What I do have that I bought in Germany in the late 60's is an old Framus Texan 12 string that years ago I had a D'Armond PU in. The D'Armond failed many years ago and I'm presently thinking about trying to set up the Framus with another mag PU and fitted with electric strings rather than acoustic to try to get close to the sound of an electric such as a Danelectro. What I'm not sure of is if I should try to fit a hole plug into the scheme of things to dampen some of the acoustics of the body and if I do, it may seem necessary to cut out space in the plug for a PU.
Any thoughts if the hole plug would be worth the effort to fit it in with a PU?

[kudama]

Depending on the pickup you buy, you might not need to do any cutting in a soundhole cover to fit the pickup.

1) you might not need to plug the hole at all depending on how loud you play.

2) some pickups can just screw into the soundhole cover. I did this as a project, and others have done it as well: https://www.instagram.com/p/BmrPLSzl..._web_copy_link

3) There are already acoustic pickups built into soundhole covers like the Fishman Neobuster. However, most of these are humbuckers now (so are most soundhole pikcups) so I don't know if it'll get you the Danelectro lipstick pickup sound you're after.

[Brent Hahn]

I've run FOH at open mics where a guy had a Strat pickup glued into what appeared to be an ordinary Screeching Halt-type soundhole plug. He also had a little outboard volume/tone thingy clipped to his belt. Sounded excellent, single-coil electric yet woody.

[MarkF_48]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

I've run FOH at open mics where a guy had a Strat pickup glued into what appeared to be an ordinary Screeching Halt-type soundhole plug. He also had a little outboard volume/tone thingy clipped to his belt. Sounded excellent, single-coil electric yet woody.

Hey this gives me something to try!! I was thinking originally about a commercially bought PU, but I've got some old single coil Strat PU's hanging around and I also have a Planet Waves soundhole plug. The Strat PU's have mount holes I could put small wood type screws through to fasten to the hole plug. Good little project for a cold snowy day. Thanks for the idea!!

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by MarkF_48

Hey this gives me something to try!! I was thinking originally about a commercially bought PU, but I've got some old single coil Strat PU's hanging around and I also have a Planet Waves soundhole plug. The Strat PU's have mount holes I could put small wood type screws through to fasten to the hole plug. Good little project for a cold snowy day. Thanks for the idea!!

Please note that, with the guy I mentioned, the volume/tone circuit was part of the deal -- the pickup will probably sound pretty shrill without it. And in his case, I bet the cable going from the guitar to the circuit had some serious shielding -- that's a very low-level unbalanced HiZ signal, basically an antenna.

[MarkF_48]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

Please note that, with the guy I mentioned, the volume/tone circuit was part of the deal -- the pickup will probably sound pretty shrill without it. And in his case, I bet the cable going from the guitar to the circuit had some serious shielding -- that's a very low-level unbalanced HiZ signal, basically an antenna.

I've likely got the resistors and any caps around at my workbench that I can cobble up a circuit to emulate the vol/tone circuit. Shielding may be a bit of a challenge, but maybe not too pretty looking.