Best pickup for a GS Mini?

[lewislarsen]

I am looking into pickup options for my GS Mini Hog and am not sure which path to go down.

I have heard consistently poor things about the Taylor ES-GO system so I'm not really keen on that as an option.

The K&K Pure Mini seems like a good option and is relatively unobtrusive, I'm also considering the LR Baggs Anthem SL but I'm concerned about adding anything too bulky that might impact the sound as the guitar's body is small.

I won't be doing anything too serious with the pickup, mainly at home playing but I'd love the option to plug it in.

If you guys can offer any suggestions on the best option I'd really appreciate it.

[CarlE]

I put a JJB Prestige GS-330 in my GS Mini hog. This is basically a K&K clone (or at least very similar if not an exact copy), which comes with an endpin jack that is a direct replacement for the metal endpin that is original to the Mini. It even has the same three little screws for mounting it (the jack, that is). It sounds pretty much like a K&K, maybe slightly less output. No batteries to deal with, very lightweight and unobtrusive. In fact I just used mine last night at rehearsal for our church band instead of the Taylor 214ce that I usually use and it sounded fine, though I did have to twiddle the knobs on the amp a bit from where I usually set them. Best part is that it only cost me about $50 a year or so ago, not sure if prices have gone up or or not. YMMV.

[learningalways]

I have had the Taylor ES Go Pickup for GS Mini in my Hog Mini for a few years now, and have never had a problem with it. It was supper easy to install and works great.... but I know a lot of people don't like them.

[Jeffreykip]

I have a K&K pure western/mini in a Larrivee Parlor and it sounds fantastic. Super woody with plenty of volume, nicely balanced. It really brings out the sound of the small body that I like for fingerpicking blues as well as strumming. Plus, I love that K&K is at the top of a lot of favourite lists, as well as at the top of affordable lists. Doing it from zero I might recommend putting in the optional volume wheel, just because I have one on my other guitar and it’s pretty convenient. That said, I’ve never done it, so it’s not really bothering me that much.

[Jeffreykip]

PS I’ve read a number of posts that suggest you need a preamp with the pure mini, but I go straight into an acoustic amp and I’m happy. When I first got it I bought a paracoustic di because it was the latest and greatest at the time, but I never really used it.

[IraDuncan]

My 2013 GS Mini mahogany has had a Fishman Rare Earth mic-blend, Rare Earth humbucker, and a Mojotone NC-2.

Out of the 3, I think a used Rare Earth humbucker would be perfect for your application.

Look around and you can probably find one pretty easily in the $120-150 range.

Right now my GS Mini mahogany has the Rare Earth humbucker and it will likely remain installed.

[J Patrick]

A K&K PWM killed in a GS Mini HV I had…..really one of the best sounding K&K installs I’ve heard…

[Rudy4]

I gigged my GS Mini with a K&K PM; it sounded great. My present all hog size 0 also works well for gigs with its PM.

FYI, I've installed K&K PMs in about a dozen guitars, both my own and others, and they have consistently sounded very good.

I've yet to find a need for a preamp, but it could happen some day. Most of the recommendations for preamps are from folks who maintain they are needed to match impedance, but unless you're plugging into a standard "guitar amp" that's usually not an issue.

The combo amps labeled as acoustic amps, any consumer PA system, as well as just about any pedal that you plug into will satisfy the requirement of 1 megohm or higher input impedance, as Jeffreykip already noted.

[Turi]

Originally Posted by Jeffreykip

PS I’ve read a number of posts that suggest you need a preamp with the pure mini, but I go straight into an acoustic amp and I’m happy. When I first got it I bought a paracoustic di because it was the latest and greatest at the time, but I never really used it.

Plug the Para acoustic Di in sometime. You’ll wonder why you weren’t using it :P

[guitargabor]

I've had feedback issues with the K & K when plugging indirectly.

The notch filter on my pre amp resolved it well.

[erniecaster]

You might or might not need a preamp but you will need a tuner. Get a Boss TU3 and here is your buffer.

[FloridaDave]

Originally Posted by learningalways

I have had the Taylor ES Go Pickup for GS Mini in my Hog Mini for a few years now, and have never had a problem with it. It was supper easy to install and works great.... but I know a lot of people don't like them.

Mine is crap and doesn't seem to connect well, I'm going to put something else in....

[CmajoRChico]

I've used an LR Baggs iBeam Active in my GS Mini mahogany for about a decade. It's the house guitar at our weekly open mic. It sounds good in any competent player's hands and gets frequent compliments. I use Soundcraft Ui mixers with the two built-in DI channels (and Radial DIs at Open Mic because the stage has a 25' snake to the mixer in the next room), but the Mini sounds great directly into a mic channel. My experience with iBeams in six-string guitars is that they tend to be a little boomy around the A string, but it's easy to eq out with a ParaAcoustic DI or in the mixer. My eq profile is a modest cut around 250-500hz and a little hump around 3-5khz.

I've put iBeam Actives in all of my guitars (1974 Gurian Jumbo Rosewood and 1990s Taylor 355 jumbo 12-string in addition to the GS Mini) and installed several for friends. One excellent country songwriter friend says people ask him all the time why his Martin sounds so good. IMHO, feedback issues are more likely sound engineer error with monitoring than anything inherently wrong with the iBeam or other SBTs. I even put one in my homemade sapele cajon with good results.