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  #1  
Old 02-23-2021, 12:12 AM
tbirdman tbirdman is offline
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Default Amplification for occasional open mic

I just received my Martin HD28. I will be fingerpicking and strumming at occasional open mic events. Is using an inexpensive sound hole pickup the best way to go for now. I was considering using Dazzo pickups with an external Sunnaudio preamp, but seems like a lot of $$~$500 plus installation cost for the occasional open mike. I would like to keep the installation if anything to the minimal intrusion in the guitar.
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Old 02-23-2021, 03:11 AM
penrithrdstudio penrithrdstudio is offline
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If you want a transducer style pickup, the JJBs seem to be well liked, and cost half as much as a K&K, let alone a Dazzo. A soundhole pickup is the least intrusive, but I still prefer to drill the end block for a jack socket rather than trailing the cable out of the soundhole. I use a Shadow SH141 in my main gigging guitar and am very happy with the sound.
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Old 02-23-2021, 04:40 AM
YamahaGuy YamahaGuy is offline
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Why not just leave the HD28 home and take the Taylor? Wouldn't want someone inadvertently bumping into the Martin or asking to borrow it.
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Old 02-23-2021, 04:51 AM
meb meb is offline
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If use is truly 'occasional', I would look at the Seymour-Duncan
Woody Sa-3XL for the ease of installation. I must admit that I have not heard
one yet. Since it is passive, you will probably want a preamp with it.

The Black Angel is fairly easy to install/remove alternative and sounds
wonderful with the sunnaudio stage.

I am sure the Dazzo/sunnaudio would be in great
but sure seems like a lot of installation hassle for 'occasional'.

Good luck!
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Old 02-23-2021, 08:06 AM
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Methos1979 Methos1979 is offline
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For minimal invasion you can't go wrong with a sound hole pickup. As long as you're a strummer that will be more than good enough for most any open mic.

Another option for extreme minimal intrusion is the Clingon pickup system. It definitely needs help from a preamp with EQ but you don't have to permanently alter your guitar in any way, you can easily install it yourself and it only costs $70.

Here's a recent review I did:

Clingon Pickup video review and demo
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Old 02-23-2021, 08:33 AM
6L6 6L6 is offline
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Dazzo pickups sound extremely good providing they are installed correctly.

Teddy lives locally and has put his pup in a good friend's guitar, a D-35, and it sounds wonderful.

In my own case, I have K&K's in all of my acoustics (Martins and Collings) and am very happy with them.

All of that said, I've reverted back to my old days of micing my guitar at Open Mics whenever possible to get the purest acoustic tone.

When solo gigging, however, I plug into either my Fishman Loudbox Mini or Performer amp (for 95% of the places I played pre-pandemic, the Mini was all the amp I needed). The K&K's sound great through both.

Can't go wrong with either a Dazzo or K&K.
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Old 02-23-2021, 09:10 AM
Brent Hahn Brent Hahn is offline
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Pre Covid, I ran FOH at the busiest open mic in LA, and for efficiency's sake they didn't allow amps (other than the house backline) stomp boxes, preamps -- nothing but either a straight wire to the DI or a mic.

When open mics resume in earnest, I bet they'll be swamped and lots of them will adopt a similar policy. Better forewarned, as they say.

Also, I don't think anyone these days considers the installation of a strap-button output jack to be an "intrusion" into a good guitar. Value-added, if anything. But have a luthier do it, it's an easy thing to screw up if you try to DIY.
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Old 02-23-2021, 11:20 AM
tbirdman tbirdman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YamahaGuy View Post
Why not just leave the HD28 home and take the Taylor? Wouldn't want someone inadvertently bumping into the Martin or asking to borrow it.
Now you have me paranoid about someone stealing the Martin. You have a point with the Taylor already setup with the electronics.
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Taylor 562CE
Taylor 214CE DLX
Amalio Burguet Vanessa
Fender Player Stratocaster HSS Plus
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Old 02-23-2021, 11:23 AM
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If you can tolerate a (minimal) installation I'd suggest a K&K Pure Mini with an external preamp like n LR Baggs Gigpro.

If you want something 100% removable I suggest an LR Baggs MagMic sound hole pickup with mic
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Old 02-23-2021, 11:25 AM
tbirdman tbirdman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent Hahn View Post
Pre Covid, I ran FOH at the busiest open mic in LA, and for efficiency's sake they didn't allow amps (other than the house backline) stomp boxes, preamps -- nothing but either a straight wire to the DI or a mic.

When open mics resume in earnest, I bet they'll be swamped and lots of them will adopt a similar policy. Better forewarned, as they say.

Also, I don't think anyone these days considers the installation of a strap-button output jack to be an "intrusion" into a good guitar. Value-added, if anything. But have a luthier do it, it's an easy thing to screw up if you try to DIY.
Yes the strap button output jack isn't that much of an extrusion and they make strap buttons large enough for the enlarge hole. I wouldn't try to drill the end hole myself. What I would consider is just placing the pickups inside the guitar without the preamp inside.
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Martin HD28 w/Dazzo 60s
Martin OM28 w/Dazzos 60s
Taylor 562CE
Taylor 214CE DLX
Amalio Burguet Vanessa
Fender Player Stratocaster HSS Plus
Timberline T60HGpc
Kolaloha KTM-000 with MiSi
SunnAudio MS-2
Digital Piano Yamaha P515
Grand Piano Yamaha C3
DPA 4488
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  #11  
Old 02-23-2021, 11:28 AM
tbirdman tbirdman is offline
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I forgot to mention that a mic would be a possible option as I do sit for the open mics although I have only done 3 open mics as a beginner guitarist last year before covid shut them down.

I would probably do some fingerpicking solo and also play along with a friend who has a keyboard.
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Martin HD28 w/Dazzo 60s
Martin OM28 w/Dazzos 60s
Taylor 562CE
Taylor 214CE DLX
Amalio Burguet Vanessa
Fender Player Stratocaster HSS Plus
Timberline T60HGpc
Kolaloha KTM-000 with MiSi
SunnAudio MS-2
Digital Piano Yamaha P515
Grand Piano Yamaha C3
DPA 4488
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  #12  
Old 02-23-2021, 11:33 AM
AeroUSA AeroUSA is online now
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How about a DPA mic? I really want to try one of those.
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Old 02-23-2021, 11:46 AM
Brent Hahn Brent Hahn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tbirdman View Post
I forgot to mention that a mic would be a possible option as I do sit for the open mics although I have only done 3 open mics as a beginner guitarist last year before covid shut them down.

I would probably do some fingerpicking solo and also play along with a friend who has a keyboard.
Fingerpicking, especially with another player up there, I'd go with a pickup rather than a mic for sure.
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Old 02-23-2021, 12:12 PM
Big Band Guitar Big Band Guitar is offline
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I do from time to time attend an open mike. I don't have a pickup in any of my guitars. I just use whatever house mike is on stage.

I have heard sound persons really screw up the sound on acoustic instrument pickup.

Sound persons look at me like I have 2 heads when I tell them I don't plug in.

If you really like the sound of your guitar then use a microphone.
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Old 02-23-2021, 12:30 PM
Brent Hahn Brent Hahn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Band Guitar View Post
I do from time to time attend an open mike. I don't have a pickup in any of my guitars. I just use whatever house mike is on stage.

I have heard sound persons really screw up the sound on acoustic instrument pickup.

Sound persons look at me like I have 2 heads when I tell them I don't plug in.

If you really like the sound of your guitar then use a microphone.
Bad pickups do a fine job of screwing up the sound without any help from us sound persons. While firm, solid playing on a reasonable instrument will sound good with just a mic, lovely-but-tiny fingerpicking has no chance without a pickup. And if I look at you funny, well, I look at everyone funny. Not singling you out.
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