"Balance" pedal?

[euraquilo]

Originally Posted by James May

Interesting idea - I'm not sure I'd have the foot-precision to make minute adjustments.

[Methos1979]

Your initial summation of the pros and cons of various types of pickup systems is pretty much spot on. The very best guitars I've heard and played amplified are systems that contain multiple sources combining at least two, preferably three, and also have onboard controls. Installing multisource systems into your favorite guitar can be expensive, daunting and include the need for additional outboard EQ and signal processing to attain great sound in a live setting.

Some people actually enjoy this type of thing. As a plug-and-play guy I'm just too lazy (and cheap!) so I went the route of buying a guitar that has a multisource pickup system built-into it from the ground up. There's a reason why you see so many Takamine guitars on stages! Maton and Cole Clark are two others. The flip side is that the vast majority of any audience is none too concerned about great tone and in most cases feedback can be tamed with a simple sound hole cover.

So much depends on the performer, the music, the venue, the audience - so many variables.