I HATE electronics that are mounted on the side of an acoustic guitar

[Captain Jim]

Doesn't bother me a bit. I like having the control that those boxes offer. While I like an attractive guitar, they are still "instruments" to me, not art objects. If they play well, sound good, and are comfortable to hold and play, they make the cut.

I'm guessing the OP would be horrified with my Emerald X10 with a Krivo humbucking pickup on the top, piezo pickups on the individual/adjustable saddle, and knobs and a rocker switch on the side... great tone unplugged and plugged in with that guitar, btw.

My favorite pickup is a barndoor B-Band in an Emerald X7.

Life is short. I don't spend any time "hating" any particular instrument - pick what you like and enjoy the playing.

[MrErikJ]

I think side mounts are much more accessible than soundhole mounted systems, and usually have better features. However, my issue with them is the scar left when the system craps out or becomes obsolete and you can't find anything to replace it that fits its specific size.

For instance, I was checking out one of the higher-end Walden guitars and they have the Fishman Presys Blend in it. I like Fishman stuff but no one likes the Sonitone or Presys Blend. I thought, "well, maybe I could replace it with one of the nicer Matrix Blend side mounts." Nope, doesn't fit. And you can def take the guts and just leave the shell but...who wants to do that? I know David Wilcox did that with one of his Rainsongs and just uses it to hold spare batteries now but that's not for me.

[DavidE]

To each his own. I don’t get the hate. I prefer barn doors for guitars I gig plugged in. Don’t like them? Don’t buy them. I’ll take a Taylor with an Aura barn door over any ES and I have.

[aeisen93]

I like looking at my guitars when I'm not playing them. And I just feel that the electronics mounted on the side of a guitar totally ruin the acoustic look.

[Silly Moustache]

Huh! I was about to share my opinion on such things when an old friend rang my doorbell to show me his latest guitar.

This is an EXTREMELY talented fingerstyle guitarist.
For some years now he has played his Collings OM3, but he decided he needed a "beater" guitar as well.

Did he buy another Collings ? A Martin? an Eastman ?

Nah - he bought a £400 Washburn with built in bar door electrics which he has passed to a luthier to set it up like his Collings.
But ... the luthier tells him it will be 6-8 weeks and about £350 and he's left both new Washburn and Collings for that time, but he needs anther guitar, so he's bought a...Tanglewood!

That OM3 of his is special - it is superb.

I tend to feel that guitars with built in elctrics are effectively electric guitars that "look" like acoustics and i suspect that a £400 electo is actually a £200 guitar with £200 of elecs.

I hope it works out for him!

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Huh! I was about to share my opinion on such things when an old friend rang my doorbell to show me his latest guitar.



he bought a £400 Washburn with built in bar door electrics which he has passed to a luthier to set it up like his Collings.


I tend to feel that guitars with built in elctrics are effectively electric guitars that "look" like acoustics and i suspect that a £400 electo is actually a £200 guitar with £200 of elecs.

I hope it works out for him!

Well whether or not people like, or do not like, the sound of an acoustic with a pickup is OK, is personal and subjective, so there is no right or wrong . But don't worry It will work fine for him ....
While some big hollow body electrics have a basic (sort of a less resonate) acoustic sound ,,,,the opposite in a blanket general statement is not really accurate
Acoustics with pickups without very specific additional FX, and a lot of expertise , have very little to nothing in common sound wise, with solid body electrics..

[Gordon Currie]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Nope doesn't bother me, I care about sound

This. I love a beautiful looking guitar from a fine woodworking standpoint, but I'll gladly take a weird-looking 'piece of junk' if it has a beautiful sound every single time.

My issues with electronics in an acoustic guitar are around reliability, not looks. But I perform onstage, and reliability is required, while looks tend to be a luxury for many performers.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

This. I love a beautiful looking guitar from a fine woodworking standpoint, but I'll gladly take a weird-looking 'piece of junk' if it has a beautiful sound every single time.

My issues with electronics in an acoustic guitar are around reliability, not looks. But I perform onstage, and reliability is required, while looks tend to be a luxury for many performers.

Oh don't get me wrong I love beautiful guitars . I love fantastic looking wood work and the amazing combo's of woods, many luthiers come up with. But ultimately it is the sound

And honestly looks wise I guess I am a "progressive conservative" (ha talk about a contradiction in terms )

But I admit I do not care for relic'ed for the sake of "looking road worn" or pre aged for sake of looking old

On electrics I do not care for headless or wild shapes or body horns or fluorescent colors etc. etc.

At the same time a strict traditional look has never been not a prerequisite

So things like a barn door or knobs on an acoustic are not a distraction or a detraction.

As far as reliability ? in 20 years of gigging I did have to replace the Fishman Matrix one time, in my 97 Taylor 810 ce.
Before that in 20 years of mic'ing acoustic I had one mic failure also, so kind of a wash reliability wise

As far as becoming limited to strict tradition, I always found it entertaining to show up at a Blue Grass jam. with said 810 ce. and watch the squirming and gnashing of teeth................

[Guitarplayer_PR]

Originally Posted by aeisen93

Does this bother any of you too? I really don't like how these big plastic rectangle boxes of electronics look mounted on the side of an acoustic guitar...

My Taylor 814ce has the Expression System, which is three small black flat knobs... I'm OK with that... But the big mounted electronics on a guitar are a total deal breaker for me. Am I crazy or do some of you feel the same way? It just ruins that natural acoustic look... I won't buy a guitar that has it.

Not that much, to be sincere. As long as it sounds good plugged in or not, I'm fine.

[dnf777]

I tend to agree with the OP, especially when it comes to nicer guitars. I typically dont make tone changes once set, and have never seen an on-board tuner half as good as a polytune clip-on. So I rarely use all that space.

[Paultergeist]

Originally Posted by peter.coombe

.......electronics have a limited life span. It might outlast the life of the guitar, but most likely it won't. You then end up with a piece of useless junk in the guitar that is obsolete and unavailable, and can't be replaced with something new because the hole is the wrong size.

This has been my reality as well. The guitar was otherwise fine (and it is not unusual for a well-kept wooden instrument to last for decades or even centuries), but the electronics eventually had issues, and the tiny circuit could neither be replaced nor repaired.

I am wondering if there may be room for a spin-off industry of curved plates intended to retro-fit on to the big hole cut into the sides of guitars -- to offer a replacement fill or mounting location once the original electronics die?

[RBK]

If I wanted an Acoustic Guitar without electronics mounted on the side. I would not have bought an Acoustic/Electric. I have an Epiphone DR500MCE with Shadow Electronics which I know, is most likely considered a beginners piece of China Junk but it sounds great and makes me money. No I don't mind the electronics mounted were they are and if they crap out before I do ( I'm 73 ) I could most likely get a replacement. It is What It Is
Rick

[Pnewsom]

I have a few nice non gigging acoustics, but if I decided to start using a flattop for gigs I would buy one with easily accessible controls.

A Gibson J160E would likely do the trick. It worked for the Beatles, it should work for me.

[Mandobart]

I also don't like barn door electronics, because:

1. I don't want a battery inside my instrument.
2. As previously stated they can fail or become obsolete, leaving a useless piece of plastic where wood should be.
3. They are often lower quality then external preamps like RedEye, Bags, K&K, etc.
4. They do look hideous.

[Chriscom]

Originally Posted by RBK

If I wanted an Acoustic Guitar without electronics mounted on the side. I would not have bought an Acoustic/Electric. I have an Epiphone DR500MCE with Shadow Electronics which I know, is most likely considered a beginners piece of China Junk but it sounds great and makes me money. No I don't mind the electronics mounted were they are and if they crap out before I do ( I'm 73 ) I could most likely get a replacement. It is What It Is
Rick

I really like that Epiphone and almost bought one for a gigging guitar. Main reason I didn't is that I'd already become accustomed to the wider fretboard on the gigging Martin I had. And I like electronics on the side despite the risk of aging out. Easier to recall settings for one thing. My stage Martins are very nice (and not that much more than your Epiphone), but I find it's harder to recall settings with soundhole controls.