Soundhole pickup???

smokeynichol · #1 03-08-2019, 08:50 PM

I don't really want to cut a hole in my expensive acoustic guitar-so what pickup system would any of you folks recommend that would bring out the real sounds of my guitar?

ManyMartinMan · #2 03-08-2019, 08:53 PM

I really like the Fishman Rare Earth Mic Blend. Great sound and easy install.

DesertTwang · #3 03-09-2019, 01:45 AM

"pickup system" and "bringing out the natural sound" are mutually exclusive. The closest thing to your guitar's natural sound will be a microphone, or actually, several microphones placed at different positions. Any pickup system will result in a compromise. Some do a good job on giving at least a pleasing sound, others do a terrible job.

From what I've seen people use, the coil/magnet type of soundhole pickup tends to be on the less natural side of things, which is not surprising, as those pickups only register the vibration of the strings, not those of the guitar body. At least the ones I have heard people use tend to make an acoustic sound more like an electric guitar, minus the oomph, and tinny. I don't have experience with the Rare Earth. Apparently that one includes a mic (?).

If you're after the best possible sound, you may not be able to avoid enlarging the endpin hole to accommodate a jack. I used a K&K Pure Mini in a Martin dreadnaught, and the sounds was really good.

dave42 · #4 03-09-2019, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ManyMartinMan

I really like the Fishman Rare Earth Mic Blend. Great sound and easy install.

This. Be sure to get the blend.. with the mic. I've been using these for 10-14 years.

bluesfreek · #5 03-09-2019, 06:25 AM

The LR Baggs M1.

1Charlie · #6 03-09-2019, 07:30 AM

+1 for the Baggs M1.

I had the owner of Tapastring wire a 1/8” connector to the vintage jack he sells, so I can install an M1 in any of my guitars without enlarging the end pin hole, and without dangling the cord from the sound hole.

The vintage jack is 1/8”, which is connected externally to a short 1/4” adapter. I simply snake the connector through the existing end plug hole, fish it out of the sound hole, plug it into the side of the M1, slide the pickup into the sound hole from the bass side, position it correctly and then tighten the pickup in place..

Takes probably 30 seconds to do, and is completely reversible in about the same amount of time.

The raw tone is OK, but it is vastly improved by using a preamp with some EQ and then a touch of Reverb.

fwphoto · #7 03-09-2019, 08:48 AM

+2 for the M1.

Mine's an M1A with built-in preamp & volume control. I'm about to put it in my CS 00-18 but will have an endpin jack installed anyway. That's the way I did it with, first, my D-18, & then my OM-21. Both of them now have K&K pickups so it didn't matter if I put the endpin jack in permanently. I knew those guitars would be eventually used plugged in so an endpin jack just made sense. Unless you have a truly vintage guitar or one that you think will be someday, I wouldn't worry about an endpin jack. Not sure if someday I'll upgrade the p/u on the 00-18 from the M1A but still OK with an endpin jack even if I don't.

I could never hear any negative impact on sound quality from installing a sound-hole p/u but some folks think they do have an effect. Of course, YMMV.

Frank

zombywoof · #8 03-09-2019, 09:48 AM

As far as modern soundhole pickups my favorite remains the Dimarzio DSP 139 Acoustic Reference. Problem is they have not been made in a while so not all that easy to find. But well worth the hunt.

stephenT · #9 03-09-2019, 09:58 AM

I'm not a fan of Baggs or Fishman soundhole pickups, just don't like the sound. I prefer the Dimarzio The Angel for entry level and a Sunrise for high end. I've had a Dimarzio DSP 139 too, great for easy install/removal.

But the best pickup system I've heard is the Trance M. Not a soundhole pickup.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zombywoof

As far as modern soundhole pickups my favorite remains the Dimarzio DSP 139 Acoustic Reference. Problem is they have not been made in a while so not all that easy to find. But well worth the hunt.

Christian Reno · #10 03-09-2019, 11:28 AM

There are very good USTs available and unless you are referring to the endpin jack, I'm not sure what "cutting" would be necessary?

Athens · #11 03-09-2019, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christian Reno

There are very good USTs available and unless you are referring to the endpin jack, I'm not sure what "cutting" would be necessary?

Sorry, but I respectfully disagree. I've never heard a good UST and have removed them from every guitar I've had that had them.

Another option other than sound hole would be a K&K mini, which mounts under the bridge plate. You can get a 1/8" connector that will fit in the same hole as your existing end pin, but a competent luthier can enlarge that to accommodate the "standard" 1/4" connector with no problem.

Just thought I'd throw that at you for your consideration.

Al Acuff · #12 03-09-2019, 01:52 PM

There are lots of good sound hole pickups these days. DiMarzio, Sunrise, and LR Baggs all make excellent sounding pickups.

I like my DiMarzio Black Angel because it came with a 10 foot cord that plugs in to the pickup. It also features a phase reverse switch which can help to quell feedback. I use it in my vintage Gibson so that I don't have to put in an end pin jack. It's quick and easy to install it and remove it from the guitar.

Charmed Life Picks · #13 03-09-2019, 02:00 PM

Thanks for this post. I've been looking at this same issue right now for one of my guitars. Someone told me the Seymour Duncans are very good if not wanting to spend more than $100 or so.

scott memmer

Pitar · #14 03-09-2019, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

"pickup system" and "bringing out the natural sound" are mutually exclusive. The closest thing to your guitar's natural sound will be a microphone, or actually, several microphones placed at different positions. Any pickup system will result in a compromise. Some do a good job on giving at least a pleasing sound, others do a terrible job.

From what I've seen people use, the coil/magnet type of soundhole pickup tends to be on the less natural side of things, which is not surprising, as those pickups only register the vibration of the strings, not those of the guitar body. At least the ones I have heard people use tend to make an acoustic sound more like an electric guitar, minus the oomph, and tinny. I don't have experience with the Rare Earth. Apparently that one includes a mic (?).

If you're after the best possible sound, you may not be able to avoid enlarging the endpin hole to accommodate a jack. I used a K&K Pure Mini in a Martin dreadnaught, and the sounds was really good.

I agree with this description of pick-ups and their outputs. Magnetic soundhole pick-ups register strings cutting through a magnetic field (no differently than an electric guitar's pick-ups do) and not the sound of the wood's inherent frequency response.

Some brands incorporate acoustic modeling electronics, meaning, a cinder block would sound the same as your guitar for all intents and purposes. But, they aren't bad sounding. In a mix I'd use a mag pick-up over any Piezo-based systems to avoid feedback and get away from the Piezo characteristics I don't particularly care for.

I have a K&K system installed but it's limited by its placement. If the individual pick-ups had longer leads I could have found places on the soundboard for frequency responses on the soundboard better than the responses at the bridge plate. I'm going to remove it and be done with Piezo systems.

Goodallboy · #15 03-09-2019, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christian Reno

There are very good USTs available and unless you are referring to the endpin jack, I'm not sure what "cutting" would be necessary?

Not a fan at all of UST's but in complete agreement that the end-pin mod is not a very big deal.

My Baggs Lyric through a Baggs Para DI is wooden and musical. I've owned the Baggs M1A and it didn't deliver the same sound reproduction.