Martin-installed Fisher in HD-28E

[b1j]

Some HD-28Es come with a Fisher Aura VT Enhance. What do you know/think about these pickups? Are they worthy of an HD-28?

And how does the Enhance work? It a separate blend wheel at the treble side of the soundhole. What does it do beyond the volume and tone dials in the VT portion?

The dealer I spoke with yesterday said most people just want the HD-28 and then add a K & K.

[SpruceTop]

I had that system in my 2016 Martin GPC-18E and I didn't care for it as it sounded too brittle when mixing in the bridgeplate transducer.

From a 2016 review of mine: The Martin GPC-18E Aura VT Enhance's amplified tone sounds thin whether the Enhance SBT is mixed in or not. I've also noticed this when playing an amplified OMC-18E Aura VT Enhance. Frankly, the Aura Image alone sounds better than when the Enhance is engaged! I've contacted Martin about this but haven't heard anything yet about whether there are any switches or pots on the preamp's circuit board that can be adjusted to deepen the amplified tone. I got an excellent price on the guitar and the nice thing is the entire Aura VT Enhance can be removed, except the end-pin/jack/battery box, without hurting the guitar.

The guitar itself was wonderful in tone and looks. I also didn't like the Aura Image that was resident in the system as it didn't sound all that great either (per a phone call from Jason, of Martin Guitars, the Aura Image is a Neumann KM84 Small Condenser Microphone). MEMO TO MARTIN: I would only consider installing a RIBBON MIC AURA IMAGE in the single-Aura-Image Aura VT Enhance systems. This is based on having the multi-Aura-Image Onboard systems in three Martin dreadnoughts and having owned all the Fishman Aura pedals.

Could the Fishman Aura VT Enhance have been improved since 2016? Maybe, but I have no further experience with the system as I lost interest in it after my encounter with it in the two Martin guitars mentioned above.

[martingitdave]

I have a lot of experience with this system in HD-28E. If you’re planning to plug in every week at a church or play multiple gigs a week, it’s a good system to have. You can dial in a great tone based on your venue, stage volume and feedback control needs. Fishman is very good about feedback control in their pickup designs. Many recording artists still use Fishman transducers on tour and have the processing done by the sound man. You get the processing built into the guitar.

Now all of that said, if you plug in very occasionally, or are a home player, just get the HD-28 and K&K per the dealer recommendation. This is what I use. You can take the difference in price and buy the LR Baggs Voice Print DI pedal or the Fishman Aura pedal and get same of better results. I do this because I hear a difference in acoustic tone when all the gear is inside the guitar.

Good luck!

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by b1j

Some HD-28Es come with a Fisher Aura VT Enhance. What do you know/think about these pickups? Are they worthy of an HD-28?

And how does the Enhance work? It a separate blend wheel at the treble side of the soundhole. What does it do beyond the volume and tone dials in the VT portion?

The dealer I spoke with yesterday said most people just want the HD-28 and then add a K & K.

I have a Trance Amulet M Dual Mono M-VT in my 2020 Martin HD-28 and I Love It! I have an Ultra Tonic 3.2 in my 2016 Martin D-18 and I Love It!

[drive-south]

Fisher? Do you mean Fishman?