acoustic sound degradation by soundhole pickup?

[jazzizm]

I just had a Seymour Duncan MagMic installed in my 00-12 fret. While I quite like the sound of the pickup, I‘m not sure whether the guitar acoustically sounded better without the pup. It feels like there’s some attenuation of lows/low mids.
Is it possible that the reduction of soundhole area is responsible for this? Anyone else having this issue with a MagMic in a smallish soundhole?

[DenverSteve]

I've never heard any difference from a guitar after installing a sound-hole pickup.

[christian_t]

I‘ve had similar thoughts about that...

See link to thread:

Acoustic sound changing due to soundhole pickup
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=531169

[Shredmaster007]

The mag mic is pretty big, I'd be surprised if it didn't change the sound in some way. Whether that is good or bad idk. I went with the Fishman rare earth because it is smaller than a lot of other soundhole pickups. I think even something like the k&k might dampen the sound - yes the transducers are small but the cable attached weighs enough to probably affect things. An extreme example - it only takes a tiny bit of moongel to change the sound of my snare drum. Just depends on how quiet of a room you're in and how well you can listen!

[AndyC]

It's inevitable that putting a large object in the part of the guitar from where the sound emanates is going to change that sound. The type and amount of change is going to vary by guitar, and in most instances won't be that discernible to the human ear.

Most people treat soundhole pickups as a less than permament installation, so if you don't need to plug in, remove the pickup. If you're plugged in it is an irrelevance as the only sound heard by the audience will be the amplified sound.

[noledog]

I've had a Baggs M80 in my D18 for years, it has not affected nor dampened the unplugged tone.

[jazzizm]

Originally Posted by AndyC

Most people treat soundhole pickups as a less than permament installation, so if you don't need to plug in, remove the pickup. If you're plugged in it is an irrelevance as the only sound heard by the audience will be the amplified sound.

The thing is that that pickup is a little bit of a pain to install in this particular guitar since it can only be put in with one of the screws and the strings completely removed because the soundhole is small (about 94 mm). Also, I would have to remove the endpin jack since there’s no way to unplug the pickup. So removing and reinstalling the thing as needed is not an option.

[KarenB]

I‘m not sure whether the guitar acoustically sounded better without the pup. It feels like there’s some attenuation of lows/low mids.

The question to ask is, do you like the way it sounds now acoustically? If you don't, sell it and try something else.

[varmonter]

My m80 in my 71 martin didnt change a thing.
at least not perceptable to my ear. that guitar
is extremely responsive as well. it also has a kk
installed. It still sounds great. I wouldnt worry
about it to the point of removing it all the time.
thats a pain and eventually may cause some
accidental ding or scratch.

[jazzizm]

Originally Posted by KarenB

The question to ask is, do you like the way it sounds now acoustically? If you don't, sell it and try something else.

What I meant is that the guitar sounded awesome acoustically before pickup installation and now I suspect the sound has been altered by the big honking device in the soundhole.

[AndyC]

Originally Posted by jazzizm

The thing is that that pickup is a little bit of a pain to install in this particular guitar since it can only be put in with one of the screws and the strings completely removed because the soundhole is small (about 94 mm). Also, I would have to remove the endpin jack since there’s no way to unplug the pickup. So removing and reinstalling the thing as needed is not an option.

That's a pain - and in some ways is poor design from Seymour Duncan. There are similar pickups (eg the Schertler AG6) that have mini jack plugs connecting the pickup to the endpin cable. When I had one of these Schertlers I simply installed a small retaining clip (stick on type) out of sight away from the soundhole, so when I wanted to I could unplug the pickup and remove it and then hide the jack cable from view - without removing any strings. The soundhole on my guitar is 98mm so maybe that makes a difference? The only other option that springs to mind is that you could install an inline mini connector plug / socket for the cables coming out of the Mag Mic and then do as I have described above. Alternatively, reconsider your pickup options!!

[mondoslug]

Originally Posted by jazzizm

I just had a Seymour Duncan MagMic installed in my 00-12 fret. While I quite like the sound of the pickup, I‘m not sure whether the guitar acoustically sounded better without the pup. It feels like there’s some attenuation of lows/low mids.
Is it possible that the reduction of soundhole area is responsible for this? Anyone else having this issue with a MagMic in a smallish soundhole?

I had a MagMic years ago, don't remember much but I had/have a Sunrise prior to that in a Taylor 612 and I'm convinced that pickup was definitely a load on the top of that guitar. You could kinda feel it when you were playing it.

[KarenB]

Originally Posted by jazzizm

What I meant is that the guitar sounded awesome acoustically before pickup installation and now I suspect the sound has been altered by the big honking device in the soundhole.

Sorry if I what I wrote was confusing. I meant sell the pickup, not the guitar.

[maxtheaxe]

Seems to me that clamping anything into the soundhole would necessarily limit the excursion of the top and since the top accounts for at least 90% of the overall tone, it couldn't help but alter it.

It is also for this reason that I don't use Medium strings, as I feel that they choke the top too much...I'm not really a flatpicker on acoustic for the most part though, and that might be a better option for a bluegrass player.

Long ago I used a DiMarzio soundhole pup to plug in my acoustic for a gig; it sounded pretty good, but to my ear it was more like a hybrid of an acoustic guitar and jazz-box. The best I can say about it is that this might be a really good option for someone wanting to get jazz tones from a regular acoustic.

[sdelsolray]

It will interfere with air flow in and out of the guitar and will have an effect on the acoustic sound.