passive pickups - choose the best

[fedexnman]

I've tried some Lrbaggs LB6 , LR Baggs iBeam , Sunrise , K&K , that are passive. . I've had also active ... LrBaggs Element , Fishman , LR Baggs iBeam .... All needed mid range cut ... That piezo quack is build up in the mid range it's a horrible nasally sound . ... I have a Dazzo 70 that I never installed . .. For passive , I like the K&K pure . Cut lows , cut mids , and slight boost highs ( i see why folks like red eye preamp) For active I'm gonna go with what most guitars come with now and that is the LR Baggs Element with either the barn door , volume , or the volume tone control . The LR Baggs preamp is less quack but you still have to dial out the mids ...

[jseth]

I've had a bunch of different pickups in my guitars, dating back to the late 70's when I used a FRAP (the little one with the red preamp) that was stuck on the edge of the bridge of my '72 Martin D-35, using the beeswax that FRAP provided... (I still have that FRAP w/ preamp hanging around somewhere...)

I'm about to get a new (to me) acoustic guitar, and I have a set of Dazzo 70 t's that I'm going to try out... I've heard that the placement/installation of Dazzos is critical and an involved process. I'm very lucky to live within 40 min. of Vancebo, who has both installed a bunch of Dazzos in his guitars and also been "trained" by Teddy in the process... and he's going to do the install for me!

We'll have to see how I like them, but I'm pretty sure they will be quite serviceable for my needs... I'm REALLY hoping that I can get a good sound from them, just running into my Bose T1 Tone Generator/Mixer, without having to resort to an external preamp.

I do have a K&K PURE XLR preamp that will probably suffice, but, if I had the $$$, I'd get one of the Sunnaudio preamps that Teddy worked so closely with Sonny to get "The Preamp" for his Dazzo pickups... I have heard nothing but good things about those Sunnaudio preamps paired with Dazzo pickups.

Not to hijack this thread, but Doug Young? Have you used Dazzos with a 12 string? How did that go? I have the Anthem SL in my Angus 12 string and it's fine, but I like the idea of having the same pickup in both my 6 and 12 string guitars, so long as they "work" in the guitars...

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by jseth

Not to hijack this thread, but Doug Young? Have you used Dazzos with a 12 string? How did that go? I have the Anthem SL in my Angus 12 string and it's fine, but I like the idea of having the same pickup in both my 6 and 12 string guitars, so long as they "work" in the guitars...

I haven't. I have K&Ks in my Taylor 12, and just haven't had any reason to upgrade. I'd think they'd work great, and the ability to tune the bass response, along with the extended response, should be a big help. Next 12-string... :-)

[Br1ck]

I have a friend who has Dazzos in his Guild F 112, and they work fine, and I have them in a Pono OP 12-30 parlor size twelve string, and that little guitar sounds huge. Dazzo and SunnAudio is a great combination.

[Marty C]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

I doubt very much that there are many who have used all of these and can offer an informed opinion. When I was searching for a good acoustic amplification solution I first tried a few of the more popular USTs and really disliked them. I then tried a K&K Pure Mini and totally loved the sound, especially if it was plugged into a preamp or effect pedal to impedance match it to an amp or DI for routing to a PA.

Since I was so pleased with the first K&K Pure Mini install I've since continued on and I think I'm on number 8 or 9 now. I can't offer an opinion on any of the others because I've been totally happy with each K&K Pure Mini I've installed.

My last one offers the same great tone I've come to love; here's a video I did with the K&K Pure Mini plugged into my looper and ported to a Street Cube EX.

https://youtu.be/R2X5NQMRVs0

Rudy4 that sounds really good. What is that guitar make? Also, what are the top, back and sides made of?

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Marty C

Rudy4 that sounds really good. What is that guitar make? Also, what are the top, back and sides made of?

Hi Marty,
Thanks for the kind words.

The guitar is one of my home brews; this one is a size 0 deep body solid mahogany top, sides, back, and neck.

You can find photos and details here, as well as a full size printable plan that works as wall art, or a road map for someone to copy it. I'm very happy with this guitar, as it came out way beyond my expectations for a small bodied guitar.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=578582

[jennconducts]

I’m fond of David Enke’s Open to Source Sensors for use with the ToneDexter. Simple, neutral, inexpensive.

[Br1ck]

When you go the ToneDexter route, doesn't that enable most any pickup to be used? It is one route I tell people to check out if I'm asked, particularly if they have cheaper pickups in a few guitars already. It makes financial sense if you have older undersaddles in multiple guitars. Make everything sound good. What's not to like? Of course you might want to buy some good mics which could triple the expense. Don't you hate that?

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

When you go the ToneDexter route, doesn't that enable most any pickup to be used? It is one route I tell people to check out if I'm asked, particularly if they have cheaper pickups in a few guitars already. It makes financial sense if you have older undersaddles in multiple guitars. Make everything sound good. What's not to like? Of course you might want to buy some good mics which could triple the expense. Don't you hate that?

ToneDexter should make just about any pickup sound good, but there are still considerations. An obvious one would be if you do percussive stuff. If the pickup doesn't detect it, ToneDexter won't help. Feedback resistance would be another consideration.

Also, I'd say the improvement made by ToneDexter is more obvious with pickups that sound the least natural, but starting with a pickup that already sounds decent will get you the best final result.

I still like to blend a real mic with ToneDexter.

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

When you go the ToneDexter route, doesn't that enable most any pickup to be used? It is one route I tell people to check out if I'm asked, particularly if they have cheaper pickups in a few guitars already. It makes financial sense if you have older undersaddles in multiple guitars. Make everything sound good. What's not to like? Of course you might want to buy some good mics which could triple the expense. Don't you hate that?

Most of the recommended mics are not all that expensive. The cost would be in buying multiples to try them.

Actually, Mollie Tuttle said in her ToneDexter video, that she likes the SM57, which you can find used for $40-60. Mine turned out to be a large-diaphragm condenser that I paid about $200 for.

[Methos1979]

The only ones I have experience with on the list are K&K (I assume you mean the Pure Mini - you didn't stipulate!) and Schatten HFN. I used the K&K's almost exclusively for several years and was my go-to pickup system for it's simplicity and decent tone. Back then I was playing mostly fingerstyle, no nails, and so the tone would be muddy and need a significant amount of EQ'ing and could be a bear with feedback at live volumes. It was a nightmare at open mics and I'd need to carry a small preamp to get decent tone.

I eventually tried the HFN in the recent past, both the active and the passive and just could not get a decent tone. These days I'm playing Cole Clarks for live play and that is the best but that's active and not what you're looking for. I did just try out the new K&K Double Helix Solo soundhole pickup which is passive and I was VERY surprised how great that sounds for a soundhole pickup system. It's designed to be easily combined with the Pure Mini for a great, all-passive multi-source system but I've been so happy with just the DHS that I've not felt the need to glue in the PM.

Again, the Cole Clarks are the live guitars so the K&K DHS is just in my Martin for open mics and for fun although lately it's been getting the most play since we still aren't playing out.

[Br1ck]

If I had a guitar just for gigging, I'd seriously look at a Cole Clark. Their three way pickup system sounds very good, and acoustically they sound pretty good too, plus they have a unique look and are affordable.