Go Acoustic vs. L.R. Baggs Hifi

[JBarlow12]

Hello all! I am frustrated with the current pickup system in my main acoustic, and looking to try something different. Typically, I have been more into a K&K/Dazzo type pickup due to it sounding beefier/darker and less quack. I was strongly considering the L.R. Bangs Hifi system (trying to hold out for the Duet version), but heard good things about the Go Acoustic system. I know that the Go Acoustic system is very different than a soundboard transducer, and I am not particularly stuck on just one type of system. Does anyone have any comparisons of the two systems? Here are a few other notes:

-- This will be going into a Santa Cruz Tony Rice guitar.

-- I primarily do country/pop/bluegrass

-- I am usually using this for acoustic trio shows right now, but bonus points if the system can handle louder stages.

-- I am using a Grace Audio Felix preamp. One channel gets used for other instruments, so my guitar would only get a single channel.

I appreciate any input. Thanks all!

[Marshall]

It’s a great pickup system. But it’s very daunting to install it and get it dialed in. I have it in 2 guitars. Did the install myself, but it took many iterations to get it right. It sounds fantastic now.

If you can find an authorized installer or are willing to get your guitar to Paul McGill, it’ll be much easier, though expensive.

I like it a lot. I’m considering a 3rd guitar, but I’ll probably wait on that. The guitar has other issues (odd width and length of saddle) that make the work well beyond my pay grade.

[Marshall]

I had a HiFi in another guitar. It sounded very nice but had a strange distortion on a couple chords I use often. Probably something I did? So I took it out. The Goaa is in that guitar now.

There is another HiFi with a mic that will be available soon. That is promising as well. Certainly easier to install than the Goaa.

[JBarlow12]

@Marshall — I appreciate the response. I live in Nashville, and I think that is where Paul is. I would probably take it to him if I go that route. Aside from the strange distortion in the hifi, do you find any compelling tonal differences between the two? Thank you for your time!

[Marshall]

That would be GREAT !

Don't remember the tonal difference. That was months apart. The Goaa is truer, I would say. But even with that I use a modeling pedal and get great results.

[Petty1818]

The HiFi is a strange one for me. I just purchased one to try out but I have never been so on the fence about actually installing a pickup before. For every good sounding demo on YouTube, there are about three more bad ones. Andertons for example has yet to demo the HiFi and make it sound even remotely good. They just did a demo of some Alvarez guitars and the HiFi was "meh." Then there are those who rave about it. I think I probably just need to give it a try.

[29er]

Originally Posted by Marshall

It’s a great pickup system. But it’s very daunting to install it and get it dialed in. I have it in 2 guitars. Did the install myself, but it took many iterations to get it right. It sounds fantastic now.

If you can find an authorized installer or are willing to get your guitar to Paul McGill, it’ll be much easier, though expensive.

I like it a lot. I’m considering a 3rd guitar, but I’ll probably wait on that. The guitar has other issues (odd width and length of saddle) that make the work well beyond my pay grade.

Hey, Marshall. I assume you had to move the sensors to get it to work properly? If so, did the tape come loose easily? I'd wonder if repeated removal would cause them to fall off at some point. Glad you got it to work for you.

[Mbroady]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

The HiFi is a strange one for me. I just purchased one to try out but I have never been so on the fence about actually installing a pickup before. For every good sounding demo on YouTube, there are about three more bad ones. Andertons for example has yet to demo the HiFi and make it sound even remotely good. They just did a demo of some Alvarez guitars and the HiFi was "meh." Then there are those who rave about it. I think I probably just need to give it a try.

Might as well. Look forward to a review
Have an LR bags anthem in all but one On that one the element comprised the unplugged sound. The Hifi or Hifi mic combo might go in that guitar.

[Marshall]

Originally Posted by 29er

Hey, Marshall. I assume you had to move the sensors to get it to work properly? If so, did the tape come loose easily? I'd wonder if repeated removal would cause them to fall off at some point. Glad you got it to work for you.

I'm confused. Are you talking about the HiFi?

[29er]

Originally Posted by Marshall

I'm confused. Are you talking about the HiFi?

Sorry. Yes, I'm referring to the HiFi.

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by Mbroady

Might as well. Look forward to a review
Have an LR bags anthem in all but one On that one the element comprised the unplugged sound. The Hifi or Hifi mic combo might go in that guitar.

I will definitely report back with my review. I am excited for the HiFi Duet as well. Part of me wanted the internal mic to be the tru-mic. It's very flexible in terms of where you install it. I am worried that the new Silo might be a bit too ambient. To me it sounds more like an internal mic in that it's picking up everything in the guitar which can be problematic. The tru-mic is very feedback resistant IME.

[Marshall]

Originally Posted by 29er

Sorry. Yes, I'm referring to the HiFi.

OK. _ Actually I didn't move the elements. I had installed them where they were supposed to go. It was a weird thing that happened on a couple chords I play. I didn't try re-installing the system. Probably should have. But when I decided to try the Goaa, that was the guitar that I wanted to experiment with, so I just took the HiFi out.

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

The HiFi is a strange one for me. I just purchased one to try out but I have never been so on the fence about actually installing a pickup before. For every good sounding demo on YouTube, there are about three more bad ones. Andertons for example has yet to demo the HiFi and make it sound even remotely good. They just did a demo of some Alvarez guitars and the HiFi was "meh." Then there are those who rave about it. I think I probably just need to give it a try.

Let me know what you think of the HiFi. When are you going to install it?

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by Groberts

Let me know what you think of the HiFi. When are you going to install it?

Hi Gary,

I am hoping to in the next couple of weeks. I need to wait for a day when my wife and toddler are out for a bit! I luckily don't have any shows coming up soon so it should give me some time to install and get to know the HiFi.

[Petty1818]

On a side note, I follow Molly Tuttle on Instagram and noticed that she has what appears to be the HiFi as her main pickup now. She's been a longtime K&K user. I listened to some more recent live recordings and she's getting some seriously great tones.