Acoustic Pickups Soundclips

BigLicks67 · February 2018

As there have been a lot of posts about fitting pickups, I thought it might be a good idea to have a library of sound clips so people would get an idea of what the various types sound like, so here's the 2 I've got in my acoustics. (both were already in the acoustics when I bought them). Feel free to add to this.

First is a LR Baggs Element VTC in a J45. This is an active under saddle pickup with tone control. Recordings are direct into garageband with some reverb added.

Second is a Martin/Fishman thin line 322 passive under saddle pickup in a D28 this is pretty basic with no tone control.

All mistakes are my own.

menamestom · February 2018

Nice playing! This may be of interest, it's a Fishman Matrix Infinity in a Simon and Patrick Drednought. The clip toggles between dry and a 3 Sigma Audio Martin D45 IR with some reverb, via my Helix LT.

BigLicks67 · February 2018

menamestom said:

Nice playing! This may be of interest, it's a Fishman Matrix Infinity in a Simon and Patrick Drednought. The clip toggles between dry and a 3 Sigma Audio Martin D45 IR with some reverb, via my Helix LT.

Just looked this pickup on the Fishman website, so if I'm understanding you right you are toggling the voicing switch between flat and more bass? Anyhoo, it sounds like you've got more definition from this pickup than what I'm getting from either of mine

menamestom · February 2018

BigLicks67 said:

Just looked this pickup on the Fishman website, so if I'm understanding you right you are toggling the voicing switch between flat and more bass? Anyhoo, it sounds like you've got more definition from this pickup than what I'm getting from either of mine

No, the pickup doesn't change setting, it's going throug a Line 6 Helix with an IR loaded and I'm toggling the IR file on and off.
So at first it's pure UST, then it should sound more Mic like the 2nd run through as the IR is added - kind of like adding a Fishman Aura Image, to make it more realistic. So basically an effect....

BigLicks67 · February 2018

Okay, I understand now, listening to it again you can hear the increase in boom as it progresses.

BigLicks67 · February 2018

Anymore? would be interested to hear a K&K pure mini, LR Baggs anthem, M80 or Sunrise etc.

crunchman · February 2018

I've got a K&K, plus some others. It's a bit late to record now as my daughters are in bed, but I'll try and do it sometime in the next few days.

BigLicks67 · February 2018

crunchman said:

I've got a K&K, plus some others. It's a bit late to record now as my daughters are in bed, but I'll try and do it sometime in the next few days.

Okay, nice one.

TimmyO · February 2018

BigLicks67 said:

Anymore? would be interested to hear a K&K pure mini, LR Baggs anthem, M80 or Sunrise etc.

All of the above :-)

crunchman · February 2018

Here is a clip of a K&K Pure Mini. It's in a Stonebridge(Furch) OM with mahogany back and sides. Starts with some finger picking and then strumming with a pick, gradually digging in a bit more.

Firstly, the raw version straight into the audio interface no processing applied:

Same thing with some basic EQ applied - mid range cut and high frequencies boosted:

Please excuse the playing and the lack of skill processing it afterwards. I'm sure there are people who can make it sound a lot better than me.

BigLicks67 · February 2018

@crunchman thanks for posting. It's interesting that the pickup seems to respond well to strumming in fact the harder you dig in the better it sounds to my ears anyhow.

crunchman · February 2018

BigLicks67 said:

@crunchman thanks for posting. It's interesting that the pickup seems to respond well to strumming in fact the harder you dig in the better it sounds to my ears anyhow.

You're welcome. It seems to sound better than that through my Loudbox Mini. I was wondering about using the preamp of that and taking the DI out into the audio interface. For proper recording though, I'd probably just mic it.

I wonder if a bit of reverb would help. The pickup is completely dry into the interface. Normally there will be room reflections and so on.

Neither of my Martins are at home at the moment. I'll try and do those at some point. They both have factory fitted Fishmans.

BigLicks67 · February 2018

crunchman said:

BigLicks67 said:

@crunchman thanks for posting. It's interesting that the pickup seems to respond well to strumming in fact the harder you dig in the better it sounds to my ears anyhow.

You're welcome. It seems to sound better than that through my Loudbox Mini. I was wondering about using the preamp of that and taking the DI out into the audio interface. For proper recording though, I'd probably just mic it.
I wonder if a bit of reverb would help. The pickup is completely dry into the interface. Normally there will be room reflections and so on.
Neither of my Martins are at home at the moment. I'll try and do those at some point. They both have factory fitted Fishmans.

Yep, I always use a mic normally, I experimented with blending a mic and pickup 70/30 in the mic's favour which seems to add a bit of bass definition, but overall the pure mic is always best.
Have u got K&K in the Martin's also?

Lewy · February 2018

Thing I've found with the K&K is that it's one of just two pickups that sound good and feels natural with a flatpick, the other being the LR Baggs Lyric (but that is way more fiddly and puts more gubbins in the guitar). UST based pickups can sound quite decent for fingerstyle stuff but I've never heard one that sounds good with firm flatpicking. Actually three, because the LR Baggs iBeam sounds good flatpicked too, there just isn't much reason to pick one over the K&K.

The other thing is that the direct recorded sound of the K&K doesn't do justice to how it works live. It's magic is in the way it works in a real situation, pushing real air through PA speakers. For some reason the whole chain ads up to something that feels and sounds like an acoustic guitar. Conversely, systems that sound impressive recorded direct, so things like the Fishman Aura, iRig Acoustic etc, can end up sounding and feeling one step removed from reality when used live.

crunchman · February 2018

One of the Martins has a Fishman Ellipse blender - blends under saddle with a gooseneck mic.

The other is one of the cheaper Mexican made ones with the HPL back and sides etc. That's the one I don't mind putting in a gigbag on my bike, or leaving in the cupboard at my church. That has a Fishman undersaddle and Sonitone preamp. That doesn't sound nearly as good as the K&K or the blender. I normally use a TC BodyRez pedal with that, which does help. The pedal doesn't seem to add much with the other two as they sound more natural to start with.

BigLicks67 · February 2018

Lewy said:

Thing I've found with the K&K is that it's one of just two pickups that sound good and feels natural with a flatpick, the other being the LR Baggs Lyric (but that is way more fiddly and puts more gubbins in the guitar). UST based pickups can sound quite decent for fingerstyle stuff but I've never heard one that sounds good with firm flatpicking.

I'd agree with that as I did try a flat picked melody with the LR Baggs Element but it sounded awful if truth be told.

BigLicks67 · March 2018

Just an update on this. Decided to clean my D28 with Dr Ducks ax wax and whilst doing so had a look inside the guitar while the strings were off. The previous owner told me that he had a Martin 332 pickup installed when he bought it however I was surprised to see 3 transducers on the bridge plate, so it may well be a K&K pure mini or similar that is installed! Apologies for the confusion.

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Acoustic Pickups Soundclips

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