Query failed: connection to localhost:9312 failed (errno=111, msg=Connection refused). MAG P/Us ON ACOUSTIC GUITARS? - Acoustics Discussions on The Fretboard
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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

MAG P/Us ON ACOUSTIC GUITARS?

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ScreamingDaveScreamingDave Frets: 468
edited December 2022 in Acoustics
How do we all feel about magnetic pickups on acoustic guitars?  For decades I’ve subscribed to the received wisdom (received by me, at any rate) that the only good way to amplify an acoustic guitar was using a piezo under-saddle pickup, or a mic, or a combination.  I saw magnetic pickups on acoustics to be a bit if a make-do-and mend solution, especially soundhole pickups.  Gibson J160-E? No thanks!

but recently I’ve been playing my Ibanez Talman acoustic with a mag pickup through a Blackstar Acoustic:Core 30, and it’s a revelation. I’m loving the sound. 

Just wondering how everyone else feels about mag pups on acoustics 
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  • CryptidCryptid Frets: 405
    I feel they're OK for fingerpicking, but really dislike them for strumming. 
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  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9128
    I've got a couple, I think they are the thing you're discussing - Seymour Duncan Woody and a Fishman one. My acoustic doesn't have electronics built in do it's the only way to amplify other than microphones for me.

    I think they sound alright, I don't really like the average piezo sounds and considering I have a fairly unremarkable guitar I imagined that I'd not get a good piezo sound by getting something installed 

    I find they are very quiet and need a lot of gain but then I've never really used the preamp DI thing that I bought for it, so hopefully that will resolve it.

    I do think the general sound is better than the average piezo setup though. 
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  • SupportactSupportact Frets: 665
    In general i like them. Not necessarily an accurate reflection of how the guitar sounds acoustically but often a usable sound for live use. It's very variable though, I've heard some awful sounds from both piezo and soundhole pickups so for me it very much depends how it's done rather than one type being much better than the other. 
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  • Winny_PoohWinny_Pooh Frets: 7202
    Better than any undersaddle pickup.

    The mic blend versions are lovely sounding but a bit more feedback prone if you crank the mic level. 


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  • bertiebertie Frets: 12145
    there once was a time,  that's all you could get.............................
    just because you don't, doesn't mean you can't
     just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
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  • ScreamingDaveScreamingDave Frets: 468
    edited December 2022
    bertie said:
    there once was a time,  that's all you could get.............................
    A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away …

    I know, I was that soldier.  The cheap way was a contact mic. Remember those awful things?
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  • thomasw88thomasw88 Frets: 2275
    LR Baggs M80 and the M1a are fab. Been using them for years, and they work brilliantly.  very hard to get feedback and several sound engineers have commented on how good they sound.  

    for pub gigs I put my acoustic through an Ashdown Acoustic radiator and then take the XLR out from that into the PA.  Works great.
    Feedback http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/57561/
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  • ESBlondeESBlonde Frets: 3532
    I’ve got the fishman pu and mic combination and get a very decent sound out of it. Just don’t screw the attachment clamp too tight in case it impedes the top resonance in acoustic  only settings.
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11438
    my mate has a $5k-$10k Wiessenborn (acoustic lap steel), and is very demanding when it comes to the tone of acoustic guitars, but he uses a magnetic pickup when playing live, prefers it to a transducer
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  • SoupmanSoupman Frets: 172
    edited December 2022
    I have a Baggs m1a and a Fishman Rare Earth which get used at open mic evenings, straight into a PA. Both are active. (Previous experience with passive pickups wasn't good - the signal was very weak).
     In particular, the m1a has a good sound balance & needs next to no tweaking for the PA.
    But as always, horses for courses. 

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  • bertiebertie Frets: 12145
    bertie said:
    there once was a time,  that's all you could get.............................
    A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away …

    I know, I was that soldier.  The cheap way was a contact mic. Remember those awful things?
    with the little black volume control on a chrome plate ? Bell Music catalogue was my source of all things musical back in the 70s
    just because you don't, doesn't mean you can't
     just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
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  • ScreamingDaveScreamingDave Frets: 468
    bertie said:
    bertie said:
    there once was a time,  that's all you could get.............................
    A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away …

    I know, I was that soldier.  The cheap way was a contact mic. Remember those awful things?
    with the little black volume control on a chrome plate ? Bell Music catalogue was my source of all things musical back in the 70s
    Our local music store was Jerry Allen’s Organ Centre!  Jerry Allen was a big noise in organ entertainment, apparently. They mostly stocked those big wooden twin manual home organs, but did a few beginners’ guitars and all the school music books. Overpriced crap, but it was the only music shop in town, and in the days before t’internet ……
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  • chickenbonejohnchickenbonejohn Frets: 106
    I've always used a Bill Lawrence soundhole pickup on my Stella acoustics, more often than not through a clean guitar amp. It gives a nice warm mellow sound, a million miles away from the typical under saddle  piezo  sound.
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  • bertiebertie Frets: 12145
    edited December 2022

    Our local music store was Jerry Allen’s Organ Centre!  Jerry Allen was a big noise in organ entertainment, apparently. They mostly stocked those big wooden twin manual home organs, but did a few beginners’ guitars and all the school music books. Overpriced crap, but it was the only music shop in town, and in the days before t’internet ……
    sounds like Minns Music in Exeter  -     however they did,  in the late 70s  stock Tokai's  - which of course nobody at the time wanted
    just because you don't, doesn't mean you can't
     just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
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  • ScreamingDaveScreamingDave Frets: 468
    edited December 2022
    bertie said:

    sounds like Minns Music in Exeter  -     however they did,  in the late 70s  stock Tokai's  - which of course nobody at the time wanted
    Jerry Allen had the old Hondo II guitars and a weird hotch potch of other stuff. I bought a bright yellow Les Paul shaped Hondo II like this from there. 



    £46 that cost me.  What can I say? I was young and foolish. 
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  • bertiebertie Frets: 12145
    edited December 2022
    @ScreamingDave ;;

    Hono II those and Kay  -  famed of mum's mail order "club books" around the UK    Great Universal. Freemans, Grattan...............
    just because you don't, doesn't mean you can't
     just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
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  • SoupmanSoupman Frets: 172
    Nostalgia. It isn't what it used to be.   ;)
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  • ScreamingDaveScreamingDave Frets: 468
    Soupman said:
    Nostalgia. It isn't what it used to be.   ;)
    Neither are cheap guitars, thank Christ!   That yellow monstrosity was an unplayable dog compared to beginners’ guitars now.  It’s a wonder any of us persevered!
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  • bertiebertie Frets: 12145
    ScreamingDave said:
    Soupman said:
    Nostalgia. It isn't what it used to be.   ;)
    Neither are cheap guitars, thank Christ!   That yellow monstrosity was an unplayable dog compared to beginners’ guitars now.  It’s a wonder any of us persevered!
    I learnt to limbo under the action on my Jedson 
    just because you don't, doesn't mean you can't
     just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
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  • SoupmanSoupman Frets: 172
    Gawd, there's some names from the past. Jedson, Hondo, Kay. I had a Columbas 335 copy. I say copy, the shape was vaguely the same!
    Agreed @bertie ; &  @ScreamingDave people starting with a guitar now have access to better instruments at a reasonable price.
    I've seen kids guitars in IKEA and Smyth's Toys that were on offer as acoustics in music shops back then.
    Eee, when I were a lad...... =) ;)

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  • ScreamingDaveScreamingDave Frets: 468
    edited December 2022
    Soupman said:

    I've seen kids guitars in IKEA and Smyth's Toys that were on offer as acoustics in music shops back then.
    Eee, when I were a lad......

    It’s not just the guitars, though.  The quality of amps and effects for the price is amazing now, but I wonder if that’s a bit of a double edged sword?   With digital multi fx you can process a guitar sound so that just brushing the strings sounds amazing, but I wonder if that can get in the way of people actually learning to play?
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  • SoupmanSoupman Frets: 172
    @ScreamingDave a good few years ago a friend loaned me his zoom pedal board - I don't remember the model but it had more than 100 models built in. I plugged the Strat in, it was great for 3 minutes. I tried all 100 or 110 pre-loaded set ups and decided there were 3 I liked.
     It certainly crushed that acquisition syndrome.  :#

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  • shufflebeatshufflebeat Frets: 93
    edited December 2022
    Magnetic pickups are the Devil's vuvuzela.

    Coincidentally, I fitted my ornamental m1a to a Taylor bt2 this evening - and immediately un-fitted it.

    Clanky, uneven and feedback prone, the unholy trinity.
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  • guitarjack66guitarjack66 Frets: 1397
    ScreamingDave said:
    bertie said:
    there once was a time,  that's all you could get.............................
    A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away …

    I know, I was that soldier.  The cheap way was a contact mic. Remember those awful things?
    Does your username mean you were a Sergeant Major? ;)
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