Soundhole pickup for a Flamenco/Classical guitar?

Creed_Clicks · December 2021

As the strings are nylon, would this work at all? I picked up a basic enough flamenco guitar here in Spain, and am thinking of amplifying it, but not sure a soundhole would work or could work.
I would not be playing flamenco or classical, more open tunings, maybe some Irish trad style, and with a bit of delay and reverb thrown in if possible.
Any options? Cheap to middling?

Lewy · December 2021

The iRig Acoustic works on classical. That’s cheap to middling.

Supportact · December 2021

They would generally be magnetic pickups so wouldn't work with nylon strings. I've never put a pickup in a classical though so maybe someone else will have a suggestion.

malcolmkindness · December 2021

I think you will need something else, a sound hole pickup will not work with nylon strings

ICBM · December 2021

When I used to work in an old long established mum & dad music shop - the sort of place musicians who didn't feel comfortable going to more 'rock'n'roll' shops would feel more at home in - we sold quite a lot of magnetic soundhole 'acoustic guitar pickups', and it was very important to ask the buyer clearly what type of 'acoustic guitar' it was... whether it had two plain metal strings and four wound metal, or three plastic and three wound metal. Even then we got the odd one coming back for 'not working', when they really didn't know and had guessed wrong without it in front of them!

You can definitely get soundhole mics though, which hook onto the lower edge of the soundhole. The iRig one appears to be one like that. Beware though - some cheap magnetic pickups are described (wrongly) as an 'acoustic guitar microphone'. If it has obvious polepieces or is clearly designed to fit right across the soundhole under all six strings, it's probably one of these.

Creed_Clicks · December 2021

A clip on microphone type might work best maybe.

more · December 2021

There are number of soundboard pickups , the Schaller oyster workers well , can be removed , and not that expensive.

Creed_Clicks · December 2021

@more I saw that earlier while browsing online. Seems like it might do the trick.

TheBigDipper · December 2021

Lewy said:

The iRig Acoustic works on classical. That’s cheap to middling.

Yes. t's a mic. Sounded decent for the price at low volumes, and for recording. I didn't keep the one I bought, though, because the width of the clamp onto the top is quite fixed, and the thickness of the top around the soundhole on the guitar I used it with (Brook Taw) was too thick to avoid marking the wood. The clamp couldn't open up enough.

Creed_Clicks · December 2021

With the Schaller Oysters, none of them need to be fitted internally? One of them looks like it has a guitar input barrell, the other looks like a regular guitar lead at the end.

JonnyBgoode · December 2021

I played classical and flamenco at functions/events for the best part of 20 years, I have used many different types of pickup.

You don't mention what you need this for- gigging? How many people? Home?

Most clip on mics are prone to feedback and usually need a lot of EQ to reduce the boom. Soundboard pickups are a better bet, my favourite was the AKG C411 (£110) which is actually a clever clip on surface mounted condenser , needs phantom power though. Great sound.

A good cheap option for at home and smaller settings is the Kremona at 40 quid. I bought myself one just for home use to amplify and add fx etc..

https://www.londonguitarstudio.com/p/kna-wood-piezo-pickup-for-nylon-strung-guitar-ng-1

Both the above are temporary installations though you will not harm your guitar leaving them in place

Creed_Clicks · December 2021

@JonnyBgoode home use, but with an acoustic amp to experiment with some delays and reverbs to see what it might sound like (crap possibly!)

Both of the options you posted look very interesting indeed, if I could pick up something like the AKG used, I might consider it, but the Kremona might do the job for what I need it for.

I have seen both for sale used at decent enough prices.

Stratavarious · December 2021

Contact piezo will work fine with a DI box or preamp or the HiZ input on your acoustic amp.

I got one of these to get through a one off mandolin gig. Very good tone. Pennies to try it out..
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07G3FKTPW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have also installed under saddle piezo to a classical. It requires a bit of drilling.

Spikeedog · December 2021

I've got a Harley Benton classical electro which actually sounds really good through an aurora box (with EQ and guitar modelling and anti-feedback, tuner etc) and a good acoustic amp. Looks great too. Nice build. Very thin (literally) played acoustically though. I used it for a few gigs but never use it anymore.

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Soundhole pickup for a Flamenco/Classical guitar?

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