Acoustic pickup

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 20 Dec 2003 3:47 pm

I've been thinking about a pickup for my Yamaha CG-120 gut string classical. I've looked through the internet and all claim to be the best. (of course.)

Cost is not a factor up to a couple hundred dollars.

Any suggestions?

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 20 Dec 2003 4:27 pm

These two seem to be real successful thru the many trials and shootouts.

Fishman Rare Earth humbucker - magnetic soundhole type - active - it has a sort of Sunrise pickup sound - magnetic but pretty natural and easy to dial in. Less prone to feedback.

B-Band undersaddle - active model - preamp in endpin. - It's not piezo. It's some kind of electrostatic film stuff - it's tone is way smoother than piezo which is often real brittle and full of high frequency distortion. The endpin preamp is pre-eq'd to some degree and it makes a guitar real easy to plug into anything and sound good.

Brad Sarno

Ron Randall · Post by **Ron Randall** » 20 Dec 2003 7:56 pm

A magnetic pickup won't help much with nylon strings. (Hi Brad)

Shertler.com has the Blue Stick. Not a piezo. Nice even sound. Mounts under the saddle. They do pianos, stand up bass, etc. Pro gear.

The soundhole mics that GHS(string folks) has is pretty good. Just clip to the soundhole and play.
The Fishman condensor goose-neck mini mic is very good.

Hope this adds to the thread. Not the final answer by any means.

RR

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 21 Dec 2003 2:57 pm

Doh! Nylon strings. My bad. Yea Ron, the Schertler stuff is about the best on the planet, but it's pretty pricey the last time I looked. Their mandoliin transducer was like $450. Maybe they've come out with more affordable stuff. The B-Band should still be a nice choice there. For classical you may also want to check out the Baggs I-Beam. I didn't like it for steel strings but I bet it would be nice and natural on a classical.

Brad Sarno

Brian Davis · Post by **Brian Davis** » 22 Dec 2003 7:52 am

Did someone say prismatone? Oh, wait that was me. But seriously folks, I think McIntyre makes a feather for the Classical. This is not a piezo, some kind of film or something...Weber uses them in their factory. I've been meaning to get one for my mandolin. Hope this helps.
http://www.mcintyrepickups.com/pickups.html

*don't get the piezo disc model, and please don't stick it on with wood putty

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Brian Davis on 22 December 2003 at 07:54 AM.]</p></FONT>

Michael Brebes · Post by **Michael Brebes** » 22 Dec 2003 8:04 am

I think the best sounding pickups for acoustic guitars is the L.R. Baggs I-beam. They make an I-beam for classical guitar as well. I was using piezo-type pickups for years and decided to try the I-beam. Since then I've put them on my 12 string and classical. Very realistic sound. Not compressed like a piezo. On a classical, the only other option would be to use a small microphone attached to the guitar.

Ron Randall · Post by **Ron Randall** » 22 Dec 2003 3:46 pm

I am pretty sure the Schertler for guitar is less than $200.
Yes, the I Beam is a very good choice.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 22 Dec 2003 4:21 pm

The Schertler pickup is the best I've heard, but NOT the Bluestick. The model to get is the DYN-G. http://www.schertlerusa.com/dyn-guitar.htm

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 22 Dec 2003 7:20 pm

Thanks for the replies. I've bookmarked the L R
Baggs. They have dealers in the L A area. I also bookmarked Schertler. Haven't found a price for the DYN-G or a dealer nearby. I will take your recommendations to heart and will check them out. Thanks a bunch.

Ken

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 23 Dec 2003 6:38 am

Here is a list of dealers for the Schertler: http://www.schertlerusa.com/dealers.htm#CA

Michael Brebes · Post by **Michael Brebes** » 23 Dec 2003 8:03 am

Best prices I've found on the I-Beam pickups: www.rkmusicstore.com

Scott Swartz · Post by **Scott Swartz** » 24 Dec 2003 9:31 am

I have a Takamine (solid spruce top, laminated maohogany sides) with an ibeam installed and the sound is very much like the acoustic sound of the guitar.

It sounds great plugged right into a mixer with no EQ. Its actually too accurate for some acoustic amps, which are often voiced (ie design of the tone controls) for piezo pickups.

This is a key point,you have to think of it as a amp/guitar/pickup system.