What pickup to add to an acoustic?

[r_marczak_83]

I play acoustic in a church band. It’s countryish sounding, and up beat. I’ll be using a 1985 guild D-25 and need to add a pickup to connect to a DI box to the house. What are some nice pickup suggestions that have a good acoustic sound?
I currently use a epiphone masterbuilt, but eats the little watch batteries that run the preamp. I need a more reliable backup.
Thanks


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[NecroPolo]

Re: What pickup to add to an acoustic?

Toyota Tacoma. Not the best sound in the country but it is absolutely reliable.

[Mincer]

Re: What pickup to add to an acoustic?

I'd go with the Mag Mic...it blends a magnetic pickup with a microphone, and you can set the ratio of each pickup. It is a great solution that doesn't alter the guitar. But also check out the other steel string options, too.

[r_marczak_83]

Re: What pickup to add to an acoustic?

Toyota Tacoma. Not the best sound in the country but it is absolutely reliable.

[emoji38]


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[ICTGoober]

Re: What pickup to add to an acoustic?

The old reliable Bill Lawrence - affordable, bulletproof, dependable, and darn it - it sounds pretty close to an acoustic! Been using them and selling them since the late 70's.

This is not mine...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Bill-Lawrence-Acoustic-pickup-with-Cord/153702291709?hash=item23c95ed8fd:g:AC0AAOSwR9Ndm~OO

[ehdwuld]

Re: What pickup to add to an acoustic?

GFS has a preamp that blends a microphone and a bridge piezo or a under bridge stick on transducer
It ain't expensive

But it will require you to cut a large hole in the side of your guitar
I'm gonna eventually do it to my Blue Epiphone Hummingbird
Just haven't gotten around to it


Heck I have played shows where the rhythm guitar had an SM58 thrown in the sound hole

[NecroPolo]

Re: What pickup to add to an acoustic?

Apart from Toyota pickups I'm sort of fan of using SD Woody noiseless pickups here and there for DI. Their functionality is just awesome, just attach to any guitar with a soundhole in 10 seconds then: go with a good warm punchy acoustic DI sound.

They work pretty fine in most of clubs and in recording environment of controlled power. Only trolled power gives them hard time (industrial machines or broadcast equipment nearby, house power grounding issues, LED lights galore, power polarity issues etc) so in some clubs they just as sensitive to heavy electromagnetic mess as normal magnetic pickups.

[PFDarkside]

Re: What pickup to add to an acoustic?

Will you have an external preamp? If so the K&K Pure Western does absolutely no damage to your guitar. If no preamp, the LR Baggs Anthem or Lyric does no damage and also can have a mic. Both are transducers that you stick to the underside of the bridge, and some combination of the lyric/anthem has a blendable mic too.

[jeremy]

Re: What pickup to add to an acoustic?

ive used a magmic for years and i think its great

[Boogie Bill]

Re: What pickup to add to an acoustic?

I like Fishman USTs. I would have the Fishman Gold installed, to use with the AURA Spectrum DI box. (Since you need a DI box anyway.) The onboard AURA F1+ systems on my Martin Retro models produce the most natural acoustic tones I've heard. The Spectrum gives you that same amount of control in a feature-loaded pedal, and it works very well with my non-AURA Fishman systems. Strongly recommended.

Bill

[PAPADON]

Re: What pickup to add to an acoustic?

I've been using a passive (no batteries required) Fishman Rare Earth Humbucker in my 72 Guild D40 for years = $180. If that's more than you want to spend I just put a passive single coil Fishman Neo "D" in one of my my other acoustics that's outstanding = $40.

[NegativeEase]

Re: What pickup to add to an acoustic?

I prefer a Fishman Rare Earth Sound hole for the "sound" overall, LR baggs humbucker too.

I'm not a fan of Piezo pickups -except reliability and convenience -they often sound poor compared to transducer and microphone systems.