Tip for state-of-the-art acoustic pick-up!!!

[point_taker]

Well, I've grown tired of my current acoustic pickup which, I think, is a Shadow (can't say for sure).

Anyway, this pup is pure s**t. It doesn't sustain, it doesn't have clarity, it is unbalanced (B string is louder than G string) and it simply isn't up to par with the sound of my acoustic unplugged (an Epiphone EJ-200/VS). This pup was installed aftermarket and I bought the guitar second hand.

Thing is, I am willing to spend serious money in a professional sounding pick-up that will give me the best plugged sound I can reach. I want clarity, I want balance, I want EQ, I want sustain and gain, I want brightness but with boldness enough to make justice to the jumbo body of my acoustic guitar.

Anyone have any tips for me? It can be Duncan, it can be Fishman, as long as I have a sound that will tear acoustic lovers apart. I want something natural as well (I think piezos would NOT be the ticket, but any help on the matter is greatly appreciated). Maybe blended pups (microphone and magnetic bar blended) would put me in the ballpark...

Please, help my acoustic soul coz my electric one is pretty much satisfied.

Cheers,

Dan

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Tip for state-of-the-art acoustic pick-up!!!

I want clarity, I want balance, I want EQ, I want sustain and gain, I want brightness but with boldness enough to make justice to the jumbo body of my acoustic guitar.

Dan -- you want a Seymour Duncan Mag Mic. It's all that and more.

Click here to learn more about what I feel is the ultimate acoustic guitar pickup.

I hope that helps.

[point_taker]

Re: Tip for state-of-the-art acoustic pick-up!!!

Evan, I've just read a lot about this pickup and it seems to me that'll be the ticket, yes. I'll order it with John from Black Rose Custom.

I have a question though: does this pickup have a 3 or 5 band Eq that you install in the guitar? How is the Eq system of this pup?

Thanks,

Dan

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Tip for state-of-the-art acoustic pick-up!!!

Dan:

The pickup has a fixed EQ. You probably won't need any additional EQ. However, if you want to get fancy, get yourself a D-TAR Solstice. It's got too many features to list.

Yesterday, my friend Danny Flowers (the guy who wrote "Tulsa Time" for Eric Clapton and Don Williams) told me he was describing the Solstice to David Lindley and he said, "It's like the 48 pack of Crayola crayons."

[point_taker]

Re: Tip for state-of-the-art acoustic pick-up!!!

Just thought I'd let you all know (including Evan) that my Mag Mic arrived shiny out of the box today!!!

I can't wait to install it but I think I'll have it installed permanently so I'll have to wait and take it to a pro.

Anyway, I said I want balance, especially between the strings.

What EXACTLY do the adjustable pole pieces does? I mean, if I turn them clockwise, does the string get louder? Or does it get lower? Is it really that simple? I never tried to adjust the poles of my electric guitar pickups but I really want to have the ultimate acoustic sound.

So, can anyone clarify me?

I'll try to post a review of the Mag Mic as soon as possible. I'm SO excited!

Thanx a LOT Evan,

Dan

[Jester700]

Re: Tip for state-of-the-art acoustic pick-up!!!

The closer the polepiece is to the string, the louder that string will be. You will see the polepiece raising & lowering in the bobbin as you adjust it, so it will become obvious.

I hope you like the pickup. A mic/mag blend sounds like a good way to go about it, since IMO the best acoustic rigs sense the top vibrations as well as the strings. Personally, I went with a soundboard pickup/piezo combination, but for the best sound I usually switch off the piezo.