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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
 Posted - 02/21/2009 : 15:41:44
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Hi all
i'm looking for a couple of soundhole pickups for my 6 and 12 string guitars as were looking at a couple of acoustic gigs next month..if i remember correctly Dr Bob favours the Seymour Duncan 'woody'..i was also looking at the Fishman rare earth SC... don't really want a humbucker in my acoustics if possible..any other suggestions especially for the 12 string....? nothing too expensive as this will only be for the occasional gig in noisy pubs and clubs so i don't need are really high end stuff at the moment,just something that will give a decent acoustic sound.... .........cheers.........
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August West
Bronze Member
USA
137 Posts |
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DasBeef
Gold Member
United Kingdom
704 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2009 : 19:27:50
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Although I never actually went for one in the end, I asked the same question on another forum, and surprise surprise, the two options I was thinking about was the Duncan Woody, and the Rare Earth.
Everyone went with the Rare Earth.
So that's the result I got, but as I din't buy it in the end, I can't speak from experience. Suppose as with any guitar equipment, if you can get a chance to try them out, you'll find what's right for you.
I'm sure there's plenty stockist on the emerald isle! |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2009 : 12:15:11
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Yep i've been looking at the rare earth for a few reasons...
A/...since it's more of a 'rail' type pickup i reckon it would work better on the 12....
B/ .. a lot of big name acoustic artists seem to have it on their guitars...!!...
C/ works out at about 130 euro for the SC version..i would need two so not too bad....
the LR.Baggs M1 also seems like a good pickup i think Gilmour is using them as well as Larry Carlton and we all know what these guys are like when it comes to tone..... but it's around 180 for the passive version... ...i suppose you get what you pay for....
P.S.....thanks for the links August.........
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Edited by - FRANZONI on 02/22/2009 12:24:12 |
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August West
Bronze Member
USA
137 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2009 : 20:52:42
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| Unfortunately all I can give is the links - my acoustic has an onboard Fishman under saddle pickup so I don't know about sound hold pups |
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verivorax
Platinum Member
Canada
1185 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2009 : 22:33:24
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LR Baggs M-1 Active is the hands-down best choice.. really proprietary technology to give a much richer sound than any other soundhole pickup I've heard.. (hum-cancelled stack configuration, top coil responds to strings, lower coil inducts a signal from the body vibrations via some kind of loosened housing). A lot of people hear this pickup and their eyes widen. Very responsive to percussive tapping too.. I like the Fishman stuff, but this is really something unique. It's $$, but it really is worth it.
http://lrbaggs.com/html/products/pickups_m1-active.shtml
Also.. you can install one of their endpin jacks in each guitar, and swap the pickup between them - it's got a 3.5mm jack on the side of the pickup. For the 12.. it should work alright, but you might need to fiddle with the pole heights.
The other choice would be the Sunrise, which is made in limited quantities each year, and which performs best when used with its dedicated buffer box. I think this is what Hedges used to use.. It's MORE $$, but a really find pickup.
http://www.sunrisepickups.com/
Hope this helps!!! |
Edited by - verivorax on 02/22/2009 22:38:01 |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2009 : 23:06:35
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Cheers......yep i have heard about the sunrise richard thompson was one of the first people i heard sing it's praises.... but i think it's a bit beyond my price range along with the preamp to go with it....i'm not completely sold on active pickups after having the Clapton system in one of my strats but i was looking at the M1 passive for the 6 and maybe using my GE-7 for a little longer as a preamp,Baggs are bringing out a really cool preamp in april called the Venue DI with a built in tuner,big EQ section and boost for lead breaks... the 12 would only be for occasional use so i might go with a fishman or similar for that...looks like i better start saving..... .......or try and talk the band into funding some of it out of the petty cash...... ..... this is a new direction for us and i would really like to keep the interest up for it with the others so i reckon if my end sounds good it will push the thing along..i find that nothing makes a band lose interest quicker if the sound is bad..... |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2009 : 22:08:02
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Just a quick update...it looks like that the acoustic gigs are on but i wasn't aware that we only have two confirmed with the others subject to the reaction we get(this is from the new 'manager' of the venue.... .) so i don't want to splash out vash amounts of the harded earned green for something that might not see a whole lot of use..i'm sort of looking at the SD woody single coil pickup or the shadow SH 330.both are available in dublin and seem to be a little bit cheaper than some off the prices on the net suprisingly enough... anyone any experience with these or any other mid price soundhole pickup.....?..... |
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August West
Bronze Member
USA
137 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2009 : 20:43:16
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I posted the two pups you mentioned on the Martin forum and got this advice:
"Having used lots of sound hole pups including these two, I'd take the Woody. Has a more realistic sound, IMO. Personally I use a George L soundhole pup. It was given to me by a friend and is the best soundhole unit I've ever tried. I didn't even know George L made pups.
Whatever you get, make sure to have a good pre-amp. Believe it or not I use a cheap Eurodesk mini-size 4 channel mixer from Musician's friend for a pre-amp. I keep the channel EQ on the PA flat and EQ on the little mixer. Another great thing about the little mixer is that it has phantom power so you can plug a condensor mic into one input, your soundhold pup in another and mix to taste. Wonderful sound. I've had the mixer for a few years now and it works great." |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2009 : 00:13:12
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| cheers.... i'm using a GE-7 as a preamp for my other acoustic and mandolin....i did try a spare condenser we have in rehearsal but it tends to get lost a bit with the drums and bass..but i think your idea to mix both together is a good one.....i think a trip to the music store is on for tomorrow.... |
Edited by - FRANZONI on 03/02/2009 00:13:41 |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2009 : 18:33:28
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Been experimentin' with some stuff lying around the spare room.. i put a spare SD tele neck pickup into a rubber feedback buster(cut a hole in the feedback buster with a knife) for the soundhole with a guitar lead wired out of it via the GE-7 into the pod xt pro i have for some 'verb/effects/D.I. box.....not too bad..not strictly acoustic but still a nice sound through my AKG studio headphones..... ...only prob is the bronze wound strings aren't quite as loud as the top E and B strings..i read somewhere that your supposed to use electric guitar strings with pickups like this as in the old Gibson J-160 the Beatles/john lennon used...anyone heard of this and does it sort out the balance of the strings....?...... |
Edited by - FRANZONI on 03/02/2009 18:34:20 |
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August West
Bronze Member
USA
137 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2009 : 21:57:09
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| Hmmm. I had an idea but thinking about it more it was probably pretty dumb. Edited to delete idea. |
Edited by - August West on 03/03/2009 00:02:08 |
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PaulH
Gold Member
535 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2009 : 22:56:42
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I use a Shure SM11 dynamic mic.
It nice and small and easily clips onto the soundhole. |
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verivorax
Platinum Member
Canada
1185 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2009 : 03:53:56
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hi Franz,
nickel strings will certainly give you more output, but probably poor acoustic performance.
DR makes ZEBRA strings which alternate BRONZE and NPS wraps - made for acoustics with mag. pickups - warmth and electric output. |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2009 : 00:00:49
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thanks for the suggestions.....i put afishman undersaddle pickup in the walden in the end but the tele pickup worked really well for the Django Reinhart sound so i reckon it's a keeper.... ...the XT Pro again didn't stack up through the PA in a head to head with the GE-7..the GE-7 was much fuller sound with no mud ...so i reckon a mini boss pedalboard for our first acoustic gig on sunday...my CS-3,GE-7,DD-3 and either my CH-1 or CE-2 ..i don't normally go straight to the desk with my guitar so am i better going nto the line input on the desk for the pedals or run a D.I. box at the end of my pedals the an XLR over to the desk.....?... |
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soundhole pickups for acoustic guitars....
