Anyone got/experienced these soundhole pickups?

What's Hot
24

Comments

  • LestratcasterLestratcaster Frets: 1079
    As another option the Schertler Ag6 is s a very good soundhole pickup. A bit expensive but really full sound, and it's got an extra input where you can blend in a second source if you want.
    Just looked it up and its decent, though not many UK retailers selling it that I know of, same with the Mojotone one.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • LestratcasterLestratcaster Frets: 1079
    M1 etc get good reviews but I have not tried it.
    I have a rare earth and SD magmic.
    The RE sounds better as mag only but with mic blended in the SD is more natural, albeit bigger physically.
    Which Rare Earth version do you have? E.g the single coil/humbucker etc. I like the idea of the gooseneck mic with the blend version, with 50/50 mic/pickup it sounds quite natural.
    The humbucker, no mic
    Ok. What guitar have you got it in? Would the internal mic cause feedback if its plugged into a PA?
    Used it in an Advanced Jumbo & GS mini
    It's quite feedback resistant live and it has a thumb wheel balance knob which I set to 50% up. If I get any feedback then I just turn the mic off. The mic does sound great though and that's why I use it over the rare earth. 
    I don't suppose you have any recordings of it at all?
    Oh so its basically the pickup without a visible external mic that goes inside the soundhole? My main issue is doing live videos and it picking up the speaker playback.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • LestratcasterLestratcaster Frets: 1079
    Keefy said:
    I had or have the following:
    (1) Fishman Rare Earth single coil (active) - Sounded pretty good but I lived in fear of the battery giving out.
    (2) Fishman Neo D single coil (passive) - Bought to replace (1) but turned out to be way too weak in output for live use.
    (3) LR Baggs M80 - Sounds excellent but if you hit it while playing you and the audience will know about it! Really long battery life and a handy level indicator actuated by a tiny push button. Bloody spendy though!

    I kind of wish I had gone for the K&K Pure Mini although apparently that system can be ‘challenging’ to install.


    With the M80 it looks like it goes nearer the fretboard end than the bridge though? And my playing means I strum/pick more towards the bridge side of the soundhole so I shouldn't, in theory hit the pickup! If its better (as in more natural sounding) than the M1 I'd consider getting one.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • jellyrolljellyroll Frets: 3073
    edited July 2021
    Forgive my ignorance...does a sound hole pickup work with regular acoustic strings ?
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • LestratcasterLestratcaster Frets: 1079
    Yes, its magnetic and works the same way as it would with an electric guitar albeit different sound.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • wrinkleygitwrinkleygit Frets: 255
    edited July 2021
    I’ve been using the passive version LR Baggs for a couple of years with no issues, also have a KK mini in another guitar, have to say I prefer the M1.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71958
    jellyroll said:
    Forgive my ignorance...does a sound hole pickup work with regular acoustic strings ?
    Provided they have steel cores, yes. (ie steel-string acoustic strings.)

    Not with nylon classical strings... I have come across people who have tried! Which sounds like a 'stupid' mistake to someone who knows how they work, but if you don't then it's forgivable. Not helped by one of the old cheap models you could get in the 1970s/80s being described as a 'guitar microphone'.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • jellyrolljellyroll Frets: 3073
    Thanks guys. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • english_bobenglish_bob Frets: 5128
    M1A user of many years. I lent a cheap Yamaha acoustic with my M1A in it to the singer in my old band because she wanted a spare guitar in DADGAD for one song.

    Through the venue PA system it did not embarrass itself next to her Taylor.

    "Tone is in the fingers, expensive PA, decent sound guy" caveats all accepted.

    Don't talk politics and don't throw stones. Your royal highnesses.

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • sev112sev112 Frets: 2739
    I’ve still got an iRig Acoustic Stage - the one with the pre-amp “box” you clip on your strap / pocket

    ive never had stage feedback probs, as there’s a quite successful / clever feedback cancelling button on it, with multiple “levels”/frequencies which can be cancelled,

    You used to be able to buy just the clip on mic on its own, and that certainly has potential for feedback, but I bought and quite like the natty pre-amp box.  It also has half a dozen different tones for nylon or steel strings, so I used to use it for Uke as well.

    don’t use it these days as I bought and electro-acoustic just to get a better guitar


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • At the moment my prime choice is actually the Schertler AG6. The pickup sounds very nice and natural so could use that on its own for live stuff (if not 10% of mic). I like the fact you can plug in an external small condenser mic (sold separately) to blend. The Mag Mic does this too I believe but something about the AG6 sounds good to me.

    Just a bit shit they're shut til 16th so I can't get an order in!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • jaymenonjaymenon Frets: 804
    The Anthem is the nicest one I've used...

    My recorded demo:

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • jaymenonjaymenon Frets: 804
    The iRig Acoustic Stage is surprisingly good too
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Agreed the Baggs Anthem is very natural sounding but they're £350 then I have to pay someone to install it. Plus I'm still paying the guitar off so don't want to tamper with it til next year at least. And I also want a pickup I can move between guitars.

    Not sold on the iRig Acoustic Stage for some reason.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • SupportactSupportact Frets: 895
    At the moment my prime choice is actually the Schertler AG6. The pickup sounds very nice and natural so could use that on its own for live stuff (if not 10% of mic). I like the fact you can plug in an external small condenser mic (sold separately) to blend. The Mag Mic does this too I believe but something about the AG6 sounds good to me.

    Just a bit shit they're shut til 16th so I can't get an order in!
    I have the little plug in mic on my one and find it does add something. In smaller venues (which is most of them for me!) I've not found feedback a problem with the mic on. Easy to dial it back though if you end up on a loud stage. The pickup sounds fine on it's own though so some people might find they don't need the mic.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71958
    Agreed the Baggs Anthem is very natural sounding but they're £350 then I have to pay someone to install it. Plus I'm still paying the guitar off so don't want to tamper with it til next year at least. And I also want a pickup I can move between guitars.
    I have to say I can't see the point in these massively complex, expensive internal systems. None of them sound as good as a decent external mic if you're recording, and if you're playing live in a band context or even a small solo gig then the actual sound quality doesn't matter *that* much - a plain UST driving a Fishman Aura or a good soundhole pickup through some sort of processor is going to be close enough.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • At the moment my prime choice is actually the Schertler AG6. The pickup sounds very nice and natural so could use that on its own for live stuff (if not 10% of mic). I like the fact you can plug in an external small condenser mic (sold separately) to blend. The Mag Mic does this too I believe but something about the AG6 sounds good to me.

    Just a bit shit they're shut til 16th so I can't get an order in!
    I have the little plug in mic on my one and find it does add something. In smaller venues (which is most of them for me!) I've not found feedback a problem with the mic on. Easy to dial it back though if you end up on a loud stage. The pickup sounds fine on it's own though so some people might find they don't need the mic.
    Yeah I'm gonna get the S-Mic with it so if I want to use it for online lessons I can blend in 100% mic as I use headphones. Then for in the room recording with another guitarist dial it back or just use the pickup. Out of all the ones I've checked out Mag Mic and AG6 sound the nicest on pickup alone.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ICBM said:
    Agreed the Baggs Anthem is very natural sounding but they're £350 then I have to pay someone to install it. Plus I'm still paying the guitar off so don't want to tamper with it til next year at least. And I also want a pickup I can move between guitars.
    I have to say I can't see the point in these massively complex, expensive internal systems. None of them sound as good as a decent external mic if you're recording, and if you're playing live in a band context or even a small solo gig then the actual sound quality doesn't matter *that* much - a plain UST driving a Fishman Aura or a good soundhole pickup through some sort of processor is going to be close enough.
    Well I may not even get one after all if the AG6 does a good job, as you say a mic is always the best but not always practical in some applications for me. Usually it'll be either solo or as a duo and with a backing track of some format.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • jaymenonjaymenon Frets: 804
    edited August 2021
    ICBM said:
    Agreed the Baggs Anthem is very natural sounding but they're £350 then I have to pay someone to install it. Plus I'm still paying the guitar off so don't want to tamper with it til next year at least. And I also want a pickup I can move between guitars.
    I have to say I can't see the point in these massively complex, expensive internal systems. None of them sound as good as a decent external mic if you're recording, and if you're playing live in a band context or even a small solo gig then the actual sound quality doesn't matter *that* much - a plain UST driving a Fishman Aura or a good soundhole pickup through some sort of processor is going to be close enough.
    I would agree with that - except perhaps on the solo gig, where the quality of your acoustic guitar's sound is more exposed. The Anthem I have found to be rather nice that way...
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • shufflebeatshufflebeat Frets: 104
    edited August 2021
    ICBM said:
    jellyroll said:
    Forgive my ignorance...does a sound hole pickup work with regular acoustic strings ?
    Provided they have steel cores, yes. (ie steel-string acoustic strings.)  
    ----------------------
    I'd qualify this point to some extent. Manufacturers are very keen to claim that "acoustic" strings, for most folks that means bronze and phosphor bronze, will work but as ICBM points out the pickup reacts only to the central steel core of these strings which makes for a very weedy sound, particularly in my experience on strings 3 & 6. This would be a relatively small issue except strings 1&2 are all steel and sing out very loudly. On the rare occasion of having a plain steel 3rd string on acoustic this would be even more of an issue.

    If this is a problem for you then realistically there is no option other than all steel "electric" strings or some equivalent like nickel-bronze (NB) which work quite well.

    I should acknowledge that some people will never feel this way, some will only begin to feel strongly about it after a long time, for me and many others it's a very obvious issue with one very clear solution.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.