sorry if this has been covered before. i did a search and didnt find anything.
im looking to put a pickup in my taylor 310. im not sure what to get. just looking for something that keeps the natural sound of the guitar.
any opinions?
thanks
I’ve been using a Baggs Dual Source in my Guild for the last ten years. I recommend it without reservation. It uses an under-the-saddle piezo and a condenser mic; volume and the level of the mic are worked via a tiny little control panel that sits on the edge of the soundhole. I usually run the thing straight into the mixer with no additional preamp or eq. It sounds just like my guitar, only louder.
Years ago I had a Dean Markley piezo soundhole pickup, and it served me well until I just went with an acoustic-electric guitar.
Check out http://www.shorelinemusic.com/ for a great comparison of various makes and models.
I went with a K&K Pure Western with a Pure preamp…a good combination of price and performance.
Are you going for a permenant installation or something removable?
Right, that was my question, too.
Along the lines of a removable soundhole solution, a friend of mine uses the Baggs M1 with an outboard Baggs preamp, and it sounds quite nice. The adjustable pole pieces let you customize the string balance, and it slips on or off in a minute or so.
I always play miked when possible or practical. But for years I’ve used a Seymour Duncan SA1 acoustic tube “tootsie roll” when I need a temporary pickup. It takes 10 seconds to install/remove, and has a surprisingly good sound for a sealed humbucker. The height and angle are adjustable for some control over tone and balance. It has enough output to drive many boards without a preamp, or dial the volume pot down to cut the highs for a smoother acoustic tone. For me, it’s a reasonable and inexpensive trade off between sound and convenience.