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Hey Guys....When someone wants the option of being able to plug their acoustic guitar into a sound system....What do you recommend?....Pre amps look great but you have to cut that hole in the guitar side.....The option that I like is the double piezo glued to the bridge plate and wired directly to the plug in jack....What do you use and if you use a preamp do you do anything to reinforce guitar side when you cut the hole......Larry

Don't cut holes for preamps. They will probably be replaced eventually with new technology and then you'll be left with a big hole in your guitar. I use either simple, on-board, jack mounted preamps or off-board, belt clip or microphone stand mounted preamps.

I highly suggest if you use a in body preamp you reinforce the are where the preamp screws into the body. about 80% of the ones I have seen come into my shop one or more of the screws are loose and not holding and often the hole for the screw has cracked through to the cut-out for the preamp.

As far as the pickup element its self there are a wide variety from mics to transducers of many arrangements and combinations of both.

as far as direct output systems I like K&K Pure Westerns, LR Baggs M1 and M1a. If I had my rather I would prefer to use something like the M1 and M1a for their ease of removal.

Ditto what Barry said. Use the undersaddle transducer with a belt-or-microphone mounted preamp. K&K sells one that is matched to their systems. Actually they sell a couple.

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Wes McMillian
Santo, TX
http://www.wesmcmillian.com

Check out my D-TAR Solstice preamp. We call it the "Swiss Army knife" of preamps.

http://www.d-tar.com

Disclaimer time: Yes, I'm the "T" in D-TAR, and I'm financially tied to the company

Take a look at the MI-SI batteryless preamp. Electronics are on the end pin. Plug a charger into the jack for a minute and you are good to go for 8 hours plugged into an amp. This preamp uses the Baggs under saddle pickup. They make other preamps with tone and vol controls accessible through sound hole.

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

You should listen to certainly listen Rick on amplification issues, he's lived it for a long time and a great reputation in the area.
In addition if for some reason that option won't work for you, you could check out the LR Baggs Paracoustic DI box.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Larry, the pickup in my guitar is a B-Band UST. I plug into an Avalon U5 and go straight to the house from there. The U5 pricey, but it gives me a full, rich sound.

Hello Everyone,

I have been lurking for awhile to pick your brains. I just starting my first guitar project. This is my first post.
I have playing gigs for quite a while and have some experience in this area so I thought I might add something. Larry, I use LR Baggs pick ups in three different guitars. I have used their Gig Pro pre-amp and also the Para DI. both are excellent and stand alone as are D-tar's. I have played them through both an acoustic Amp and a Pa system. The controls are fairly simple and intuitive for a player.


Woody O'Keefe

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Woody O'Keefe

Welcome to the forum Woody!

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Reguards,

Ken H

Welcome Woody, from Waddy!

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Waddy

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