Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi all, I apologize if I missed a thread devoted to this topic in the archives.

I'm hoping to spark a discussion on the best choice in pickups now available for steel string acoustics. My primary concerns are quality of sound and the minimization of feedback.

So, anyone have an opinion on what pickup system is the best? DTAR perfect timber, Schertler bluestick, something by LR Baggs or Fishman?

I am an avid supporter of the K&K pure western....

PUTW makes some really nice pickups. I have a #54 (dual element SBT) coupled with the I/O UST and a stereo power plug preamp that allows me to blend the signal of the two. If I need more punch I can blend toward the I/O and if I want more natural tone for fingerstyle, I can blend back toward the #54. If they are both running wide open, the #54 tames down most of the "quack" of the I/O (which isn't much BTW). I couldn't be happier.

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Dan

Another vote for the K & K Pure Westerns, especially the MINIs.

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Jim Womack

"Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for. "
Will Rogers

I was hanging out with Rick yesterday while he soldered up a group of DTars yesterday for his Renaissance guitars. When I asked him what made them different, he said AC. Piezos, he said, need more AC than they usually get. I've been a B Band guy, but I'm going to put one of Rick's pickups into my next guitar.

HUH?

'splain, luuucy!

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-donh-

Everything is a tone control!

Sorry, I think I got it wrong. DC.

http://www.d-tar.com/timber_line.shtml

He was soldering potentiometers to some Timber-lines.

To me, the pick up is obviously important, but the amp is an essential component too - maybe more so unless you only DI.

AER amps are just incredible.

Yesterday I put a fishman infinity in a customers triple o, demo'd it through an AER and the customer was blown away. Grinning from ear to ear....and that happens every single time.

I'd really like to try the Dtar stuff - hopefully I'll get my hands on some soon, but a proper amp even with a lesser quality p-up is way way better than the other way round in my book.

For any repair guys (sorry if i'm stating the obvious) its a really easy way to sell a pick-up system or impress a customer, have a mid priced guitar with your fave p-up in it through an AER or similar - if they don't buy it after hearing that they probably never will! You'll make the cost of the AER up in a few p-ups time, and you get a beaut amp to play with in the process!
(not affiliated with AER/ fishman or anything)

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www.theguitarrepairworkshop.com

I'll second the AER amp. They are amazing. One caveat on the PUTW. They are very good at producing excellent acoustic tone but require an external preamp. The K&K puts out a surprisingly hot signal and can go right into your board or amp. The preamp is an extra cost if you don't have one.
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

hi mffinla
like many others K&K minis for giggling, I put through a T.C Electronics Dual parametric eq. unit to tweak out any feedback points high/low cause I’m fussy and the guitar is sensitive then into a AER 60 and out to the desk , I’ve tried just about the lot and the K&K are as good as it gets for now my only dislike is susceptibility to hard picking / tapping style near/on the bridge area.
yours Geordie

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some tunes on acoustic and guitar synth.
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheGeordieAdams
http://www.myspace.com/geordieadams

I've been thinking about this too for some time, all i know is i want something simple without batteries ans preamps and such.
K&K pure mini is recommended on every forum i've seen discussion on this topic.

I have to admit that this is something i know almost nothing of, but i've been wondering about the Undersaddle transducers.
what are pros/cons of something like an UST and the pure mini, anybody use the sadducer(d-tar)

Frank

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Frank

I have a B Band bridge plate pickup with the strap button preamp in my 000 cutaway and it has a great natural sound but is a bear for feedback.

I put the KK trinity system with remote preamp in my jumbo, it is also very natural sounding, but better for feedback, which can be controlled by the mix of the mic and mini westerns.

The belt clip preamp has tone controls internal to tailor the sound to the guitar, I left everything internal at default setting and it is the guitars natural sound only louder. I also like not having the battery in the guitar.

Fred Tellier

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Hi!
I've switched all my guitars to L.R. Baggs IMix No Cut. Tons of headroom with no feedback, adjustable eq's on the pre-amp (though you have to reach inside with a little screwdriver to do it, it's a set and forget thing) and is switchable between stereo and mono, with little unintrusive soundhole wheels for master volume and blending between the IBeam and the Element...no external or side mounted pre-amps, easy to install and use, but expensive. I recommend them!