Dread pickup recommendation

Steve McGinnis · June 19th, 2007, 09:58 AM

Hello All,

I just bought the guitar I have been lusting over for 3 years. It is a Gibson Advanced Jumbo (basically a j-45 with a longer scale). It sounds great, so far so good. It does not have a pickup. I would like to put one in it. I would prefer to have something somewhat discrete (not like a Sunrise). Mic blend would be OK, or just pickup alone if it sounds good. No wood cutting (except for jack at the endpin).

So what do you fellows suggest?

dentman · June 19th, 2007, 12:18 PM

I put a Dean Markley Sweetspot in my Taylor 810. Very "non-invasive", no battery. Excellent sound (IMHO) and very inexpensive. I did have it professionally installed though.

aunchaki · June 19th, 2007, 01:17 PM

The Fishman soundhole pickups are minimally-invasive and very discrete. They're dark brown and can hardly be seen. I have the single-coil Neo-D, but they make a humbucking model.

I really love my L.R.Baggs M-1 soundhole pickup, but it's not at all discrete. With its ivroid cover, you can see it from a mile away (which is how I like it). I hear great things about L.R.Baggs' undersaddle stuff -- the I-Beam and the like.

Congratulations on getting your Dream Guitar!

franchelB · June 20th, 2007, 09:42 AM

There are so many to choose from...it all really depends on how much you'd like to spend.
Personally, as much as I love my Fishman pickups on my Taylors, I'd love to try LR Baggs' Element pickup, an under-the-saddle pickup with a small volume "knob" that attaches on your soundhole.

bigdaddyweed · June 21st, 2007, 11:48 AM

I will have to agree with franchelB on the LR Baggs Active Element pickup. I put one in my old Yamaha, and it sounds really good. Very discrete under the saddle pickup, stick on volume knob that hides well, no detruction except for the end hole, and I put it in myself. If this were on a more expensive guitar, I might have it professionally done.

Stubee · June 21st, 2007, 03:13 PM

I think I'm the only guy in the world who uses a "Pick-up The World" passive pup in my dreadnaught. It mounts underneath the soundboard, not the saddle, so can be located precisely where it sounds best. They are actually more popular for mandolins & other stringed instruments, but they make a model for guitar. I tested several locations (with tape provided) before settling on placement. That might be kinda nice with an AJ, as they have a strong bass. I then run it thru an LR Baggs DI box. It sounds absolutely acoustic thru a PA or recorded, I love it. I never mic when I record anymore because I can get this to sound as natural as needed via the pickup + DI.

Mine is mounted in a '52 J-45, my stage (infrequent at best these days) and recording guitar. I also have an AJ, my main axe, but use the J-45 "out" cuz it's already beat nearly to death so not much more can happen to it.

I highly recommend the LR Baggs DI box for any passive pickup, they are great. Mine is the "floor" model, built like a tank & runs for about a decade on one battery.

drjordan · June 21st, 2007, 03:15 PM

I'm a BIG K&K Sound fan. I have the Pure Western mini in my Martin 000-1. It sounds great.

bowman · June 21st, 2007, 04:26 PM

I've heard good things about everything mentioned already, but the only one I can vouch for personally is the L.R. Baggs M1. I have one in my Guild D40C and I think it sounds great. I play it through a DI box into the PA, sometimes through a processor first if I want effects. Great pickup, and easy to remove if I want to put it into another guitar.

ac15 · June 21st, 2007, 07:14 PM

Most natural sound I've heard with an acoustic pickup is the one in my Martin Dread: Trance Audio Amulet system. It's sort of like a super high end version of the K&K. It's the closest existing pickup to the legendary FRAP system used by Neil Young, Michael Hedges etc.

studio1087 · June 21st, 2007, 09:11 PM

K&K Pure Western passive. $125.0 installed.

You can ad the active preamp box later if you need it for another $90.

http://www.kksound.com/purewestern.html

I have these is an OM16GT and a D-15. I also have one Preamp box.

http://www.kksound.com/purepreamp.html

Great natural sound.

sharkydude50 · July 9th, 2007, 02:15 PM

+1 for the K&K Pure Western Mini. Great acoustic reproduction, easy to install, inexpensive too.

June 19th, 2007, 09:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
Steve McGinnis Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 807	Dread pickup recommendation Hello All, I just bought the guitar I have been lusting over for 3 years. It is a Gibson Advanced Jumbo (basically a j-45 with a longer scale). It sounds great, so far so good. It does not have a pickup. I would like to put one in it. I would prefer to have something somewhat discrete (not like a Sunrise). Mic blend would be OK, or just pickup alone if it sounds good. No wood cutting (except for jack at the endpin). So what do you fellows suggest?

June 19th, 2007, 12:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
dentman Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: UK Age: 54 Posts: 160	I put a Dean Markley Sweetspot in my Taylor 810. Very "non-invasive", no battery. Excellent sound (IMHO) and very inexpensive. I did have it professionally installed though. __________________ "There's always another day tomorrow!"... That's what my grandpa used to say, and he was only ever wrong once!

June 19th, 2007, 01:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
aunchaki Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Western New York Posts: 1,240 16 Photos	The Fishman soundhole pickups are minimally-invasive and very discrete. They're dark brown and can hardly be seen. I have the single-coil Neo-D, but they make a humbucking model. I really love my L.R.Baggs M-1 soundhole pickup, but it's not at all discrete. With its ivroid cover, you can see it from a mile away (which is how I like it). I hear great things about L.R.Baggs' undersaddle stuff -- the I-Beam and the like. Congratulations on getting your Dream Guitar! __________________ Two Teles, One Strat, Two Acoustics (6 & 12 strings), One Solidbody Acoustic, Two Mandolins (4 & 8 strings), One Bass (5 strings)

June 20th, 2007, 09:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
franchelB Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Irving, United States of Texas! Age: 43 Posts: 1,861	There are so many to choose from...it all really depends on how much you'd like to spend. Personally, as much as I love my Fishman pickups on my Taylors, I'd love to try LR Baggs' Element pickup, an under-the-saddle pickup with a small volume "knob" that attaches on your soundhole. __________________ Feel free to visit my homepage! http://www.myspace.com/francisbalagtas

June 21st, 2007, 11:48 AM	#5 (permalink)
bigdaddyweed TDPRI Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 38	I will have to agree with franchelB on the LR Baggs Active Element pickup. I put one in my old Yamaha, and it sounds really good. Very discrete under the saddle pickup, stick on volume knob that hides well, no detruction except for the end hole, and I put it in myself. If this were on a more expensive guitar, I might have it professionally done. __________________ I do not use or promote the use of illegal drugs, but I used to hang out with some people who did.......big daddy

June 21st, 2007, 03:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
Stubee Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mid-Michigan Age: 57 Posts: 436	I think I'm the only guy in the world who uses a "Pick-up The World" passive pup in my dreadnaught. It mounts underneath the soundboard, not the saddle, so can be located precisely where it sounds best. They are actually more popular for mandolins & other stringed instruments, but they make a model for guitar. I tested several locations (with tape provided) before settling on placement. That might be kinda nice with an AJ, as they have a strong bass. I then run it thru an LR Baggs DI box. It sounds absolutely acoustic thru a PA or recorded, I love it. I never mic when I record anymore because I can get this to sound as natural as needed via the pickup + DI. Mine is mounted in a '52 J-45, my stage (infrequent at best these days) and recording guitar. I also have an AJ, my main axe, but use the J-45 "out" cuz it's already beat nearly to death so not much more can happen to it. I highly recommend the LR Baggs DI box for any passive pickup, they are great. Mine is the "floor" model, built like a tank & runs for about a decade on one battery.

June 21st, 2007, 03:15 PM	#7 (permalink)
drjordan Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Oxford, GA Age: 27 Posts: 154	I'm a BIG K&K Sound fan. I have the Pure Western mini in my Martin 000-1. It sounds great.

June 21st, 2007, 04:26 PM	#8 (permalink)
bowman Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Westborough, MA Age: 56 Posts: 413	I've heard good things about everything mentioned already, but the only one I can vouch for personally is the L.R. Baggs M1. I have one in my Guild D40C and I think it sounds great. I play it through a DI box into the PA, sometimes through a processor first if I want effects. Great pickup, and easy to remove if I want to put it into another guitar.

June 21st, 2007, 07:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
ac15 Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2005 Location: CHICAGO, IL. Posts: 624	Most natural sound I've heard with an acoustic pickup is the one in my Martin Dread: Trance Audio Amulet system. It's sort of like a super high end version of the K&K. It's the closest existing pickup to the legendary FRAP system used by Neil Young, Michael Hedges etc.

June 21st, 2007, 09:11 PM	#10 (permalink)
studio1087 Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Near Milwaukee Age: 44 Posts: 3,959 36 Photos	K&K Pure Western passive. $125.0 installed. You can ad the active preamp box later if you need it for another $90. http://www.kksound.com/purewestern.html I have these is an OM16GT and a D-15. I also have one Preamp box. http://www.kksound.com/purepreamp.html Great natural sound. __________________ JLG Carry On

July 9th, 2007, 02:15 PM	#11 (permalink)
sharkydude50 Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 170 9 Photos	+1 for the K&K Pure Western Mini. Great acoustic reproduction, easy to install, inexpensive too. __________________ Sharkymon- Acoustics Baby Yeah!