Contact Transducer Opinions

Has anyone used a contact transducer for their sole pickup (the type that sticks to the sounding board). I'm wondering if the sound is better than the ol' under-the-saddle piezo set-up. Any problems with them? I'm thinking of getting one in hopes of having a reasonable alternative to miking for gigs.

I absolutely love the LR Baggs I-Beam passive model.

It has a much better Acoustic Sound than any Piezo system I've heard.

I do not currebntly have an I-Beam,I use to have one
in a Tacoma JM-9 that I used for gigging,etc.

I traded up to the Tacoma EM-9 which has the High-end
LR Baggs system factory installed.

I've tried the Schatten and other Soundboard Transducers but the I-Beam beats them all.

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

I have this passive set up in a Martin D-15 and a Martin OM 16 GT. $135.00 installed by a good luthier. Very nice. This system uses three little pads under the sound board behind the bridge. The tone is very wooden. Under saddle blades like Fishman are popular but the the tone is harsh - less wooden, the blade is in contact with Corian or bone or whatever your saddle is (not the wood).

Read the link. Info is power.

Passive is nice - no cramming 9 volt batteries through the soundhole.

John