Acoustic guitar pickup question

Lane

New member
I have a saddle type pickup that I'm thinking of installing in my Martin. I've been told that they result in poor sound quality, that they sound tinny because they are getting the sound from under the saddle... but then Martin says it sound sweet..... what's the story?

Thanks!
 
Why do you need to do this?

Undersaddle pickups vary in their sound. Most are piezo transducers, which have a characteristic sound, which has a bit of an edge to it. Some call it a "piezo quack." It sounds OK, but is not true to the acoustic sound of the instrument. Some designs (Baggs, B-Band) have refined their approach to the task, with improved results. Still not an acoustic sound.

I'd spend some time figuring out how to get a good manageable acoustic sound before climbing the learning curve that goes with the installation of these devices. What is your experience with micing the instrument?
 
What's your objective? If you want to record with the guitar, especially a quality instrument such as a Martin, you'll get ten times the tone with a good microphone than with an under-the-saddle pickup. However, if you want to play live with a loud band and not get enough feedback to blow your guitar into splinters, an under-the-saddle pickup such as a Fishman will do the job. It's another tone altogether and it can sound good with the proper playing style. Check out Craig Chaquico's albums--he does this all the time and it's a unique but very impressive sound.

If you do get one, make sure it's active not passive. And unless you really know what you're doing, pay to have it done as you don't want to carve up your Martin. It requires some drilling of the body as well as shaving some material off the bridge saddle.
 
Thanks for the replies... my objective is recording only, no blasting PA stuff with the Martin, to be sure... I am now thinking that I'd be best off to go with a quality mic and forget the pickup... true? As for my experience with micing a guitar... not much. Any advice will be welcomed!

Thanks!
Lane
 
undersaddle pickups are fine if they are good quality.
the newer ones come with an internal condensor mic also for added warmth.there are even some good sound hole pickups now.sunrise for one!

But nothing however is better than a good condensor mic for recording acoustic guitar.I have tried and tried without a mic and plugging in just was not the go.

I have heard one cd however that was recorded with alot of stuff plugged in .that was phil keaggy 'acoustic sketches'.The sound quality was excellent!!His guitars are some of the best acoustic guitars avaliable and his electronics on them are second to none.unaffordable to the average guitar player ,myself included.Mind you as good as it sounded it was not as good as the rest of his acoustic stuff.
I have tried and never been successful.
I would suggest a mic as well as a pick up if you already have one.panned at about 70%mic 30% pickup.As far as positioning the mic goes.You will have to experiment.
Maybe 2 mic if ya got the cash.with a touch of reverb to get that sweet reflective sound but don't over do it or it will sound too processed!:D I better stop now;)
 
Two things to add here. I installed i Fishman in my son's guitar and it sounds wonderful. The only problem is that I got the passive one and there is no way to adjust the volume. An active one would be much better. If you do go active, you definitly want to have it professionally installed since a hole needs to be cut into the guitar for the electronincs.

Secondly, Peter Miller's suggestion of using both pick and mic is what I do as well. It seems to give the guitar a nice full sound. I have a Seagull with the active Baggs system in it. When I record with just the pickup, it tends to be a little tinny with not enough in the fullness of mid range. I have recorded just using a mic alone and this sounds very good as well. It all depends on the sound you are looking for.

Good luck and peace
Joe
 
If your Martin sounds good dont screw around with it, to install a bridge piezo they will have to drill holes it the guitar for the wire, the jack socket and the electronics. The battery and preamp will also be adding mass to the body of the guitar, these changes WILL change the way your guitar sounds acoustically. After all that it still wont sound as good as it would miked with a condenser.
 
If you're just starting out and plan to do some recording, and you have no stage control issues (feedback and such) then save that pickup for another time and use the guitar with a decent mic.

Figure it this way. To do a decent retrofit of a good internal pickup could set you back $300.00. You can get a Joe Meek or a Rode condenser mic for that. Good rationalization, huh? Besides, how are you going to learn about recording without a decent mic? (He spreads it on thick). So, drool over one of those and then spring for an SM-57 for about a hundred bucks. It's a real good mic to get started and you can use it for about anything.

Just don't carve up that Martin.
 
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