acoustic pickup help

[agr]

Hey i'm looking to buy an acoustic pickup. I play an epiphone AJ-18SN, with a solid spruce top (if that makes a difference to anyone). I want to get a pickup with the best sound (natural) that i can for under $100. Any suggestions?

[WFTurner]

I have the Epiphone PR5E and love it and the pickup system that's in it. Perhaps contact the company and see if they sell the system out right.

According to the card I got with it it's called

"Shadow" if memory serves me right.

[Outrider]

I just installed a Dean Markley "Sweet Spot" under-the-bridge piezo in my Washburn 12-string. It sounds pretty good and the installation was pretty straightforward (yet more than a little nerve-wracking...drilling holes in my guitar...) I got it for like $35 on eBay.

 

It doesn't have a preamp, but sounds as good as most pre-amped electro-accoustics I have heard. There's no ugly pickup stuffed in the sound hole, which looks nice. Best of all, there's NO FEEDBACK (normal use). I have stood directly in front of my amp playing loud and had no problems.

[Dak Lander]

Originally posted by Outrider:

I just installed a Dean Markley "Sweet Spot" under-the-bridge piezo in my Washburn 12-string. It sounds pretty good and the installation was pretty straightforward (yet more than a little nerve-wracking...drilling holes in my guitar...) I got it for like $35 on eBay.

 

It doesn't have a preamp, but sounds as good as most pre-amped electro-accoustics I have heard. There's no ugly pickup stuffed in the sound hole, which looks nice. Best of all, there's NO FEEDBACK (normal use). I have stood directly in front of my amp playing loud and had no problems.

This is all good. I have one in my old Yamaha Fg150. It was a pretty simple installation. It does take a couple of days to settle in and start sounding right, at least in my experience. I originally had it running under .010-.084 strings. I'm on .011-.050 now & it's changed for the worse. I would watch that.

I also run the Fishman Rare Earth Single Coil pickup on a Guild. It's a bit over $100.00 but is a nice pickup. It is very hot so you will have to watch your input levels.

Also, contact Dave Wendler at OZARK INSTRUMENTS for one of his acoustic pickups.

[DC]

Martin/Fishman makes a system I've got in one of my guitars. It's an under saddle pickup and a pre amp attached to an end pin jack. You've gotta drill a small hole for the cord to go through the top in the saddle slot and drill another hole where the end pin jack comes out but it works well and sounds great.

[Dave da Dude]

I've got a Duncan "in-hole" pickup (fits in the sound hole) for my Martin D-18. It sounds just like the Martin (isn't that the idea?), requires no drilling and can be removed in less than a minute (less than five seconds or so when you really get used to it.) It has a volume control built into the round pickup (it's kinda shaped like a roll of lifesavers). I think I payed about $50 about fifteen years ago or so.

 

I expect that any of the major brands make decent ones. It becomes a matter of what features you like. I wanted to not modify my guitar at all and to be able to take it out whenever I wanted.

 

Good luck with whatever you choose, Dave.