Thoughts wanted on best sytem for electrifying a Dread!!

[Misterkevster]

Just getting close to completing a Martin style Dread.....and thinking about pups!
....under-saddle, internal mic etc.....looking for acoustic sound, and don't need to sound like Hendrix

What would members put on their shortlist??

Kev

[Deleted]

If you haven't considered it, you could also get a 'standard' pick-up (whatever that means) and run it through a fishman aura or similar.
TT

[lexluthier]

Hi!
Going for an under-saddle pickup will kill the sound of a quality acoustic guitar and, IMO, doesn't sound very 'acoustic' when amplified anyway. Couldn't recommend anything else in all honesty, but I do know that much.
Chris

[cam]

I have the K & K mini system in my acoustics. I am happy with the sound and like the fact that there is no pre-amp so no battery required. You do however have to buy an external pre-amp, I use the Orchid muting DI box which does pre-amp and muting duties.

I fitted them in a couple of the guitars myself with little trauma

Cam

[obrienp]

I haven't tried the K&K but I have tried a few other systems and to date haven't found one that really sounds like an acoustic.

If you are planning to gig with it, I have had quite good results from a Fishman Rare Earth Blend. It seems quite feedback resistant despite the mic in the body cavity and the magnetic humbucker doesn't quack the way piezo pickups do. I have a Seymour Duncan Mag-Mic in my 12 strings and that does a pretty good job as well. Its harsher than the Fishman Rare Earth but it has 12 individually adjustable pole pieces, which is why I chose it for the 12 string.

I have just had a Baggs Anthem SL put in another acoustic and it is showing promising results but I think the mic is a bit feedback prone, so not great for loud gig environments. It has a pretty natural sound, if a ittle boxy.

I have also tried a couple of different Baggs under-saddle piezo pickups. They just don't sound good IMO. I hate that brittle quacking quality that piezos produce.

Like Deuce says, whatever you chose, you are probably going to have to use some sort of signal processing device to get it to sound like an acoustic. I use a Zoom A3, which is pretty good but probably not as good as an Aura. The Zoom has cost on its side and it is pretty versatile. It also allows you to connect a mic and blend it with the pickup signal.

In an attempt to simplify my pedalboard I recently bought the much hyped TC Electronics BodyRez - not sure about that one: still playing with it to try to get a decent sound. It is cheaper yet and really small, with just one control and a foot switch.

Hope the above ramblings help.

Slide on,
Pat

[Bob Stockton]

I've a couple of guitars with the K&K Pure pickups - they seem the most natural to me .....

Bob

[Misterkevster]

Thanks for comments fellas!

Has anyone had experience of the miniflex mic system?
www.miniflexmic.com/products/model_1.htm