Adding electronics

[MikerDougie]

I have an Epiphone Masterbuilt DR-500R and a Big Baby Taylor for a "Beater". Neither has electronics and I am now finding rare occasions that I need to be able to plug in (small, informal gigs). Questions: (1) Would it be better to replace the Big Baby with an inexpensive acoustic/electric or add electronics to the Epi? (2) If adding electronics, recommendations while considering that I don't want to make significant modifications (or screw up) the guitar (it's my baby).

[johbren]

I would suggest a K&K pure western mini

[Terry Allan Hall]

Install a good passive UST (only requires that you drill tiny hole in bridge slot and install a strap-pin jack) and keep the preamp "outboard" (a Baggs Para-Acoustic DI works great).

 

Virtually indetectable!

[coldfingaz]

I'd second both suggestions.... a K&K Pure Western and an LR Baggs Para D/I.

[athomas]

LR Baggs Imix is what I would recommend, but will cost little more money.

[DeepEnd]

You might also want to look at a good soundhole pickup like a Fishman Rare Earth or a Baggs M1. Either can be installed with an endpin jack with relative ease.

[guitarist21]

Here's another vote for the K&K Pure Western Mini. I have one in my Epi Masterbilt EF-500R (my baby) and putting it in doesn't require any major structural changes. It won't "screw up" your guitar but you might not be able to get any help from Epiphone if there's a problem with it. Not a huge loss, though; they're not exactly the best in the customer service world anyway.

 

Ellen

[garthman]

I'm a fan of the Headway Snake. Again, you just need a small hole in the bridge for the transducer and another where the bottom strap button goes for the output jack.

[Michael Martin]

The beauty of a soundhole PU is that you could move it from one guitar to the other as needed. There's been good things said on this forum recently regarding LR Baggs and Fishman soundhole PUs.

 

I just converted my Yamaha jumbo to A/E by putting in an LR Baggs I-Beam (like the K&K thing that others are recommending in this thread, it sticks to the bridgeplate). I like the sound very much--and much prefer it to the UST in my Tak for those moments when I get all smashy-bashy.

[J.]

I also prefer the soundboard transducers and magnetic pickups to UST types. I've always found that under-the-saddle pickups sound rather harsh.