Pickups for Martin guitars?

[WhinyLittleRunt]

Just bought a DM model; obviously no electronics but I prefer it that way.

 

When I play live, I need something that will balance the tone nicely through the PA I use regularly. Any recommendations? I still have one of those Dean Markley pickups (forgot the model, light wood color) from about 12 years ago that I could use but I have a feeling it isn't that good since I could afford it when I was 15...

[AugTPD]

What type of live situation will you be playing in? Depending on if it is a full band or simply acoustic situation will make a big difference on what recommendations I would give you.

[Space_Nugz]

I'm in a similar situation. Could you recommend pickups for both situations, full band and solo acoustic?

[min7b5]

My first choice would be to mic it-I like the Audix i5 on my Martin. But I also have the K&K Mini in that guitar in case I need more volume, which is rare. The K&K Mini is the best single pichup I've heard, but it's still a pickup.

[AugTPD]

In a full band situation most folks either go with an undersaddle or magnetic soundhole pickup. Both options are less prone to feedback than other options. The downside is that they sometimes don't sound exactly like your guitar. The tone they give does tend to "cut through" the mix of a full band nicely though. For undersaddles some of the most popular are the Fishman Matrix and L.R. Baggs Element.

 

In solo acoustic situations pickups like the K&K pure western (sound board pickups that mount inside the guitar under the bridge) are popular. They are more likely to feedback at higher volumes but provide a much more realistic acoustic tone.

 

There are also a lot of dual and even triple source systems out there that mix undersaddle, sound board, and microphone signals. They tend to be quite expensive though.

 

There are some other folks on the forum that have much more knowledge on the subject than me but that's a start.

[Space_Nugz]

Cool, I'll check some of these out (and probably buy the cheapest one )

[WhinyLittleRunt]

My live situation is usually solo acoustic at a bar that can get noisy, and then at a smaller venue that is dead quiet while the musician performs- so I'd want the best pickup that a. doesn't alter the sound of the natural guitar, and b. doesn't have to mount permenantly. I'm more concerned with the quieter venue because that's where people will get the best experience.

[tommyld]

If you're running into a PA and want to stick with something similar to your old Dean Markley, but better sounding, I'd suggest and LR Baggs M1.
(If you run into a mixer before hitting the PA, the passive model is fine; otherwise, you might want to try the active version.)
I think it's the best you can do with a soundhole pickup, and not a bad choice. Pretty natural sounding and easy to use.

Then there are the typical undersaddle choices.

My acoustic has the LR Baggs iMix onboard (you can get the iMix with an onboard pre-amp or a more hidden version that still has the pre-amp but fewer controls). The iMix is a combination of an undersaddle transducer and a bridgeplate transducer, that gives you the option of using either or blending both. I find that it gives all the options needed to tailor your sound and that it's the most natural and easy to use pickup system I've tried.

[J.]

The LR Baggs M1 is the best magnetic soundhole pickup for the money. It smokes pickups like the ProMags and the Fishman Neo-D, although it is more $$$ than those bargain pickups.

[WhinyLittleRunt]

I definately go through a mixer before the PA so I guess I can stick with the passive stuff if I have to. I'm going to check out the LR Braggs stuff ... thanks

[57GLDTP]

K&K Pure Western Mini. I've got one in my D41. Used to have an undersaddle
Piezo in that guitar & never liked the mid quack that Piezos always give me.

I use a Fishman Platinum EQ outboard preamp & an ErnieBall volume pedal
& have never had any issues w/ feedback while playing alone or in full band.

I love the K&K. I put them in my Larrivees as well.

57GT:)

[guitarhound]

Another vote for K&K. I have the pure western in my 96 Gibson SJ and always have folks telling me how natural and warm my sound is....thru anything. I've heard that at high volumes feedback can be a problem but I've not had any problems even with a medium loud band on a big stage.