B-Band A1N-1470
Submitted at: 8:51, 11/12/2005
Product Info
Pickup features: Electret Soundboard Transducer
Impedence or other specs:
Price Paid: Euro 90
Purchased from:
Instrument
Model of guitar or bass: Lakewood M32
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Fingerstyle
Reason for pickup change: Got no pickup on this guitar and wanted no changes at the bridge (holes etc.)
Sound
Perceived output level: very good - not too hot - not to low
Tone: balanced, if you use an EQ to cut below 120 Hz
Sonic evaluation: I use my Lakewood M32 to go directly into the PA mixer. The sound is very natural, not as trebly as some piezos, with very pleasant highs. I think itīs not as feedback resistant as most piezos, but at "normal" sound levels I donīt have any problems if EQed as described above.
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: mostly Fingerpicking, some Strumming
Overall Rating
Comments: Playing for 15 years. I also own a Martin HD 28 with Fishman piezo PU . The AST produces the most natural acoustic sound and I will probably buy another one for the Martin. If destroyed I definitly would buy this thing again. It really reproduces the sound of my Lakewood, without the need to make big changes on the guitar. I only had to widen the endpinhole and stick the ultra-light-weight AST Pickup on the bridgeplate. I have built a black box to phantom-power the pre amp - no battery inside the guitar!
Very good acoustic sound, minimal changes in the guitar, low price - for me this is the ultimate acoustic-guitar-pickup.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this pickup a: 10 Fantastic value
Submitted at: 22:22, 4/27/2005
Product Info
Pickup features: Acoustic Soundboard Pickup
Impedence or other specs:
Price Paid: US $130
Purchased from: musicians friend
Instrument
Model of guitar or bass: Martin D=35
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: Many
Artists using this pickup: Me
You musical style(s): All
Reason for pickup change: New
Sound
Perceived output level: N/A
Tone: Tinny
Sonic evaluation: Tried it on a fender blues junior. Sounded like crap.
Tried it straight into a mixer. Sounded like crap.
Recorded a sound byte. Replayed it sounded like crap.
Tried EQ'ing it till the cows came home. Sounded like crap.
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: All
Overall Rating
Comments: Got this pickup today. I was very optimistic. It got good reviews in both Acoustic Guitar magazine and in this forum. Installed it, not too much of a problem. Took an hour or so. Plugged it in and played a chord and cringed. Surely that sound couldn't of came from my beautiful D-35 Martin? Tried plugging it into several other amps, mixers, recording apparati etc. Still sounds like hell. Not sure what's going on. I followed the instructions to a "T". I'm an engineer, I'm good at this sort of thing. This pickup just does not represent the natural sound of an acoustic guitar at all. I'd like to take this oportunity to thank all the people in this forum that gave it a positive reveiw for making me waste $130 on this worthless pile of crap. I'm going to attempt to return the thing if I can. It is of absoloutly no use to me. Please somebody tell me, does a pickup exist for an acoustic guitar that makes an acoustic guitar sound like an acoustic guitar? Or is this just a pipe dream and something that pickup manufacturers try to sell us on? I almost bought the LR Baggs I-beam. I'm wishing I had.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this pickup a: No Opinion
Submitted by: johnebravo <johnpetraborg@yahoo.com>
Submitted at: 9:35, 4/8/2005
Product Info
Pickup features: Active Acoustic Soundboard Transducer
Impedence or other specs: special pre-eq'd endpin
Price Paid: US $99.00
Purchased from: www.shorelinemusic.com
Instrument
Model of guitar or bass: Larrivee OMV-03
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: i dunno
You musical style(s): acoustic worship guitar
Reason for pickup change: no change, just no pickup
Sound
Perceived output level: very hot - but it's an active system
Tone: With eq set flat- hot and very trebly
Sonic evaluation: I plug it through a passive di box into church PA system. You have to roll off the treble a good bit to get a great tone. Nice warm bass, very clear highs. It really sounds like a condenser- you have to be careful- it picks up your every movement (finger squeak, etc.) Sounds just like my guitar; no piezo 'quack'- made out of electrofet film or something like that. Also, use a soundhole cover (like a lute or a feedback buster)and save yourself a headache with all that woofy feedback. Installation is not hard- there is no soldering required and my endblock was predrilled for electronics; you do have to read the directions and be patient. The hard part is working in the confined spaces of an acoustic guitar with big hands and big arms. I'm sure somebody has some tips for making this a little easier, i just don't know what they are.
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: praise and worship/ acoustic pop. Great match.
Overall Rating
Comments: I've been playing for 18 years, both professionally and semi-professionally. I own several guitars and basses, Fender, Rickenbacker, a Martin, 2 Larrivees. I am very happy with this pickup. It sounds great.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this pickup a: 9