acoustic guitar pickup

[Idylle Moon Dancer]

I'm looking for one that can come pretty darn close to the guitar's
natural sound, doesn't require any modification to the guitar, and
isn't more than ~$150, if such a thing exists. Or anything that
can faithfully reproduce the guitar's sound, I guess that's my top
priority. I want it so I can do some recording on my computer.
I tried a sound hole thingey by Dean Markley once and thought it was
crap.

[ProfessorGAC]

1. Fishman!

They are the gold standard for this sort of thing, and the prices have fallen in the last few years. Some of them are still really expensive and have to be professionally installed, but they make some very nice ones.

My friend has one on an archtop acoustic, and the thing made this old guitar come alive. You will, however, need the Fishman pre-amp to get the maximum benefit and be able to control feedback and tone at higher output.
The Professor

[Idylle Moon Dancer]

2. Aha!

A friend of mine also recommended Fishman. That and the little bit of
reading I've done on 'em tell me it's the way to go. Thanks!

Do you happen to know what model your friend used?

[ProfessorGAC]

3. No, But I'll Find Out For You

The Professor

[Pepperbelly]

4. I have a Fishman Neo-D ...

It fits over the hole but it really is easy to do. A small screwdriver and you're hooked up (I use a pocket knife with a little bit of the tip broken off :D ).

The only other thing I would note is that if it's going to be for recording, my feeling with it is that when I record using it, it doesn't quite get the presence of an acoustic guitar. Sure, it is easier to input the sound and it makes controlling the level a bit easier but it misses a lot of nuance in the sound.

The next time I use acoustic on my music, I'm going to try just miking it with a studio condenser mike. Get a bit of the pick noise and the brilliance of the highs.

Just my nickel's worth.

BTW, for my Neo-D, I paid around $90.

[Idylle Moon Dancer]

5. yes, I'd go with a mike if I thought I could get away with it

but I have nothing resembling a proper studio; just my apartment with
creaky floors and occasionally noisey neighbors, plus fan noise from
my computer.

[Pepperbelly]

6. You could definately do worse than the Fishman Neo-D.

I have before.

:scared:

Screwed up the filagree around my sound hole.

But the Neo-D is pretty easy to install, easy on the guitar, and sounds pretty damned good. It has a built in lead cord. Around $90.

[Pepperbelly]

7. Here's a snippet about the Neo-d

And only $70 now. :crazy:

http://www.music123.com/Fishman-Neo-D-Magnetic-Soundhole-Pickup-i100971.music

[Idylle Moon Dancer]

8. I looked over there

and the Rare Earth models caught my eye. Single coil or double?

[toddzilla]

9. get the rare earth humbucker..

great tone.

[Beaverhausen]

10. I use the Fishman but Sunrise is good too

http://www.sunrisepickups.com/

I have a Fishman in my Taylor. I also have to use the Fishman Pro EQ preamp because the pickup I had installed was passive, not active so it needs the volume boost. The preamp also has bass, middle and treble EQs and a "brightness"

My boyfriend has a Sunrise in his Tacoma. It sounds great as well.

[no name no slogan]

11. Fishmans are good. R.L. Baggs are as good but cost less

I've got a Fishman bridge transducer on my nylon-string flamenco guitar and it's fairly decent for a piezo-type pickup. I run it through a Yamaha AG Stomp acoustic guitar processor to give it a little more presence and to add a slight bit of 'verb and chorus to it.

You may want to check on R.L. Baggs, too. They've got several good products and are a little less expensive than Fishman, and sound just as good.

Also, I know Markley makes a wooden "dot" transducer that attaches to the guitar's soundboard for about $60. I've tried it, and it's not bad, considering that a) It's only $60, and b) by attaching something to the soundboard of a guitar, you are naturally limiting its tone.

Best of luck-- it's a bear trying to record an acoustic guitar when you live in a noisy apartment. :thumbsup:

[Idylle Moon Dancer]

12. Got one

I picked up a rare earth humbucker today and it's pretty darn good.
Occasionally it sounds sort of electric guitarish, but not bad; I'll
probably end up getting the preamp/EQ for it sort of soon.

Now, for the full installation of it: it looks fairly straightforward
if a little fiddley in some parts, but I'd have to buy a couple tools
that I'm not sure how much use I'd get out of otherwise. How much might
I expect to pay for a professional installation?