The removal of a Fishman pick-up

[hiddendriveways]

Hey-

I have a Fishman installed in my Guild acoustic guitar, and I'm sick of it. I've never really liked the sound it produces - my main gripe is that is sounds like a completely different guitar. I know I know, any pick-up will make it sound like a different guitar, but its sound is unacceptable. It's a great sound for a coffee-house neo-folk dynamo with a Nike sponsorship, but it's not for me.

Has anyone ever had one removed? Is it salvageable? Can I sell the thing afterward?

Also

What acoustic pick-ups are your faves? The guitar is a student sized all mahogany. It's my baby.

Thanks,
Sam

[kayagum]

Unless it's glued in, it should be plenty resaleable.

My favorite acoustic bridge pickup, bar none: McIntyre Feather pickups


Good selection here at Stewart McDonald

[heylow]

The Fishman is no issue to take out.

The only hangup is that your saddle will be lower. Your options would be to either get a new one put in, leave the element in there without the wire or install another similar piezo pickup.

That said....I have tried all manner of piezo pickups and I have realized that I just f@cking hate piezo/undersaddle pickups....I don't care what preamp gets used...I can't make it work for the kinds of sounds I like. I feel exactly like what you said about the neo-folk coffee shop dynamo nike guy.

As for my favorites, I have come to the conclusion that all are evil but we must choose the evils we can live with. I live best with magnetic pickups. My 2 all time faves right now....my gibson has a Sunrise with Sunrise Pre-amp Box and my Martin 00015 (all mahogany) has the DiMarzio Reference Acoustic DP139 in it.

Seriously...I like both a lot....I LOVE the DiMarzio....under a hundred bucks and it just sounds cool. I would have never tried one if it weren't for this page. It isn't particularly pretty but it has a great smooth sound and EQs nicely at the board/preamp/whatever.

That link is actually quite a great reference to a lot of systems.

Good luck.


heylow

[rolandk]

I have a Fishman single coil soundhole pickup in my D18 and love it to pieces for live gigs. Not very good for di recording though.

[GooberNumber9]

I was told at one point that the Taylor Expression system (which sounds crazy good to me) can be installed after the fact. Of course, it's possible you can only get it installed on a Taylor (I think they take the neck off and add a transducer in there). There's also a competing system from Martin (which I haven't heard). Fishman is still working with their piezo transducer and condensor mike system, and L. R. Baggs has some interesting stuff you might want to check out.

Todd Wilcox

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[craigb156]

Depending on what you like, of course...

I have a Tcoma built Guild with a K&K Pure Western that I love. I also have a Simon & Patrick with a Baggs passive m-1...the M1 needs a preamp of some sort or it's not all there...but it's quite good for a soundhole pickup.

K&K if the guitar is nice enough...it definately reflects the guitar...

Craig