How to Choose an Acoustic Guitar Pickup?

For many guitarists, the question of sound amplification of an acoustic type guitar is covered with a veil of mystery and misunderstanding. While companies such as Fishman and LR Baggs are producing new acoustic technology, a number of guitarists still prefer the proven technique of stage microphones. They perfectly reproduce sounds of an acoustic nature, but they can have feedback if used simultaneously with special stage monitors. Therefore, a pickup is a great and useful tool. Let's try to figure out what acoustic guitar pickups are, how to choose them, how to install them.

If we talk about what kind of device it is, then it is a device that transforms the vibration energy of the strings into an electric current. In the case of an acoustic guitar, which has a very melodic and lively sound, it is often not heard at concerts. There are 2 options for solving this problem.

• Place the microphone closer to the strings. But with a microphone, the guitarist cannot even step back a couple of steps. And such a technique is unreliable due to the fact that a hum is formed in the speakers during the performance of a track. Although recently, wireless models have appeared.
• Use a pickup. These devices are small in size and built into the case. Instruments that are equipped with such a device are called electro-acoustic. They can pick up, amplify and record even the smallest string vibrations. And it is the widest range of frequencies that can be recorded that will be one of the most important advantages.

It should be said that guitar pickups can be different. They can be divided into 2 large groups:

• passive and active;
• according to the principle of action.

Let's try to figure out what are the features of each of the categories, and what devices are presented there.

The considered devices can be divided into passive and active. The first models are a device that does not amplify the signal. These are most often referred to as a magnetic pickup. Such a device is characterized by a disadvantage - the dependence of the electrical indicators on the characteristics of the connected external devices, as well as the cables and noises that are aimed at them. At the same time, such devices have an important advantage - they do not need an additional source of energy for operation.

A feature of the work of active models of pickups can be called the fact that pre-amplification is performed by electronics, which is already built into them. It also enables the transmission of high power signals to the transmission line.

On this basis, pickups are:

• magnetoelectric;
• piezoelectric;
• in the form of special microphones.

A magneto-electric or electromagnetic pickup works in the same way as an electric guitar pickup. The only difference will be in the work in a different frequency range. Installation of such devices is carried out in a hole in the top deck very quickly and easily. By the way, removing the device is no less easy, which will be important for those who do not need to constantly use such a device. This category of pickups can only be used on guitar models equipped with metal strings. For ordinary ones, they will not work, because the strings there are made of nylon.

The piezoelectric pickup began to be used for acoustic guitar sometime in the 1970s. This became possible due to the achievement of a wide range of dynamic type signal and more or less normal sensitivity. The principle by which the piezoelectric pickup works is based on the fact that with the help of the peculiarity of the piezo crystal, it is possible to transform the vibrations of strings of a mechanical nature into an electric signal. This principle is at the heart of a number of alarm systems that respond to glass breakage in a showcase or window. It is due to the piezoelectric effect that you can get a sound that will be as close to acoustic as possible.

The advantage of such pickups is that feedback is less likely to occur. And the disadvantages can be called not very natural sounding character. The reason is the removal of vibrations only from the deck and the absence of removal of air vibrations in a resonator-type hole.

The third category of such devices is dedicated microphones. Their use allows you to provide the most realistic sound. But at the same time, they are very susceptible to backward communication and can get turned on.

Structurally, they are external and internal. The first category of devices, where the microphone is detachable, produces a cleaner sound, but encounters resonance and distortion effects when playing 3- and 5-string, and is also more prone to "wind up".

Models with a built-in microphone produce a more even sound because the sound waves are constantly reflected inside the deck. For this reason, these microphones are rarely used alone. Usually they are used in addition to the main subwoofer, which allows you to get a sense of surround sound. They work great in a duet with piezoelectronics.

The only advantage of this category of devices will be better sound transmission, if there is high-quality equipment and a good sound engineer. And if we talk about the disadvantages, we should mention the high probability of feedback, the high cost of microphones and a large amount of interference and noise.

So which is the best option? There is still no unequivocal answer to this question, because each person has his own preferences and goals that he wants to achieve. But a number of tips will help you make the right choice:

• overhead piezo pickups, which are also called "tablets" in the common people, are suitable for beginners and those who are not too picky about the quality of the guitar sound;
• the use of a microphone for sounding is always accompanied by the appearance of feedback problems and the presence of unnecessary noise and frequencies;
• if we talk about cut-in piezo pickups, then their price will be higher than similar devices, their advantages can be called invisibility, good transmission of the depth of the sound of an acoustic-type guitar due to the reaction to both string vibrations and vibrations of the soundboard;
• the most popular models of acoustic pickups for guitars are piezoelectric - this is the most balanced solution, which allows you to get an enhanced natural sound of the mentioned category of guitars at a fairly low financial cost;
• A number of professionals combine a piezo pickup in the bridge area and an internal microphone in the deck to get the most spacious and realistic sound possible.

Now let's try to figure out how to connect an acoustic-type guitar pickup. It would be best to put such a homemade type mechanism above the hole in the body under the strings. The cores should be located under each string in close proximity to them. To fix them stably, you can use electrical tape.

If we are talking about ready-made solutions, then they should be selected for a specific guitar model. As already mentioned, magnetoelectric pickups can only be used with strings that are made of metal. Their installation, like homemade ones, is carried out under the strings. Piezos of the "tablet" type are usually attached with Velcro where it is convenient. That is, there are no problems with fixing both outside and inside.

After installation, you will need to configure the operation of such a device. This does not require removing the strings. Magnetic pickups are usually fine-tuned to regulate the signals that come from the pickups. In addition, each core is adjusted by lifting and lowering with a key. This is done to obtain the required string spacing. This type of setting is not possible on a number of models due to the fact that the cores are hidden inside the device case.