Acoustic Guitar Pickups | How to CHOOSE and INSTALL

There are TONS of acoustic guitar pickup systems on the market. Dan and Blake show you how to install 3 of the most popular systems, the Fishman NeoD Magnetic Soundhole Pickup, The Schatten EP-01 Soundboard Transducer, and the L.R. Baggs Anthem SL. Practically no experience is necessary, and we even do a side-by-side sound comparison at the end.
Check it out!
0:00 Intro - 3 Great Pickup Options
0:57 Fishman Soundhole Pickup
2:01 Schatten Soundboard Transducer
06:14 L.R. Baggs Anthem System
10:00 Sound Demo
Items used in this video include:
Fishman Neo-D Magnetic Soundhole Pickup
www.stewmac.com/item/3255
Schatten Soundboard Transducer
www.stewmac.com/item/3914
L.R. Baggs Anthem SL System
www.stewmac.com/item/1661
Endpin Jack Reamer
www.stewmac.com/item/4323
Jack Installation Tool
www.stewmac.com/item/0107
StewMac Guitar Repair Magnet Set
www.stewmac.com/item/4640
3-Piece Inspection Mirror
www.stewmac.com/item/5124
Self-stick Wiring Clips for Acoustic Pickups
www.stewmac.com/item/0525
Pickup Clearance Gauges
www.stewmac.com/item/5988
- - - - - - - - - - - -
StewMac has everything you need to repair, build or maintain your guitars.
Everything we sell is backed by our Lifetime Promise, and we offer fast worldwide shipping.
Shop StewMac: www.stewmac.com
Instagram: @StewMac_Guitar
Facebook: StewMac

[@mikedandurand3548]

The expensive one sounds best to me but that sound hole pickup was very nice. With cost and ease of installation considerations that is the one for me. Thanks for yet another very interesting and informative video.

[@rayrivera1830]

Liked all three in their own way. The natural one with less hum was nice, also the clearity of the LR Baggs.

[@886014]

Excellent video. I'm always amazed at the clever tricks and jigs luthiers come up with the get an awkward task done quickly and accurately

[@thebreakfastmenu]

Man, I just love listening to Dan talk.

[@MyFortressConstruction]

You deserve way more than 221k views on this video. Fantastic videography and tutorial. I love the acrylic faced guitar so that you can see inside. You're a great teacher Mr. Dan.

[@dudehenchman]

K&K Pure Mini. Only pickup I've heard that makes an acoustic instrument sound like an acoustic instrument. Plus, no battery.

[@stewmac]

Agreed. That is a great pickup.

[@mattbeels]

Same!

[@TonyBacio]

Anyone has a link for the exact model?

[@dudehenchman]

@@doublewhopper67 I prefer that, no battery to die on you in the middle of a set. I personally used it for over a year, gigging nearly every weekend, without any preamp. I just ran it thru a DI and used the 3-band EQ on the PA. Sounded great! Eventually I paired it with the PureXLR preamp K&K offers. Gives you more control than onboard (because you have balanced XLR out of the preamp). I know multiple full-time musicians local to me who have swapped to this pickup. I wouldn’t rule it out JUST because of the no onboard controls. The main thing I use on the preamp is the phase switch and XLR out. My EQ is set-it and forget it unless something in my rig changes drastically.

[@steelhead197]

Without a pre amp it’s useless in real situations! 🤦

[@ianrose5505]

Thanks for the very useful install demo great work, LR baggs

[@cuillerierk]

Awesome video! I like the idea of how easily you can switch out the soundhole pickup, but the Anthem system sounds so smooth.

[@stewmac]

Totally. Advantages to both!

[@johnf514]

Wonderful video! Thank you for putting in the effort to create a clear top on the guitar so we could see what was going on underneath. Love your attention to detail 👍

[@stewmac]

That was 100% Dan's idea! Thanks for the comment.

[@vawcreations5887]

WHAT A WARM VIDEO ! LEARNED SOMETHINGS NEW. AND THANK GUYS.

[@rhoff7272]

This was a great video, i really appreciate the clear top guitar to help show installation

[@chrisruef9221]

My Seagal artist has the LR Baggs. It has a couple of dial controls, including a battery tester button. High low/bass treble and volume. Thankfully, it was installed at the factory in Canada

[@elluisito000]

I had one of those fishmann rare earth pickups in a 12 string guitar i had many years ago, they work awesome 👌

[@wneufeld416]

Great video. I could have used it way back when I installed the transducer pickup in my Dion. I don't remember the brand, but it used a solid orange band under the bridge. As my 78 Heritage uses a brass bridge, I think that helps keep the clarity of the acoustic sound, and have received a lot of compliments on it over the years. Didn't have any of those fancy tools for the install though, just a daughter with small arms. Keep up the great work.

[@mcad006]

Great instructions and sampling video!

[@terrycolley6482]

Thank you both, a really nicely done instructional video.🙏

[@lyonsson6480]

I went with a Bartolini 3AV magnetic pickup a while back for my old Yamaha workhorse. I permanently installed it with 500k volume and tone pots. I liked it so much that I installed one in my mandolin and then built a thinline Tele with only that pickup in the neck position!

[@sydrose13]

Dan's a treasure. Dan the man!

[@jipes]

Great demo

[@MrTom-Songwriter-Composer]

Really great video. I own and used the Fishman Neo-D out live in small to medium venues, and it does a really great job, I honestly have not noticed the 60 cycle hum that is referenced in the video when I play out live, but I'll keep that in mind. As a songwriter/composer under performance rights organization, BMI, Inc I write and record a lot of original commercially licensed instrumental music tracks, and the advantage with the soundhole pickup for recording music vice the transducer is there is no surface noise and a lot less string scratching as well.. especially for finger picking. I also use a "Fishman Platinum Stage" that is external power pre-amp when recording and I find that -5db on the mids and +5db on the Bass and Treble works really well for me.

[@9jmorrison]

I like the Schatten as well, thanks so much.

[@Agent_69]

Amazing video, great explanation!

[@BAsed_AFro]

Excellent video, thanks!

[@tubiak1]

What a great tutorial!! I know a lot now... thank you

[@davidelliott4089]

Great Video 👊😎

[@jonathanhandsmusic]

The magnetic sound hole is the easiest by far to use. It sounds good enough to me, but I’ve had one for years.

[@deniscrispin6865]

Thank you you have given me the clear winner and that's the lr baggs anthem is the one for me great video gentlemen 10 stars only wish you were located in Canada 🇨🇦

[@darrell3368]

Thanks for sharing and Gods blessings for you all

[@twobrotherskayaking4736]

Really good video for me as I was researching what to get for micing my Taylor. The last one I had was a Fishman under saddle that fed out the tail hole which was fitted for a regular jack plug. That was on a Taylor 810 Dreadnaught which was actually loud enough without amping it for most small to med venues. Loved the sound of that guitar and the Fishman really did it justice. I used a short cable to plug in a hand size preamp with L M H tone and vol which clipped onto my pants leather belt and then corded into an amp or house system. Have to say thought in your demo the L.R.Baggs definitely stole the show. Makes your Gibson sound good even through my cheesy computer speakers. Thanks again and I think I'm now leaning towards the L.R.Baggs as I like the sound and have no qualms about installing it myself...

[@gaymarquez8000]

Love love love the LRBaggs system

[@nicolmicah]

I've been using my LR Baggs Lyric (just the mic part of the anthem) on my D-18 style Gillander guitar. I'm lucky it has a sound port, makes it easy to change batteries without removing strings. AND the volume adjustment is a prettier tortoise plastic instead of the cream

[@pureblood5903]

Awesome, thanks guys.

[@vibesmom]

Always helpful, and always thorough. Thanks so much!

[@stewmac]

Thanks so much for tuning in!

[@vibesmom]

@@stewmac your videos are my go-to when I need to learn something! Your segments are very empowering, which is part of the joy of learning any new skill.

[@Deebz270]

To overcome the wide bridge saddle issue, one could solder two 'rope' piezos side by side or in opposition to each other... There are so many ways to amplify acoustic guitars, or even add acoustic piezo pickups to electric solid/semi/hollowbody guitars. But knowing how to solder is the key. I've found using a bridge piezo with a coil soundhole pup, via a mix/blend pot gives a good cross-range voicing. The soundhole pup I'm using currently is a Lace 'California'. . I'm currently designing an eight-channel piezo pickup for a vibrato style bridge. Each string saddle will have its own piezo and one 'rope' piezo embedded beneath all six saddles, with a further two 20mm disk piezos wired in parallel and situated between a brass sub plate and the base of the vibrato bridge thus making the eight channels. Each channel feeds via a two stage (op-amp) buffer, with 'preset' gain equalisation pots for each channel. the eight channels are then summed into either a mono or stereo output; in effect a mini mixer. Additionally, after the primary gain stage, eight channels can be 'tapped'-off the circuit and fed to an RJ45 (ethernet) socket, for additional output to a guitar synth unit.

[@Breakbeats92.5]

For my money I really liked the Fishman. Big and bright tone and the install is un-intrusive. The Baggs system would be great in a professional setting and the tone is just incredible.

[@qppain_killer44]

This is the best Tutorial

[@ianmartens5286]

Probably the LR Baggs is my favourite IMO but the Fishman was a great pickup too.

[@ia5662]

I feel exactly the same about that amazing LR Baggs Anthem SL - it's the pickup I went with for my Martin D-18 when it was demo'd by the Baggs channel. What an amazing sounding pickup. I think I may have screwed up and put the microphone further back towards the bridge pin holes, but that can always be reseated. I also didn't like the idea of my beautiful Martin's looks being spoiled by that cream colored sound hole plastic piece, so I mounted mine further back against a brace and I think it works out just fine. It's still close enough for me to adjust it if I ever need to. Best sounding acoustic pickup I've heard as well...

[@stewmac]

It's an incredible system - interesting idea about hiding the volume control!

[@simonhirstmusic]

Yeah, I mount my controls slightly further in to the body as well! It’s an aesthetic thing too, but it’s also functional because I’ve found, if you need to use a feedback buster on loud stages, they can end up in the way of the feedback buster slotting in 👌🏻

[@RyanChenMusic]

@@simonhirstmusic I just cut a notch in the feedback buster :) somehow doesn’t affect the feedback-busting ability all that much!

[@kevinsnyder4425]

Blake, I love your old Gibson lgo. ! I have one just like it - 1958 lgo, all original, plus the case ! It's too fragile, so when it does go out of the house, I put it in another case. I would add the sound hole pickup, cause I don't want to alter mine in any way. It sounds good enough for me. ! Thanks Dan & Blake - great video.! Dan's the man !

[@stewmac]

Those old Gibsons sound amazing. Enjoy!

[@judgetoogood1033]

That was awesome. I want to thank you very much. I will only buy Stewmac tools from now on. ❤❤❤❤❤

[@Mrsournotes]

I use a K & K mini on my HD28, with a slim endpin jack, so no drilling required. Also use an LR Baggs M1 on a ‘76 Guild D40. Did drill out the end pin hole. Both sound good, I prefer the K & K. Thank you for the great video fellas.

[@stewmac]

The K & K is a great system! We have a lot of folks around here that love it. Thanks for watching!

[@user-kp4cz4xt8v]

totally agreed. Also the built in preamp on the lr bagg is just not good enough and producing a lot of noise compared to the k&k transducer when used with external preamps. Plus more natural sound especially when you get the K&K trinity

[@kingrobert1st]

Cool! I just fitted a K&K mini in my 12 string. Sounds absolutely amazing. I think I made the right choice!

[@fenatic7484]

The Fishman passive single coil reminds me of the 30s blues men did when the dogear P90 came out, I think it was the Charlie Christian F hole guitars with the dogear. The blues men would tape the Dogear the sound hole and put a Jack where the strap button goes and hang the strap around the end of the Jack where the nut is and plug it in. Move the amp around to avoid the hum and go. The Fishman sounds so natural and bright. It’s easier to back the brightness off than to add it if you never had it. I love P90s, and if I were going to put one on my 12 string that would be the one.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The Magnetic Pickup is super cool

[@CarlWatkins]

Fun video! I personally use a Seymour Duncan Mag-mic. You get a nice adjustable single coil pickup paired with a mic. A knob for mixing the two sources and a knob for master volume. Get the ease of a non-permanent install and an active mic pickup. Would recommend checking it out to anyone looking to plug in their acoustic.

[@stewmac]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[@user-fx7mu6fi9z]

แปลไทย

[@lwoklidfr]

if I live in the same country as you I will definitely apply for apprenticeship, because I've watched some of your videos and its very informative.

[@GEMINDIGO]

Yes you guys certainly helped me understand and compare the various pickup designs.Thanks guys!!

[@Rocketsong]

These days my preference is either a K&K or JJB soundboard transducer (which has three transducers to the one on the Schatten. These give the most natural sound IMO. The only downside is that since transducers are passive, you may or may also need an external pre-amp or DI Box depending on the house system. If you have a long run to the house system a DI box with ground lift makes a huge difference.

[@Bean15_]

I like the soundhole and the transducer pickup sound. I think Fishman sells one where you can have both options on the same guitar. Makes for a lovely versatile instrument. now to save for one of those because it's very much out of my budget haha

[@frankb518]

Oh Wow! hands down the LR Braggs........ and I am completely non biased to any of the brands......... Great Review! Love the Tips and tricks! I live In Troy, N.y and just bought A New Guild DS-40 Western Collection. need to do some Mod tweaks and did not come with the Electronice which Is ok. For $500 it is A Great sounding guitar........ I have A Washburn 6 string Acoustic I bought 25 years AGo used and shortly after had a Martin Gold Plus Piezo installed On It...Sounds great out of My Fender Acoustaconic..

[@patrickpalmer3374]

Thanks guys

[@zakac17]

Thank you!

[@dayocandy]

i love the processes

[@philippehet]

Tks guys 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@enabledintergers9372]

the last pick up !!!!! was the best one !!! though he was using a heavy pick!!! the pick also is a huge part of the sound with a lighter pick you will get a brighter sound.

[@STRUMMERBOY1975]

For me it's Tranducer Pickup all the way .... And anything under the Saddle is a no go for me..... not because of the sound when its plugged in, but the Less Sound when playing unplugged.Thanks 4 the Video !! :)

[@josueflores4550]

you´re the best guys!!! for real!

[@stewmac]

Thanks for tuning in!

[@mikenoble5049]

Thanks

[@vadeking]

Very informative! Definitely prefer the LR Baggs.

[@madgeniusmusic]

There was no comparison at all was there?

[@michaelmenet2712]

@@madgeniusmusic Not at all. LR Baggs was the clear winner.

[@madgeniusmusic]

@@michaelmenet2712 wasn't it?

[@ZacCostilla]

I was really torn between the K&K Pure Mini and the Mojotone QuietCoil soundhole pickup for my Martin Custom Shop 0-15 12-fret. I chose the Mojotone because of the ease of installation and the fact it doesn’t need a preamp. I know the K&K doesn’t require one, but it doesn’t sound quite as good without it when you compare the tones.

[@axilleas]

One thing I will never do again is have a battery that needs to be fished out of a sound hole to be changed. It is one of the many reasons I love the Isys system on my guitar, there’s an externally accessible compartment for the battery. And of course if you need the guitar to look more vintage for whatever reason you could always go with either a passive sound hole pickup or a K&K/JJB/Journeytek type of thing.

[@joesmith4222]

I've been using my single coil Dean Markley wood pick-up in my rosewood Hohner for years. Sounds great, and don't have remove the strings to get it in and out.

[@stewmac]

Very nice! A convenient feature for sure.

[@1970sman]

Fishman do a Blend system (Mic + Sound hole) It's expensive but works very well. Used it live for over 18 years.

[@lyonsson6480]

Incidentally my least favorite was the passive piezo transducer, I’m stuck between the Fishman and the LR Baggs for a favorite.

[@fenatic7484]

I like the Fishman best. A 12 string it would really be bright and jangly. I’d like a mini humbucker, but the little Fishman reminds me of the way blues players put a P90 in the sound hole.

[@lyonsson6480]

@@fenatic7484I’m kinda leaning toward that one too.

[@MusicMike939]

Super cool video. LR Baggs sounded so great. They all did though.

[@stewmac]

Agreed - they all had a very unique tone.

[@domagojoinky8262]

I like LR baggs and soundhole pickup.

[@stuartmccrea]

JJB Electronics (USA) make great transducer pickups in single or multiple configurations. Wonderful natural pickup. I install the singles in my ukes, and just installed a double ($22.99) in my Gretsch Jim Dandy. Well worth a look. I used the Neo-D humbucker on my vintage Epiphone for years - really great, until another musician lifted the guitar while standing on the lead - killed the pickup but thankfully didn’t damage my guitar. The Neo-D pickup unit is completely sealed, so I couldn’t get into it to attempt a repair. Would definitely consider one again though.

[@stewmac]

Awesome! (except for the broken pickup..) Glad to hear you've found some great pickups for your ukes and acoustics 👍

[@KimchiSpringRoll]

LR Baggs blows my mind.

[@user-yx7dp2pl8t]

Loved this! Do you get scratch sound from the metal strings running your fingers accross them through the amplifyer? Thanks!

[@tungtobak]

I had the fortune to find a 60s DeArmond soundhole pickup for $100 on ebay a while back. I don't think the seller knew what they had. It now sits in my heirloom parlor guitar (Levin, a Swedish brand) bought in 1934 by my grandmother, handed down to my mother and then to me.

[@stewmac]

Very cool, indeed!

[@pauljenkins2501]

My "backup" guitar is a cheap Cort all laminate one. A magnetic soundhole pickup, with the cable gaffer taped to the outside of the guitar, is a surprisingly good sound source, considering how little the whole setup cost.

[@VicJo]

Thank you for giving me an idea, I should buy one.

[@lucavasconcellos]

Love my LG-0

[@christianboddum8783]

I had a Fishmann Neo-D humbucker, it had wayy too little output. I use an Artec soundhole humbucker that worked out a lot better (individual magnet height also).

[@systemaroc]

Thank you very much. this s really helpful. The sound-hole Fishman sounds great. It is also less intrusive.

[@deanalvarado6450]

IMO, the Fisherman soundhole pickup for the win. Crisp and clear like bells skipping across a clear lake. The other two pickups are more muddy or chucky muffle sounding for my ears at least.

[@erickleefeld4883]

L.R. Baggs also has a soundhole pickup that’s really good, the M1.

[@seanoxton5572]

Kind of surprised that I like the soundhole pickup the best in this demo.

[@johnkeith5341]

Great video guys. The fishman sounds better than the Schattman to me. The LR Baggs definitely wins out imo.

[@mrjefflive]

Would love to see the SD Woody XL, Behringer AP55 (active), and a SD Mag/Mic setups as well

[@jockjames86]

Fishman all the way sounds perfect

[@davereichert]

I used a Schatten HFN, I think it'd probably be better than the single element you showed, similar to the K&K Pure Mini that other people seem to love. As a Canuck, I like that Schatten is a Canadian company so that's why I went with it. Install wasn't so bad, I used the included putty, but I don't think I used quite as much as was shown in the video, it seemed a bit excessive, no?

[@glendoggett9670]

For the soundhole passive magnetic pre-wired pickup like the Fishman, do you recommend any on-board sound-hole mounted mini Vol pot that can be re-wired in line with an end pin jack for a more permanent installation?

[@leighnaehanley5492]

I like the L.R. Baggs one, too...but the sound hole one was comparable. I have less money, though so I would like to hear how the L R Baggs HiFi Acoustice Bridge plate pickup system sounds - it costs less than either of them. Thank you for this!

[@jed1166]

EVERY acoustic pickup has a weakness. So, my answer is to use multiple sources. I have a RainSong with an LR Baggs Stagepro Anthem factory installed. I have added a Seymour Duncan Mag Mic sound hole pickup, giving me 4 distinct sounding sources: the Element UST, magnetic humbucker, and two very different sounding internal microphones. Installed a new endpin jack for the Mag-Mic, use a 12” Y cable into a 1/4” mono cable. Only the magnetic is always 100%, hole the 2 mics and UST are blendable.

[@dlove1788]

I noticed on the Baggs Anthem system, when using the jig to install the mic pickup under the saddle, you put the jig in the d and e strings instead of the a and b strings. Was this intentional to reduce the bass input to the mic? Dan said to put the jig in the a and b slots, but the visual showed it going in the d and e slots. Love the videos. Always learning something.

[@picksalot1]

Though the Piezo pickup can sound very good when installed in the right location (I have one installed on a Nylon string guitar), they turn the entire guitar into a microphone. In a quiet setting, the results can be fantastic. But, I wouldn't recommend it for use in noisy environments. Sound Hole Pickups can sometimes interfere with picking and plucking, depending on where the pickup is located, and tends to make an acoustic sound like an electric guitar. The LR Baggs Anthem System sounded the best to me, and it avoids the potential problems I mentioned.

[@stewmac]

Great advice - thanks for the comment!

[@brianfulda]

As a fellow Gibson LG-0 owner, the Schattman actually sounded by far and away the most natural to me. It had the wooden mahogany tone you'd expect from that model of guitar. The Fishman and LR Baggs added their own sound into the mix, which I didn't like.

[@cindylowe]

GREAT VIDEO, I''m going with the soundhole PU, soldering would be a problem for me.

[@bricebowlin8834]

Buy you a cheap soldering iron and give it a shot. Don't be afraid. Unless you have something physically keeping you from doing so. It's not as hard as you think. Especially when you only have two connections to make and they're not crowded by other things, wires and such. I understand it looks quite daunting, but Watch you a few KZbin videos for pointers if you need and give it a shot. I believe youd probably be surprised, It's not that bad and actually kind of fun once you learn

[@musicauthority3516]

I agree with Dan Erlewine about the humbucker pickup. because I can't stand sixty cycle hum. and the fact that it's usually made worse by florescent lighting. it's why I don't like single coils on any guitar.

[@tjames6427]

I would choose the shattman because of the woody earthy warm sound . And seeing how the fischman Is brighter easy to install I would grab that too because having both is a win win

[@domagojoinky8262]

I have a Cort A6 gold acoustic with Fishman flex blend system. It sounds good for recording. I would like to buy a D6 and put aftermarket pickup in it because it does not have any.

[@jmtn67]

How long does the battery last in the LR Baggs system I’m thinking of fitting one to an old twelve string But don’t fancy needing to take all the strings off to get to the battery housing Could the battery section be fitted subtly to the guitars strap near the output Jack ?

[@hansmolders1066]

Oh gosh, the sound hole Pic was the best sounding one for acoustic sound! For my taste! If I want an electric sound I grab my electric guitar!

[@mscir]

Any chance you can show the frequency response of each pickup? Any chance you will review wireless pickups?

[@johnwhite5818]

Do you recommend steal strings for the sound hole pickup?

[@vikingbeard]

Good demo, thank you. It would be even better if he'd play the riffs unplugged first, so we could compare with the guitars natural sound.

[@stewmac]

Good idea.. next time 😎

[@johnhiscutt1853]

Try a K&K pure sound THE best👍

[@michaelmoenning6366]

Very informative video, I'm looking at used acoustics was afraid to buy one without a pickup already in it . Now I wouldn't be afraid to put one in myself, I like the the sound of the LR Braggs best I want it mainly to keep a tuner plugged into it will it work good with a tuner?

[@stewmac]

Glad it was helpful! And yes - any of them will work with a good pedal tuner. Have fun!

[@gerardozc80]

10:54 Nice Song

[@cover6360]

Good🤗

[@viniciusmila1991]

Soundgarden - Spoonman!!!