Martin Guitar Pickup Shootout - Fishman Vs. L.R. Baggs

Same guitar, different pickups.
Using the Martin OM18E, Dave shows you the difference in tone between the Fishman Aura VT Enhanced System and the L.R. Baggs Anthem System so you can decide which pickup you want on your next Martin Guitar!
Fishman Aura VT Enhanced System
Without Enhanced - 1:16
With Enhanced - 2:29
L.R. Baggs Anthem System
Under The Saddle Piezo - 4:46
True Mic on Bridge Plate - 5:13
50% Under The Saddle Piezo and 50% True Mic on Bridge Plate - 5:34

[@Rod.dodger]

Yes Jeff! Nothing irritates me more than so many of these acoustic guitar reviews where they don’t just strum away on your typical open chords. A lot of these reviewers are too busy trying to impress us with their skills.

[@soundknight]

If this impressed you then you haven't seen much.

[@TheLSR]

Youre right

[@oldpicker49]

people leave happy hour then do a video

[@Fenderstratosphere98]

Nobody takes the time to write this out unless they’re jealous.

[@jeffbateman2339]

Too bad he couldn’t have tried playing a few chords, or maybe tuning the second guitar...?!?!

[@eliemusic93]

I was just going to write the same thing you wrote

[@ooniak36]

Agree. Guitarists do care how chords sound and picking. A pickup might sound okay from the plucking technique used string but bad from chords or picking.

[@arnieg65]

These are both great products, they just pick the wrong person to showcase them, no chords or playing through the neck to show how the mics really pickup sound...

[@cameroncook3863]

I think for a finger picker finesse player the Fishman. For a glorified chord strummer ( like me ) I'd go with the LR Baggs

[@user-li1gj9mh5v]

I like LR Baggs sounds

[@markmartin3221]

Tommy Emmanuel uses the piezo mic system on his Matons which are not Martin(nothing is) and he does chords, single note runs and a great use of harmonics and of course percussive use. Martins are great so only the LR Baggs should be paired. I agree with many the demo definitely could have better, however, kudos for at least playing the same thing to truly getting a true comparison. Thanks for the post

[@StigPrice]

Tommy emanual uses a fihsman ap5 pro system which uses 3 pickups..under saddle piezo... under bridge transducers and microphone... Mike dawes uses 4 pickups.... a microphone... a dimarzio black angel sound hole pickup and bridge plate pickups...and then a transducer about 2 inches in from the edge of the 10 o'clock position from the soundhole... Piezos on their own sound like shit.

[@MrMd5555]

How about an open e chord big hard strum or a G. Obviously he's got a particular style but a standard tuning G major or E is pretty much the base line standard for most players to evaluate the basics

[@NormenGoltz]

Please tune it next time! (Second guitar)

[@kentchandler8177]

Nice job and good review. To me the Aura VT Enhance had a little more punch than the Baggs Anthem.

[@JohnKenneymusic]

would be good if he would strum to pic up the mic sound oh well

[@joshfeatherstone8546]

Both sound good but please tune the second guitar with the LR Baggs

[@twg2984]

So like I thought, go with the baggs as always

[@clintwhite3021]

On stage trying to cut through a mix and wanting your solos to stand out you'd probably want to go the Fishman. Ive had a stagepro anthem and could never get a nice warm midrange poke, had it in 2 different OMs, always had to crank the desk mids up. Sold it on and actually prefer my $20 Chinese fishman 301 mic blend.

[@twg2984]

@@clintwhite3021 respectfully I disagree. I have a baggs pickup with a baggs compression pedal and a reverb and can get a very warm sound if I want or I can cut through the mix in a live setup. I’d suggest a boost pedal or someone running sound for you if you have that option. But in the end, If you’re happy with your sound, that’s all that matters.

[@clintwhite3021]

​@@twg2984 yea compression will help :). Definitely with outboard tone shaping you could get it to sound however you like also. I also wondered if my Stagepro anthem was faulty because it just didn't have clarity. It was always way too bright and scooped with no weight behind solo notes. IIRC the treble was centred around 10k when it should have been 5-8k and then let the mic handle the 8khz+. Anyhow I actually use a K&K style (JJB) run through that side mount preamp I mentioned and I also have some mic blend for percussion. Sounds great to me. Glad you have your sound :)

[@Gr8Layks]

This is a comparison I’ve been waiting for...but it could’ve been sooo much better than this. I’ve been holding off on an OMC-18E because I cannot find one with a Baggs Anthem. I thought about compromising w/ the Fishman...but won’t.

[@mcdee56]

They were offering the Anthem on the OM's about 1-2 years ago.

[@1viccar]

In my ears, the Anthem is much better than these two.

[@docpearson]

Outstanding review.

[@TheSamShow20]

I hate the piezos but the Baggs sounds a lot more like an acoustic guitar then the Fishman

[@jaredcaldera]

Wow just the tru mic alone is soooo cleaaan

[@SouthernFryd]

Why can't anyone strum chords anymore?

[@jimmycollette9209]

I have both pickups and by far the lr baggs works better for me. I'm a church player and need a softer blend plus you can know your battery level. I have the fishman in a martian hd-28 and the lr baggs in a martian d-35.

[@mr.yellowstrat3352]

Wow, you have a Martian? 👽

[@jimmycollette9209]

@@mr.yellowstrat3352 actually I have two. A d-35 and hd-28 plus a Gibson j-45. All a joy to play.

[@edwardgordon4309]

I hear those Martian guitars are out of this world 🤣

[@longtalljay]

Fishman Aura: starts with the standard piezo quack. Nothing Martin about that sound. With enhance, still as quacky. LR Baggs: With piezo, still quacky. With mic, definitely warmer, still not "true" mic-like sound. Baggs wins, bit still not worthy of my D-35. Might have to get a DPA 4099.

[@zacksovine6923]

I have 2 D35s and one HD35. My baby is a 1967 and I spent a lot of time searching for the right pickup and went with the LR Baggs Anthem SL. It has served me well and sounds phenomenal. I've had musician friends hear it at a show ask to play it just to go home and sale their D28s then go look for D35s. A few sound guys, a producer and a few friends have asked to use it in the studio they mic'd it and recorded it plugged in to blend it. I've seen go just plugged in too. Baggs has a newer one out that you record your guitar with your phone and I suppose it copies that sound. And btw I dislike the HD35. I think it sounds too muddy and not nearly as articulate and responsive as the standard. Anyone else?

[@jackbandel]

Why is this guy playing that same annoying riff over and over? How about strumming some open chords so we can hear more than 2 strings. Geez. So annoying

[@butchd18]

The whole thing sounds terrible but definitely lr-baggs pickups are superior not judging by that rubbish

[@jasper_north]

Same Ass music?

[@MoistureMagnet]

LR Baggs fan all the way. Very VERY disappointed that Gibson put the fishman pickups in the j185 and the j200 studio.

[@EternalRecursion]

Have a Martin HD-28 with the Fishman Aura VT Enhance system - with a lot of playing and dialing, I found a good sound. Bottom line is, like everyone else, I find that none of the internal systems is capable of giving the sound of the guitar properly mic'd with a good microphone. What the Aura VT Enhance system does, is it uses a high resolution Impulse Response recording of the instrument and plays THAT sound when the guitar is plucked or strummed. The Enhance control dials in however much you want of the bridge plate pickup, and the sounds are blended. It's acceptable. From all the different things I've tried and listened to, I think the LR Baggs Lyric through a really good Parametric EQ would get closest to the real thing.

[@dinoparton6598]

The other thing that bugs me is when they review the guitars though a mic. And we don’t get to hear how the pickups sounds.

[@GlenAtPromoOnly]

Both sounded pretty quacky. Can't understand why anyone would prefer that when a Fishman Aura can translate ANY piezo signal into a stunningly realistic acoustic guitar sound.

[@LukeHoward1801]

50 50 LR baggs all day

[@OscarBenben]

Fishman piezos are robotic craps compare to LR Baggs piezos. Don’t know which quartz are used but they are a BUNCH Better !!!

[@JerryHoward88]

Wow, the LR Baggs sounds way better to me. I hate the Fishman sound.

[@krubosh]

Did you just learn that riff or something? Just play some damn chords, man!

[@joemanganese]

How to play on a Martin still thinking it is a Telecaster, and no idea of what is really needed for the demo. Time wasted.

[@ThrivingHopeMinistries_]

I wish he would’ve done strumming too...

[@rustbeltgypsy3713]

Wished you would have played the crap out that guitar a little bit , geez Louise..I know I do not sit and pick/pluck the strings all day at a show or otherwise. Dang it!!!

[@joemanganese]

Unbelievable, get someone capable of playing and tuning.

[@arnold2it]

Fishman is so much more sparkly . I bought martin with LR Baggs and I don’t like it.

[@MashaT22]

I agree. The Fishman had more dynamics and character. I have a Fishman Sonitone, which is piezo with sound hole preamp. It’s a great pickup. For most acoustic guitars, a Fishman will pair beautifully. The LR Baggs is better suited to a darker guitar - like Slash picked this pickup for his Signature J45 when the rest of the Epiphone J45 lineup has Fishman Sonitone pickups. This LR Baggs is in the Epipbhone, and it’s likely in the Gibson Slash J45 as well. I tend to still prefer the Fishman, but the LR Baggs definitely sounds great with this particular guitar. I can understand why Slash wanted it on his Signature.

[@davidrussell8918]

Is it his playing style, but to me hes not doing either system any justice,sounds like $49 guitar.

[@pcorcoran100]

I want to hear some good hard rhythmic strumming. That's what a lot of people play live and with a band.

[@kalvino67]

Exactly. When you demo this sort of gear, that’s the first thing you should be doing, and always in standard tuning.

[@ebookpioneers]

Sheesh, almost ANY pickup will do for silly strumming.

[@MikaelLewisify]

I wouldn’t suggest either unit in an electric band scenario. The mics are just so sensitive to feedback from other loud instruments. These units are really designed for solo acoustic or for all acoustic bands (bluegrass) and are really not intended for use with drums or electric guitars.

[@ebookpioneers]

@@MikaelLewisify It's VERY difficult to get an Anthem to feedback.

[@jamesryan662]

So far the best pick up is isolo choice wireless syatem. That can pick the most natural sound. It is just my favorite mic to have one. Unfortunately, I still canr purchase it.😂

[@simplespotter4016]

can i get some open chords?!geez

[@musiktrio]

LR Baggs sounds better

[@Audiomonkscollective]

I love LR..

[@lokaguitar]

the guy dont know how to test guitar pick up hahahaaa

[@robertdilano9733]

fishman blows lr baggs out of the water hands down

[@30smsuperstrat]

Niether sounds like an acoustic guitar.

[@greghall7640]

Both sound like quack piezo crap. What’s with the AC/DC riffs. I know they sound better than this I’ve had them both.

[@xtheunknown6717]

LRBaggs 1+

[@whatscooking5983]

Hard to compare the pickups with your finger style song. I wish you could have just strum the guitar

[@Soccernz007]

If I was a beginner, not only would not buy any of these guitars (and they are great guitars).... I'm about to blow my brains out!!! Terrible review. Worse I've seen on youtube!!! What style was that? Cathowl!!

[@Fgunja]

it was 2018 when he made this video...

[@zachary1657]

Disgusting

[@telee19]

Not the best review, for already stated reasons (playing repertoire) but also the apples to oranges comparison of different pickup systems

[@adnap]

FAIL. FAIL. FAIL.

[@TheLSR]

Another reviewer who shows their irritating composition. Why dont you just strum it.

[@jackbandel]

Wow. What an annoying review. Would rather listen to The Hanson’s

[@lawrencegenereux8567]

The Hansons? Now you're talking. 💩

[@fostervf16]

Please don't tell me this guy works for Martin. This sucks.

[@larryd73]

Sounds terrible

[@brianszuch6774]

is that all you cam play Very annoying

[@AboutThings_byTarif]

Good idea for a video. Horrible execution. I think you should watch some video comparisons from other channels for inspiration on how it's done.

[@domichael121]

Damn... that’s some annoying sounds

[@greystone2880]

Sounds absolutely terrible. What an awful demo.

[@chai1914]

Please don't do reviews anymore, better go sell guitar or whatever, because with this pathetic review, nobody will buy these pickups n also u r doing a disservice to the good brands of the pickups.