What pickup actually sounds like an acoustic guitar? GUITAR SHOOTOUT!

#acousticguitar #shootout #comparison
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[@willweatherhead3115]

Man that was brutal! They all sounded so good acoustically and no good with the pick up.

[@joefitz7912]

es verdad...

[@seans.8487]

Was hoping he'd A---->B the KNA ap-1 to mic. Considering something for a nylon string.

[@giovannivicari8615]

so sad is there any other pickup out there that would sound better than those? I can't play only with a mic on stage, as it always ends up being too soft or too feedbacky

[@brechtdebaene]

@@giovannivicari8615 try a maton guitar with their AP5 pro system. its the best i've heard so far.

[@jeremyversusjazz]

Yeah even the zoom mics sounded WAY better than all of em…was hoping the kk would sound good but it looks like im buying a mic. Original owner of a 90’s taylor 512 but rarely played it until recently and immediately hit the acoustic DI tone wall with the fishman i had installed 6 years ago. Time to take it out and get a mic. Thanks for this video.!

[@jeffreydarling2376]

I installed an LR Baggs Lyric in my Alvarez Yairi DY61 and, if plugged into a decent PA or amp, it represents the sound quite well. Very happy with it.

[@BunkerProductions]

I have 3 of the lyrics and love them

[@dalonergan]

Great comparison Jeremy. K&k sounded closest to a mic’d sound to my ears. I was pretty surprised how close the plugged in acoustasonic sounded to a mic’d acoustic.

[@davidkyle5552]

Absolute proof that pickups are completely pointless in high end acoustic guitars.

[@brendancurtis7848]

How so?

[@nickzav]

​@brendancurtis7848 you're not going to be able to hear the complexity of tones that a high end acoustic has unplugged. There really isn't a good acoustic guitar pickup out there. The best bet is an external mic like the old bluegrass guys. If you're going to buy an awesome high end guitar, don't slap a bunch of electronics inside that interfere with how the top would naturally reverberate. For live play with a pickup, a playable mid quality guitar is a better work horse.

[@davidkyle5552]

Exactly

[@daggad02]

@@nickzav Agree ! Still understand why people mics high end guitars, as the feel and playability is also a factor. But the only way to hear the wonderful sounds of a great acoustic is clean.

[@Mr.Goldbar]

Unless you wanna use one live :)

[@paulheartsongs]

Hey Jeremy, thank you for sharing your knowledge. I get a lot of value from your videos.

[@danielgay4924]

Thank you Jeremy... another super informative video. Keep up the great work here in 2022. Prayin' for your continued success brother.

[@Wheelly1]

Wow man. What an amazing video! The Anthem stage pro just blown my mind. I think this is the only pickup that really transfers the meat of the original acoustic sound...

[@genegreenfield3551]

I install the K&K Puri Mini in all the guitars I build. I like it the best because it doesn’t alter the guitar in anyway.It picks up not only the strings but also the body as well.

[@gabrielobrien21]

Audio engineer here. The variables we aren't accounting for here are the room and mic placement. Those mics are in XY but they're basically pointed at the ceiling, not facing the guitar, and appear to be 3-6 feet away. None of the miked guitars sound very good and I know that's not accurate because some of those are outstanding guitars. So there's a mic placement issue. There aren't any pickups that will sound like that, nor should they. Move your mic - and I recommend just using one - 8-12in away pointed at the treble side of the upper bout. Set the input gain so the mics and the pickups are hitting roughly -18 to -12db. You'll get a much straighter comparison.

[@joshuadsmusic94]

There’s a Brazilian pickup company called Harmonik microphones. 2 mics & a piezo, mix tone and volume knobs tucked under the sound hole (you can adjust the mic balance and piezo levels with a special tool). And the dealbreaker is a feedback suppressor button, which can store settings for frequencies that feedback (20 for the mics, 10 for the piezo). Piezo pieces are long enough for extended range acoustic / classical guitars (quite common in Brazil). I’m guessing the only reason they are not more well known is because they are Brazilian and not widely known outside? Would love to see you review that

[@roopenieminen558]

Great comparison! Thank you.

[@jdbush49]

The Baggs Anthem, followed by the Baggs Lyric were the two best to my ears. A pickup you don't hear much about but which sounds very good is the Baggs LB6. I have one in a Seagull guitar and I'll put it up against much more expensive setups.

[@danielguitard5728]

I have the same set up sweet

[@hydroponicbiin1049]

Great technical review 💚

[@randysrhythm]

One additional comment Jeremy.. I’ve read through all of the comments thus far and come to a conclusion about something - I’m happy that I ran across your channel recently, because you have an audience that knows their stuff, myself excluded. I’m grateful to folks like you, who stepped out there financially to help bring an interactive format for others to benefit from. Very impressive brother J! Thanks again

[@BobPerrone]

I do enjoy the Anthem, however my preference usually are passive systems that I can contour with a good acoustic DI

[@j.merkus]

Thanks for this comparison! It really helpes to decide which pickup I want. I liked the K&K best. I got it in one of my guitars and I think I'll take another one in my other guitar.

[@deborahmcalister3936]

This is the best video on acoustic pickups I've seen! Your Baritone is wicked... I love "wicked"

[@joefitz7912]

You are upping your tech game/production values. Well done Jeremy :)

[@nicolmicah]

Always loved the Lyric and K&K! I ultimately went with the Lyric when I bought, but it still has things I like to tweak away with my preamp/eq pedal the Grace ALiX

[@randysrhythm]

Well brother J, you just convinced me that my initial thinking still stands. The better choice in my mind is to simply mic my acoustics. By the way, that tele grabbed my attention. The acoustisonic line sounds fantastic plugged in. I can see why you are a fan.

[@dejavoodoo7204]

1000% :)

[@fugalibrana]

Wooooo man!! Absolutely gorgeous video! This is the ultimate guide for chosing acoustic pickups. I have the Acoustasonic Telecaster Player, and is one of my favorites, but Taylor's system makes me doubt.... Thanks for sharing!

[@monkeyfinger7949]

Ok, well the answer is....none of the above sounded like the guitar. And that makes sense because the Zoom recorder is picking up the output of the sound hole, and the pickups are buried inside the body. The sound of the guitar is very different in both of those places. Guitar builders are shooting for beautiful sound hole projection. The pickup is an afterthought. So, to be fair, you would need to adjust the EQ on every pickup to match the guitar which was not done here. Add to this, that when acoustic guitars are recorded, a combination of microphones and internal pickups are used - all to different tracks - and blended later. So my view is - you could make any of those pickups sound great - except that Fender acoustic. You need to slam that guitar in a car door and use it for fire wood.

[@reynoldswrap36]

I have a Lyric in my 70's Takamine (Martin lawsuit era) and it was the closest I could get to the guitar sounding the same plugged in and with my ears. The Lyric does have a tiny, screwdriver operated tone control on it to help tame the highs and stop it from feeding back. I dialed it back almost all the way and now it sounds like the guitar in the room when I plug it into my interface or PA.

[@flacoral]

Hi Jeremy. Just came across your 2019 video about when to lowball people on a sale. That touched me sooo much that I had to respond. Thank you for being the person that you are and your understanding of people getting taken advantage of and calling them out and posting a visual reprimand of the "sharks" out there. There certainly are a sea full of them and I, for one, appreciate you for calling them out and helping the unknowing to have a friend when needed. The world is lacking in, what I call, real people and you are one. Thank you. No need for a reply. I just wanted you to know. P.S. I'm a beginner intermediate player and am going this weekend to upgrade from my $100 Tyler Mountain to something more substantial.

[@dougharsch8407]

Love the Lyric and K&Ks. I have Lyrics in several guitars and people come up at gigs and say (paraphrasing) "that's what an acoustic is supposed to sound like." K&K is a close second to my ears.

[@staylofordo7111]

The Lyric sounded close to the real guitar. I’m going to listen again because I would replace the pickup In my Yamaha LL16 D

[@staylofordo7111]

LR Baggs Lyric was it. Thanks for the audio !!

[@dejavoodoo7204]

no need to worry jeremy:), even through a crappy phone speaker the differences are stark on all fronts. great resource vid 👍

[@MrRafaztar]

So basically the acoustosonic impressively and unexpectedly sounded better plugged in than most acoustic guitars with pickups... man, I feel dumb for hating it

[@gregggyf]

Hello Jeremy, I can't tell you which "on-board" guitar system I like the best but I will echo what has been said below, the guitars played through the open air microphone produces the best sound to me. Thank you for the videos.

[@clydehannah1056]

Love the LRBAGGS LYRIC in my Martin Custom Shop OO-18 & FISHMAN RARE EARTH BLEND in a Martin OOO-28 (didnt require Permanent Installation) but won’t be changing because of the Great Sound I’m Able to Get! I do use an LRBAGGS VENUE DI but it’s not a Necessity…played without and never think about those Pickups in those Martins until I watch a Demo Video. Thank You for the Extra Effort in your Video Jeremy, the Time it MUST TAKE in Comparing All of those!

[@jmotwell72]

Great video. This helped me a LOT making a decision on my next pick up for my Martin CEO-7. I currently have a Fishman active pick up with a nasty hum and I want to replace it. I thought the K&K definitely had the most natural sound and I really love its simplicity. I use the Fishman Aura DI box as well so I can blend that with my stored images and hopefully get it dialed in nicely.

[@fake_parrot]

Hi man😊 I have the same guitar. I spent a lot of time to find the best pickup system solution for this particular guitar. I highly recommend you to try Journey tek pickup system. Even the simplest Journey transducer sounds much more natural and pleasant for me than bunch of magnetic pickups, undersaddle piezo and etc. I remove the lr baggs lyric from my guitar, which sounds just terrible and absolutely happy with it. It's really capturing the natural sound of the instrument and add nothing. Lr baggs lyric for example sounds good, but shifts the frequency to high range that this guitar do not really features.

[@TheoDahlemPickups]

The Lyric is the winner in my book. Followed closely by the pure mini. Thank you for this revealing video

[@gergemall]

Good lesson .

[@mjohnp2010]

Overall the K& K mini to my ears. What was surprising to me was not how the acoustasonic sounded cheap ( not unexpected) mic'd but how good it sounded with the pick up.

[@johnwashburn3793]

I was totally amazed at the difference in sound from mic and pickup. I was also very impressed with the Tele.I need to consider one. I will listen a few times more and let you know my thoughts.

[@matt284fun]

Great video, you should do a video comparing acoustic pedals. I recently got an impulse response system, and it makes a HUGE difference!! I’m finally satisfied with all my acoustics plugged in.

[@JeremySheppard]

Great idea.

[@philipmonaghan8267]

The Gibson J185 sounded sublime in all modes.Lovely

[@MrPalmersong]

Interesting and insightful. So many choices, so many options. Just one thought though, each guitar has its own tone wood variable which can also impact on the pickup choice. So to get a more informed shootout, each pickup would need to be in the same guitar spec to get an idea of how different they sound. To do that would be so difficult though, to install a pickup in four or five guitars and be able to compare them in one video episode. I’ve been able to compare a cheap fishman under saddle (under twenty UK pounds) with an Ortega Magus under saddle pickup (just under sixty uk pounds) and an L R Baggs M80 sound hole pickup (came installed in the guitar) and I found the L R Baggs to be a really good option, especially when finger picking, easy to install, and great output. The Ortega was really balanced and produced a good overall sound. Only issue was the piezo cable needed quite a large drill hole in the bridge to pass the piezo through, but it’s a tidy unit. The fishman was ok, but lacked tonal output. Decent for the money though, but a more upmarket fishman would probably be best (e.g. the Matrix model) I think that in the end a mic is the purest sound but a mic can be limiting by way of stage proximity etc. I prefer onboard pickups, and have top conclude that if you can afford it try more than system and decide on one that suits your particular guitar build and tone wood voicing.

[@2nightflights167]

Helpful!

[@PastorShayne]

I’m so jealous of your collection! Wow

[@jhoskins5630]

Nothing beats a good mic or two, something we've known for decades. Thanks for proving it once again.

[@JeremySheppard]

I agree for the purity of tone but really don't enjoy having a microphone live.

[@sprugian]

The LR Baggs Pro stage Anthem sounded the most natural in my opinion,and the Fender Player in the acoustic setting not bad at all...great video!

[@KeithMcLaughlin1]

The pace of this video was fantastic. Most of these type of videos spend so much time talking. For me the Lyric sounded the best.

[@texhaines9957]

I liked the K&K pure mini as the closest pickup sounding like the acoustic, and will get it installed on guitars that may need electronics. I bought a guitar with a K&K Trinity and that sounds super. I've also bought into Martin's version of a Fishman Aura and that make the amplified sound like the guitar sounds acoustically. I also have Taylor guitars and the ESP2 works/sounds fine. I don't plug in much because of where I play so the K&K is my preference.

[@avenue6.554]

I think the closest to a “natural” sound were the Lyric Acoustic Mic and the K&K but both would definitely demand some EQ to get the right sound. Some time spent messing around on the mixer or an acoustic amp is inevitable. I have the Fishman MX T in my Martin D12 which is just ok IMO and a Fishman Presys that I had retrofitted to my old Takamine GS330. The Presys can blend mic and piezo and I end up with a better plugged in sound out of my beater guitar than the Martin. At least to my own ear. Go figure.

[@robharris6874]

Listen to the AP5 pro from Maton then think again !

[@deborahmcalister3936]

I enjoyed your video with my buddy John Wohlford at the Gibson Garage. John is a great guy.... and like you ...he knows his stuff!

[@danholmes8044]

I used to be a K&K guy, but recently have switched to the Anthem. Sounds great in my D35 once I've got it eqed! Just like having a mic without being stuck on stage with a mic. I'm also gonna guess that the pick up will need to be paired with the guitar....some pick ups might actually sound better in different guitars!

[@EyeOfWoden]

The LR Baggs Lyric and Taylor Expression System 2, hands down. Thanks for making this video.

[@jaycee4203]

Hey brother Jeremy! I have found that I cannot stand acoustic guitar pick ups. Therefore, for the last several years I have been using a DPA-4099G condenser mic that attaches to the guitar. You might give this a good look/listen, I think it is the truest acoustic sound I have found to date. Thanks for the great videos! Keep up the great work!

[@justinrussell3308]

Great video man! This was very informative! I also struggle with this same problem. The K&k, and the Expression System probably sounded the closes acoustically to my ear. Although the Lyric with some EQ might do the trick as well. I'll throw this out there, the Takamine Tld-2 system is an amazing pickup. As well as the Fishman Matrix Infinity Mic Blend. I've also been running some of my acoustics through a LR Baggs Session Align pedal to sweeten the sound. Check it out if you haven't already, it really makes the guitar stand out more naturally in solo or duo performances. Thanks again for the video! Cheers!

[@karlcountry2363]

I’m not a Taylor guy but there pickup seemed to represent the sound of the guitar the best.

[@mrgreen1198]

yes id i recall there was something to work with EQ wise to tune it in but had potential - also not a Taylor gy but maybe now will consider it. Still a Baggs M1 fan

[@lukecyrus]

Thanks for the comparison! I'm a fan of the K&K. It maybe needs a little EQ, but I don't mind that. Where it really beats out other pickups in my opinion is its dynamic range, the guitar just feels more natural.

[@mikehudgins5764]

8:51 I so enjoy your taste in acoustic guitars, if you ever want to part with your Waterloo… I’m your huckleberry. Thx for all your hard work, I really love your videos.

[@darrylday30]

Great guitar collection! I’d love to see a re make of this video with a mono mic signal and some basic EQ on the direct signals. I think this would be a practical comparison as most pick ups are mono and generally everyone applies basic eq to make pick ups usable when plugging in. On a side note, I think your Anthem equipped guitar is somehow missing a large chunk of top end in it’s direct signal. Perhaps the mic trim screw needs a tweek or maybe the treble control was down. It’s a fantastic guitar and the anthem should be able to reproduce it. BTW, I love that Zoom mic on your guitars. Sometimes I turn mine sideways to spread the strings left to right across the speakers when finger picking. Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@calebbhawkins]

This is why I don’t often buy guitars with pickups in them. My main stage instruments all have the Baggs Lyric in them and I use the Baggs Para DI to adjust for the room/stage wonkyness. One of my guitars that I tune super low I have the Anthem SL. One thing to point out about the Anthem and Lyric is that the Anthem has a crossover circuit in it that makes all the guitars signal from 400hz on down go through the under saddle. It can give you the feeling that it has more low end because of that. The Lyric requires a little more planning on stage but sounds the best when adjusted to the guitar. That little trim pot does a lot!

[@marcelchaloupka]

How is the feed back situation with the lyric?

[@Woozy.0]

Thank you for this Caleb! I'm talking to a guy about buying his acoustic with the Anthem and trying to determine if I actually want that particular system

[@jbguitarmanfl]

Based on the comments I’ve read, it’s obvious that each individual’s choice is completely dependent on his/her own ear. The bottom line is that none of them accurately duplicate the acoustic sound…and that’s kinda sad.

[@JeremySheppard]

True! That was pretty much my entire point. It's nearly impossible to make your guitar sound like your guitar only louder.

[@powellsa]

@@JeremySheppard Jeremy, have you tried running a good EQ pedal between the guitar and amp? Or via the effects loop? I'm thinking this would 1. Give you an EQ without having to mount a panel on the shoulder of the guitar, and 2. Give you much more control over the EQ than you would have with an onboard EQ. I haven't done this, but looking to electrify my Yamaha acoustic to start playing out for the first time. Would much rather plug in than mic it. What are your thoughts?

[@soniaterhovanessian7198]

Go fill the world with music and friendship. Love it!

[@HugeCompMusic]

I like the fishman one!

[@jimwatson7438]

Thanks for the video, truly a huge challenge to match a pickup that represents the natural sound best. I have installed LR Baggs, lyrics, anthem SLs and the full Stage Anthem in a Martin D-24, a Taylor 416cE and a Gibson Sj-200. without a doubt, the four stage anthem with onboard controls and blend between Mic & piezo has been very best and most accurate representation of the natural sound. Get ready to spend about 300 bucks but it’s worth it!

[@kenlaberteaux1418]

I use the Bartlett Audio Guitar EJ. It is a high quality, omni-directional, which is installed inside the guitar body. It connects via an endpin jack (thus the EJ). The XLR connector, on the other end, contains an EQ circuit to reverse the bloat and honk sometimes characterized by guitar internal mics. Bartlett is the former microphone designer for Crown, and now does this in his semi-retirement. You can find sound samples online.

[@markBAMBOO12]

Yeah bosssss its tottally sick!!!

[@icarocosta4302]

i got the lr baggs lyric. it with a good eq sounds perfect. the bad part is the sensibility of the mic. get all the sound of the contact for the guitar on your body (learning english)

[@HunterShawMusic]

I have the K&K Trinity system in my Collings. Bummer you didn’t get to demo one here! I play it through a PA multiple times per week, and the comment I get the most is “I’ve never heard an acoustic sound that good through a PA before!”. That’s from both engineers and laypeople. Definitely worth the money.

[@muttcrewmusic]

Nice job. I can't believe the only one I liked through the pickup was the Fender - and that's a whole different category. While listening I did wonder whether you might get somewhat closer to the acoustic sound by tweaking the EQ, tone and volume controls.

[@joedzekevich2407]

I have three Martins (D15M, D18 and D35) with the K&K Pure Mini. I go straight into acoustics amps. If I have to go into a PA or panel at a venue, I insert the Pure Premp. Great sounding. In a Martin Custom GP-18E all Koa, I have the LR Baggs Anthem. Because, over time, the Koa bass improves, so the Anthem lets me blend the under the bridge pickup and internal mic so I can back-off the bass over time as it naturally gets stronger with Koa. So my favorites: K&K Pure Mini and LR Baggs Anthem. Nice video - we also get to hear guitar differences. Another note: The Ear Trumpet Edwina seems to be a great mic for those who want no pickups. It would be fun to hear different mics.

[@ianreid7791]

Great video, Jeremy. It's all very subjective but do yourself a favour and try a K&K Trinity. It's in a whole different league. I have two of my guitars outfitted with them and when time and money allow (they aren't cheap) I plan to replace my Larrivée's 20 year old Baggs I-beam with the Trinity rig. Can't wait. Thanks for all your great work.. and I look forward to more! Happy new year from Ontario.

[@jude.v25]

Gee, thanks. LOL! Trying to decide what to put in a Martin 000-15M. I had settled on the K&K mini after watching your video on it and I think I'll stay with that. Love your videos, Jeremy. Oh, and Guild baritone has a great sound plugged or not.

[@ZacCostilla]

I liked the K&K the best. They have a preamp that supposedly makes it even closer. I almost bought the system for my guitar, but settled on the Mojotone sound hole pickup because it sounded better to me. I wish more KZbinrs would review it and give it a try.

[@eddyrogiers6099]

K&k for me en journey picups the best acoustic pickup for les dollar eddy from Belgium

[@janeandthecoolcats5033]

On most of my acoustics i’ve installed the k&k trinity (undersaddle +mic) which goes into their preamp. And I have to say it is very close to the acoustic sound :) As in all systems with a mic be aware of the feedback in live settings and bring a feedback buster along..

[@Nayah9]

I first bought the Mojotone NC-1 soundhole pickup for my mahogany Martin. Best sound I heard from a magnetic pickup, but it still sounds like a magnetic pickup. It also had so much background noise it ruined soft playing. Furthermore, it easily picked up RF interference from the mains, so I basically ended up with a constant 4Khz tone depending on which venue I played in. The NC-1 is advertised as having a noise cancelling quiet coil, it's anything but that. Loudest noise I've ever heard in a pickup. I sent it back and then tried the L.R. Baggs M80 which was much quieter, but didn't sound as good as the NC-1. Both pickups had a bit of that electric guitar sound, especially when strumming hard or playing percussively. Inevitable for magnetic pickups. I then tried the L.R. Baggs Anthem, which sounded amazing (when using the mic), but turning up the volume just a little bit introduced a lot of feedback, which wasn't viable for me since I play loud gigs in unpredictable venues. Unavoidable for mic pickups. I sent the Anthem back and finally settled for the K&K Pure Mini with the soundhole-mounted volume wheel (no preamp needed). My guitar now sounds much more like an acoustic, has absolutely zero noise and resists feedback well. It's a tiny bit quacky since it's a piezo but thanks to its sticky transducers it is far less quacky than other under-saddle piezos. Either way you're gonna need some EQ for any acoustic pickup. The K&K sounds much more natural than any magnetic pickup to my ears, doesn't get in the way of my playing and is much less hassle.

[@2musiclover534]

Nice. Would have loved to hear the Fishman Rare Earth Blend soundhole pick up. Thanks. Liked.

[@paulheartsongs]

After 7000 live gigs I’d say no pickup delivers an acoustic sound. Closest are the microphones, either off-board or on-board, but they’re impractical for high sound pressures/volume. I find the Anthem with a mic and piezo the best practical alternative. You can blend the elements or hear them separately, whatever suits your situation. A good EQ/DI, reverb and processing will make a huge difference to the sound you can achieve from any pickup. Enjoy the ride!

[@andrewhumemusic5838]

The LR Baggs Lyric for me. Although still different, there are more similarities to the sound I think. I still think the AP5 Pro in Maton Guitars is the closest I’ve ever heard to the acoustic sound, going through an AER Compact 60, or De Capo 75 amp. Cheers

[@williamcole9040]

I AGREE….I HAVE 2 J200s, i with Fishman and 1 with Baggs, but my Maton custom small jumbo is the nearest to unplugged sound direct into Bose L1 S.

[@robharris6874]

You are spot on bud, that set up leaves everything else for dead !

[@eddyrogiers6099]

journey picups are the best

[@wmarklanders]

Tommy Emmanuel plays a Maton and he sounds great. Does he use the AP5 Pro?

[@andrewbootsdekemper3410]

Huss and dalton sounded the best. I have found that no pickup is perfect. I use the tone dexter preamp and it has fixed the issues I’ve had with all pickups.

[@bjornbezjak4315]

same here. Tone Dexter!

[@im58woody]

I vote for the Furch as top sounding. I have a Baggs Anthem SL in my Martin 00015 Streetmaster and it sounds great. I run it through a Radial Passive Pro DI to the mixer at church.

[@wvideoyahoodk]

Did want to install pickups in my Martin and my Hermanos Conde. Now I don’t 😊 I knew it would sound different but not that much. Thanks for a great video.

[@jcgarcia1931]

The LRB Anthem gets my vote. Mines on a 20yr old Epiphone and being able to blend the piezo and mic is priceless. I'll probably swap it onto my Guild OM140ce and replace the OEM Fishman GT1 (which also sounds good). Biggest concern with a mic pickup is feedback but I rarely play loud enough to cause that...

[@MrPhotomiked]

my yamaha fsx3 with their Atmosfeel system is fantastic….even anthem or kk mini don’t come close. Please include in your next compatison!

[@kirkp_nextguitar]

The Baggs Lyric has a presence control. It’s important to adjust it for a natural tone when installing. It’s adjusted with a plastic screwdriver, so not intended for use on the bandstand.

[@HyperBlueZYZ]

Thanks Jeremy. This vid and an article by Dana Bourgeois in acoustic guitar mag (dated 2/20) convinced me to keep my nicest guitars mod free. I’m going to save for a proper mic for the new Redwood/Sinker OO/12-C DA Sig Deluxe and keep using the Taylors and a Baggs Session DI if I need reinforcement when playing out. #goodonya

[@markBAMBOO12]

The first tone thats the sounds that i need❤

[@scottmoreau5630]

Great video! Just a heads up that your photo of the Expression system is the wrong version. That’s the ES1. You have the ES2.

[@MarkBreton]

Great video! Very useful. I have a lyric and as it is in this video it was the one that sounded the least bad. They all sounded bad but the lyric was better. As long as it isn't piezo it has a chance to be somewhat usable. Mike Dawes has the best approach, 4 pickups and each processed differently. Highly unfeasible but you can't argue with results

[@steverogers5956]

The problem with acoustic pickup comparisons is that you never know how much effort went into making the combination sound its best. Unless you're very lucky, you won't get the best of it just by installing and plugging in. It takes some experimenting and tweaking the EQ and settings all up and down the chain, especially with more complex systems like those that blend an internal mic and a pickup. A good preamp, preamp/DI or Preamp/IR loader and some experimenting can make the difference between an ok sound and a really satisfying sound.

[@cramerfan04]

I have 4 favorites, the only ones that I thought were faithful to the mic only sound. They are the L.R. Baggs Anthem, the Taylor Expression System 2, the K&K Sound Pure Mini, and the Fishman Acoustasonic. I think I would vote for the Anthem as the most realistic sounding, but I’d be happy with any of them. The Pure Mini really surprised me as a passive pickup, maybe that should be what’s used on lower end guitars instead of crappy sounding active systems. Also, that Gibson sounds AMAZING!! It’s really a shame how bad it sounds through the pickups compared to mic’ing it. (BTW, I’m a Jeremy too!) Great video, love your content!

[@aaronlarsen7447]

I have a 2018 Martin OM28 with a passive KnK mini, going into an original Yamaha AG Stomp, then into a Roland AC 60 acoustic amp. I go out of the Roland's bass out jack, and into a bass/keyboard amp. It sounds great.

[@jamescoughlan8193]

My favourite guitar with mic was the furch but I was torn between the mini k and the lr baggs on the collings.

[@jerryodom7358]

I think it has a lot to do with what your running your guitar through. I ran my guitar (Parker Fly Deluxe w/piezo) straight into a Roland SRE 555, then that goes straight into a old peavey acoustic amp. I also had to make an adjustment to the piezo tone under the back cover panel of the guitar and a ball of wax. It sounded exactly any acoustic guitar you heard on the radio.

[@duffermod1]

The Taylor expression number 1 without a doubt. The K&K number 2 . But if I was to put a pick in my guitar it would have to be K&K . I know especially LR Baggs and Fishman are up there as top top pick up manufacturers but in this video (and had good headphones on ) sounded absolutely terrible . Sorry Baggs and Fishman fans but that's my opinion . Good video Jeremy . Guitar line up incredible.

[@davidmartel4184]

Great video... I liked the Huss and Dalton... I liked the Gibson more than I thought I would... I have a taylor with the ES2 and I'm not a big fan... i think this video just re-confirmed that a bit more. I'd have to re-listen to this video with better headphone... and who knows, maybe I'll change my mind again!

[@SundaeDrives]

I stripped the ES2 out of my 3 series Grand Symph & had a K&K Trinity installed. Crazy difference.

[@johnwashburn3793]

Upon a few more hearings,I preferred the Furch and the Waterloo, but really enjoyed the Tele

[@merickel1]

The first 2 are money. Good stuff.

[@JillandKevin]

Having used all those pickups, I finally tried an EMG ACS soundhole pickup. It's the most true sound of any I've ever tried. And YES!! EMG does make a lot of amazing pickups besides their high gain stuff!! Jill and I have been using these for about 6 years now, direct into our Bose L1 Compact PA, and occasionally into our Fishman Loudbox Mini Charge, are as true to our high end Yamamoto handmade guitars (and Goodall CJ's) as anything I've ever tried! I just received a text from my friend Rob Turner (CEO of EMG), saying he has just come up with a new sound hole pickup which he says is even better, and is sending me a prototype to test!! Can't wait, but not sure the ACS can be improved on!!

[@AlessioFioreAya]

Tnx for this comparison, it's what I was looking for months! To me, probably the LR Baggs Lyric is the best, then the Taylor's Expression System and then the passive pickup on the Waterloo. But you know what? I thing I'll keep using an external mic, maybe I'll go for a clip-on mic

[@Jess_Jones]

I like the pure mini, it’s just a little too quiet for my taste. Got an M80 and love it.

[@twg2984]

All of these pickups require a good eq; I have tried all of them and to be honest the most natural sound i have found is a K and K Pure mini with the Baggs Voiceprint DI. Great video though and super helpful for many people i assume. The K and K is a very difficult pickup to beat pricewise with the quality you get. In this video, the K and K still sounds the most natural to me. In my mind that doesnt make sense because youd think the lyric would.....but it doesnt.....

[@ethaneriksen2707]

With the K&K being a passive pickup, it may sound better if you plug it into a preamp with a higher input impedance (ideally 10 MΩ, I'm not sure what the input impedance on the interface you used is). Low input impedance can have a sort of high-pass filter effect on piezo pickups. That may help open up the bass response and make it a really good sounding pickup.

[@frieswijk]

The microphones are the best sounding, both the active condensor as well as the passive ones.

[@steby123]

L.R. Baggs Anthem ( I got one in my all solid McKenzie and Marr Cedar top rosewood s/b )

[@TheJoshSchneider]

Don’t know about the pickups , but that lick you played on the 12 string guild was KILLER!!! Might I ask what tuning you were in?