Why I Switched to the Fishman Rare Earth Blend Acoustic Pickup

[@TVsBen]

Incredibly thorough comparison, and the Rare Earth Blend sounds great. Thanks for all the hard work to show the world what it can do. Fishman should be paying for this kind of effort, honestly.

[@WayneMemphisMojo]

SOLD! I just installed one (non permanent) on my Hummingbird & man do I dig it!

[@stevepethel6843]

God bless you for your honesty and making such videos and posting to all in a search for your best sound live.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Happy to help!

[@tobytoxd]

Sounds brilliant and warm! Thanks for showing!

[@fraenkiboii]

When you switched from 100% humbucker to the 50/50 mix, my jaw dropped. Sounds beautiful and I'm gonna try it.

[@mynameissang]

After years of frustration with USTs and an L.R. Baggs Lyric, I bit the bullet and just bought the REB years ago. Yes, it's pricey, but after using it for the first time, it was such a breath of fresh air, having a system that just plain works and sounds amazing. I could tell those engineers at Fishman knew what they were doing at a practical level, the FOH sound guy had such an easy time working with the REB. It was so worth it. My only wish is that there was a way to change the battery without having to change out or loosen the strings, but that's a relatively minor gripe.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Totally agree with that. I haven't had to change the battery yet, but I believe I will have to unmount the pickup to do it.

[@mikefantos2878]

Please can you tell me how to remove the batteries? I cannot find any solution and I am afraid that I will damage it.

[@AlexWalshMusic]

Excellent presentation! I see one of these in my future.

[@cardboarddreamhouseofficia2737]

Thanks for this video. This helped me decide which one I like better. To me, the fishman sounds closer to the sound you got from the 57. Thanks again. And I have that same shirt. Lol.

[@samsoliva]

Warning: change batteries every 2 years or so, no matter what. The batteries in mine, which I haven't changed in about 6 years or so, corroded. The strap pins kind of started being sticky. Luckily, I got the pickup out of my guitar's hard case before anything started rusting. It is difficult getting the batteries out; I've got the humbucker version.

[@mikefantos2878]

How do you remove the batteries????

[@samsoliva]

@@mikefantos2878 Use a flathead screwdriver.

[@superduperdom]

I’m happy with the blender in my Taylor. One thing to consider if you want to add effects to your acoustic sound, delay, chorus, reverb etc, then a magnetic pickup will work best.

[@_left_eye]

My 2 cento: k&k sounds decent with fingerpicking and horrible with strumming, quiet impossible to use without an eq. Fishman sounds so much better, and I do acknowledge you of having found a pretty sweet spot for the mic, it sounds really inspiring when on 100% mic.. Sm 57 still rocks, it makes anything sound as sweet as Lemmy’s voice, just a touch sweeter

[@freddymusicien7656]

Thank you for this clear and full explanation

[@yunowot]

Just subscribed - excellent topic mix on this channel, excellent depth of knowledge, excellently presented.

[@larrybegnaud7811]

Very thorough review and presentation. The best I've seen for this pickup system. I was considering this pickup system and the Sunrise, and I like the additional tonal range with the microphone blending and the option of not altering the guitar (endpin drilling). Very useful information for helping to decide on which product to purchase. As other comments have stated, the SM57 sounds the best, but is trickier to use in some acoustic environments. Thank you!

[@marycoates4671]

i have a herd of guitars and bought this to be able to use among them.your vid convinced me,listened to many pick ups this sounded best to me!!thanx!!!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Glad I could help!

[@juanrodriguezluis4811]

Excellent video, I'm very thankful!

[@Darltornjacket]

I switched to the Fishman for my live playing 50/50 or my fav 70% mic and 30% magnetic It’s on 2 of my guitars Easy to EQ and notch I do use the original models

[@tommc49]

Thanks for posting this through explanation of this pickup. Well done. I preferred the Fishman. I did like the K&K at all.

[@kents2908]

I have been fitting Fishman Rare earth Blends to all of my guitars since probably 2010. Tried the K+K which is good but a bit quacky, The LR Baggs Anthem which I had fitted in my Lowde based on the hype and Lowden’s recommendation, eventually chucked it in the bin out of frustration.

[@teerakkiss]

hello,, im trying to decide about a pickup for my martin ooo 28 and saw your comment,, im wondering that after a year do you feel the same,, is the fishman rare earth still what you like the best thanks

[@HarryRemer]

What was frustrating about the Anthem?

[@kents2908]

@@HarryRemer it is a heavy little unit that needs to be stuck inside the sound hole with tape. Not a good design solution, especially on a Lowden. On top of that, it never sounded good. I tried to like it, but failed.

[@HarryRemer]

@@kents2908 Thanks!

[@bryanvickers]

Sounds great! Might have to pick one up when I get the slope shoulder I've been wanting.

[@j-claude_r_elias]

Excellent vid. Clear explanation. Very useful. Thanks.

[@cugir321]

I just got the Double X2 wireless magnetic/mic pick up from Temu.....have transducers already....mixing the two is amazing....I can keep the transducers turned down since all I'm doing is coloring the magnetic pick up with it....all I need is slight volume of the transducers to brighten up the Double XO. This controls the feedback problems with the transducers. I can keep them turned way down. It sounds so natural to the original sound of the guitar and I use wireless for both so there's no wires to deal with

[@robiniomozarella]

Why do you need a preamp with the pick up?

[@jasonbarton4521]

Thank you so fucking much. What a clarifying refutation of piezo- systems and a stunning vote of confidence for the Fishman. All of this is highly theoretical - there's little point in investing too much in my $125 Yamaha from Craigslist! Nonetheless, I am perpetually anguished by the fact that I'm the only person who performs at my regular open mic w/o a pick-up. As a result, I can never fully modulate my voice to match the sound of my guitar w/o worrying about both. I long to upgrade to a 12 fret acoustic - my dream is a Martin 000-15SM. Regardless of what model I can actually afford, you've convinced me the right option is the Fishman. Thank you!!! p.s. Holy Shit. (Massive U-TURN w/ SQUEALING tires). After watching your comp w/ the Shure, K&K, and Fishman, I changed my mind! The K&K sounds infinitely BETTER to me, much more representative of the actual acoustic qualities of the guitar. Never mind what I said previously ;

[@nik9470]

wow omg, how is it even possible? I just realized about K&K comparison. Listened to that and my ears died. Its so thin, electric and completely destroys acoustic sound signature.... How do people could like that. In this case you don't need acoustic guitar at all. Electric or something like Yamaha SLG 200S would be best options.

[@guifra99]

Great info - very complete review - helpfull

[@yetivanmarshall1473]

We're not gonna take it! That really sounds good.

[@comment.highlighted]

I really like the 50/50 sound of the Fishman. I just don’t like the price, but I’m going to get it because I like the Natural Sound with the upper articulation. Thanks for the great video! 🙂

[@30smsuperstrat]

The Seymour Duncan Mag Mic has the mic built into the body of the pickup. It has adjustable poles to counter that inherent G and B string overload in magnetic pickups. The blend works very well. It's also $70 less than the Fishman. To me, what most of these pickups are missing is the ability to unplug the body of the pickup from the input and power cable if it had an external battery. This would make it much easier to remove from a permanently installed endpen jack. You could have multiple jacks installed on different guitars and not have to worry about a cable dangling out the front of guitar for temporary use.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I totally agree. I explored that a bit when I was researching the Fishman pickup, even emailed the company to see if I could create some sort of system internal to the guitar that I could easily disconnect the pickup. The issue that I and the Fishman rep decided was too much to go into was the auto on/off function when the pickup senses whether or no a cable is plugged in.

[@jul3249]

Fishman rare earth vs LR Baggs anthem?? Anyone teste both? Ps: I find anything remotely resembling the tone of a piezo VOMITABLE

[@davetighe]

Hi, I bought a second hand one of these without a connector, just a bunch of wires, any chance of some help rewiring it? Brilliant review, it's what made me want one.

[@cliffsmith1305]

Fishman Blend vs Fishmen Powertap? Thoughts Anyone? Such great videos, Alex! Best ones I've seen in pickups. Definitely earned a subscriber and fan :-) I am about to purchase the Fishman Rate Earth pick up system. Is the Fishman blend still your favorite? Have you heard if the Fishman Powertap? Seems to be combination of your favorites, the k&K and of course the Fishmen rare earth sound-hole unit. Any thoughts?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

The powertap seems like instead of a magnetic / mic combo, it's a magnetic / body transducer. I think the mic is the most natural sound so I've been happy with this system. Thanks for your kind comment!

[@cliffsmith1305]

@@AlexPriceMusician Thanks, Friend... Based on your awesome video and recommendation, I purchased the Rare Earth Blend. You steered me correctly - I absolutely love it. So thank you very much!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

@@cliffsmith1305 Love to hear it man! Glad it's working out.

[@davidadkins2563]

I’m a total newbie when it comes to this,,so for us tech challenged people,, are you saying that all I have to do is use my amp cable, plug it into the pickup and to. Y amp?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

You can use a normal 1/4" guitar cable and go directly into an amp, yes. An acoustic amp or a flat response PA-type speaker will sound much better than an electric guitar amp though. If you wanted to, you can also split the signal or the mic and magnet pickup by using a TRS-Y cable. Send the magnetic pickup to one amp and the microphone to another.

[@davidadkins2563]

@@AlexPriceMusician thanks I do have a PA system I can use,, thanks. Happy new year and thanks for a quick reply

[@JackMasonLive]

super helpful

[@JosephAlanMeador]

Just ordered through ZZounds w/ your link, I am STOKED to upgrade my Baden A-scale Maple guitar with this. And toss that under-saddle piezo in the trash! Thanks for the reviews as always Alex. Blessings to you and yours

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thanks Joseph!! Glad it was useful, let me know how you like the new pickup

[@JosephAlanMeador]

@@AlexPriceMusician It sounds great, but I did have feedback issues at a fairly large outdoor gig recently. Alex, have you tried a TRS to Y split cable to split the two sources into two separate channels? What have you been able to do in order to mitigate feedback on stage? Thanks again!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

​@@JosephAlanMeador Hey Joseph - I haven't split the signals before, but it's certainly a great feature to be able to process them each independently. If you're using in ears, you could run the mic signal so you're hearing the best of it and are able to play comfortably. Also if you split the signals, you could possibly use an EQ on your own rig to find the specific frequency that is jumping out and deal with it there. Then you can boost more of the mic. On a loud stage with monitors, I typically start with 100 magnetic pickup and begin rolling the thumbwheel as far as I can towards the mic side until I start getting feedback, then I'll back it off just a little bit to be safe. The more mic in your signal, the better it'll sound. I think the mic is great at picking up that high frequency pick attack that gives you the sense of realism. Also if you haven't yet, I'm always leaving the low cut switch on the pickup on. There's a little switch inside right next to the thumbwheel. The low end tends to feedback earlier than the high end in my experience so this gets me a bit more of the mic signal before I hit that point. Check this page out: www.fishman.com/article/new-rare-earth-mic-blend-adds-updated-mic-design-and-controls/ Just a few ideas!! Also proximity to your monitor is a big factor. I always try to keep the monitor to the left of me so it's further away from the body of the guitar. Even on my jazz box I tend to get feedback when the amp is to my right, next to the body of the instrument.

[@Jam-m7m]

Peter Mulvey uses the Fishman Rare Earth Magnetic blend pickup

[@lindarosemoodyful]

I’d love to know what the comparison is to the LR Baggs Hi Fi blend and then also just the hifi with rare earth magnetic ( no mic) bc I am trying to find the right pick up for using with a loud band on stage and those are the two I’ve heard can handle that environment.

[@michaelotten1956]

The Shure SM57 mic sounded the best by far.

[@robertmpowell1122]

Great review/overview - thanks!

[@swashbuckler73]

Have you tried the Mojotone NC-2?

[@declangallagher4740]

Great video; I bought a Lowden which came with the Rare Earth Blend but I found it difficult to use with feedback etc so swapped it out for the K&K which has been great and I have it now in 3 acoustics; I find the K&K works and it’s reliable & predictable. Watching your video I might try the Rare Earth again - I’m thinking of getting a new acoustics this year so might try it in that but 8 hate the thought of a pick-up altering the fundamental sound of the guitar, since in my case it’s played unplugged the vast majority of he time. Again another win for the K&K; it really is hard to beat. I use the LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI too.

[@kevinoconner1986]

Splitting the cable ( magnetic/mic) is, imo, essential when playing with a band or at a loud/ large venue. When dialling in the EQ it offers you so much more control. I have this Blend on all my main stage guitars ( HD28, Larrivee OM40, Brook Tavy) and rarely have issues with feedback.

[@roymeyer6837]

The SM57 sounds the way a recorded acoustic guitar usually sounds, so we instinctively think it sounds the most natural. But the 50/50 blend with the Fishman sounds more like a big Martin dreadnought, so maybe that's what should be considered a more natural sound as it captures the instrument more accurately. The K&K is nice and articulate...until you start strumming. Then it sounds like a pickup.

[@robertsteinberger]

Has there been an update on this video? Thanks for your insights, you're truly the one who finds the only good sounding pickups for acoustic guitars.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

No updates, just still have been very happy with the Rare Earth Mic Blend.

[@teerakkiss]

hello i enjoy watching your reviews and you seem to be very knowledgeable so I have a question,, for home playing or jamming with a few friends help me out here,,im trying to decide between L R Baggs eas element or L R Baggs anthiem sl classical or final choice the fishman rare earth ..very confusing to me,, i would be putting this into my martin ooo 28 thanks a bunch

[@johndumlao6547]

Loved the sound at 50/50 blend. That sounds the most natural to me. Thanks for this in-depth look. Btw, did you roll-off the bass when doing the 50/50 blend?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I think so, but I can’t say for sure. For most situations I think it sounds better with the low roll off.

[@steflab]

hi Alex, What about the LR baggs M1A vs Fishman Rare Earth Blend, thanks

[@gladesowards]

Ha, those are the three pickups/mics I use! I have a K&K on the ring of my D-28 Marquis and the REB on the tip with the ability to blend between the mag and mic (main pickup). I ultimately decided I couldn't really use my K&K in 90% of my live situations. Too much feedback and weird tone. The REB became my go-to when I was frequently playing out (also had one on a 000-28 and a D-15S). I found I could get about 50% mic in pretty large venues so long as the sound person is good. But the SM-57 is the very best, and I would use that in any situation where I can get away with it. If someone could make a dynamic mic-based pickup (i.e., not condenser (but also not a contact pickup like a Schertler)), I think it would be a winner.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

The Myers mic I mentioned in this video is a dynamic. You might like that one.

[@gladesowards]

@@AlexPriceMusician thanks for the info. I've been looking at their site and elsewhere and am having trouble finding reference to their mic being dynamic (seems really small for that). Can you point me to a reference or citation?

[@TheArcGuitar]

Curious how you set up your Martin. Do you know your specs?

[@fred4664]

Have you ever compared the Fishman Blackstak? I like it because no batteries are required an the adjustability of the magnets to each string to customize the sound.

[@adhdmovies527]

Great.. I found myself wanting to hook up a sm57 on my guitar..🧐

[@robertsimpson5801]

I have the K and K Trinity system in my HD 28, and it is very frustrating to use, in my opinion. Changing the battery in that system is much more complicated than changing the battery in the rare earth blend pick up. Additionally, I don’t ever really feel like the microphone in the trinity system gets that crystal clear microphone sound that I’ve heard from other microphone based pick up systems. In your a/B/C comparison, I prefer the 57 every time, followed by the rare earth blend pick up, and last was the K and K. The K & K just sounds artificial to my ear, and the 57 sounds natural. The rare earth blend pick up is not a bad compromise, but I think it would probably sound a little bit better to my ear if the microphone blend was a bit higher and the magnetic pick up was a little bit lower.

[@Mr.Goldbar]

Best onboard mic I've ever heard! I'm not that big of a magnetic pickup fan, but the magnetic also sounds nice. I'd probably only use it in stereo or with 100% mic

[@FastRedPonyCar]

Have you tried taking one of those rubber sound hole feedback blockers and cutting it to fit behind the pickup? I'm curious how effective that would be on a loud stage and if it would alter the sound from the Fishman system...

[@kurtjohnson6296]

Curious if you’ve attempted running in stereo with the magnetic through an IR and then remixing with the mic to further the realism?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Not yet, that’s on my list

[@joebleibaum]

Don't run the magnetic thru an IR, that kind of works only with a piezo. I've got the Ibanez JGM10 with the Fishman Rare Earth Mic Blend and Fishman Powertab combo. I run the magnetic and the piezo PU through the Audio Sprockets Tonedexter and the Nux Optima Air. Best result was the magnetic PU with the mic, no IR. Sold the Tonedexter and the Nux (been using both with my Taylor with ES2).

[@maxs.5163]

superb review!

[@muzishan95]

HI Alex, I saw your other video with all the best acoustic pickups. I REALLY liked the sound of the K&K but you said it's not too good for stages with a drummer. I was curious. What about a soundhole feedback buster - those rubber things that sit in the soundhole? I"m not a big fan of them but as a workaround, and to be able to get that good acoustic tone I heard in your sound sample. What are your thoughts?

[@blufordbirdsong1834]

any experience with with seymour duncan magmic? Not a huge fan of the K&K. Everyone seems to love them for their ease of use and affordability, but being passive and needing a lot of EQ, I don't see the big advantage. First I as you stated, a direct box is needed, (that's 150-200 dollars) and an eq, could be another (150-300). Then when I find the sound I like I still have to worry about feedback. I used K&K a long time ago, and it was in a solo guitar format, and I still struggled with feedback. Thanks for the great video.

[@cfire99]

Thanks alot for this video! very helpful

[@jamesmalloch5801]

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm very happy with the sound of this pickup. One question though... can you recommend a brand of TRS splitter cable that actually separates the outputs of the Fishman properly? The one I bought just gave me two copies of the microphone output and not the pickup/mic split that it was supposed to. Thanks!

[@kombeville]

Thank you! 💫

[@ClintZold]

Sounds great. Was thinking of the KK as an alternative to the under saddle Element by LR Baggs... (The Anthem won't fit my Martin because of the placement of the bracing). This thing sounds excellent. Tried to buy through your link but won't ship to Ontario :( Thanks for the video anyhow.

[@RAMholistichealing]

Did you do a fixed installation of the FRB in the end? Wouldn't thing go against the idea that being there all the time it will dampen the vibrations on the top and coming out the sound hole?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Yes, but I have two acoustics for that reason. My Martin HD-28 for recording or when I gig with an external mic or the Cloudvocal system. My Eastman E20 with the Fishman is my acoustic for louder situations.

[@McCambira]

Great, great sound

[@ariakiss]

Fantastic. Still dont like the way B and E high strings sound thru magnetic. But its a big improvement with this latest version.

[@alessandroformenti1010]

Great video indeed! But still I ask myself why so many people love the pure mini: lack of attack, boominess... sounds good but the only real deal is its passive design imho. Maybe a lot of people are simply used to piezo-crap pickups so when they try the k&k it sounds like heaven to their ears... surely this people never tried a GREAT amplification system.

[@francischang]

SM57 sounded the best, but you have convinced me the Fishman is the best acoustic pickup there is, short of an external mic.

[@loosemonkeys5928]

How about when compared to the Fishman rare earth powertap? Have you tried that one? Thanks

[@BillyMuircroft-wh3cu]

Hi Alex. Great review, quick question if you may. Should I use the fish man pick up into a active di box? Thanks

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Hey Billy - passive or active, I don't think it really matters much. The Rare Earth Mic blend has it's own preamp built in so a typically passive DI should work just fine.

[@eeervin3]

Great video! Have you tried the Fishman powertap? It seems to be v similar to the blend - not actually sure how the two are different.. any thoughts anyone?

[@itsfailix98]

The Fishman RareEarth Blend has that condenser microphone mounted to it in the sound hole. The PowerTap Earth has the same magnetic pickup (the humbucking version) and has a Tap Sensor underneath the bridge that is capturing the percussion, so the PowerTap is aimed more towards Fingerstyle players. For example Marcin is playing the PowerTap pickup if I remember it correctly. If you're mainly playing for studio recordings or something like that you wanna go for the RareEarth Blend with the microphone (if you're not recording with a specific external microphone and wanna use the pickup). If you're a Fingerstyle player that also does a lot of percussion, go for the PowerTap. And if you're mainly playing live on stages I'd go for the humbucking pickup only because the microphone could cause feedback issues and the Tap Sensor won't be necessary if you're just strumming.

[@bardiatarjoman]

Is it better than the cloudvocal Isolo gt10?

[@tommy_shooter632]

Hi @AlexPrice, thanks for an informative video - it inspired me to buy one, I ended up with an older Fishman RE (without the rolloff and a longer gooseneck mic it seems). Have you experimented much with mic positions? I tried pointing it at the strings but the boominess (even after extreme EQ'ing which introduced it's own problems) was insane, found the best working sound was having the mic somewhat parallel to the underside of the bridge and pointing at where your armpit would be. I'd be interested to see what results you'd had with exprrimentation

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Interesting! What guitar do you have? I have the rare earth mic blend installed permanently in my East E20-OM, and I like to point the mic up at the strings. If it's pointing inside the guitar I tend to think it sounds pretty boomy.

[@tommy_shooter632]

​@@AlexPriceMusician it's a D28. I might try and point it at the strings and experiment a bit more with that, maybe put a hpf before my interface. Do you angle it in any way or is it perpendicular to the strings? It's kinda hard to adjust mine and get it to sit in place because of the length of the gooseneck.

[@heithguilbert1245]

What’s your mic placement? I’m a huge fan of this pickup, but the new design totally changes the mic position compared to the two older versions.

[@christianboddum8783]

I used a Fishman Neo-D humbucker for a short while. The output was so low that to get any usable sound it had to be amplified to the point that the noise was ridiculous, it could have been faulty though... FWIW

[@ariakiss]

I guess the few times i played thru a K&K it must have been installed improperly. I couldn’t dial in a tone directly into mixing console.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Were you using an impedance matching preamp? The K&K plugged directly into an ordinary DI box is pretty harsh.

[@benjoshd3386]

Fishman rare earth vs Cloudvocal Isolo gt ?

[@stevec.1802]

Definitely the SM57 but unfortunately not practical is some situations. Great presentation.

[@KyndesCovers]

Nice video. Are you still using this?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Yep! I had an issue with a rattle at one point, but I reached out to Fishman and they fixed it, out of warranty, no questions asked. Fantastic pickup.

[@KyndesCovers]

@@AlexPriceMusician thank you for update. Sounds great. Now I have guitars equipped with KK pure mini and a DPA 4060 in my guitars. I am using grace design Felix 2 on my regular high class acoustic board but also doing some short acoustic stuff on Kemper Og gigs where I then later use Kemper for electric. So on Kemper I only benefit from KK. Of course the setup on Felix 2 sounds great but at higher volume KK tends to feed more than I really wanna keep fighting. The Fishman rare earth blend would sound much better in Kemper than only Kk and even better with Felix 2. Would it sound as good as DPA/KK combo? Maybe not as natural but more useful and still better than anything else I think. Seriously thinking of switching out on all my guitars so I get more consistent sound on both rigs. What you think?

[@AcousticGuitarsForMe]

A noob question. Can these be permanently installed with no cable hanging out? Thanks.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Yep, I now have it permanently installed in my Eastman OM guitar. Drill out the endpin (I did it myself) if you haven't had a pickup installed yet and either coil up the cable inside, or cut the cable and re-solder to make it shorter. I just coiled it up nicely and stuck it to the side of the guitar with a zip tie and 3M cable mounts - amzn.to/48RZHhn

[@6j6666]

I have one sounds great but major problem 😕 which is the mounting: the screws screw into little metal inserts which are imbedded into weak plastic tabs. Tighten it down the inserts pull out of the tabs. Do better fishman!

[@lukebsings7342]

Any experience with the LR Baggs anthem?

[@jcgarcia1931]

The Anthem has been working well for me. Blending the mic n undersaddle is a must to suit different rooms. Sounds great enough to feel confident and comfortable playing live.

[@tommy_shooter632]

I used the Anthem gigging for a long time, it's really feedback resistant and gets a very good working acoustic guitar tone for live situations. It's by no means perfect, but couples well with a decent EQ pedal (I used an Empress Para Eq). If you notch out ~100HZ to reduce boominess, 300-500Hz to remove boxiness and then reduce some of the mids ~1.5-2.5KHz to make it less harsh you can get a nice loud and clean acoustic sound without feedback or harshness

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I've heard mixed reviews. The LR Baggs is a mic/undersaddle piezo combo, the Fishman is a mic/magnetic pickup combo. Slightly different, but I was adamant that I didn't want an undersaddle piezo. The magnetic works well for me.

[@farhadshidfar]

Hello, I play an acoustic instrument. is there any wireless that can work just only with under saddle pieso pickup (Passive) with out any preamp or EQ Mounted over instrument? I had the same wireless problem with transducer mics as well. They both work only when a preamp system is between mic and wireless. I tested a lot and all wireless systems work with the help of pre amp or with magnetic electric guitar mics installed over the instrument and could not be able to find anything working and adaptable wireless system just with under saddle mic or sticking transducer mic over the acoustic instrument. Thanks in advance.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I've used wireless kits with passive guitar pickups, and they work but there's this awful impedance mismatch. I think either you'll have to find a wireless with a high impedance preamp built in (and I'm not aware of such a product), or jerry-rig one in between your guitar and wireless kit, maybe mounted to the strap.

[@pinstripe_pedals]

Excellent video as always!

[@iasonpassaris]

Hi Alex, thanks for your great pickup demo videos. I switched from the built-in piezo in my Seagull to the REB and had a Fishman SBT-C wired to the original preamp as well. Right now I'm preferring the magnetic + SBT combination over the mic. Fishman recently released the REB Powertap which combines magnetic en SBT, have you tried this? I recently purchased a Martin DM which I'd prefer to amplify without modification. Thinking of going for the REB again, not permanently installed and maybe try out that cling-on which I can also use on my classical guitar.

[@erniegibbs4002]

I have a seagull that came with a built in fishman that I run though a fishman loudbox,and couldn't ask for a better sound .Love the seagulls!!!

[@erniegibbs4002]

And fishman

[@kevinoconner5234]

An excellent video . When using with an FX rig , what unit would you suggest to boost the signal?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

The Rare Earth Mic blend system is active, so it's outputting a similar level to an electric guitar. You shouldn't need to boost it at all before processing.

[@2musiclover534]

Liked. You earned it. Excellent review. The SM57 sounded the best to me but surprised at how bad the K&K sounds to me, given how popular it is.

[@brentgilbert4208]

I have a K & K mini in my Martin HD35. Sounds awful!

[@tonypower5625]

Can you help with how to choose a good pickup for a guitar with nylon strings??? Thanks.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Hey Tony - feel free to send me an email through AlexPriceMusician.com/contact In my Alvarez AC460, I have the original Alvarez-branded Fishman undersaddle/preamp. I use that in combination with a custom IR and my HX Stomp when I'm in loud situations like a musical pit or a jazz group with a drummer. Next month I'm playing that guitar with the Pittsburgh Symphony, but it's in a classical guitar setting. For that, I'm planning on using this Cloudvocal iSolo system into my small Fishman acoustic amp for additional volume. amzn.to/3Vq6CaF

[@tymachine]

Does the Fishman Blend pick up percussion playing well?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

The mic half of it does, not the magnetic

[@tymachine]

@@AlexPriceMusician Thanks.

[@JPerez-no2xr]

Question. Coming soon i will play in Church, lot of instrument and feedback and noisy enviroment. What you recomend!?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

If it's a very loud stage, stick to the magnetic pickup on this guy. Roll in a bit of the mic until you start to get feedback, then back up just a bit. That'll get you the best sound I think.

[@bws1billsimpson362]

Hey Alex, thanks for video. Sounds so good. I have a Martin 00-28 Modern Deluxe and I just can’t bring myself to have a pickup installed in it, so I’m looking at the other best option. I trust your judgement, do you think the Fishman rare earth is the best option (without installing a pickup) or is there something better? I saw the iCloud and watched one of your videos on it; and it looks pretty interesting; but you think the Fishman Rare Earth is the absolute best right now, right? Thanks very much.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Depends on what you need I suppose - the iSolo sounds fantastic and has the benefit of the extra effects and EQ, in addition to being wireless. The Rare Earth Mic blend (the mic part of it) sounds just as good, but you’ll have a cable dangling out the soundhole of your instrument if temporarily installed - you definitely don’t want someone to step on that and pull on the top of your 00-28. The Fishman also has the benefit of having the magnetic part of you’re ever in a situation where feedback is an issue - that’s what you’ll want to use over the mic.

[@bws1billsimpson362]

@@AlexPriceMusician thank you so much, Alex. Sounds like the Fishman Rare Earth Mic Blend is for me. Do you have any personal opinions on having permanent pickups installed by a professional in an acoustic that doesn’t already have them (like my 00-28 modern deluxe)? Is that something you would do to an acoustic, or no? Thank you so much.

[@StigPrice]

@@bws1billsimpson362 I have had the same headache although with a cheaper model of martin...I decided the best bet was to buy a stage guitar and keep the martin pure for mic in the studio. I've settled on a recording king Ro328 as the guitar but they are releasing a 42 series. Prices are 600 and 800 respectively. But I'm much happier using something like that with a fishman blend and a fishman aura spectrum di. Than I am putting a pickup in my martin or even risking having some drunk in the pub damage it. Recording king don't do an oo28 model...but I know sigma do. So maybe have a look into those as a good stage guitar coupled up with a fishman aura spectrum.

[@gladesowards]

@@bws1billsimpson362 I had mine installed with a 1/8” disconnect. So the end-pin and wiring is permanent, but there’s a 1/8” jack on the back near the side. I have a short cable running from there to the REB in the sound hole such that I can disconnect the REB and leave the wire and end-pin jack in the guitar if, say, I want to record. The jack is mounted using a small piece of Velcro so it doesn’t rattle around. Have to get a good installer to pull this off or do it yourself.

[@DiegoPolo-ym1uq]

A question, can I install this in a nylon strings guitar and use only the non magnetic mic?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Certainly, the mic will still work. I haven’t tried it on my classical though. I use the cloudvocal system when I need to amplify that. kzbin.info/www/bejne/imXJaYR4q9GIas0

[@Purple_Pixel]

I can't find a useful comparison between the Fishman Rare Earth Blend and LR Baggs Anthem? Any thoughts?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Both have mics, the big difference is that the Fishman system has a magnetic pickup for loud environments and the LR Baggs instead has an undersaddle piezo. I described a bit about why I didn't want an undersaddle early in the video.

[@carlduncan8462]

Try playing over the sound hole. I think the guitars will show more of the sound range.

[@oliviermtd]

Alex, would you know whether it is possible to use an E-bow with this magnetic pickup ? Many thanks in advance for your answer !

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Yep, in fact you can use an Ebow on an acoustic without a pickup at all :)

[@oliviermtd]

@AlexPriceMusician Thanks for your reply. I have to disagree. I have an acoustic guitar, I have an E-bow and I have an old wooden Dean Markley soundhole pickup. The E-bow doesn't work. (The E-bow user guide does warn about the issue ) An E-bow works by interacting with the magnetic field of the guitar microphone. I use it with my electric guitar. Hence my question. Does the Fish man pickup produce a magnetic field for the E-bow to interact with? Have you actually used an E-bow with that pickup? Sorry for being a bit if a pain😢. 😁

[@AlexPriceMusician]

@@oliviermtd I don’t know, maybe you have a different E-Bow than I have but it works regardless of whether or not there’s a pickup. I’ve used it on my Martin with the K&K Pure Mini, which is a piezo disc pickup mounted under the bridge. Ive used it on my old Gibson mandolin which has no pickup. I’ve even seen them used on a grand piano. I have the original Ebow, not the TC Electronic or another brand’s version. There are certainly harmonic nodes where the Ebow will not work for each note so you have to move it around. Maybe that’s what the documentation is referring to? I just went and checked my Ebow with the Eastman that I have the Rare Earth Mic Blend installed it. It works.

[@oliviermtd]

​@@AlexPriceMusician thank you so much for taking the time to reply in detail, and for the specific test. I do own an original E-bow. So, your last comment puzzled me. I went back to the user guide which doesn't explicitly say it wouldn't work on an unplugged guitar, but the long explanation about the mic selection and the finding of the hotspot got me thinking it would not work. And when I tested it on my acoustic guitar, I got the confirmation it wasn't... Because I wasn't using the E-bow correctly!😂😖 I held it too far from the strings... It has to be really really close. So, thank you again because you helped me greatly.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

No problem!! Glad you got it figured out, yeah they take a bit of time to get used to

[@denisprieur7944]

Can i use the fisman rare earth just plugged in a fishman loud box mini alone? Will the sound be good too?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Hey Denis - the magnetic sounds okay on its own and the Loudbox mini is a great amp. I’ve owned one since they came out and have gotten so much use out of it. The mic definitely sounds much better, but the mag is alright with a bit of EQ

[@dividedbytimestudios]

I just took the Anthem SL off my J45, I’ve been looking at sound hole pickups like this, are you still loving it? One person said that the humbucker sounds different if you get the version without the mic, do you suggest having the mic?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I definitely suggest having the mic. The magnetic on it's own sounds okay, but the mic sounds dramatically more realistic. On a good day, good stage, you can use mostly the mic. In louder situations, roll the thumbwheel towards the magnetic side until the feedback disappears.

[@LennyBonapart]

Tried to install, touched and blocked the strings. How is this possible? :P

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Some people point the mic towards the inside of the guitar, I tend to find that it sounds dull that way. I push the gooseneck down as far as I can into the guitar, then point the mic capsule back up at the strings.

[@gusr110]

I’m considering the rare earth blend just hope I will be able to control feedback. But it sounds like a great pick up to me. And it should work well with the Fishman pro EQI have what do you think?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I've sure it'll work great with that. The EQ should help you single out problematic frequencies and hopefully achieve a higher stage volume without feedback with the mic.

[@scottwilliams3608]

do you have to adjust your picking and/or strumming to avoid hitting the pickup at all? I tried another magnetic pickup and sent it back because it was so in the way.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

It's not in the way for me. It sits about an 8th of an inch above the top of the guitar if that helps.

[@hacksaw6790]

I think I'm sold on buying one.

[@icarocosta4302]

nice video, my friend. why not the anthem?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I've just heard such dramatically mixed reviews that I decided to go with the Fishman system. Also half of the Anthem is an undersaddle piezo, which I did not want.

[@guitarslim1989]

I would love to try this on my baritone acoustic guitar