Pickup the World Poll...

mr. beaumont · #1 01-20-2012, 11:44 AM

Hey, so I thought of this idea in the amplification thread…

I think I’m going to pick up one of those “pick up the world” pickups and do a review…but I’m going to have you all decide which of my guitars I put it on…

So here’s the candidates…tell me what you’d like to hear…

GUITAR 1: The Loar LH 600
SPECS: Solid spruce top, solid maple back and sides, all acoustic 16” archtop

PROS: The best sounding guitar acoustically of the bunch, the only all solid wood model

CONS: No blending options with a mag pickup, and not that it matters too much, but I kinda like having this guitar be just “what it is”

GUITAR 2: Kay “Master Cutaway”
SPECS: 17” Solid(?) Spruce Top Laminated Maple back and sides, DeArmond “Guitar Mic” pickup

PROS: Able to blend new acoustic tone with vintage magnetic pickup.

CONS: Already have one output jack clamped to the tailpiece, guitar does not have as rich an acoustic tone as The Loar.

GUITAR 3: Godin Kingpin
SPECS: 16” Laminated Cherry archtop, single P90 style pickup.

PROS: Able to blend new acoustic tone with magnetic pickup, easy installation with nothing already clamped to the tailpiece

CONS: Least pleasing acoustic tone of the three.

So anyway, vote and I’ll probably go with what the consensus is…unless I feel defiant

jazzbow · #2 01-20-2012, 02:46 PM

Godin gets my vote! P90 + acoustic tone would be nice, bass tone dialed in on P90 with acoustic sound blended to be more up front will thicken the acoustic tone.
The loar will sound like every other spruce top and the Kay has its own mojo and would lose its sparkle.
Of course all my own opinion.

SamBooka · #3 01-20-2012, 06:26 PM

Yeah.. if you are judging the pickup and the pickup is intended to be an acoustic pickup then I would go with the guitar with the best acoustic tone..

If you are feeling adventurous I would try the kingpin

bborzell · #4 01-20-2012, 11:11 PM

Tough choice. Since I know what the PUTW will do with a nice acoustic sound, I would typically vote for the Loar. However, you know those guitars that sound a bit dull acoustically but take on a whole new personality when amplified? I have a travel Ovation (Trekker) that sounds OK unplugged for knocking around the couch, but when I plug it in, it is pretty much suitable for performance. From that perspective, I'd be very interested in hearing how the Godin sounds amped up with the PUTW.

mr. beaumont · #5 01-21-2012, 06:35 AM

Wow...7 to 6 as of 6:30am...

The logic folks have used to explain why they think the godin should get the pickup makes a lot of sense to me...i'mdefinitely leaning that way too now...

Norman931 · #6 01-21-2012, 01:18 PM

Well, I selfishly voted for The Loar because I have an Eastman Archtop Acoustic that I have considered trying the PUTW in. I'd like to know how the pickup handles feedback in a solid-wood instrument.

newsense · #7 01-22-2012, 07:36 AM

Hi Jeff

What made you select the PUTW rather than one of the many other piezo or ferro-electret (e.g. B-band) options ?

mr. beaumont · #8 01-22-2012, 01:26 PM

A few members here posted clips that sounded great, and I really like the "non permanance" of the installation.

FrankBlack · #9 01-22-2012, 05:16 PM

I voted Loar because it seemed I would cry less if it didn't workout on that rather than the other two. The Kay and the Godin have a sort of purity to them which I'd hate to see... soiled. Hey, ask a psychopath a question...

mr. beaumont · #10 01-23-2012, 10:31 AM

Hokey smokes, this is close...just an hour to go...gotta order that pickup...this should be fun.

Jake Hanlon · #11 01-23-2012, 10:34 AM

The loar is great I think.

honestly, it might not be your point of topic but for ppl interested in upgrading their pickups, I couldn't be happier with my Harmonic Design, not only the quality of the product... the customer service was primo

mr. beaumont · #12 01-23-2012, 01:33 PM

Well, son of a gun...Jake posted a nod to the Loar, but didn't vote...so it's sort of a tie...

I talked on the phone with PUTW this morning...first of all, let me say, what a knowledgeable and pleasant dude David was. We talked about options, and I was pleased that they essentially make these to order...so think I'm going to go with putting the pup on the Loar actually...reason being, both my Loar and my Kay have a non-split bridge foot that happens to be the same size. What this means is that I can essentially use the pickup on the Loar, and in the future, if I get the druthers, I could slip it onto my Kay...so I could experience both it's sound on an all acoustic and on an acoustic with a floating pickup.

My decision was further pushed by the idea that the pickup is intended to truly just pick up the sound of the instrument and make it louder...since the Loar had the most pleasing acoustic tone of the three, it seems the most fair review of the product could be given with a guitar that sounds great in the first place.

I'll be ordering tonight and reporting back soon. Thanks to all who participated...sorry for cheating on the end result...