Soundhole Pickup Roundup: Shadow, EMG, Seymour Duncan, Fishman & L.R. Baggs
June 17, 2009
Shadow NanoMAG, EMG ACS, Seymour Duncan MagMic, Fishman Humbucking, Fishman Blend, L.R. Baggs M1, and L.R. Baggs M1 Active are reviewed, with sound clips of each
We've recorded sound clips of each of the pickups through a number of amps. To download all 35 clips, click here (23.1 MB Zip file). You can download the individual clips throughout the article. |
Signal Chain
We installed all these pickups (non-permanently and one at a time) into Pat’s Larivee D60 guitar strung with D’Addario EXP26 Phosphor Bronze (Custom Light) strings. Because we wanted to hear how they’d respond through different amp configurations, we routed everything through a Road Rage Pro Gear TBEL in order to quickly switch between the five amps. We recorded with two ECM800 omni-directional room mics, into an Aphex 207D digital mic pre, into an RME Fireface interface to hard disc using Samplitude V8 software.
Amp Rich
We chose a small arsenal of acoustic amps. Pat brought his old standby AER Compact 60, and Gayla chose her trusty L.R. Baggs Core 1. From the current review stash at PG, we also chose the Bose L1 Compact, the Genz Benz Shenandoah Compak 300, and the Fishman SoloAmp—a broad spectrum of potential sounds.
The Method
We are not rocket scientists; we’re guitar players. This wasn’t the most scientifically pure test ever designed, but we heard what we set out to hear. Pat played the same basic series of licks with each pickup through each amp, going through the series in the same order every time: Bose, AER, Fishman SoloAmp, Genz Benz, Baggs Core 1.
Shadow NanoMAG
Download Example 1 Through Bose L1 Compact |
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Download Example 2 Through AER Compact 60 |
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Download Example 3 Through Fishman SoloAmp |
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Download Example 4 Through Genz Benz Shenandoah Compak 300 |
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Download Example 5 Through L.R. Baggs Core 1 |
After installation, we tapped the pickup and the body to see if there was any body response, and for this pickup there was none. Then Pat strummed a G chord: the balance was good, you could really hear every string clearly, and none seemed any hotter than any of the others, although Gayla felt that the demarcation between the wound and unwound strings was slightly abrupt. It sounded good through all the amps, if a little crystalline in the highs. It would make an excellent companion with an undersaddle or soundboard pickup, in addition to being viable on its own.
Street $177
shadow-electronics.com
EMG ACS
Download Example 1 Through Bose L1 Compact |
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Download Example 2 Through AER Compact 60 |
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Download Example 3 Through Fishman SoloAmp |
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Download Example 4 Through Genz Benz Shenandoah Compak 300 |
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Download Example 5 Through L.R. Baggs Core 1 |
We found it to be nicely balanced, although the wound and unwound strings do sound very different—the unwound strings were maybe just a hair hotter, but clearly different. According to their website that’s to be expected with Phosphor Bronze strings, and can be compensated for by removing the pole piece for the B string altogether, and lowering the pole for the E string below the pickup face to taste. Even so, we thought it sounded pretty damn good: powerful, dead quiet and very well balanced.
Street $150
emgpickups.com
Seymour Duncan MagMic
Download Example 1 Through Bose L1 Compact |
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Download Example 2 Through AER Compact 60 |
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Download Example 3 Through Fishman SoloAmp |
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Download Example 4 Through Genz Benz Shenandoah Compak 300 |
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Download Example 5 Through L.R. Baggs Core 1 |
One nifty feature is the included clips, which can be soldered in to receptors on the bottom of the pickup, allowing you to use an N battery instead the bulky 9V—although you do sacrifice some battery life. The 9V battery will get you 450 hours, and the N battery will last around 250 hours. The N battery was a modification requested by guitarist Laurence Juber, who travels a lot and doesn’t like to leave the pickup installed when he’s flying. The N battery makes it much easier to uninstall and reinstall the MagMic quickly. In fact, there are three different installation configurations, making this a remarkably versatile pickup.
Street $229
seymourduncan.com
Fishman Humbucking
Download Example 1 Through Bose L1 Compact |
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Download Example 2 Through AER Compact 60 |
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Download Example 3 Through Fishman SoloAmp |
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Download Example 4 Through Genz Benz Shenandoah Compak 300 |
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Download Example 5 Through L.R. Baggs Core 1 |
The mid-range was smooth; there was no bump at the G-string. You could hear midrange clearly throughout the spectrum. It was slightly electric-ish sounding, but the treble was good. It’s bright and sparkly without being glassy.
Street $140
fishman.com
Fishman Blend
Download Example 1 Through Bose L1 Compact |
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Download Example 2 Through AER Compact 60 |
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Download Example 3 Through Fishman SoloAmp |
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Download Example 4 Through Genz Benz Shenandoah Compak 300 |
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Download Example 5 Through L.R. Baggs Core 1 |
Once again, we have to say it’s hard to beat the combination of the magnetic pickup and microphone. The response is extremely smooth and creamy; there’s no mid-range bump, and the highs are natural and airy, with woodiness to burn.
Street $300
fishman.com
L.R. Baggs M1
Download Example 1 Through Bose L1 Compact |
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Download Example 2 Through AER Compact 60 |
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Download Example 3 Through Fishman SoloAmp |
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Download Example 4 Through Genz Benz Shenandoah Compak 300 |
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Download Example 5 Through L.R. Baggs Core 1 |
Street $139
lrbaggs.com
L.R. Baggs M1 Active
Download Example 1 Through Bose L1 Compact |
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Download Example 2 Through AER Compact 60 |
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Download Example 3 Through Fishman SoloAmp |
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Download Example 4 Through Genz Benz Shenandoah Compak 300 |
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Download Example 5 Through L.R. Baggs Core 1 |
The high end is much more defined than with the passive version, and the treble sparkles nicely. Some of the amps emphasized the mid-range a bit, but it was very smooth with no distracting hump at the G-string. It was incredibly even all the way across the strings, with a warm and natural sound.
Street $169
lrbaggs.com