Acoustic guitar pickups

Buy acoustic guitar pickups at session

You already own an acoustic guitar and want to present the sound of your dreadnought or classical guitar to a larger audience or simply cut through the band? Then acoustic guitar pickups are exactly what you need. Acoustic guitars can also be retrofitted with a pickup system after purchase. The advantage of an acoustic pickup is obvious: with a retrofitted pickup you can, together with an acoustic amp or PA system, amplify the acoustic signal of your guitar and make your playing louder.

You should be aware that acoustic pickups are offered both as active and passive versions. An active pickup is equipped with a preamp. Active pickups are powered by a 9‑volt battery or a small button cell. The reason for active amplification is usually the often too-weak output signal of many pickups. If you choose to retrofit a pickup with an integrated preamp, major woodworking is usually not necessary. The preamp is often already integrated into the jack or attached inside the body with Velcro. On acoustic guitars that come from the factory with an active pickup system, the tone controls are often built into the guitar's side. A tuner and a simple tone control are often integrated as well. The latter lets you adjust the treble, mids and bass. Passive pickups, on the other hand, come without a preamp but still do their job. The best sound from a passive pickup is usually achieved by adding a separate preamp afterwards.

Before buying a pickup for an acoustic guitar you should consider a few points. Not every pickup is suitable for every guitar. Below we briefly introduce the most important pickup types:

Electromagnetic pickups

As the name suggests, an electromagnetic pickup contains a magnet inside. This magnet is wound with a coil and converts the string vibrations into electrical voltage. Electromagnetic pickups, however, only work with steel-string guitars. Conversely, this means they are not suitable for nylon strings or classical guitars. These pickups are usually mounted in the soundhole, which is why they are often called soundhole pickups. Depending on the pickup and the guitar, you may only need to drill a small hole for the jack/strap-pin combo.

Piezo pickups

A piezo pickup is a flexible strip that is (usually) slipped directly under the bridge or installed beneath it. The piezo pickup generates electrical voltage by physical means — put simply, by compressing the piezo material (e.g. quartz). The piezo reacts to sound and pressure waves when you play and is therefore equally suitable for steel and nylon strings. Using a piezo insert or piezo film is very common for amplifying acoustic guitars because it is flexible and delivers a very direct and reliable sound. Most piezo pickups are invisibly installed under the bridge. Installing a bridge pickup does involve a bit of work: the bridge often needs to be modified and sanded. The Shadow SH 1900 is one of the most popular bridge pickups, as it combines a slim design with an integrated bridge saddle.

Transducer pickups

Transducer pickups are slightly modified and versatile piezo pickups. Transducers also convert sound into electronic signals. This type of pickup is very easy to fit: the sensors are attached to the top or inside the guitar using adhesive putty or Velcro strips. By placing the pickup at different positions on the top or inside the body you can capture very different sounds. If you only want to amplify your guitar occasionally, you'll be delighted with this simple mounting method — no drilling or laborious filing required.

Dual pickup systems with integrated microphone

Another way to amplify the acoustic signal of your guitar is with built-in microphones. On acoustic guitars that are factory-equipped with an active pickup system you will often find built-in microphones. These can be mixed as part of a dual pickup system with a piezo or magnetic pickup signal, delivering a very balanced and natural sound. Dual pickup systems are also suitable for retrofitting into an acoustic guitar. Particularly popular is the high-quality L.R. Baggs Anthem system. It combines an analogue microphone with an active pickup. Thanks to easy installation and a pure, clean sound it is popular with beginners and pros alike. When using built-in microphones, bear in mind that the guitar becomes somewhat more prone to feedback.

Now it's up to you to find out which pickup is right for your acoustic guitar. In our webshop you'll find a wide range of acoustic pickups from AER, Fishman, L.R. Baggs, Shadow and Seymour Duncan.