Buy pickup for acoustic guitars at session

Are you already the proud owner of an acoustic guitar and want to present the sound of your western or concert guitar to a larger audience or simply want to assert yourself against your fellow musicians in the band? Then acoustic guitar pickup are just right for you. Acoustic guitars can be easily equipped with a pickup system even after purchase. The advantage of a pickup for acoustic guitars is obvious. With a subsequently installed pickup, together with an acoustic guitar amplifier or PA system , you can amplify the acoustic signal of your guitar and thus reproduce your guitar playing louder.

It should be noted that acoustic pickup are offered in both active and passive type . An active pickup is equipped with a preamp. Active pickup are powered by a 9- Volt battery or a small button cell. The reason for active amplification is that the output signal of many pickup is often too weak. If you decide to retrofit a pickup with an integrated preamp, no major technical work is usually necessary. The preamplifier is often already integrated into the jack socket or is attached to the inside of the body with Velcro. On acoustic guitars that are already equipped with an active pickup system from the factory , the EQ is often built into the rib . A tuner and a simple EQ are often integrated. The latter can be used to adjust the highs, mids and lows of the guitar. Passive pickups, on the other hand, come without a preamp, but they also serve their purpose without a preamp. However, the passive pickup only achieves the best sound experience by retrofitting a separate preamplifier.

Before purchasing an acoustic guitar pickup, there are a few things you should consider. Not every pickup is suitable for every guitar. We would therefore like to briefly introduce you to the most important pickup :

Electromagnetic pickup

As the name suggests, a magnet is installed inside an electromagnetic pickup. This magnet is wrapped with a coil and ensures that the vibrations of the strings are converted into electrical tension . However, electromagnetic pickup only work on guitars with steel strings. Conversely, this means that electromagnetic pickup are not suitable for nylon strings or classical guitars. These pickup are usually mounted in the soundhole, which is why they are often referred to as soundhole pickups. Depending on the pickup and guitar, you only need to drill a small hole for the jack socket and strap pin combination.

Piezo pickup

A piezo pickup is a flexible strip that is (usually) pushed directly under the guitar bridge or installed under it. The piezo pickup generates its electrical tension physically. To put it simply, the piezo material (e.g. quartz) is compressed. The piezo reacts to sound and pressure waves when playing the guitar and is therefore equally suitable for steel and nylon strings. The use of a piezo insert or a piezo film is very common when miking acoustic guitars, as it can not only be used flexibly, but also delivers a very direct and reliable sound . Most piezo pickup are installed invisibly under the bridge . However, installing a bridge pickup requires a small amount of work. The bridge often needs to be adjusted and sanded down a bit. The Shadow SH 1900 is one of the most popular bridge pickups because it combines a slim design with an integrated bridge inlay.

Transducer pickup

The term transducer pickup refers to slightly modified and versatile piezo pickup. Transducers also convert sound into electronic signals. These types of pickups are very easy to install. The sensors are attached to the top or inside the guitar using adhesive or Velcro strips. You can get very different sounds by placing the pickup differently on the surface of the ceiling or inside the body. If you only want to amplify your guitar occasionally, you will really enjoy this simple method of guitar pickup, without drilling or complicated arrowing.

Dual pickup systems with integrated microphone

Another way to amplify the acoustic signal of your guitar is to use built-in microphones. Built-in microphones are often found on acoustic guitars that are from the factory equipped with an active pickup system. These can then be mixed as part of a dual pickup system, with a piezo or magnetic pickup signal, thus delivering a very balanced and natural sound. However, dual pickup systems are also suitable for retrofitting into an acoustic guitar. The high-quality LR Baggs Anthem system is particularly popular. This combines an analog microphone with an active pickup. Thanks to easy mounting and a pure and clean sound, it is popular with beginners and professionals alike. When using built-in microphones, keep in mind that the guitar is a little more susceptible to feedback.

Now it's up to you to find out which pickup is right for your acoustic guitar. In our webshop you will find a variety of different acoustic pickup from AER , Fishman , LR Baggs , Shadow and Seymour Duncan .