Many acoustic guitarists experience a common frustration: the disappointing sound when amplified. Often, the factory-installed pickups simply don’t capture the rich, resonant tone of their instrument, resulting in a thin, harsh, and uninspiring amplified sound. However, the good news is that upgrading to one of the best acoustic guitar pickups can completely transform your plugged-in tone. Imagine your acoustic guitar, known for its warm and natural sound, finally projecting that same quality when amplified – this is the power of a quality pickup.
While installing an acoustic pickup might seem daunting, most modern options are designed for relatively straightforward installation. The payoff is significant: a drastically improved amplified sound that elevates your performance and recording capabilities. For guitarists seeking an upgrade without investing in a new instrument, a pickup upgrade is a smart and effective solution to unlock your acoustic guitar’s full potential.
There are numerous reasons why you might consider adding or upgrading your acoustic guitar pickup. Perhaps your current acoustic lacks amplification, or you’re seeking a different tonal character to experiment with. Maybe you’re tired of the complexities of microphone recording and desire a direct instrument-level signal. Whatever your needs, the market offers a diverse range of acoustic guitar pickups tailored to various playing styles, guitars, and budgets.
In this guide, we’ll explore 11 of the best acoustic guitar pickups, covering a spectrum of price points and features. Whether you’re a gigging musician, a home recorder, or simply looking to enhance your acoustic’s versatility, you’ll find valuable options here. For deeper insights into acoustic guitar pickup technology and selection, be sure to check out our FAQs section. Ready to discover the top choices? Keep scrolling for our curated list of recommendations.
Our Top Picks
An LR Baggs Anthem acoustic guitar pickup system
Best Overall
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LR Baggs Anthem
The LR Baggs Anthem stands as an industry benchmark, renowned for its exceptional sound reproduction and superior feedback and noise rejection. This powerful system combines a condenser microphone with a piezo pickup to deliver a rich, detailed, and incredibly natural amplified acoustic tone.
A Seymour Duncan Woody SA-3XL acoustic guitar pickup
Best Budget
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Seymour Duncan Woody SA-3XL
The Seymour Duncan Woody SA-3XL is a favorite for its user-friendly installation and removal, coupled with its affordability. This soundhole pickup provides an excellent plugged-in acoustic tone without breaking the bank, delivering a clean and quiet performance.
A Fishman PowerTap Infinity acoustic guitar pickup system
Best Percussive
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Fishman PowerTap Infinity
For acoustic guitarists who incorporate percussive techniques, the Fishman PowerTap Infinity is an ideal choice. Its unique body sensor, in addition to an under-saddle pickup, captures the nuances of body tapping and striking, adding a new dimension to your acoustic performances.
Best Overall
Expert Insight from Guitar World: Our team of guitar experts dedicates countless hours to hands-on testing and rigorous product comparisons, ensuring you receive trustworthy and informed recommendations to make the best choice for your musical needs. Learn more about our meticulous testing methodology.
Best acoustic guitar pickups: LR Baggs Anthem Pickup for acoustic guitar
(Image credit: LR Baggs)
1. LR Baggs Anthem Acoustic Guitar Pickup
The Premier Acoustic Guitar Pickup for Natural Sound
Expert Review:
Specifications
Key Features: Soundhole-mounted controller for easy access, TRU•MIC system for studio-quality microphone sound, under-saddle Element piezo pickup for body resonance, convenient battery check function.
Why Buy
- Unmatched Transparency: Captures the true, natural tone of your acoustic guitar with incredible fidelity.
- Noise and Feedback Suppression: Performs exceptionally well in live environments, minimizing unwanted noise and feedback.
- Versatile for All Styles: Suits a wide range of playing styles, from delicate fingerpicking to aggressive strumming.
Things to Consider
- Premium Price Point: While offering top-tier performance, it may be a steeper investment compared to budget options.
The LR Baggs Anthem consistently ranks as the best acoustic guitar pickup for discerning players. Favored by acclaimed artists like Jake Bugg and Marcus King, the Anthem has become an industry standard for its exceptional sound quality. While not the cheapest option, it’s also not excessively priced, representing excellent value for serious musicians who demand top-notch tone for stage and studio work.
The Anthem eliminates the artificial, “thwacky” sound often associated with lesser acoustic pickups. Its advanced design effectively rejects feedback, even at high volumes. The system ingeniously combines an under-saddle Element piezo pickup, which captures the guitar’s body resonance, with a condenser microphone suspended just 3mm beneath the bridge plate. This microphone operates like a studio-quality mic, accurately capturing the nuanced air and detail of your guitar’s sound. It’s also designed to be noise-canceling and offers a flat frequency response that faithfully reproduces your instrument’s sonic character.
The discreet soundhole-mounted preamp provides intuitive control over essential parameters: volume, phase inversion (to combat feedback), microphone trim, and a mix control. The mix control allows you to precisely blend the low-end warmth from the Element piezo with the airiness of the microphone, tailoring the tone to your preference. A handy battery check feature ensures you’re never caught off guard during a performance. The LR Baggs Anthem truly represents a pinnacle in acoustic guitar pickup technology.
Best Budget
Best acoustic guitar pickups: Seymour Duncan Woody SA-3XL pickup for acoustic guitars
(Image credit: Seymour Duncan)
2. Seymour Duncan Woody SA-3XL
Top Value Humbucking Soundhole Pickup
Expert Review:
Specifications
Key Features: Stacked hum-canceling magnetic pickup design for quiet operation, adjustable pole pieces to fine-tune string balance.
Options: Available in Maple, Walnut, and Black finishes to complement your guitar’s aesthetics.
Why Buy
- Effortless Installation and Removal: Installs in seconds and can be easily removed without any guitar modifications.
- Exceptional Value: Offers impressive performance at a very accessible price point.
- Hum-Canceling Design: Eliminates unwanted 60-cycle hum, ensuring a clean and professional sound.
Things to Consider
- Basic Controls: Lacks onboard volume and tone controls, requiring adjustments from your amplifier or mixing console.
For guitarists seeking a hassle-free and budget-friendly acoustic guitar pickup, the Seymour Duncan Woody SA-3XL is an outstanding choice. This hum-canceling soundhole pickup from the renowned pickup manufacturer Seymour Duncan delivers excellent amplified tone without the complexity or expense of more elaborate systems. Its simple installation and removal make it ideal for musicians who need an occasional electro-acoustic setup for gigs or open mic nights. The Woody also boasts an attractive aesthetic, available in natural maple and walnut finishes to enhance the look of your acoustic.
The Woody SA-3XL is designed for non-permanent installation, fitting securely into any acoustic guitar soundhole with a diameter between 3.85” and 4.1”. Adjustable pole pieces allow you to precisely balance the output of each string, ensuring even volume across the fretboard. Crucially, its humbucking design minimizes unwanted noise, a common issue with some magnetic pickups, making it suitable for delicate fingerstyle playing where silence is paramount.
For players on an even tighter budget, the single-coil version of the Woody offers further savings, though it may be more susceptible to hum. The Seymour Duncan Woody SA-3XL represents a fantastic entry point into the world of Good Acoustic Guitar Pickups, particularly for beginners. For those just starting out, also explore our guide to the best acoustic guitars for beginners.
Best Percussive
Best acoustic guitar pickups: Fishman PowerTap Infinity Pickup for acoustic guitars
(Image credit: Fishman)
3. Fishman PowerTap Infinity Acoustic Pickup
The Ultimate Pickup for Percussive Acoustic Guitarists
Expert Review:
Specifications
Key Features: Fishman Acoustic Matrix under-saddle pickup for string tone, innovative Tap body sensor to capture percussive elements, blend control to balance pickup and sensor, stereo/mono output switching for versatile routing, Unique Tone control for EQ shaping, LED battery check, solderless connections for easy installation, voicing switches for tonal customization, soft-touch endpin-mounted preamp for convenient access.
Options: Available in Wide (1/8″ Gibson), Narrow (3/32” Martin), and Split (Lowden) saddle formats to fit various guitar types, offered with gold hardware for aesthetic preference.
Why Buy
- Optimized for Percussive Playing: Captures body taps and strikes with exceptional clarity and detail, perfect for percussive guitar styles.
- Dynamic and Transparent Tone: Delivers a natural and responsive amplified acoustic sound that faithfully represents your guitar’s voice.
- Extensive Customization Options: Offers a wide range of features and options to tailor the pickup’s performance to your guitar and playing style.
Things to Consider
- Complex Installation: Installation can be intricate and is best handled by an experienced technician to ensure optimal performance.
The Fishman PowerTap Infinity is a flagship acoustic guitar pickup system engineered for players who push the boundaries of acoustic guitar playing with percussive techniques. Building upon Fishman’s renowned Matrix under-saddle pickup, the PowerTap Infinity adds a dedicated Tap body sensor to capture the full spectrum of your playing nuances, including the subtle and dynamic sounds of body percussion. If you are a guitarist who loves to tap, strum, and strike your acoustic guitar body, this pickup is designed for you. It excels in providing feedback-free performance and exceptional tonal transparency.
The PowerTap Infinity features the redesigned soundhole-mounted controller, similar to the acclaimed Matrix Infinity VT system. The intuitive Unique Tone control allows for quick EQ adjustments, enabling you to scoop the mids and boost the lows and highs for a modern, sculpted tone. Repositioned voicing switches provide further tonal refinement, allowing you to optimize the pickup’s response for different guitars, amplifiers, or performance environments. Versatility is key, with options available for narrow, wide, and split saddles, and compatibility with both steel and nylon string guitars.
While the Fishman PowerTap Infinity offers unparalleled features and sonic capabilities, installation is more involved than simpler soundhole pickups. Fishman rightly recommends professional installation to ensure proper setup and optimal performance. However, for percussive players seeking the best acoustic guitar pickup to capture their full range of techniques, the PowerTap Infinity is a worthwhile investment.
Best Noise-Canceling
Best acoustic guitar pickups: Mojotone NC-1 Acoustic Soundhole Pickup
(Image credit: Mojotone)
4. Mojotone Quiet Coil NC-1
Eliminate Noise and Unleash Pure Acoustic Tone
Expert Review:
Specifications
Key Features: Active noise-canceling technology for silent operation, low-profile design for comfortable playing.
Why Buy
- Premium Components: Constructed with high-quality components for exceptional sound and reliability.
- Balanced and Natural Tone: Reproduces a well-balanced and natural acoustic tone, preserving your guitar’s inherent character.
- Incredible Battery Life: Offers an exceptionally long battery life, providing hundreds of hours of playing time.
Things to Consider
- Limited Availability: Currently primarily available in the US market.
The Mojotone Quiet Coil NC-1 is a groundbreaking acoustic guitar pickup designed to address a common frustration: unwanted noise and hum interfering with your amplified acoustic tone. Mojotone boldly claims to have “solved the soundhole pickup problem” with the NC-1, and their innovative design makes a compelling case.
As its name suggests, the Quiet Coil NC-1 utilizes active noise-canceling technology to eliminate hum and feedback, making it an ideal choice for both live performance and studio recording. Its 6V active preamp supplies the necessary power to effectively suppress unwanted noise, ensuring a clean and pristine signal. The pickup is powered by two CR2032 batteries, providing an impressive battery life of up to 1,000 hours. Bright LED indicator lights prevent unexpected battery depletion during crucial moments.
The NC-1 is meticulously voiced and EQ’d to emulate the sound of a microphone, capturing the pure and natural acoustic tone of your guitar. It is engineered to provide perfect string balance and volume with standard bronze or phosphor bronze acoustic guitar strings, eliminating the need for adjustable pole pieces or specialized strings. Its lightweight and compact design ensures it remains unobtrusive to your picking hand. While currently availability is primarily in the US, the Mojotone Quiet Coil NC-1 is a standout acoustic guitar pickup for players who prioritize noise-free performance and authentic acoustic tone.
Best Humbucker
Best acoustic guitar pickups: Fishman Rare Earth Humbucker
(Image credit: Fishman)
5. Fishman Rare Earth Humbucker
A Time-Tested Classic for Rich and Warm Acoustic Tone
Expert Review:
Specifications
Key Features: Active humbucking design for noise-free operation, neodymium magnets for strong output and clarity.
Why Buy
- Industry-Leading Brand: Fishman is a trusted and respected name in acoustic amplification, known for quality and innovation.
- Exceptional Battery Life: Offers impressive battery life, ensuring reliable performance for extended periods.
- Easy Installation: Designed for straightforward installation, making it accessible to most players.
Things to Consider
- Limited Tonal Adjustability: Lacks extensive onboard tone-shaping controls, focusing on a pure and natural sound.
The Fishman Rare Earth soundhole pickup has earned its place as an industry staple, trusted by countless acoustic guitarists worldwide for its reliable performance and warm, rich tone. In its various iterations, the Rare Earth has consistently provided acoustic players with high-quality amplification solutions.
This latest version of the Rare Earth humbucker has been refined and re-voiced to deliver a smooth and pleasing treble response – an area where many acoustic pickups can fall short. As an active humbucker utilizing a powerful neodymium magnet, the Rare Earth provides excellent string balance and sparkling clarity while retaining the natural warmth and depth of your acoustic guitar’s tone.
The preamp design of the Rare Earth is kept simple and straightforward – a testament to its proven performance. Its low-current design is a key strength, contributing to an exceptional battery life of up to 240 hours. Combined with its user-friendly mounting system, the Fishman Rare Earth is an excellent choice for guitarists seeking the reassurance of a leading brand and a consistently great-sounding acoustic guitar pickup.
Best Output
Best acoustic guitar pickups: EMG ACS pickup for acoustic guitars
(Image credit: EMG)
6. EMG ACS Acoustic Guitar Pickup
Powerful Output and Clarity in a Soundhole Pickup
Expert Review:
Specifications
Key Features: Active pickup with internal preamp for high output, EMG Quik-Connect system for solderless installation.
Options: Available in Black, White, Ivory, Green, and Red finishes to match your guitar’s style.
Why Buy
- High Output Performance: Delivers a strong and powerful signal, ideal for cutting through a mix and driving effects pedals.
- Exceptional Clarity and Definition: Maintains clarity and detail even at high output levels, ensuring your acoustic tone remains articulate.
- Quick and Easy Installation: Utilizes the EMG Quik-Connect system for fast, solderless installation.
Things to Consider
- Moderate Battery Life: Battery life is around 12 hours, requiring more frequent battery changes compared to some passive or low-current pickups.
The EMG ACS acoustic guitar pickup stands out for its impressive output and ease of installation, characteristic of EMG’s renowned pickup technology. True to the EMG tradition, the ACS utilizes the Quik-Connect system, enabling rapid, solderless installation, eliminating the need for complex wiring or guitar modifications.
Mirroring EMG’s impact on electric guitar pickups by popularizing active humbuckers, the ACS delivers a high-output, hum-free performance specifically tailored for acoustic guitars. Despite its powerful output, the ACS retains clarity and definition, ensuring your acoustic tone doesn’t become muddy or distorted.
The EMG ACS features adjustable pole pieces, allowing you to fine-tune the output balance to match your instrument and playing style. Its active preamp is specifically voiced for acoustic guitars, optimizing its frequency response for natural acoustic tones. The primary drawback is its battery life, offering approximately 12 hours of playtime on fresh batteries. Gigging musicians should keep spare batteries readily available. However, for those seeking a high-output acoustic guitar pickup with exceptional clarity and easy installation, the EMG ACS is a compelling choice.
More Options…
A Gretsch Deltoluxe Acoustic Soundhole Pickup
(Image credit: Gretsch)
7. Gretsch Deltoluxe
Retro Style and Bluesy Tone for Acoustic Amplification
Expert Review:
Specifications
Key Features: Alnico 5 magnet soundhole pickup for vintage tone, pre-wired for easy installation, passive design for straightforward operation.
Why Buy
- Simple Installation: Installs easily without permanent modifications to your guitar.
- Good Output for Passive Pickup: Provides a respectable output level for a passive pickup, suitable for various playing situations.
- Ideal for Parlor Guitars: Aesthetically and tonally complements smaller-bodied parlor guitars.
Things to Consider
- Limited Versatility: Primarily voiced for blues and fingerpicking styles, may not be ideal for all genres.
Drawing inspiration from the legendary DeArmond Rhythm Chief 1000, the Gretsch Deltoluxe is a visually striking and affordable acoustic soundhole pickup with a distinct retro vibe. As a soundhole-mounted pickup, it takes center stage on your guitar, and its mid-’50s aesthetic adds a touch of vintage sophistication, particularly enhancing the appearance of parlor guitars.
The Deltoluxe is an excellent match for electrifying parlor guitars. Its Alnico 5 magnet contributes to warm, bluesy tones that pair exceptionally well with smaller combo amplifiers, especially 8-inch models. Despite being a passive pickup, it offers a surprising amount of attack, and its pronounced bass response adds depth often lacking in other passive designs.
Installation is user-friendly, requiring no specialized skills. The Deltoluxe, affectionately nicknamed the ‘money stick,’ utilizes non-permanent clamps that tighten to secure the pickup to the guitar’s soundhole. It comes pre-wired to an endpin jack, eliminating the need for soldering. While its passive design and blues-centric voicing might not make it the most versatile option, for players focused on fingerpicking blues and vintage tones, the Gretsch Deltoluxe is a perfect fit.
Best acoustic guitar pickups: LR Baggs M80 pickup for acoustic guitars
(Image credit: LR Baggs)
8. LR Baggs M80 Acoustic Guitar Pickup
Natural Acoustic Sound with Versatile Performance Modes
Expert Review:
Specifications
Key Features: Soundhole-mounted magnetic pickup, built-in volume control for convenient adjustments, switchable active/passive modes for tonal flexibility, battery check for reliable performance.
Why Buy
- Transparent and Dynamic Tone: Faithfully captures the natural voice of your acoustic guitar with exceptional dynamics.
- Hum-Canceling Design: Minimizes unwanted noise and hum for clean amplified sound.
- Switchable Active and Passive Modes: Offers tonal versatility and ensures uninterrupted performance even with a depleted battery.
Things to Consider
- Potentially Tricky Installation: While soundhole-mounted, installation may require some dexterity and care.
Another exceptional offering from LR Baggs, the M80 acoustic guitar pickup is engineered for naturalistic sound reproduction and versatile performance. If the ideal acoustic pickup is one that faithfully translates your guitar’s unplugged voice for amplification, the M80 comes incredibly close. Its features make it a professional-grade choice for both stage and studio applications.
The M80 offers switchable active and passive modes, providing tonal flexibility. Active mode provides a slightly contoured EQ, while passive mode delivers a more raw and uncolored sound. A battery check mode helps monitor power levels, but in case of battery depletion, you can seamlessly switch to passive mode and continue your performance without interruption.
The M80’s ingenious design utilizes a free-floating second pickup coil that acts as a 3D body sensor. This sensor captures the resonance and vibrations of the guitar body, while the primary coil focuses on the string vibrations, resulting in a rich and dynamic amplified tone that truly captures the essence of your acoustic guitar.
Best acoustic guitar pickups: DiMarzio The Black Angel pickup for acoustic guitars
(Image credit: DiMarzio)
9. DiMarzio The Black Angel
Soundhole Pickup Designed for Multi-Pickup Systems
Expert Review:
Specifications
Key Features: Hum-canceling magnetic soundhole pickup for quiet operation, built-in phase switch for compatibility with multi-pickup systems, includes both install version with Switchcraft endpin jack and quick-mount version with 10-foot cable.
Why Buy
- Phase Switch for Multi-Pickup Compatibility: Essential for combining with other pickup types (piezo, transducers) without phase cancellation issues.
- Hum-Canceling Design: Reduces unwanted noise and hum for clean amplified sound.
- Easy to Install: Soundhole mounting makes installation straightforward.
Things to Consider
- Higher Price Point for Passive Pickup: More expensive than some other passive soundhole pickups on the market.
The DiMarzio The Black Angel acoustic guitar pickup is a well-regarded soundhole option with a focus on versatility and compatibility. Its simple and non-invasive soundhole mounting makes it easy to install. The Black Angel features a hum-canceling design with two coils and a rare earth magnetic core. Each coil is positioned parallel to the strings, with an acoustically isolated magnetic circuit to minimize finger squeak – a common concern with some magnetic pickups.
Despite being a magnetic pickup, the Black Angel operates quietly and responds well to effects pedals, expanding its tonal possibilities. A key feature is its phase switch, which is crucial for guitarists using multiple pickup systems. This switch ensures phase compatibility when combining the Black Angel with piezo pickups or transducers, preventing undesirable tonal cancellations. For players seeking a soundhole pickup to complement existing pickup systems, the Black Angel is an excellent choice. It also functions as a high-quality passive pickup on its own, albeit at a slightly higher price point compared to some competitors.
Best acoustic guitar pickups: K&K Pure Sound Mini pickup for acoustic guitars
(Image credit: K&K Sound)
10. K&K Sound Pure Mini
The Gold Standard in Passive Transducer Pickups
Expert Review:
Specifications
Key Features: Triple-transducer system for balanced sound, pre-wired for easy installation, passive design for natural tone.
Why Buy
- Excellent Preamp Options: Pairs well with external preamps for tone shaping and gain boost.
- Exceptional Tone for Steel-String Guitars: Specifically voiced to capture the rich tone of steel-string acoustic guitars.
- Easy Installation and Removal: Transducer design allows for relatively easy installation and removal compared to under-saddle systems.
Things to Consider
- Passive Design: Requires an external preamp for optimal volume and tone control, especially for live performance.
The K&K Sound Pure Mini is universally praised as a top-tier passive transducer acoustic guitar pickup. Its popularity is well-deserved, particularly given its accessible price point. For a small additional cost, you can add a dedicated preamp with a three-band EQ that conveniently attaches to your belt, providing essential tone shaping and gain.
A significant advantage of the Pure Mini is that it requires minimal modification to your instrument. If you own a valuable steel-string acoustic that you prefer not to modify extensively but desire amplification, the Pure Mini is an excellent option, offering a less-invasive alternative to soundhole pickups.
The Pure Mini system employs three transducers that are discreetly glued to the underside of your guitar’s bridge plate. This placement captures a natural, warm, and full tone. The strategic positioning of the transducers also helps minimize feedback, making it more stage-friendly than some other transducer designs. The K&K Sound Pure Mini is a benchmark in passive transducer acoustic guitar pickups.
Best acoustic guitar pickups: Dean Markley XM Artist pickup for acoustic guitars
(Image credit: Dean Markley)
11. Dean Markley XM Artist
Ultra-Affordable Transducer for Budget-Conscious Players
Expert Review:
Specifications
Key Features: Passive piezo pickup, maple housing for acoustic resonance, self-adhesive for easy mounting.
Why Buy
- Extremely Affordable: One of the most budget-friendly acoustic guitar pickup options available.
- Simple to Install: Easy self-adhesive mounting makes installation a breeze.
Things to Consider
- Basic Tone Quality: While functional, it may not offer the same level of tonal richness and nuance as higher-end pickups.
While the Dean Markley XM Artist transducer may not compete with premium LR Baggs or Fishman units in terms of sonic sophistication, it earns its place in this guide of best acoustic guitar pickups due to its exceptional ease of use, reliable performance, and incredibly low price.
Not every guitarist requires a professional-grade piezo pickup. The XM Artist offers a simple, easily mounted, and remarkably affordable solution for basic acoustic amplification. Finding the optimal placement on your guitar might take a few attempts, but the adhesive is designed to be finish-safe, allowing you to experiment freely. For occasional open mic nights or as a backup pickup, the Dean Markley XM Artist is a respectable and highly budget-friendly choice.
FAQs
Best acoustic guitar pickups 2021: 10 recommended acoustic pickups for all budgets
(Image credit: Future)
What is an acoustic guitar pickup and how does it work?
Acoustic guitar pickups are devices designed to amplify the sound of your instrument when connected to a PA system or an acoustic guitar amplifier. For musicians performing live acoustic music, pickups are essential to ensure audibility in a band setting and to match the volume levels of other instruments. Acoustic guitar pickups are also valuable in recording scenarios, capturing the internal resonances of the instrument, and they can be used with pedalboards to add effects to your acoustic sound.
What are the different types of acoustic guitar pickups?
There are three primary types of acoustic guitar pickups, each with distinct characteristics:
Piezo Pickups: The most prevalent type, often factory-installed in electro-acoustic guitars. Piezo pickups detect string vibrations, typically mounted beneath the guitar’s saddle. Known for their bright, sometimes brittle tone and excellent feedback rejection, piezo pickups are also compatible with classical guitars that use nylon strings.
Soundhole Pickups (Magnetic Pickups): Resembling electric guitar pickups in design, soundhole pickups utilize magnetism. They are positioned across the soundhole to capture string vibrations. Easy to install, they offer a convenient way to convert an acoustic guitar to electro-acoustic. Their tone is often described as similar to a single-coil electric pickup – clear, warm, and articulate. However, they may not fully capture the complete tonal spectrum of an acoustic guitar and can be prone to feedback at high volumes.
Microphone Pickups: Designed to capture the internal acoustic resonances of the guitar body, microphone pickups function similarly to studio microphones. They provide the most realistic representation of an acoustic guitar’s unplugged tone. Often paired with a preamp and either a piezo or magnetic pickup due to their lower output level when used alone. Like soundhole pickups, they can be susceptible to feedback.
Which type of acoustic guitar pickup is best for me?
The ideal pickup type depends on your specific needs and preferences. For converting a purely acoustic guitar to electro-acoustic, piezo or soundhole pickups are generally the best options. Soundhole pickups are simpler to install, while piezo pickups are more affordable and compatible with nylon-string guitars.
If you are dissatisfied with an existing piezo pickup, microphone or soundhole pickups might offer a more appealing alternative. You can even combine different pickup types, blending their signals to create a customized tone.
For premium instruments where preserving the natural acoustic tone is paramount, microphone pickups deliver the most authentic sound reproduction. However, they typically require a preamp and potentially a secondary pickup type (piezo or soundhole) to achieve sufficient volume for live performance.
Can I install an acoustic guitar pickup on my guitar myself?
Installation complexity varies depending on the pickup type. Soundhole pickups are the easiest to install, often requiring only a screwdriver. You can choose to drill a hole for the output jack or run the cable externally if you prefer not to modify your guitar.
Piezo pickups involve more intricate installation as they are positioned under the bridge saddle, inside the guitar body. Piezo elements are delicate, requiring careful handling to avoid damage during installation. You’ll need adhesive (glue, putty, or tape) to mount the pickup to the underside of the bridge, accessing the area through the soundhole after removing the strings.
Microphone pickups also require internal mounting within the guitar body. A key challenge with microphone pickups is finding the optimal placement to capture the best sound. Experimentation with different positions may be necessary to achieve the desired tone, potentially extending the installation process. Professional installation is generally recommended for piezo and microphone pickups, especially for players unfamiliar with guitar electronics.
Will installing a pickup affect the sound of my guitar?
When installed correctly, an acoustic guitar pickup should not negatively impact the natural acoustic sound or the value of your instrument. Good acoustic guitar pickups are designed to be minimally invasive and to preserve the inherent tone of your guitar. Many are lightweight, and soundhole pickups are easily removable if desired.
Do I need a preamp for my acoustic guitar pickup?
A preamp is generally essential to boost the signal level of an acoustic guitar pickup to a usable level for amplifiers and PA systems. Many pickups include a built-in preamp, often incorporating volume and sometimes tone controls. Other pickups may require a separate external preamp unit. Passive pickups, like many transducers and some soundhole pickups, almost always benefit from an external preamp to optimize their signal strength and tone.
Learn more about our recommendation process and how we test products in our buyer’s guides.
How We Test
Close up of Fishman acoustic guitar pickup
(Image credit: Future)
When evaluating an acoustic guitar pickup, we follow a rigorous testing procedure, similar to our approach for electric guitar pickups and other guitar gear. Whether testing a standalone pickup or one integrated into a guitar, our primary goal is to assess its ability to accurately translate the unplugged acoustic sound through a PA system or acoustic guitar amplifier.
Our initial step involves examining the installation process. Acoustic pickups are often installed internally, which can present installation challenges. Some soundhole pickups offer easier, more external mounting, while others, particularly piezo and microphone types, typically require adhering components inside the guitar body.
Assessing ease of installation helps us determine whether a pickup is beginner-friendly or requires professional installation by a guitar technician. We also scrutinize build quality, ensuring meticulous soldering and robust construction for long-term reliability.
Following installation assessment, we focus on the pickup’s sonic performance. Our aim is to hear the natural voice of the acoustic guitar faithfully reproduced through amplification. We compare the plugged-in sound to the unplugged acoustic tone, and often record the signal for detailed analysis in isolation, evaluating how effectively the pickup captures the acoustic guitar’s nuances.
Ideally, we spend several weeks with each acoustic guitar pickup under review. This extended testing period allows us to move beyond initial impressions and thoroughly evaluate the pickup’s performance in diverse scenarios, from home recording with an audio interface to live gigs through a PA system. This comprehensive testing process ensures we provide well-informed and reliable recommendations.
Read more about our rating system, our gear selection process, and detailed information on how we test each product.
