The dilemma of amplifying an acoustic guitar for live performances or recordings is a long-standing challenge for guitarists. While the natural, resonant sound of an acoustic instrument is cherished, projecting that sound effectively often requires amplification. Today, a plethora of guitar pickup options are available, promising to capture and amplify the nuanced tones of acoustic guitars. However, the question remains: is installing a guitar pickup on a fine acoustic guitar a wise decision? This article explores the considerations and potential consequences of modifying your cherished instrument with a guitar pickup.
Years ago, a vintage 1939 D-28 guitar bore witness to this very question. It was marked with screw holes through its rosette, evidence of a surface-mounted magnetic guitar pickup, and a plugged hole where a volume knob once resided. This serves as a stark reminder of the permanent alterations that can result from guitar pickup installation. While the pickup’s lifespan on that guitar was likely a small fraction of the instrument’s total existence, the disfigurement to this classic guitar is irreversible.
Image: Close-up of an acoustic guitar rosette, highlighting the potential for visible modifications from pickup installation, emphasizing the question of altering a fine instrument.
When considering a guitar pickup installation, the primary question isn’t just about the immediate benefits of amplification, but rather, “What lasting changes am I willing to accept on my guitar after a guitar pickup, potentially an obsolete one, is removed?” Mounting a magnetic guitar pickup on a pre-war D-28, with the benefit of hindsight, seems like an obvious misstep, especially considering the immense value these guitars hold today. But what about installing a modern, seemingly less intrusive guitar pickup on a high-quality instrument like a Brazilian Santa Cruz?
Modern guitar pickup installations, while often marketed as minimally invasive, still involve alterations. Typically, this includes enlarging the endpin hole to accommodate a standard 1/4-inch jack, securing wiring and potentially batteries within the guitar’s body, and sometimes even drilling through the saddle slot for certain types of pickups. While some of these modifications might seem minor, certain alterations are fundamentally irreversible. Anyone who has attempted to remove aged adhesives used to secure internal guitar pickup components can attest to the enduring nature of even seemingly unobtrusive aspects of installation.
Image: Illustration of various acoustic guitar pickup installation points, including endpin jack, saddle slot, and internal wiring, demonstrating the modifications involved in adding a pickup system.
A well-crafted acoustic guitar can endure for generations, becoming a treasured heirloom. However, it’s worth pondering whether today’s acoustic guitar pickups will be coveted by future collectors in the same way that vintage microphones or other audio equipment are prized today. It’s plausible that technological advancements will lead to the development of superior, less invasive acoustic sensing technologies in the future, potentially rendering current guitar pickup technology obsolete. Imagine a high-fidelity, wireless, miniature acoustic sensor – a scenario that could easily emerge within our lifetimes, making today’s guitar pickups seem dated.
The need for guitar pickups is understandable. Whether you’re a professional musician with dedicated sound engineers or a hobbyist playing occasional gigs, achieving good amplified sound is a priority. The individual who installed a guitar pickup on that D-28 likely sought the best sound amplification available at the time.
Therefore, when clients inquire about guitar pickups, the advice is to consider the long-term implications and intended use of their guitars, and to proceed with modifications cautiously. The amplified sound of an acoustic guitar is dependent on the entire signal chain, encompassing not just the guitar pickup itself, but also cables, preamps, effects processors, and the sound system – not to mention the expertise of the sound engineer in mixing. A Santa Cruz guitar equipped with a guitar pickup and connected to an “acoustic” amplifier will likely sound better than “rubber bands on a cigar box,” but it’s unlikely to replicate the concert-quality fidelity of a purely acoustic performance captured with high-end microphones.
Many guitars crafted today by independent luthiers, boutique workshops, and custom divisions of large manufacturers are destined to become the vintage classics of tomorrow. If you have the means to own a Santa Cruz, perhaps you can also consider acquiring a dedicated gigging guitar. The market is saturated with quality new and used production guitars that are readily available. When amplified with minimal sound reinforcement, many of these guitars, if not most, will sound comparable to the prized instruments you are preserving for future generations.
If your primary passion lies in collecting guitars rather than sound reinforcement equipment, it might be prudent to keep the Santa Cruz pristine in your music room – and patiently await the next technological leap in acoustic amplification. Consider the long-term value of your instrument before making permanent alterations for a potentially temporary technological solution.
