Does pickup affect acoustic guitar tone?

I agree with Dave. A top sensor will have minimal effect on the acoustic sound (there may be some effect, but you probably won’t hear it). An undersaddle pickup will place a barrier between the saddle and bridge, which you don’t want to have. Add to that, the top sensor will sound much much better than an undersaddle.

Do you need a preamp with an acoustic amp?

Most acoustic amplification setups benefit from either a preamp or a DI (direct input) box. A DI or preamp is essential for getting the best sound when plugging a guitar into the mixer of a PA system, and many guitarists prefer to use a preamp even when plugging into an amplifier.

What is a preamp on an acoustic guitar?

An acoustic guitar preamp is a device which allows you to either add volume or shape the tone of your guitar. While a lot of the time preamps are built in, some manufacturers ship passive pickups. Passive pickups don’t feature a preamp, so the signal they output is very low.

Are soundhole pickups good?

The advantage of a microphone based sound hole pickup is that the true sound of the acoustic guitar is amplified without the artifacts often imparted by magnetic pickups. Magnetic pickups can make your acoustic guitar sound more like an electric guitar than an acoustic.

Does a piezo pickup need a battery?

Active, passive and piezo pickups. Active pickups and piezo-electric pickups will require batteries, while passive will have no need for additional voltage source. In most cases, for regular and low-end guitars, there will be no need for batteries.

What are undersaddle pickups on an acoustic guitar?

Undersaddle pickups are the most common acoustic guitar pickup type and are often seen in new acoustic guitars. They are typically more articulate, percussive and brighter sounding than magnetic pickups due to the placement of the pickup which is located directly beneath the end of the strings.

What are soundhole pickups and how do they work?

As mentioned earlier, soundhole pickups detect vibrations in your guitar’s strings using magnetic fields. These magnetic systems can sometimes produce a clear sound that’s similar to an electric guitar – because they’re essentially the same as electric guitar pickups.

What is the difference between a piezo pickup and a soundhole pickup?

A piezo pickup is installed inside the body of the guitar, where it often can’t be seen. A soundhole pickup is usually visible bridging the soundhole, or tucked away to one side of it. Piezo pickups generate their sound by detecting vibrations of the guitars saddle.

What is the difference between an undersaddle and a bridge plate pickup?

The most obvious difference between and undersaddle and a bridge plate pickup is the placement of pickup: An undersaddle pickup sits under the saddle, and a bridge plate pickup sits inside the guitar, under the bridge.