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Best Acoustic Guitar Pickups Reviewed
If you’ve been thinking about adding a pickup to your acoustic guitar, then finding a reputable pickup can make all the difference. Listening to a few bargain basement acoustic guitar pickups will probably have you wondering if they all sound really, really bad. Thankfully that’s not the case.
There are some truly great sounding pickups on the market for acoustic guitar, and they come on a variety of configurations. Depending on what you want to have for features, sound shaping capabilities, volume control, etc., then you’ll find even the best acoustic guitar pickups are quite affordable.
We are huge acoustic guitar fans here at Solo Music Lab, so we developed a review of our favorite picks for acoustic guitar. We include both passive and active models, as well as those with and without tone controls.
Some of those extra features are well worth considering before you make a purchase, and probably one of the biggest one will be how the acoustic pickup will install in your guitar. While some acoustic pickups just slip into the sound hole, others are more permanent installations that are fixated beneath the bridge inside the body of the guitar.
You might want a pickup that you can easily remove when you don’t need any amplification. On the other hand, you might rather have an acoustic guitar pickup that is firmly attached, so you never have to worry about any unexpected movements.
You can read more about the details that make one acoustic guitar pickup better than another, and compare our favorite pickups in the comparison chart below.
Alright, lets dive in and get started.
Top Acoustic Guitar Pickup Comparison Chart
Best Acoustic Guitar Pickup
1. LR Baggs Lyric Acoustic Guitar Microphone
LR Baggs Lyric Acoustic Guitar Microphone
The LR Baggs Lyric Acoustic Guitar Microphone uses TRU-MIC noise cancelling technology to produce a level of performance that many musicians love. The mic used here is of a very high quality. There’s no actual pickup used at all and instead the microphone accurately picks up your guitar’s true audio and delivers it perfectly to the audiences present at your live shows.
It creates a realistic sound that most pickups can’t compete with in a live performance setting. So if that’s what you’re looking for, the LR Baggs Lyric Acoustic Guitar Microphone is definitely a solid option that’s worthy of consideration. It allows for high gain before feedback becomes an issue and the noise cancelling technology used here also helps a lot with that.
There are some black box circuit innovations used in the design and build of this guitar microphone that are very useful and enhance performance as well. These tighten the lowest frequencies and give more naturalism to the audio output, and that’s something a lot of guitarists are looking for from this kind of product. It also helps to maintain a level output no matter how hard you push your guitar while on stage.
The microphone system offered here is of a world class standard and is more than adequate for just about any acoustic guitar performance needs. No matter where you want to plug in and perform, the LR Baggs Lyric Acoustic Guitar Microphone provides a level of performance and a tight, punchy dynamic that’ll impress your audience. It’s very easy to adjust as well, which makes it convenient to use anywhere and everywhere.
Check out the sound quality of the LR Baggs Lyric Acoustic Guitar Microphone:
L.R. Baggs Lyric Acoustic Guitar Microphone
- TRUMIC noise canceling technology
- All discrete mic preamplifier
- Soundhole volume control
- Microphone presence control
- Analog signal conditioning
2. Fishman Matrix Infinity Pickup & Preamp System
- TRUMIC noise canceling technology
- All discrete mic preamplifier
- Soundhole volume control
- Microphone presence control
- Analog signal conditioning
2. Fishman Matrix Infinity Pickup & Preamp System
Fishman Matrix Infinity Pickup
This pickup and preamp system from Fishman is not one to be ignored. It allows the player to produce a clear and transparent tone with his or her guitar, and the dynamic string response makes it a joy to use. On top of all that, it’s very easy to use and even easier to install and set up. That’s something that makes it appealing to just about every kind of musician, no matter their skill or experience level.
The volume and tone controls are soundhole-mounted and the features present on the pickup are pretty impressive. The Acoustic Matrix is something that gets a lot of people excited. It’s one of the best selling pickups on the market right now and it’s known for being very reliable and durably among people who use it on a consistent basis; that’s not something to be ignored.
The unique tone control is responsible for cutting mids and boosting the treble and the bass. The overall build quality of the pickup and preamp system is very strong and offers that high quality feel that most people are looking for when they buy a new pickup system. The Infinity Matrix picks up everything you want it to and is capable of truly transforming a guitar.
If you’re looking for a natural sound that’ll also give you the tone control that puts you in the driver’s seat, the Fishman Matrix Infinity Pickup & Preamp System could be exactly what you’ve been looking for. The feedback resistance offered by this pickup system is also really impressive and another one of the things that the people who use it like most of all. It ticks all the right boxes and is a genuine asset to acoustic guitar players looking to perform live.
- Acoustic Pickup with Soundhole-mounted Controls - Narrow Saddle
3. K&K Pure Mini Acoustic Guitar Pickup
K&K Pure Mini Acoustic Guitar Pickup
If you’re looking for a pure pickup system that doesn’t use batteries of other onboard electronics, you’re probably going to want to consider the K&K Pure Mini Acoustic Guitar Pickup. It’s a traducer-only system, meaning all of those other things aren’t involved here; it’s purely down to the pickups, producing a weighty and full sound that you’ll instantly recognize as delivering what you want it to.
It proves that you don’t necessarily need a preamp in order to create a rich and full sound that can be pumped through speakers and PA systems at live events. There are three transducers and each of them is designed in a way that makes them able to pickup a particular string pair. There’s no harsh sounds because there’s no pressure on the pickups at any point in their use, allowing a smooth and rich tone to come through strong.
Many of the people who use this pickup system mention the true tones that it enables them to produce with their electric guitar when it’s being amplified in a performance setting. It’s an easy and quick system to start using and it takes a lot of the complication out of amplifying your acoustic guitar without sacrificing anything at all in terms of the quality of sound; on the contrary, it enhances it.
It’s no coincidence that the K&K Pure Mini Acoustic Guitar Pickup has such positive reviews, both from industry experts and buyers alike. You can carry out the installation yourself, even if you’ve never done anything like this before. It’s also true that the sound quality is of a surprisingly high quality for such an affordably priced product. If you’re looking for an acoustic guitar pickup that offers genuine value for money, this could be the one that’s best for you.
- Three Transducer Pickup System for Steel String Guitars
- Includes 1/4" Endpin Jack
- Pre-wired, No Soldering Required
- High Output - No Battery Required!
4. D-TAR Multi-Source Pickup-Mic System
D-TAR Multi-Source Pickup-Mic System
The new D-TAR Multi-Source Pickup-Mic System has a dual system, as the name suggests. This means that it contains both the WaveLength and the mic pickups. It’s an 18 volt high impedance preamp that’s ideal for steel string guitars, 6 string guitars and 12 string guitars. The omni-directional electret condenser microphone performs beautifully and it has a control module mounted on the soundhole.
All of that results in a pickup-mic system that’s incredibly flexible and versatile. No matter what kind of sound you’re producing or how you need to amplify that sound, the D-Tar Multi-Source system will be able to meet your needs and deliver what you need it to. It’s particularly good at producing a natural sound, which is what many people are aiming for when they’re looking to amplify their acoustic guitar.
You can expect true clarity from this pickup-mic system, as well as real accuracy. The mic is nicely isolated, to avoid any problems, allowing it to produce a true sound that’s not impacted by any of the components in use around it. You can dial the microphone in and out to control the output and add extra feedback as and when you need to. But you won’t have to worry about contending with any unwanted vibrations when using this system with your acoustic guitar.
It has a range of professional features that allow for smooth performances that help you display a level professionalism, no matter how experienced or inexperienced you are as a live performer. You can take your time finding the adjustments and settings that produce the tone and sound that you’re looking to achieve with your acoustic guitar. It comes with a thorough manual that explains all of these features for you so there won’t be any confusion at all.
- Dual Pickup System: WaveLength and Mic Pickups
- 18 volt High Impedance Preamp
- For Steel String Guitars, 6 and 12 String
- Omni-directional Electret Condensor Microphone
- Soundhole-mounted Control Module
5. DiMarzio Black Angel Passive Acoustic Soundhole Pickup
DiMarzio Black Angel Passive Acoustic Soundhole Pickup
The DiMarzio Black Angel Passive Acoustic Soundhole Pickup is ideal for all kinds of electric guitars and it’s a solution that many people find to be the ideal one for them. It has a passive magnetic soundhole pickup and it gets its name because of the matte black finish that’s used in its design. It’s great at picking up the full range of tones and sounds that are produced by your acoustic guitar when performing.
There’s no unwanted noises and no battery present, meaning you won’t have to deal with unnecessary interference when using it. It’s even great at not picking up noises produced by your pick and fingers and it does this by isolating the magnetic circuit that’s so intricate to its performance. That isolation ensures it only picks up the sounds and tones that you intend for it to pick up.
When installing the Black Angel into your guitars soundhole, it couldn’t be easier. It’s very simple and can be done quickly as well. You can also use this pickup alongside multi source systems and microphones, and it can accomodate a vast range of guitar sizes, making it very versatile and accommodating. That’s never a bad thing because it allows you to produce different audio outcomes depending on your needs, which could change in the future.
It can be installed in a matter of seconds, which is a stark contrast with other acoustic guitar pickups, which can be quite time-consuming and complicated to install and start using. The aesthetic qualities of the DiMarzio Black Angel Passive Acoustic Soundhole Pickup also make it very appealing to musicians. It possesses a sleek and stylish design and it doesn’t get in your way when you’re using your guitar. It might not be the most important aspect of the pickup, but it’s nice to know nonetheless.