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6 Best Acoustic Guitar Pickups

If you are looking to improve the acoustic tone of your guitar, then you need an acoustic guitar pickup. The best part about a pickup is that it is very convenient, and you can amplify your playing without necessarily involving a separate microphone. There are different kinds of pickups, all of which offer different tones. The best one will depend on your style of playing the guitar.

For a memorable experience, it is better to go for the best acoustic guitar pickup.

Best Acoustic Guitar Pickups

In the following buying guide, we are going to compare the top six pickups that you will find on the market right now. They will revamp your tone, changing the whole ballgame for your guitar playing experience.

Kepma AcoustiFex Go, Acoustic Guitar Pickup

This will give your acoustic guitar a total makeover in terms of tone and effects. With it, you don’t need an amplifier, as it will enhance your tone and mix while maintaining studio-quality effects.

The preamp system has a magnetic soundhole that helps you to control the volume and the onboard condenser. The Lush reverb has adjustable delay and saturation. The delay gives you the option of adjusting rate and intensity. With the chorus, you can adjust the speed and intensity.

With this pickup, you can do instrument customization and fine-tuning. It can be easily installed temporarily or permanently. It has a decent battery life that can last for over 30 hours just on a single charge. The battery is also replaceable and easy to remove. It is equipped with a 18650 lithium-ion battery that is rechargeable and comes with a micro USB charging port. There is an LED indicator that will inform you of your battery status.

The pickup comes with an endpin jack to help you do a permanent installation if you want to, or a leather output jack holder that helps you to do a temporary install.

The unit has a phase switch that you can use to correct any phasing issues.

Product Specifications

  • Product dimensions: 7 x 6 x 22 inches
  • Product weight: 1.15 pounds

Pros

  • It smoothly blends acoustic without any feedback
  • Easy to install whether you want temporary or permanent installation
  • It has a long battery life
  • There is an LED indicator to show you the battery level
  • The magnetic soundhole makes control easy
  • You can easily customize the sound with it

Cons

  • Some users experienced a low output from the transducer
  • Some users had preamp jack issues
  • Some users found it hard to install

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Fishman Infinity Matrix VT Pickup & Preamp System

This Fishman Infinity system is both a pickup and a preamp system. It has been specifically tailored to help musicians achieve the best sound possible when they plug in. The Matrix VT system, which is the latest option here, will make sure that you get a clear and transparent tone. It also gives you a dynamic string response.

Fortunately, it is easy to install, but in spite of this, we recommend that installation be done professionally.

It has a soundhole mount that makes it easy to control the volume and tone. The players can easily do controls without any inconvenience.

It can come with a width of either 3.2mm mode or 2.3mm mode.

The pickup has a battery life of 160 hours and a capacity of 9V. The internal preamp has LED battery indicators to show you the battery level.

It is meant for the regular 12-string guitar.

Product Specifications

  • Product dimensions: 0.5 x 2 x 3 inches
  • Product weight: 1.6 ounces

Pros

  • It is easy to install
  • It is easy to use
  • It has a soundhole mount for easy control
  • It has a decent battery life of up to 160 hours
  • It has a great sound quality

Cons

  • Some users complained that it overemphasizes the 6th string bass
  • Some users complained of the quality of sound

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KNA AP-1 Universal Portable Piezo Pickup

The KNA AP-1 is a universal pickup that is not only great for guitar, but also ukulele and other string instruments. It can be easily mounted on any surface of the instrument. It has a good looking lightweight wooden housing.

It is lightweight and has a body size of 54x 43mm and a width of 9.5mm. It comes with a power tack that can be used for multiple applications, and it even comes with a ⅛ inch and ¼ inch cable.

Product Specification

  • Product dimensions: 0 x 0.4 x 0.4 inches
  • Product weight: 3.52 ounces

Pros

  • It can be used by other instruments as well, not only a guitar
  • It is easy to use and control
  • It gives you a great sound
  • It is affordable

Cons

  • It is recommended you get a putty so that you can keep it in place, or it will inconvenience you after some time

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Seymour Duncan 1150030 Woody Series SC SA-3SC

This is a great single-coil acoustic guitar pickup. It is easy to install, as it is a quick mount. It has a magnetic soundhole for easy pickup and control.

Since it is a single-coil pickup, it gives you plenty of amplification as your guitar blends well with other instruments or vocals you may be using.

Even though it is a great pickup, it will give you a moderate output. It is housed in a maple cover to make sure that you get a warm, rich tone.

It can be used with any guitar amp, though it works best with an acoustic guitar amp. It is important to note that it does not work well with nylon strings.

Product Specifications

  • Product dimensions: 4 x 1 x 2 inches
  • Product weight: 3.2 ounces

Pros

  • Easy to install
  • It has a magnetic soundhole for easy control
  • It has a single coil for great amplification
  • It works perfectly well in audio interferences
  • It comes with a long cable for greater convenience

Cons

  • It does not do hum canceling
  • Some users had an issue with low output unless they set high volumes
  • It does not have an EQ bar

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L.R. Baggs ANTHEM-SL Acoustic Guitar Pickup

This is an endpin preamp and consists of a TRU-MIC and Element pickup. It has been made in a way such that it is easy to control the mic level and volume. The pickup will make sure that you get a studio experience wherever you are. It is easy to mount and install. It has a noise cancellation system for a better experience. The system has been made in such a way that it frees the mic to do a seamless performance.

It has a long battery life that can last up to 170 hours with a single charge.

Product Specifications

  • Product dimensions: 6 x 4 x 2 inches
  • Product weight: 6.4 ounces

Pros

  • Easy to install
  • It has a long battery life
  • Easy to control and use
  • It has a great sound

Cons

  • It does not work best with a Line 6 wireless

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Fishman Neo D Single Coil Magnetic Soundhole Pickup

Unlike other kinds of pickup, the Fishman Neo D Single Coil Magnetic Soundhole Pickup has been designed such that it does not need a battery. It has a neodymium magnet structure for proper string balance and greater acoustic clarity.

As a single-coil kind of pickup, it offers magnificent amplifications, and it has a magnetic soundhole for easy control.

It comes with a pre-wired output jack that you can also use for endpin mounting. The pickup is easy to install with no alteration required. You can simply plug and play!

Product Specifications

  • Product dimensions: 6.9 x 5.1 x 1.9 inches
  • Product weight: 1 pound

Pros

  • It does not require a battery due to its design
  • It is easy to install as there are no alterations required
  • It has a magnetic soundhole for easy control
  • It has a great sound
  • Comes with a long cable for more convenience

Cons

  • It is best for right-handed guitars and players
  • Some users complained of a low sound

SEE ON AMAZON

Buyer’s Guide

All of the above guitar pickups are great choices if you are looking for something to improve the sound and tone of your acoustic guitar. They will improve your experience and give you plenty of value for the money.

Although they are all top picks, they have differences that set them apart. In this section, we will focus on these so that it is easier for you to decide on the best guitar pickup for you.

Best for multiple instruments

If you have several instruments and are looking for a pickup that can work with other instruments as well, then the KNA AP-1 Universal Portable Piezo Pickup is the best choice, as you can use it on multiple instruments.

Pickup with no battery

If you are looking for a pickup that does not have or require a battery, then you should consider the Fishman Neo D Single Coil Magnetic Soundhole Pickup. It has been specifically designed not to use a battery, so you don’t have to worry about charging at all.

Best in terms of battery life

When it comes to the battery life, the L.R. Baggs ANTHEM-SL Acoustic Guitar Pickup is the best, as it has an impressive battery life of 170 hours, which is high.

The most budget-friendly

When we compare the price, the cheapest pickup is the Fishman Neo D Single Coil Magnetic Soundhole Pickup, as it retails at only $32.76. Even though the price is an important consideration, it is good to keep in mind that the features of the pickup have a significant bearing on the price. For this particular pickup, it may be cheaper since it is simple and does not have many features, but it does its job well.

Our overall recommendation

Although we may have a pickup that we recommend, it is better first to define your needs so that you may get the best pickup for your needs. With that said, if you are budget constrained, then the Fishman Neo D Single Coil Magnetic Soundhole Pickup will serve you well. The biggest advantage is that you don’t have to worry about charging your battery.

Since many people who have the guitar also have other instruments, then we recommend the universal pickup, which in this case is the KNA AP-1 Universal Portable Piezo Pickup. It can work with many other instruments, such as the ukulele.

If you don’t have multiple instruments, but you are still looking for something of great value, then we recommend the L.R. Baggs ANTHEM-SL Acoustic Guitar Pickup, as it has a great battery life that will last you for a long time.

Conclusion

It is essential to factor the strings of your guitar when looking for a pickup. Some pickups work well with certain materials. Some pickups will not work well with nylon strings.

Some pickups come with preamplifiers. That gives you more convenience, as it will provide you with better sound. If you can, it is better to go for pickups with preamps, as they offer more value for the money.

The kind of sound that you are looking for is also an important consideration. Some pickups will illuminate some types of sounds more than others. In some cases, you may have to do the testing yourself to find something that best suits your needs.

If you opt to go for a pickup that has a battery, check the size of the lithium battery. More is always better here. Check if the pickup has extra features for the battery. For example, some pickups have an LED indicator to help you keep track of your battery levels. These little quality of life features can make a big difference.

Before settling on a particular pickup, be sure to check other user reviews so that you may know what to expect from the experiences of other buyers. Good luck on picking your new guitar pickup!

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