Fishman Rare Earth Blender System

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Lowden O32c
Position: middle
Pickup being replaced: None
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup: Saw Kottke play with the humbucker version of this pickup.
You musical style(s): Fingerstyle (Kottke, Hedges, ...)
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a versatile pickup that would produce a realistic "acoustic" sound when amplified. It was installed "stereo" to keep the channels separate going into a Fishman Acoustic Performer amp.

Perceived output level: Very hot signal. As a result it was very hard to produce significant dynamic variation.
Tone: I found that the mag pickup signal was very metallic and the mic signal woofy.
Sonic evaluation: It was difficult to get a pleasant acoustic sound out of this all-Fishman setup. Eventually I gave up and went with a Sunrise/Acoustic Lense combo through the Amulet pre-amp. This setup sounded more acoustic right out of the box.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I don't think that this pickup is well-suited to acoustic fingerstyle. I could see it being more popular with "strummers".

Comments: Overall I didn't find that this pickup captured the subleties of acoustic fingerstyle guitar playing.

Pickup features: Humbucker with internal mic
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Taylor 712 ( Sitka ) 714 ( Cedar )
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: None
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Acoustic Jazz/ Windham Hill-ish stuff/flat picking
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: Hotter than most under-the sadle-pickups with very good feedback resistance
Tone: Very balenced except when I use Exliers, the non-coated strings tend to be hotter.
Sonic evaluation: I use this with my Taylors going into a SWR california blonde. I often use a Nanoverb as well. It's a lot better than all under-the-sadle- pickups in terms of fighting the "plastic" sound. But there is still a certain level of plastic. It's not the magic bullet. I tend to not use the mic at all. I first thought it was cool but in the end it's so prone to feedback at anything more than a 25% blend at a gig I just end up saying "forget it". At home it adds a bit of "wood" but don't take this too seriously, putting a mic inside a guitar is not exactly a good place to get tone. Imagine recording vocals after eating a SM57 and you get the idea. I'm thinking about getting the humbucker because it's easier to get in and out of the guitar.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Mostly solo acoustic fingerstlye jazz

Comments: I'd get the humbucker and save a few bucks if it were stolen. I'll probably add a condencer mic ( outside the guitar ) in the future to add a little wood for some gigs.

Pickup features: Magnetic soundhole pickup w/ mini-mic on gooseneck inside
Impedence or other specs: 1/4" jack in endblock

Model of guitar or bass:
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Bluegrass
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: Weak output even though Fishman says it has a built in preamp (I ran signal thru LR Baggs Gigpro preamp and this GREATLY improved sound quality)
Tone: Mic by itself is kind of hollow and thin but when mixed w/magnetic sound is quite useable
Sonic evaluation: I run straight into LR Baggs Gigpro then into PA board.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: For the more country acoustic stuff you can use the magnetic pickup alone and get a rounder slightly electric sound. Mixing in the soundhole mic gives a nice acoustic quality.

Comments: Would buy another one. Like the fact it mounts across soundhole with no drilling other than putting in an endpin jack. This pickup seems well made and a good value for the price. It benefits from an additional preamp to make output signal stronger but this is a small gripe and some folks may not really see the need for it. I play 75-100 jobs/year and it is worth the small sacrifice in sound quality to not have to fight a regular mic feeding back with a Martin D28. Overall, it is a good under $400 (including extra preamp) value

Pickup features: magnetic and small mic on goose neck
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Old 60s Harmony Sovereign
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Led Zeppelin, British and celtic folk, blues slide,blues rock
Reason for pickup change: I think I've tried every pickup for acoustic known to man. I hate, I mean damn dirty dog hate piezo pickup sound. Sunrise is ok but lacking natural woody. I've tried all the under the saddle crap and hated it all. I tried Takamine, Martin, Ovation, and alot others and hated them all.

Perceived output level: This pickup is Ultrahot I mean Megahot, to die for hot. Very natural and earthy and woody sounds almost like the guitar by itself only louder.
Tone: Balanced, crisp,shimmery perfect. I am totally happy.
Sonic evaluation: If I use an amp I use my 70 Fender twin reverb. 100watts of pure tube tone. Now that makes for a loud acoustic. Or I plug straight into the Gina soundcard but first through a Joe Meek British channel VQ6, compressor mic preamp.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: It got me the sound I wanted and I am very hard to please, very hard!

Comments: If it were stolen yep I'd have to get another one. Nothing else compares and I tried them all on my quest for Jimmy Page acoustic tone. Don't you guys wish you knew how I got it so cheap and new. Ha Ha

Pickup features: Humbucking active acoustic pickup with an integral condenser mic, soundhole mounted
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Seagull Artist Grand
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Prior to getting the grand, I used LR Baggs dual sources exclusively. The preamp would't fit into the grand (parlor sized guitar).
Other pickups on guitar: none needed
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): Fingerstyle, (classically trained) and singer-songwriter fingerpicking accompaniment
Reason for pickup change: The baggs that I used previously wouldn't fit and I wanted to try out the "newest thing" to see if it worked well.

Perceived output level: The output is not as hot as some of the 9 volt under the saddle systems (ie the baggs or fishman copolymer), but it is way adequate for any usage I can imageine (direct into a mixer, guitar amp, di, or stand alone digital mixer. All tried, work fine.)
Tone: Guitar Player mag summed it up: Gorgeous, shimmering tone. I would add that it is extremely well balanced, very present both live and on tape (or "disk" as it were) and it makes the little parlor guitar sound dynamic through a PA. The magnetic pickup has just the slightest hint of a "plasticky" sound in the trebles by itself. More true and "natural" than a sunrise or the new ibanez pickups built into their stage acoustics.
Sonic evaluation: I have used this guitar/pickup combo for everything from direct recording to a direct line for radio interviews to live sound through various house pa's. In short, I feel that the rare earth line in general is the hottest thing going currently. This pickup is a hell of a versatile tool for the working acoustic guitarist! :> I appreciate having the mic in two circumstances: using a house PA and recording. If I am traveling without my normal PA setup, I can plug directly into the house board starting with a 50/50 to 60/40 blend and get a decent sound almost anywhere. The mic adds a certain "woodiness" and "spaciousness" to the sound that I like, but may be subject to some feedback in some instances. In recording, there is almost no downside (More on this and a question below). I get a fantastic (I mean a really natural and totally duplicable) sound by splitting the signal in stereo and sending the magnetic half into a tube preamp (more on this later) and the mic into a preamp and compressor. If this type of combo catches on, it could obsolete external microphones in project studios everywhere, especially where isolation of other proximate sources(voice, percussion) is an issue. Having said that, I have a new guitar on the way, and I have already purchased a Rare Earth humbucker without the mic on it. The mic is a nice add on tool, but the more that I use the R.E. live (I do over 125 shows a year)the less I use the mic. I have found that if you send the pickup through a tube pre (I use a dirt cheap ART tube MP), that it is just about all that one needs. The tubes add some harmonics and overtones that seem to eliminate the "plasticky' or "quacky" sound that are in the treble range of the magnetic pickup. If you are on a budget and already have a tube pre like an art, bellari or a soldano; you might think hard about skipping the mic. You will never feed back under any sane circumstances, and your batteries will last longer. Since the form I am filling out asks the question: Live, I run the RE equiped guitar (with the mic almost off) into the art, directly into a mackie 1202 and out through a crown K2 amp into EAW jf100i speakers. A little delay and reverb later, and presto, acoustic nirvana! At home or for smaller venues, I love to rum the RE right into a Fender acoustasonic SFX amp (check out the Harmony reviews if you need an acoustic amp, they seem to be spot-on) This combo is great, the warmth of the fender (along with bar-raising onboard effects) is all that I need to be happy tone-wise. I really dig this pickup. A note to other users: I would be curious if anyone else has encountered noise when around hard disk recorders or neon lighting? I have found that I have to turn around to use my Roland VS unit. If I do, the pickup is dead quiet. Also, I have found that I have to turn off neon signs (open signs, espresso or jim beam signs etc...)if they are within about 15 feet of my guitar. Weird. The single coil version must be murder under these conditions. Answers?

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: As mentioned, I am a garden variety fingerstylist, using fingernails and a little two hand tapping. I play almost exclusively i

Comments: Haven't had enough comments from me already?!:> Alright then, If this pickup were lost or stolen, I would have no choice but to get another (probably just the humbucker though, unless I was in the middle of recording) I would rather have the Rare Earth and almost any decent easy to play guitar than, say, A Lowden, Kevin Ryan, Lakewood or Klein with almost any other pickup in it! (although the Baggs dual source is a close second if you want "natural"). I suppose that some players that are searching for a specific sound and have beacoup dollars might be able to do better with a sunrise, a saddle transducer, a few contact pickups, an external mic and a 36 band graphic eq for each channel; but for plug and play, check this one out!

Pickup features: Humbucking magnetic (active) with internal mic
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Lowden D12
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Headway Co-axial
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup: John Renbourn and (I hear) Tony MacManus
You musical style(s): Traditional and traditional influenced contemporary music
Reason for pickup change: I fitted a Co-axial Piezo pickup, wasted a lot of money on it and hated the sound.

Perceived output level: The output level is comparable to my previos Takamine EN10c at three quarters volume: More than adequate for any real acoustic players purposes.
Tone: Extremely balanced and NATURAL. Magnetic pickup tones are vaguely audible in the sound, but oh they're subtle and easily EQed out. Into a desk with all the tone controls flat, it sounds 95% of a natural acoustic tone.
Sonic evaluation: Iv'e only tried it into my Studiomaster desk with monitors, but these are incredibly revealing and forgive no sins. I've tried a Dean Markely Pro-Mag, Takamine's system, a headway co-axial, external miking, and a contact pickup, and none of them even came close to being bearable with or without EQ. This is great and natural in this set up with the tone controls flat, and any combination of pickup/mic. 50/50 is an ideal mix, and feedback rejection is as good as I get with a capacitor mic used externaly. Nothing's perfect, but I wont be looking for an upgrade. I love the sound of this. Note* A very obliging local expert in Glasgow reckons that "under the saddle" piezo's are fundamentally flawed since they pick up the vibration at the toppiest point in the guitar. I think he's right. Am I the only person driven to distraction by Piezo "quack". Just for the record I hate the sound of Fishman Piezo's too.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: n/a Any natural acoustic sound

Comments: The best Iv'e heard without any external preamps. pendulum's etc. I'd love to hear from anyone who's put a "blender" system into a pendulum or a rane in it's stereo mode. I'll bet it's wonderful.

Pickup features: single active
Impedence or other specs: built in Mic for true acoustic sound quality

Model of guitar or bass: Yamaki Acoustic
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: none
You musical style(s): good
Reason for pickup change: didn't have one and I wanted one

Perceived output level: Awesome
Tone: Whatever
Sonic evaluation: yes!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: yes

Comments: yes

Pickup features: Humbucking Acoustic Gtr. Pickup w/ integrated preamp & mic
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Martin HD28-VR
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: ---
You musical style(s): Lots of different tunings/styles/material
Reason for pickup change: The guitar did not come with a pickup.

Perceived output level: Very strong output (preamp built-in). You can run this directly to a console.
Tone: Very balanced and musical sounding. Absolutely no noise or hiss.
Sonic evaluation: I'm very familiar with the sound of the Sunrise magnetic preamp, and the magnetic part of the pickup sounds very similar. You can blend in the mic using the onboard blending knob, if in mono. If you wire it in stereo, you can process the mic & the magnetic pickup seperately, with external devices.
This is the best sounding pickup combination I've ever heard. I've recorded the mic & pickup straight to a DAT deck, and it sounds great. It captures the ambience of the guitar very well. It's light years beyond any piezo-based system.
I've played with cheaper magnetic pickups, and they generally sound just like an electric guitar, especially in the high end. The Fishman Rare Earth magnetic doesn't sound like that; it's a much more natural sound.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments: My only negative comment is that the jack was problematic, as I wired it in stereo. Lots of initial problems with buzzing/crackling. The manual was missing some info. I called Fishman, and they helped me out. I eventually got it working very well, but it was a little frustrating.
If you are thinking of wiring it in stereo, make sure you get the units with the newer jack (coming in early '99). It's not a really big deal; you might have to mess around with the jack a little at first (only if you have the blend unit, and are trying to wire it in stereo).
Other than that, this is the best deal in a blending system available today. It sounds great, and is particularly good for high-end or vintage guitars, thanks to the blending capability. Also can be used in vintage guitars without extensive modifications.
I'm very satisfied with this model. For those on a budget, consider the Rare Earth humbucking without the mic/blender, as it's only half of the cost of the blending model. Use a cheap external mic with it, if possible.
Even without the mic, this unit has a number of advantages over the Sunrise pickup: it has a lower profile/takes up less of the soundhole when installed, doesn't clamp the top of the guitar as rigidly (doesn't change the acoustic sound of the guitar), doesn't require an additional, outboard preamp for optimum sound, is completely integrated into one unit that can be easily & quickly moved to another instrument, etc. Add in the onboard blending, and you've got a new standard in acoustic pickups.
I really think that Fishman is on to something here.

Pickup features: narrow footprint soundhole pickup with mic on gooseneck
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Larrivee D-09
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: don't care
You musical style(s): contemporary acoustic
Reason for pickup change: no change, just wanted sound reinforcement

Perceived output level: moderate output
Tone: ranges from beefy lows to sparkling highs
Sonic evaluation: Played into a Fender acoustisonic jr this pickup sounds great. I like the solid (not boomy) bottom of the soundhole pickup, and the shimmer and softer attack transient of the mic. The fact that it has a very high-gain-before-feedback soundhole pickup should get you through any gig, and you should be able to mix at least some of the mic in most situations (it has very good feedback rejection as these things go).

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: anything acoustic

Comments: The other thing I like about this system is that it is elegantly simple. The soundhole pickup, small watch batteries, and mic/gooseneck are all in one small housing (that doesn't seem to affect the acoustic sound of your instrument).

Pickup features: Sound hole pickup with built in condenser mic and blend control. Active.
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Rob Armstrong Jumbo
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Gordon Giltrap, Brian May
You musical style(s): Folk, fingerstyle acoustic
Reason for pickup change: The existing bridge pickup was not very well balanced

Perceived output level: Reasonable for an active pickup
Tone: Balanced overall, but very influenced by adjusting position of mic
Sonic evaluation: Rob Armstrong Jumbo bodied acoustic, which is about 20 years old.
Also Guild D6NT, which is about 4 years old. Amp is a Trace Acoustic
TR100, with built in digital reverb, or straight into PA using
a pedal pre-amp with a BOSS graphic and DI box.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Contemporary and traditional folk, plus singer songwriter and fingerstyle. OK for all.

Comments: The mic is on a gooseneck attached to the body of the pickup, and is
very sensitive to position. On the Armstrong it works great, because
the guitar produces a very even response, and doesn't 'boom'. On the
Guild I could never get it to work that well, because the body
resonances produced bass feedback. Generally the sound is quite natural, especially if you can balance the sound about 50/50 mic to pickup. Anything up to 70/30 pickup/mic is pretty good, but the pickup sound by itself is quite hard and electric. Feedback rejection in the Armstrong is adequate, not so good in the Guild for reasons given above. The actual pickup I have was sold under the name of Mimesis, manufactured by Mike Vanden in England. His range of soundhole pickups is now made under license by Fishman, and marketed as the Rare Earth acoustic soundhole pickup range.