Martin Thinline Gold Plus

Pickup features: Under Saddle, active
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Martin D-1
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: None
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup: Self
You musical style(s): Country, Bluegrass
Reason for pickup change: Wanted to electrify the guitar

Perceived output level: Using this with a Fender Acoustisonic 30 amp and the combination is very good
Tone: Easy to maintain the desired tone.
Sonic evaluation: Fender Acoustisonic 30. Wish I had a volume control on the guitar but I will survive without it.

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

Comments: I had it professionally installed by a authorized Martin repair & service facility and I believe it is worth the extra money. My bridge sets better now, after the modification, than it did before and makes for much easier playing.

Pickup features: Active, under the saddle
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Martin 16GT
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): blues, rock, indie
Reason for pickup change: I first bought a humbucker from Dean Markley. Please don't buy that, ever. Things that come with their own cord attached usually aren't worth buying.

Perceived output level: with-the-active-electronics,-you-can't-go-wrong sound
Tone: beautiful
Sonic evaluation: I use a completely digital recording studio I made. With the Dean Markley, it took about 2 minutes before I was back in my car and driving back to the guitar store. I played this for about 2 hours, re-recording a few songs that I had previously used a mic with. You need this pickup.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I'm a solo act, sometimes with an accompany on bass and piano. My roots are other indie solo acts, we kinda feed off each other.

Comments: I installed it myself. It took about 3 hours, given I went to the hardware store 3 times. It was pretty scarey drilling holes into my Martin, but the end effect was worth the anxiety.

Pickup features: Active
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Martin 000M
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Dean Markly ZH-7
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: myself
You musical style(s): blues & Slack Key (Ki Hoalu)
Reason for pickup change: The ZH-7 Was weak, large, and interfeared with finger picking. Also, installation was not consistant as the pickup height and angle of the pickup varied.

Perceived output level: Powerful sound, greater volume and claraty than the magnetic ZH-7. Also, very consistant . The pre-amp or active system provides a stronger signal to the amp. When using the pickup in a 30 watt guitar amp it was able to put out loud volume without feedback or hum. However, do not try to use a lot of reverb with the high volume.
Tone: Well ballanced, deep hollow base, warm midranges, and crispy clean trebles. The pickup's ability to capture a wide range of frequency and powerful signal makes it highly versitile for equalization through any amplifier. This pickup brings out the acoustic sound a loud volumes.
Sonic evaluation: Martin 000M and a electric guitar amp.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup works well with fingerpicking styles.

Comments: This pickup is one that I would install on my other Martin and Taylor if I used all three on an amp. This pickup does not require a lot of modification to the Martin, and is easy to install. I did it in about 1.5 hours. The only problem was that the battery connector (plastic cap with +/-) broke when I disconnected the battery. In searching for a undersaddle pickup, I chose the Martin by accident. In ordering it through the mail order I thought I was getting a Thinline 332, boy was I suprised to find the Gold+Plus. What inpressed me even more was when I plugged it in the amp. This is the pickup with the acoustic sound.

Pickup features: Active
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Yamaha FG420 acoustic
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Barcus Berry passive soundhole pickup
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock
Reason for pickup change: The Barcus Berry pickup gave me a tone that was nearly electric. Didn't even really sound like an acoustic guitar. I was very unimpressed with it.

Perceived output level:
Tone: Very well balanced. Much crisper than the Barcus Berry. Close to a miked sound.
Sonic evaluation: I'm running from the guitar into a Nady True Diversity wireless unit, into a Zoom 9030 preamp/effects processor, into a Tubeworks MosValve stereo poweramp, into a 2x12 stereo cabinet w/ Celestions.

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

Comments: I actually listened to a Fishman Natural before I tried the Martin. I chose the Martin because, to me, it duplicated the natural sound of the guitar much better than the Fishman. I found out later that the Martin is actually made by Fishman! I guess they outdid themselves.
Although I am running the guitar through an effects processor, I'm running a pretty dull patch: a little eq and some reverb. This things sounds so natural that I'd swear it was just a miked acoustic. Occasionally, I'll add a touch of stereo chorus or some pitch shift to simulate a 12 string.
Although I do wish it had volume and tone controls right on the guitar (and a little trapdoor that lets you change the battery without unstringing the guitar), my Zoom 9030 compensates for that by letting me set the eq and volume remotely via the pedalboard.
I am exrememely satisfied with it. I'm using this thing in a wedding ceremony later this month. It's exactly what I was looking for.

Pickup features: Under bridge transducer
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Old Alvarez 6 string. Old Epiphone 12 string
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Old Dimarzio soundhole pickup
Other pickups on guitar: NA
Artists using this pickup: Just me
You musical style(s): Folk
Reason for pickup change: Was getting a very muddy electric sound from
conventional pickups

Perceived output level: Very bright and clear. Best in the 6 string
Tone: Very well balanced
Sonic evaluation: On the 6 string the sound is awesome. On the twelve it is agravating
the fact that this particular guitar is lacking in Bass and I have to
EQ to compensate. It seems a bit clearer on the Alvarez but this
could be because the Alvarez's table is a laminate and doesn't perform
acoustically as the Epiphone 12.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: May be a bit bright for some people but it is much more mellow than most other ducers I've heard

Comments: Be carefull that the battery plug in wires are secure. I had a problem
with it cutting in and out untill I located the problem. A loose wire
where the battery plugs in. The battery lasts a long time and this
is a very strong combination. You do not need a separate pre-amp with
this one. Do yourself a favor and buy a volume pedal or make your-
self one. That is the only thing missing other than maybe an EQ.