McIntyre GF-30 Acoustic Feather

It really looks like a little crow feather, and when looking at it you wonder how this can beat a fishman or a highlander pickup. It has no preamp, no control knob.

I have a Martin 00015S. I had the pickup mounted by my boyfriend, knows his job, telling it may look like a simple object but it's rather difficult to install. I really wanted to have a good acoustic sound, a woody sound so I got adviced for these.

The output signal is a little under average if not using a D.I. I play through a P.A and with a few corrections I can hear the real sound of my guitar , but louder. I usually cut out the middles but here it's no use, it's well balanced. I play chords and i strum, occasionaly I can do some picking.

I had a takamine eg10 before and the sound was...takamine...so it's not comparable. The mcintyre has no feedback at all, even at high gain, and without covering the soundhole.

Piezo transducer, wide shaped, passive system, endpin jack supplied.

Installed in my Martin D18, needs some patience to mount it, can be difficult, but the result is rewarding.

Output level is correct, somewhat weak but if you use a direct box or a Baggs paracoustic DI the signal can be strong and clear. I can make a statement about this pickup. Nothing can beat the sound of an acoustic guitar picked up by a Neumann U87. But this pickup is the closer you can find. The sound is balanced and very natural.

I've done a series of gigs with this pickup. It never failed, you don't have to worry about the battery discharging. The installation is very discrete, no visible wire, battery or button.

Pickup features: Passive, under soundboard/bridge
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Blueridge BG-140
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: None
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup: Don't know
You musical style(s): Folk, Americana, Country, Rock
Reason for pickup change: Needed to amplify acoustic guitar.

Perceived output level: Output level is moderate overall, although good for passive system.
Tone: Very good replication of the true acoustic tone. I found it a bit tricky to install as this is accomplished by removing the strings, reaching through the soundhold to place the pickup on the bridge plate near the string holes. This is a "blind" operation that I found a bit easier by placing both E string pins into the bridge holes so I could feel those as a guide. Still, I didn't achieve perfect string balance after the first attempt and had to c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y remove the pickup, and reinstall. I was concerned about compromising the sticky tape but it held fast even after this manipulation. After the second attempt I used a "mirror on a stick" to verify I had placed the pickup correctly.
Sonic evaluation: The volume and tone without a pre-amp is good, but certainly improved by use of a pre-amp. I goof around with various pre-amps depending upon my mood, including Aphex Acoustic Xciter, Behringer Acoustic PDI, Ultrasound PDI. While each pre-amp lends a slightly different tone they all work well with the Feather pickup. I play through a relatively inexpensive but effective Peavey Keyboard/Acoustic amp model KB/A 60. I have also plugged direct to a mixer and the sound is good in any situation.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I primarily played amplified acoustic guitar for old time dances (contra dance) and in a Cajun band. The Feather pickup provides excellent acoustic tone reproduction that works well with these musical styles. I have owned numerous acoustic guitars and an equal number of pickups, from moderate to high cost. The Blueridge BG-140 (Chinese built clone of Gibson J-45) is a good solid wood guitar, especially considering the price, that sounds excllent with the McIntyre Feather pickup, in fact much better than most higher price guitar/pickup combinations I have previously used.

Comments: The McIntyre pickup tone is very good. The installation is somewhat tricky, although not too bad. One benefit of the Feather over an under-saddle pickup is no need to drill a hole in the saddle slot, no need to shave down the saddle height or otherwise adjust the guitar. Of course, the endpin hole for most guitars requires enlargement for the endpin jack, but that is true for many acoustic pickup systems. The Feather provides moderate to good feedback rejection, although there is great improvement by using a soundhole cover. Overall, the Feather sounds better than any under-saddle pickup I've used. It sounds roughly equal to a K&K Pure Western, which is another under-soundboard pickup, although the McIntyre is slightly easier to install. I would seriously consider a Feather pickup if I obtain a different acoustic guitar.

Pickup features: passive pickup for acoustic flattop guitars
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Bourgeoise slope D
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: First one placed in this guitar
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Jack Lawrence and David Grier have been associated with this pickup
You musical style(s): Lots of flatpicking and lots of fingerpicking.
Reason for pickup change: Apparently there are pickups out there now that do quite a clean job of preserving the sound of your guitar after plugging in. I have used lots of Baggs and Fishman piezos and I?m tired of the shortcomings of under the bridge piezos.

Perceived output level: Haven?t been able to fully evaluate due to the problems I have had.
Tone: I?m writing this review because I have had the damndest experience with both the Mc Acoustic Feather for guitar and the acoustic feather for mandolin. I bought them both and have simply been unable to get these things to work. It?s a long story, with McIntyre pickups and I going back and forth over several months trying to solve the mystery. The McIntyre pickups are supposed to be super quiet and super natural. However, over here in Spain where I live they seem to be radiophonic or something because all they do is make a lot of noise. To make a long story short, McIntyre finally agreed (apparently against his own opinion of the situation) to send along a brand new acoustic feather for guitar. It worked perfectly the first afternoon and quickly began to pick up, or simply make all kinds of noise. Suffice it to say that in the course of trying to get these pickups to work right we tried lots of cables, changing amps, sockets... whatever to find out what was the damn problem. If McIntyre pickups typically had this problem the man would not be in business. After many hours of trying to figure out this singular and unfortunate mystery, I think (together with the very experienced guitar tech who cares for my axes) that the McIntyes may not be well insulated. I?m not sure though... I will add that for the few minutes that I heard the thing work without making lots of interference-type noises (ground humm, among them) the McIntyre sounded great and showed great promise for working live. However, I?m just about to give up and try a different brand. Let me add that I?ve made lots of records and installed plenty of pickups.
Sonic evaluation: With acoustic guitar, I try to play just through a consensor mic like a C-1000. We all know that that is often just not practical in live situations. With the pickups I either go direct or I take my AER Domino acoutic amp, which is a wonderful piece of equipment that sounds like a miniature high quality PA. The McIntyre made lots of humming noises both through the PA set up for rehearsal and through the AER.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play many types of music, doing lots of fingerpicking and flatpicking. (My banjo playing partner - Angel Ruiz - was recently featured in the Banjo Newsletter. He is the only professional banjo player in Spain, as far as I know.) I think the McIntyre feather pickups would be wonderful for my playing style, if only I could get it to work!

Comments: For those that have McIntyres without strange tales like mine I?d bet they?re very happy with them and would buy them again. Obviously, I would be a fool to repeat! I have been playing for 30+ years. I have a handmade archtop and a strat and a handmand tele but my specialty is acoustic playing. I have some wonderful guitars, the above listed Bourgeoise slope d being one. Another is a prized Franklin OM-1 that Nick Kuckich built for me in 1984. What a great sounding axe she is... All these axes, and more have been generally fitted with either Baggs or Fishman piezos. I use a side mounted AKG condenser mic on a National N dobro (another fine guitar) I also have used several other pickups on mandolin and fiddle over the years. As I have said, I bet many people love their McIntyre Pickups, as I think they are (probably, anyway) very natural sounding. I do wonder if others have had the same troubles as I have had. Carl McIntyre claims that his pickups basically never fail. I haven?t been able to figure this one out and it looks like money down the drain. McIntyre has been responsive but will not refund money (again to make a long story short) because he can?t see any faulty construction on his part. He was nice enough to send along a new pickup (when the first pickup failed to work cleanly I sent it back. He looked at the original, resoldered it, said it worked perfect and sent it back. It was a disaster here...) but after a session of sounding great, the new one too had the same problems as the original one sent over. So, buying a McIntyre Feather pickup has been a very, very frustrating experience for me.