iBeam Active Acoustic Guitar Pickup System with Volume Control Review

It's in the Bagg!

I bought an acoustic-electric guitar amp. (OK, so I had a G.A.S. flare-up!) I didn't have an acoustic-electric guitar, but I did have a Martin D15. My guitar tech recommended the "LR Baggs iBeam Active Acoustic Guitar Pickup system with Volume Control." I bought one from Sweetwater (delivered in 3 days!), had my guitar tech install it, and have never looked back. This system has… read more brought new life to my Martin D15. The pickup system sounds "natural" when plugged in, is easy to install (or so says my guitar tech) and adds a new dimension to my participation in jam sessions and other performances. I heartily recommend the iBeam system and commend Sweetwater's excellent customer service.

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Ibeam

Sounds great on my Martin D 15

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I beam pickup

Easy to install. Put it in a 20 year old Martin Composite body and it sounds so good I've even thought about replacing my Taylor CE310 "ES System" with one of these.

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LR Baggs iBeam active Acoustic pickup.

After talking with my sales guy and CF Martin guru Greg Baum, I chose this acoustic pickup for my vintage 1974 D-35 Martin. I wanted something simple to install and use. This has proven to be a wonderful choice for me. The clarity of tone along with the richness of the guitars natural tone quality is projected through any sound system I have played through so far. I do recommend… read more this system to anyone wanting up grade a fine acoustic without it looking like one. Bluegrass pickers love to plug in, but hate to admit it. Save the cost of some very expensive micraphones and get this LR Baggs system, you will be pleased. Mike.

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Perfect for my Alvarez travel guitar

I installed this in an Alvarez travel dreadnought I have had for years. The pickup actually enhanced the sound of the guitar! The baby Alvarez is one of the best guitars of this size, but it has the low volume and slightly boxy sound typical of travel-size guitars. The iBeam pickup allows me to open up the sound through a PA while providing all the presence and articulation I need… read more for fingerstyle work. There is none of the quackiness of a piezo pickup, and I don't need to feed it through my Aura 16 to give it space and depth like I do my other guitars with piezo pickups. A little EQ and some reverb is all you need to make it sound as good as any electrified acoustic. There is a leaflet in the box that says that the warranty applies only if installed by a LR Baggs dealer or professional luthier. Since my subject was a "low risk" guitar, I did it myself. Installation was simple, but you need to have patience and not rush it to get the position of the pickup just right. Enlarging the end-pin hole for the jack was the scariest part, but a good 1/2" step drill bit ($20 at Home Depot) made this a snap without damaging the finish or splitting the wood. To me, the scariest part of installing undersaddle pickups is trimming the saddle, risking botching the setup -- there is none of that here. The saddle (and the acoustic tone) is unchanged. I lined up the pickup to be exactly under the saddle and it was perfect the first time, but your mileage may vary. The finished installation doesn't show at all except for a nice new endpin jack. Summary -- this is an amazing pickup that many people can install themselves.

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