The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #59049   Message #3638773
Posted By: PHJim
03-Jul-14 - 04:36 PM
Thread Name: Acoustic-Electric Guitars
Subject: RE: Acoustic-Electric Guitars
Poppagator and others have suggested buying an acoustic that suits your needs and installing a pick-up. I have done this and have been quite happy with the results. The cheapest pick-up I've found that works well is the Fishman sound-hole pick-up at about $70. It has no controls and is visible (but being black and small, is not bad.)   
A couple of my guitars have Baggs pick-ups, an Element and an I Beam. These both have volume controls in the lip of the sound hole and, except for the endpin jack, don't change the appearance of the guitar. These were about $150 installed.
I put a first generation Fishman thin line under saddle pick-up in my Martin about 30 years ago and was never very happy with the sound. It had what folks often describe as a "quacky" sound. Since I replaced it with the I-Beam, I'm much happier with the sound.
I agree with tenn_jim, that the acoustic guitar sounds better through a good microphone, but the quality of "acoustic" pick-ups has improved greatly since their introduction.