Official Luthiers Forum!

This post is just to share my impressions of the LR Baggs "Anthem" pickup.

A couple of days ago I got one of my guitars back for installation of a pickup. Up until now, I've been installing the LR Baggs iMix sytems but I've been intrigued by the idea of the LR Baggs Anthem (i.e. that the primary pickup is a microphone) and, after some discussion, the client agreed to give that a try.

So I installed it yesterday and I have to say I'm really impressed. To my ear, it easily beats the iMix system for having a natural, "just like my guitar only louder" sound. It will be my pickup of choice from now on. The only caveat is that the mixer is designed to fit nicely with a standard bracing pattern around the sound hole so check that first. I believe the "SL" version just has a volume wheel that would mount with few restrictions.

Pat

_________________
There are three kinds of people:

Those that make things happen,
those that watch things happen,
and those that wondered what happened.

I've got a few SL's, which I'll be trying out here in the next few weeks as I finish up my current guitar. Looking at photos of it on an image search, it does look like they made a new version of the SL which just has a volume wheel on a small square that would stay out of the way. Mine still have a big block of plastic for it, much like the full version, which has a ridge that wraps around the soundhole edge to be visible from the outside, and has a notch to fit over a 1/8" tall soundhole reinforcement... unfortunately, I like taller braces than that, plus I'd prefer it not to be so visible.

There's a good solution to both of the problems though. Take a 1/8" thick bit of wood, and stick it to the mixer module. That levels it off so the soundhole ridge doesn't get in the way, and can thus be moved inside the soundhole to be invisible. It also makes the brace notch fit over a 1/4" tall brace, which is enough for me most of the time.

I also just installed two of the anthem systems in the last couple of days and found them to be very nice. It was nice to not have to worry too much about where the mic goes to get "the sweet spot" and I must say that they sound wonderful.

I am interested in trying the SL version also, but the guy who bought these guitars wanted all the control he could over the sound.

I will certainly use them again.

Kent

+1 on these!

I recently installed one on a guitar I built for a client. I thought it sounded outstanding, and more importantly, so did the client.

-Mark

_________________
Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

trippguitars.com
OR
Find me on Facebook

I will install the smaller SL version in my current build.

What I don't like is the recommended way of installing the volume control with the visible plastic ridge that wraps around the soundhole edge. So I will install it directly on the soundhole reinforcement brace. For a maximum contact area, I simply extended the brace where I plan to install it.

May look weird on the inside, but gives my a "clean" soundhole from the outside.