You’ve found the perfect acoustic guitar: the right wood, the right feel, the right tone, and even the ideal case to keep it safe. You’re strumming away, enjoying that pure, resonant, unplugged sound. 

However, at some point, you’ll likely want to be heard beyond your living room – whether that means playing with a band, busking on a street corner, or recording a demo. This is where electronics and amplification come into play. 

Suddenly, that beautiful wooden instrument needs to connect to an amplifier or a PA system. However, this isn’t as simple as just plugging in a cable; the way your acoustic guitar captures its sound and transmits it can significantly affect its amplified tone.

In this section, we will demystify the pickups, preamps, and various systems that let your acoustic guitar truly shine, loudly and clearly, in any performance or recording setting. Get ready to plug in!

Pickup Systems

Undersaddle Piezo Pickups

How they work: Thin piezo crystal strips installed under the saddle that convert string vibration into electrical signals.

Sound characteristics: Clear, direct string sound with good string-to-string balance. Can sometimes sound a bit “quacky” or compressed.

Pros:

• Resistant to feedback
• Excellent string-to-string balance
• Simple, reliable, no batteries required for passive versions

Cons:

• Can sound somewhat artificial or “piezo-y”
• Captures more string sound than body resonance
• May emphasize pick attack transients (the initial, transient sound created when a guitar pick strikes a string, often described as a “click” or “click-like” sound)

Soundboard Transducers

How they work: Sensors attached to the guitar’s top that capture the vibration of the soundboard.

Sound characteristics: More natural “wooden” sound with greater body resonance. Can capture more of the guitar’s acoustic character.

Pros:

• More organic, natural sound
• Captures the resonance of the guitar body
• Often sounds more “acoustic” than undersaddle piezos

Cons:

• More susceptible to feedback
• May have less defined note articulation
• Often requires a preamp

Magnetic Soundhole Pickups

How they work: Similar to electric guitar pickups, they use magnets to capture string vibration directly.

Sound characteristics: Warm, smooth tone with less “piezo quack” but also less acoustic character. More similar to a semi-hollow electric guitar tone.

Pros:

• Excellent feedback resistance
• Warm, familiar tone
• Easy to install and remove (many are non-permanent)

Cons:

• Less “acoustic” sounding than other pickup types
• Requires proper positioning for balanced string response
• May physically interfere with playing for some techniques

Microphone Systems

How they work: Small microphones mounted inside the guitar, sometimes combined with other pickup types in a blend system.

Sound characteristics: Most natural, acoustic-like tone, capturing both string and body resonance.

Pros:

• Natural, authentic acoustic sound
• Captures nuances and playing techniques effectively
• Great for recording applications

Cons:

• Extremely susceptible to feedback at higher volumes
• More expensive, especially quality systems
• Often requires careful EQ management

Multi-Source Systems

How they work: Combine two or more pickup types (piezo, microphone, transducer) with a blending system.

Sound characteristics: Versatile, potentially offering the best of each pickup type.

Pros:

• Flexible tone shaping options
• Can be optimized for different performance environments
• Often delivers more natural sound than single-source systems

Cons:

• More expensive and complex
• Usually requires batteries
• May have more components that could potentially fail

Preamps and Controls

What is a preamp in the context of an acoustic guitar? Well, imagine your guitar’s pickup (whether it’s under the saddle, a mic, or a soundboard transducer) is whispering its signal. That whisper is far too weak and sometimes a bit tonally wonky to be heard clearly by an amplifier or a PA system. The preamp is the unsung hero that takes that tiny, delicate signal and does two main things:

Boosts it: It amplifies that whisper into a proper “line level” signal – a strong enough signal that an amp or mixing board can actually hear and work with effectively. Without this boost, you’d get a super quiet, often noisy sound.

Shapes it: Most preamps also include some form of EQ (bass, mid, treble controls) and sometimes other features like a tuner, phase switch, or notch filter. This allows you to fine-tune your amplified tone, cut out nasty feedback frequencies, and generally make your guitar sound its best when it’s plugged in.

You’ll typically find preamps either built right into the guitar’s side (those little boxes with sliders and knobs you see), or as external units, sometimes in pedal form, that you plug into before your amp or PA. Basically, it’s the crucial step that takes your guitar’s raw electronic voice and preps it to be heard, loud and clear.

Onboard Preamps

Features typically include:

• Volume control
• Tone controls (bass, mid, treble)
• Tuner (in many modern systems)
• Phase switch (for feedback control)
• Notch filter (on advanced models)

Advantages:

• Convenient access to controls while performing
• No additional gear needed beyond an amplifier or PA
• Often tailored specifically for the pickup system

Disadvantages:

• Requires battery power
• Limited control compared to external units
• Can add weight and potentially affect tone

External Preamps

Types:

• Belt-pack preamps
• Pedal preamps
• Rackmount preamps

Advantages:

• Usually offer more control options
• Can be used with multiple guitars
• Often provide additional features like effects, DI outputs, etc.

Disadvantages:

• Extra piece of equipment to manage
• Additional cost
• More complex signal chain

Acoustic Amplifiers

Dedicated Acoustic Amplifiers

Characteristics:

• Designed specifically for acoustic instruments
• Flat frequency response (unlike electric guitar amps)
• Often include feedback suppression features
• Many include effects like reverb and chorus

Recommended brands:

• AER
• Fishman
• Bose
• Boss/Roland
• Fender Acoustic Series

PA Systems

Best for:

• Larger venues
• Full band situations
• When singing and playing

Advantages:

• Handles full frequency range
• Can accommodate multiple instruments
• Designed for whole venue coverage

Considerations:

• Requires a DI box for best results
• May need monitor for hearing yourself
• Less portable than dedicated amps

Recording Options

Direct Recording

Method: Plugging your guitar’s pickup system directly into an audio interface.

Pros:

• Simple, easy setup
• No microphone bleed or room noise issues
• Convenient in home studio environments

Cons:

• Rarely captures the full acoustic character of the guitar
• May sound sterile or artificial without proper processing

Microphone Recording

Popular microphone choices:

• Small-diaphragm condensers (Neumann KM184, AKG C451)
• Large-diaphragm condensers (AKG C414, Neumann U87)
• Ribbon microphones (Royer R-121, AEA R84)

Common microphone placements:

• 12th fret (balanced tone)
• Near the bridge (brighter, more articulate)
• Neck joint (warmer, fuller)
• Room microphones (for ambience)

Acoustic-Electric Guitars vs. Retrofit Options

Factory Acoustic-Electric

Advantages:

• Integrated, often aesthetically pleasing design
• Pickup system optimized for that specific guitar
• No modification required

Disadvantages:

• Limited to the installed system
• Often more expensive than non-electric equivalent
• Can’t easily try different pickup types

Aftermarket Pickup Installation

Advantages:

• Can choose from many pickup types
• Can add electronics to your favorite guitar
• Often less expensive than buying a new acoustic-electric

Disadvantages:

• May require permanent modification to your guitar
• Installation quality depends on the technician
• Might affect the guitar’s acoustic tone or appearance

Electronics Decision Tree

Start with your primary use case:

• Mainly live performance in louder settings? → Prioritize feedback resistance (undersaddle piezo or magnetic)
• Recording or intimate performances? → Focus on natural sound (microphone systems or transducers)
• Diverse playing situations? → Consider multi-source systems for maximum flexibility

Consider your budget:

• Limited budget? → Soundhole pickup or basic undersaddle system
• Mid-range budget? → Quality undersaddle system with good preamp
• Higher budget? → Multi-source system or premium microphone/transducer setup

Think about your technical comfort level:

• Prefer simplicity and reliability? → Factory-installed system or simple aftermarket option
• Comfortable with technology and adjustments? → More sophisticated systems with detailed control options

A Personal Note on Amplification

For most players, I recommend having at least one guitar with a reliable pickup system for performing situations. 

Whether factory-installed or added later, having this capability opens up many more playing opportunities. Just remember that even the best pickup system isn’t a perfect substitute for your guitar’s natural acoustic sound – it’s a different voice with its own qualities and applications.

If you’re looking for amplifiers or electronics for your own home studio, check out my video “BEGINNER HOME STUDIO SETUP” which I made to help any new musicians get started!