• wlbaye
  • Honoured Member
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  • From: Black Hills So Dak
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 1,284

Topic: LR Baggs "Anthem"

Hello Everyone,

I recently purchased a J-45 Gibson and it had a fishman "Natural 1" pickup in it. It didn't have a tone or volume control on it and it was way way hot. You could barely turn the amp up and the thing was overpowering and had kind of a piezo quack to it.
I searched and studied and decided on the new Baggs Anthem SL.

Baggs offers two models to choose from. The Tru-Mic and the SL model . I decided to go with the SL , they both have the same mic that attaches to the underside of the bridge and an under saddle pickup . The SL does not have the handy adjustable wheel like the volume wheel to adjust the blend of the pickups. I have a B-band pickup in another guitar and the 2 adjustment wheels get mixed up to me anyway. I wanted to keep this one simple. The SL does have a small phillips head screw that adjusts the balance of the pickups and once adjusted I am just leaving it alone.

Installation was simple beings it had a pickup in it already, total time about 15 minutes that included removing strings and getting tuned back up. The mic just sticks on the underside of the bridge and the UST goes right under the saddle. Stick the battery and volume control on and it is ready for a test drive.

I strummed a couple licks and set the volume to a nice comfortable level. I played with a pick , without a pick and with a thumbpick. I have never played an acoustic and got the feeling that what was coming out of the amp sounded like it was coming out of the soundhole of the guitar. Playing without a pick with some pickups sounds muddy with no separation , not so with this one , I am so happy with this set-up , didn't really know what to expect but the results are smile smile smile

The SL Pickup Goes For About $ 200.
The Tru-Mic Goes                   $300.

Later, Wayne P

wlbaye's Website

2 Reply by patrickjacques (edited by patrickjacques 2010-11-21 15:01:58)

  • From: montreal, quebec
  • Registered: 2007-04-17
  • Posts: 327

Re: LR Baggs "Anthem"

I play a martin d 42 which I purchased with no pick up. when I had some work done on another guitar guitar I asked the luthier what he would choose as a pick up for an acoustic guitar if money was no object. ( I made it clear I wanted no or the least amount of cutting or drilling on my martin) His recomdation was L R Baggs i beam active system. its hard to remember but I believe it was somewhere in the $200.00 range plus $50.00 to install. I am totally pleased my choice. I dont have an acoustic amp. I have a fender super reverb (4 - 10 in. speakers) and find no need to buy an acoustic guitar amp.  This pick up needs a 9 volt battery and has a volume control inside the body at the sound hole. 

I just checked musicians friend and saw bags i beam for $139.00 I should have shoped around for the best price

what a long strange trip it's been
  • From: montreal, quebec
  • Registered: 2007-04-17
  • Posts: 327

Re: LR Baggs "Anthem"

I just got off LR baggs websight. I see now that you are refering to a pick up that actualy fits into the sound hole. is that someting you leave in all the time and as far as sound quality do you consider it better ? With mine being iside the guitar I sometimes use a feedback buster (a peice of rubber which covers the sound hole) How is a pick up that fits in the sound hole when it comes to feedback. I curious to know for future guitars

what a long strange trip it's been
  • wlbaye
  • Honoured Member
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  • From: Black Hills So Dak
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 1,284

Re: LR Baggs "Anthem"

The Anthem is not a soundhole pickup just the Volume control is attached inside the soundhole , the Anthem has a mic inside under bridge pickup and a ust pickup and you balance them.

An I-beam is just a ust pickup and I also have a H-D 28 with an I-Beam , if you like a natural sounding acoustic pickup the Anthem is much much better than the I-beam in my opinion .

Later, Wayne P

wlbaye's Website

  • From: montreal, quebec
  • Registered: 2007-04-17
  • Posts: 327

Re: LR Baggs "Anthem"

I must admit that when it comes to anything electronic I dont know jack. thanks for the info

what a long strange trip it's been