No Cutting Required Acoustic Guitar Pickup Options

Do you own an acoustic guitar that doesn’t have a pickup? Do you want to add an Acoustic Guitar Pickup but don’t want to risk the tone of your guitar by cutting into it?

Maybe you just want to avoid the bill of getting a luthier to install an acoustic guitar pickup. You’re not alone in this.

All around the world, there are people with guitars which are old family heirlooms that they are loathe to cut into. Or people who own inexpensive guitars that aren’t worth the cost of installing an acoustic guitar pickup.

For years the solution was to just mike up your guitar. The problem there is that mikes aren’t always the most reliable source for playing live. Additionally, if you move, the tone you produce changes. This means you can’t move around the stage which limits your ability to entertain.

Worse still, you might get feedback, depending on your guitar or the venue in which you are playing.

So, what options are available to people like that?

Simple. You can get a No Cutting Required Acoustic Guitar Pickup. These simple pickups just slide into the guitar and slide out again when you’re done.

Options and Types

There are a few different types of No Cutting Required Acoustic Guitar Pickups. The two most popular types are the sound hole cover pickup and the oyster pickup.

Oyster Pickup

An oyster pickup looks similar to doctors stethoscope and works in a similar fashion. For an oyster pickup to work, it needs to make contact with a solid surface.

They usually come with a bit of putty or reusable double-sided tape. This means that you can attach and remove the pickup whenever you like. The nice thing about an Oyster Pickup is that it can be used on just about any instrument From guitar to violin and double bass.

Sound Hole Cover Pickups

One of the most popular of all No Cutting Acoustic Guitar Pickup Options is the Soundhole Pickup.

These are as simple to install as an Oyster Pickup. To install one, all you need to do is clip it across your soundhole and tighten it once done. Some brands like the Seymour Duncan Woody range don’t even need to be tightened. Just clip it into the sound hole and you’re good to go.

Quality

These types of pickup seldom come with any sort of preamp. Because of this, some might think that they are of a poor quality. The truth is, that the quality is entirely dependent on the pickup you buy.

For example, the Seymour Duncan Woodie mentioned above is one of the most loved professional soundhole pickups in the world. Professional musicians have been using them since they launched.

But, if you’re not convinced, simply head down to your local music store and check one out. Because of how simple they are to install and remove, there is no reason to not try before you buy.