LR Baggs M80/M1

Ok, now that you know where I'm coming from on pickups in general, here is my take on one of the pickpickups that I have enjoyed using most. The LR Baggs M80 and it's predecessors the M1 passive and M1 active have been around since at least the late 2000's. I first bought the M1 passive around 2008, during a time when I was first trying to break away from the ubiquitous undersaddle sound. I had nearly given up on magnetic soundhole pickups when I got to the M1, but when I did, I found something that was really unique from the rest of the field.

The M1 brings a more acoustic tone to the table by really being two pickups in one. It listens to the string in the same way as conventional magnetic pickups,  but, by way of suspending the second coil, it also becomes a soundboard transducer! I was at first skeptical of the idea, but was immediately convinced. The effect really is dramatic and when it comes to percussive playing styles,  it would be a solid choice. The other cool feature of this range of pickups (M1, M80) is that it is actually possible to dial in your preferred sound through use of the adjustable pole pieces. Want more string sound? Set the pole pieces higher. For more soundboard,  set them lower.

Now, all that said, if you are looking for absolutely pure acoustic tone this still may not be the choice for you. Before the M1/80, there were few if any soundhole pickups that did more than make you sound like you were playing a jazz guitar or a Strat. Baggs has certainly pushed this design far forward, but there are still some playing situations where the magnetic sound is emphasized. Playing up the neck, especially on the  E and B strings, brings out a more electric guitar quality which can be a deal breaker for the purist. One solution I found was to completely remove the E and B pole pieces. It doesn't reverse the situation,  but it does mellow it out significantly.

I have the M1 passive connected to the Cool Tube preamp in my Takamine Singer songwriter model where I use it blended with the undersaddle pickup. Its a great combination! Recently, Baggs introduced the M80 which has all the features of the earlier models, but also includes an updated preamp, passive or active operation and a battery life indicator. There are a couple videos on the Baggs website which highlight the M80. Some of them demonstrate just how acoustic it can be, while others seem to hit on the tone of the unwound strings. The thing I feel is it's only real weakness. Anyway, you can check'em out and see what you think.

www.lrbaggs.com/videos

Pros
Great top sensitivity good for percussive playing styles
Ease of installation and use

Cons
Magnetic pickup that still delivers electric guitar tone in some playing situations