Guitar Soundhole pickup?

Question

The soundhole pickups that you can buy for acoustic guitars seem pretty simple in theory. Is it possible to make your own?

Answer 1

Sure it is, and it's pretty easy but will take some time.

1) Take a loong magnet (long enough to span the string width) with each end a pole (one end north, one end south). An alnico V or ceramic magnet is best.
2) Wrap the magnet completely with 1 layer of nylon electrical tape. Determine the top and bottom of the pickup and cut the tape away from those surfaces.
3) Purchase a 1000 foot spool of 60 gauge or finer insulated copper wire- tell the person at the store what you're doing and they'll steer you in the right direction.
4) Wind the magnet with as much wire as possible. Make sure that you can get to the end of the wire where you started the winding... 15,000 wraps should do it as a first try.
5) Once complete, "stick" the magnet to a piece of copper plate... this will be the base. You can just epoxy the magnet to the base. THE COIL MUST NOT TOUCH THE BASE!
6) Solder some 24 gauge insulated wires to each end of the coil winding... Its probably a good idea that these are different colors. Also solder a piece of wire to the base as a ground. Other than the ground wire NO BARE WIRE CAN TOUCH THE BASE!
7) Immerse the entire assembly (except the lead wires you just attached) into some melted low temperature wax and remove. Allow the wax to harden, then scrape it off the base and the top of the magnet.
8) Install. Attach one of the lead wires and the ground wire to ground. Attach the other wire to the hot output.

Keep in mind that most acoustic guitar pickups are piezo crystal rather than magnetic, so you'll need to install electric guitar strings for this pickup to work.

Answer 2

I would imagine not. The manufacturing part would be very easy, but R&D would take forever. Most of those soundhole pickups are "tuned" to pick up the right frequencies, and also block out the frequencies you don't want picked up. It also is tuned to minimize feedback, and unwanted sounds.

You can get one as cheap as $70 or so now. I'd spend the money, and get the right sound. If you have the time, and the resource, go for it!

Answer 3

in case you elect to play electric then purchase an electric - you will come for the era of each and every form of issues attempting to get an electric sound out of an acoustic....... how will you solo? inspite of a cutout you dont get to the extreme notes. What approximately string bending etc? in the experience that your no longer afflicted approximately soloing then purely get an electric acoustic and save your self each and all the worry of sticking holes in ya guitar.

Answer 4

I found this ebay guide on guitars very interesting.