Originally Posted by Dino757
I just read your post again, and I think I understand what you are looking for. I have been on this same frustrating quest for over a year now - I'm just trying to find some kind of a solution in a solo classical performance situation that can deliver louder volumes with a very natural sound and no feedback, and I'd like it to be a solid, permanent installation.
By far the best *sounding* solution has been a mic on a stand pointed a few inches off the sound hole at about the 18th fret (I use a Neumann K184 condenser going into a Fishman Performer amp). In this configuration, I can use the amp's effects loop to add my own EQ, reverb, and delay, and when EQ'd slightly for the venue, I can deliver a fantastic sound. The problem comes in when the noise floor in the performance space increases (loud restaurants/events) and my client asks for more volume. There's a hard limit to how much output I can provide before feedback, so inevitably feedback ensues.
I started looking at pickup solutions last year, and I ended up installing the LR Baggs Lyric system in two of my classical guitars. Like you, I could not stand the internal 9V battery situation, and I ended up installing those plastic 9V battery cases/holders in both guitars on the northern side plates of the upper bout a few inches from the neck joint. It was a real hassle, but it offered easy battery replacement and less worries. The Lyric systems were workable, but I gave up on them after a few months. In both guitars, the Lyric mics produced a slight boxy, midrange, almost honky sound that had to be taken out with a three-band parametric EQ pedal (I used the Empress ParaEq). A cut at 400MHz and 800 MHz did the trick, but I was still never overjoyed with the final sound.
So a few months ago, I found a company in California that had a system called "the2Mic" (it used to be called the MiniFlex). Theory behind it is that instead of using one microphone, two are used, and through some kind of phase cancellation magic they can eliminate problem frequency bands and increase gain before feedback. Strings By Mail is their sole distributor, and I ordered the "Viper" model, which attaches to the guitar using a complex, wrap-around elastic bracket that mounts one mic internally (via the sound hole) and the other just above the strings. Runs on phantom power. I was skeptical, but it sounds great and does in fact allow for more volume before feedback. You can still make it howl, but you've got more headroom to deal with. I believe this company has been active on this forum in the steel string sections.
However, the Viper mounting system is a hassle, and I'm continually messing around with the cable connection, which has a tendency to allow the balanced phono cable to pull out unexpectedly. Strings by mail sells another model from the same company that mounts completely internally (via the end pin jack) and still uses phantom power - it's called "the2Mic Endpin Deluxe." I ordered this last week, and I'll post an update here after installation if you or anyone else is interested. If this model sounds as good as the Viper, it might be a good solution.
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