Official Luthiers Forum!

I have a client who wants me to put an LR Baggs Anthem Stage Pro in his build.

Having never installed a beast like this, I wonder what the effect will be on the acoustic tone I have so carefully crafted and built.

Also, I put a sound port in the upper bout (near the waist, not the neck) where I imagine those controls should go.
AND this guitar has a cutaway.

What effect on tone should I expect?

Also, does anyone have experience with the Anthem series?
I would prefer the SL so there is little mass being added to the guitar and little space being aken up in the box.

The Anthem has a funky control that mounts on the underside of the top.
I don't know if it will work with my a frame bracing scheme and suspect it will dampen the top.


Thoughts?

Thanks,
Dave

The difference the addition of such things makes may be measurable by scientific instruments but not likely by the ears at all. The controls are mounted in an area that has little to do with sound production, though I will grant that the weight of the anthem PU itself on the bridge plate may drop you a few Hz. But really, for all practical intents and purposes, the addition of PU systems makes no audible difference. In my opinion.
However, the sound hole mount system will likely not fit on an A frame system. The notches for the sh reinforcements are only about 1/8" deep IIRC, designed for most Martin style braces. Nothing wrong with putting the side mount preamp in the lower bout since you've already got a hole in the upper...plus, a lot of dudes like the groovy tuner....

The SL's microphone is about 12g, and soundhole volume control is 6g. So, it's the microphone you need to be worrying about. 12g at the bridge is enough to make a difference, although if you're not already pushing for low bridge weight, you can probably cancel some of that out by using lower density wood, slimmer belly, wood pins instead of bone, etc.

Make sure your bridge plate has room to stick the microphone to it.

And yes, the notch in the soundhole controls is only 1/8" deep. I prefer to have it entirely inside the soundhole though, not having the little lip hooked around the soundhole and visible from the front. That gives you a little more soundhole brace height since the lip is another 1/16" or so. And you could glue a shim of whatever thickness you want inside to stick it to, although it would get harder to reach with your finger the deeper you go.

As for the version with the barn door controls... I think I'd refuse to desecrate my beautiful creation with such an atrocity Unless I could come up with a hole shape and surrounding inlay that it would fit in, and still be reasonably nice looking if anyone ever removes the electronics and leaves the open hole as a soundport.