LR Baggs Anthem SL Soundhole Microphone/Undersaddle Acoustic Guitar Pickup Reviews

I have several installed in Martin & Larrivee acoustics. I wouldn't want any other brand.

I installed this in my Taylor 528e. The factory ES2 was not working for me. I never could get the sound I wanted out of it. The sound quality it might and day difference. I highly recommend

I installed the Anthem SL into my Guild M-20, and I am so pleased with the sound. It came with the Element installed, which never did justice to the instrument. I play in church several times a month, and it sounds so much better. It actually sounds like my guitar, only louder. I did the installation myself, which was very straight forward, since it already had the Element (ie, no drilling required). Just remove and replace with a YouTube video for reference. Very pleased, and I would absolutely use it again!

Disclaimer... I'm was skeptical of the reviews and accolades for the L.R. Baggs Anthem SL system as I am accustomed to the versatile tonal EQ one can get performing live with pre-1984 Ovation Legend pre-amp acoustic guitars and as a double bassist whose never ending quest is for true wood tones coming through whatever pickup, mic, and amp combination I am experimenting with at the time.

I was looking into one of the other pickup models that L.R. Baggs offers as the solution for adding a pickup to my Gibson J-100 Extra for a very specific live application (a very loud group in 600+ seat venues), but after speaking with my Sweetwater rep, Bob Furman, I put my attention on the Anthem SL system. The video demo's sounded great, but again, there were other very nice microphone's in the demo picking up the room (and therefore adding to the recorded sound the acoustic guitar in the room), making me suspicious that it really doesn't sound as good as the video/sound production.

There are so many great reviews here on this pickup, I can only add my compliments to L.R. Baggs for an amazing sounding system that projects the true tone of your acoustic guitar with the added ability to dial in your individual EQ sweet spot and to be heard cleanly in a full-out 10-piece rock ensemble without feedback. I am so pleasantly surprised. Thank you Bob for steering me in this direction and doing some added research on this unit per my request! I can't say enough good thing about this pickup system!

I installed this in a Martin D-28 and when I didn't hear anything from the the Fender Rumble 40 I went over to turn it up. I was stunned to realize I had been hearing the amp, it was just outputting very close to the natural output of the guitar itself, I was sold! The most notable tone flavoring I hear with my setup is a pleasant warmth thats very reminiscent to the natural of a D-18. The photo shows my Go-To settings for my Fender Rumble 40 which besides being a nice small bass amp also doubles surprisingly well as a very nice sounding inexpensive small venue acoustic amp

I was replacing a dead under the saddle pickup. The hole for the under saddle as already drilled. If you are not familiar with guitars, you may want to have this installed. I put it in easily and it works great. It has a little flat bag for the battery and this makes replacement easier. The sticky pads that came with this are a bit weak. I used red 3m auto trim tape to put a couple of parts on securely. The pick-up works great and is more than I expected. Adjustment was easy to balance the under saddle and the microphone. I highly recommend it.

I had the Lr baggage Antham installed two weeks ago and my Blueridge guitar BR280A took on new life. It sounded great whiteout the electronics but with the electronic hookup it blows your mind. With the amp I have you can get a whole new world of sounds out of this guitar. I highly recommend it. Try it and you will see what I mean!!

This pickup is wonderful. I have it installed in all my guitars and never a problem. The only issue is the battery that comes with it. I'm sure it's a shelf life problem, just use a new 9 volt good name battery and you are set.

I never really liked the plugged in sound of my Seagull, but loved the way it sounded when mic'd up. This system is about as close as I expected to getting a mic'd up sound when plugged in. Very pleased with the results!

I've replaced the pickup systems in both my Gibson J185 and SJ200 with the SL system. Absolutely my favorite acoustic guitar pickup system I have found in my almost 40 years of playing. Simple and natural sounding. Install and adjust balance to taste between the under-saddle pickup and microphone playing through the typical PA system setup you use (preferably set relatively flat) and your done. One simple discrete volume control from that point on. I get nothing but rave reviews from listeners. Highly recommend.

Sounds just like my guitar. It makes my guitar so much more versatile, and I love it!

This pickup is really fantastic. What I love is that there is no fussing with eq etc, it just sounds awesome right out of the box. There isn't a ton of fiddling to do just plug it in and you've great sound from the get go. I've done some comparisons with other guitars I own, a Gibson SJ200 with Fishman Aura, a Taylor 310 with a Fishman Prefix Blender and this Anthem SL I purchased for an inexpensive Fender Acoustic FG820. I'm playing through a little Quilter Micropo Mach 2 and it is stunning how good it sounds. I don't want to think a $320 guitar can compete with a $4K guitar but believe me it does. This is the most natural sounding pickup I've heard, there is an airy feeling you get with it that's different. I feel like I'm listening from inside the guitar. I can get my other instruments to sound good as well but the Anthem requires zero work and its difficult to best it. The sound is full, even and natural without harshness or boxiness etc. The Fender FG820 was a guitar a tricked out to look like Elvis guitar in the 70's. Elvis Belt buckles are no friend to expensive Gibsons, so the Yamaha has a back pad on it. I had to get a pickup for it and couldn't have made a better choice.

Love it! Awesome product. Installed it on a Martin 00015m... sounds AMAZING! Thanks, Sweetwater for helping me succeed. A BIG Shoutout to my guru sales engineer, Mike who always goes above and beyond to enlighten me and take care of all my needs!

I installed this on my Taylor 314 to replace the factory system that was having issues with loud buzzing and inconsistencies with connection. I could not have been more happy. This makes my Taylor sound extremely natural and very balanced. The control between the saddle and mic is incredible. Best investment ever made for my guitar.

I elected to go with the smaller SL version of the Anthem pickup because of its lower price and smaller profile. Additionally, most of my acoustic playing is to lead Worship, so I prefer the "set and forget" nature of the mix control on this unit.

Installation was easy on my Martin DX-series acoustic. If you take your time, I'm confident you could do it just as easily!

Battery life is about in line with what I expect for a system like this, and I err on the side of replacing batteries pretty frequently. Storing the battery in a bag inside the guitar may be less convenient than many other systems, but I prefer minimal modifications to the guitar, and this only requires enlarging the end pin hole and drilling a small hole under the saddle (which Martin helpfully marks on their Mexican-made acoustics).

Regarding sound - WOW. Take your time and plug into a good acoustic amp or DAW and play with the mix screw with the included tool, and you'll find an incredible balance between the percussive low end of the piezo pickup and the natural tones picked up by the mic. For my dreadnought, I'm running about 80/20 between the mic/piezo. Smaller guitars may need to lean more towards the piezo side if you need more low end.

I've compared this pickup against high-quality modeling mics on multiple presets (imitating high end tube mics, etc), and this system sounds nearly as natural as micing using traditional methods.

On my guitar, the sound is warm, natural, and full, but I can get a lot of variation by adjusting the mix setting. It absolutely blows the standard systems that you'd find in sub-$2000 acoustics out of the water. I compared it back to back with my Martin DX1KAE, which has an entry level Fishman system that I always enjoyed the sound of, and the LR Baggs system was on another level.

If I have one thing to complain about, it's that the output of this system is relatively low compared to most that I've tried. Nothing that can't be solved with a bit of gain or a +dB pad, but I was surprised at the difference between this and other systems. In my opinion, the sound quality and tone are far more important than the volume, so I haven't deducted this complaint from my overall rating.

Overall, I would install this system in a guitar that costs a few hundred dollars to one that costs thousands. It is by far the best representation of the natural tone of my guitar that I have ever heard, and I'll recommend it to anyone hoping to amplify their acoustic!

I installed this in my Guild USA M-40. The only thing better is the Baggs Anthem setup.
the mic/undersaddle eliminates all feedback and gives it a sound unlike anything else.
For years I used a competitor i now only use Baggs.

Ok 3 things:
First, like always, Sweetwater is the best!
Second, the install was just about an hour to get this all done.
Third - it sounds terrific. I have a second guitar with just an under saddle and this sounds so much nicer with the mic blended in

Extremely happy.

So I picked this up since I was just growing more dissatisfied with the ES2 system in my Taylor 324ce and the way I was able to craft the sound. After some research I noticed a lot of people using the Anthem series pickups, either SL or Regular. I ended up with the SL because I was not concerned about the mic blend as I would probably run it to the full mic in anyway and I was planning on reusing the batter box on the Taylor so the battery check was not an issue for me since it is really easy to change that battery. Installation was pretty straight forward, the directions the provide are easy to follow.

I am so much more happy with the sound of this. Before I was running through at BodyRez, SP Comp, Chorus, and Reverb into either a Radial ProDI or ParaDI. With this I can go as simple as just using the ParaDi and the eq adjusted from there. Throw a Reverb in the loop of that and you are good to go!.

I would recommend this system to anyone looking to make a change or wanting a more natural sound of your guitar or if you don't have a pickup and want to add one! If you are pretty handy with repair work then it is a simple install but if you are not sure any local repair place should be able to handle it.

If you were on the fence I say go for it! The SL is great for anyone that does not need to take the mic out of the mix and has things to handle the phase switching then the SL is perfect!

This pick-up makes my acoustic Gibson sound so great through the sound system, without any tinny hum or buzz. The difference between this and the built-in pick-up is amazing. If you want a clear, amplified sound, just buy this thing. Customer service is great too!

Installed this on a new 2017 D28. The install worked out well and this pickup is a true amplification of original tone of this D28, sounds great and unplugged sounds like it did before install .

Not gonna lie I really didn't think it was going to improve the sound of my Martin 00X1AE that much. The electronics that came in was a Fishman Sonitone and anytime I plugged it up to any kind of system I was severely embarrassed by the tone that pickup produced. I absolutely love the sound of that guitar unplugged but anytime I needed to plug in I just borrowed some one else's far more superior guitar. After installing this pickup, it reproduces the tone of the much more accurately and made it actually usable. By far one of the best purchases I've made by far for my gear.

This pickup is amazing. I have an Epiphone electric/ acoustic John Lennon signature but decided to change the electric system because it has lot of noise and is for using with an electric guitar amp.
Sweetwater suggest me this LR baggs and it was a great choice. it captures the sound of the guitar. My guitar is now alive. Is very easy to use because you have volume and a button to change the quantity within the condenser mic and the
Element pickup.
You will get a very warm sound with great power. Highly recommended!!!!

LR Bass Anthem SL is awesome! I did the install my self on my Ibanez acoustic. The stock electronics were dying so I decided to go with this system. It was well worth it. The install took me not even an hr, super clean and super easy. The quality of this product is impressive. The sound is incredible for acoustic pups, a world of difference from the cheap stock ones. I play it every Sunday so I needed something reliable and that sounds good. I"m glad I chose the Anthem SL, it was worth every penny! Shout out to my guy Dylan for recommending it and getting it to me quickly!

Like many guitarists who primarily play stage acoustic, I spent over 3 years obsessing and fussing over getting the right stage tone. I tried multiple systems, and asked countless other guitarists I met what they were using. I've heard people with passive soundboard transducers, undersaddle pickups, and soundhole humbuckers sound great, but then I'd hear the same system disappoint in other environments. I wanted a system that would give me a good balance of accurate tone and "plug-and-go" simplicity.

Enter the Anthem SL. My tech installed one into a repaired/restored Martin D-15 "project guitar," a couple weeks before we hit the road for a 30-city tour. The results were stunning. We played rock clubs, listening rooms, coffee shops, pubs, and a handful of open mic showcases. Most nights I used my LR Baggs para DI, but some nights I just used whatever DI box was available on stage. Every night my D15 sounded big and full, with just enough "air" to make it feel like a real mic'ed instrument. You can run the anthem quite loud without feedback, too.

I've tried both the full Anthem and the Anthem SL (and have traveled with both). In all honesty, I like the SL better. Rather than having a gain setting and a blend pot (as in the full Anthem), the SL offers a mic gain adjustment (relative to the fixed pickup gain level), and a single volume pot. Set it, forget it, play, no fiddling during a performance. IMHO, there's not much reason to want to blend more pickup into the signal. Also, the control section of the SL is a fraction of the size of the full anthem's, meaning way less "stuff" mounted beneath your guitar's top, allowing it to flex and vibrate as freely as possible.

While I would not do a recording session strictly DI with the Anthem, it has definitely saved my butt in recording situations. For one project, I was a session guitarist in a live room with a cellist and vocalist, and bleed was a necessary reality. During mixing, we were able to utilize the direct signal of the Anthem during small spots where the mic'ed guitar signal couldn't be used. The recording engineer noted that the Anthem SL was the truest DI guitar sound he'd ever heard. Also, if you are playing live and capturing a board feed, the DI signal of this pickup is far superior to anything else I've heard come out of a DI-only live recording.

I now have three instruments with an Anthem SL installed. The Martin D15 dread, a Waterloo WL-14 (similar to a Gibson LG), and a Blueridge dread. Since the Blueridge was something of a backup guitar, I installed the SL myself, and it was a piece of cake. Used a typical power drill for home repairs, and a step drill bit with some painters tape over the endpin hole.

Great system, super consistent, noticeably hi-fi, and affordable. If you have a guitar that you love, pop an SL into it!

Installed this pick-up in my Gibson J-45 True Vintage. The install was pretty simple.

Sounds great. Worth the money.

I'm using this pickup in the studio. I don't really play live at all. I have always struggled to get a good acoustic sound recorded. I have always lived in places that were less than ideal for recording acoustic guitars. Most of the time completely unable to even put up some bass traps in my tiny little rooms. I've got microphones that are upwards of a grand that, I've gotten very good at getting, as good as the room will allow results. But the room is always there, kicking me in my naughty bits. It's the bane of all home recording studios I swear. You are only as good as your room will allow you to be.

Not with this pickup. I gave up on direct recording acoustic guitar a very long time ago. Although I've tried a bunch of different pickup systems over the years. I bought this one with some gift cards I got at Kritmas, mostly looking for a better sound to blend with a microphone. The first time I plugged it in I was blown away.

My chain with this is DI - Character Preamp - 1066 Compressor (barely barely hitting it with a low ration)- then into the DAW. EQ to taste in the DAW. Stellar results. On the last 3 songs I recorded, I didn't even bother setting up a mic.

Will it sound like a high end mic thru high end preamps, well no. But, it sounds good enough to fool the average listener. Other musician friends have come over to lay down their parts on my songs and were blown away when I told them, it was only the pickup not a mic. If it can fool them, I'm good.

If you're creative and you own some nice preamps and compressors, you can achieve some killer results with this thing.

I put this in my custom made, squareneck, flat top slide guitar. It faithfully reproduces the sound of that instrument. It's great to be able to adjust the levels between the undersaddle pup and the bridge plate mic. The volume level adjustment is a plus but I generally just leave it wide open. Sounds exceprional copled with the LR Baggs Venue Preamp. Simple install

HO

LEE

COW

After using a bunch of different pick up configurations over the last 40 years, I came to the conclusion that everything is just not quite good enough. Nothing that I tried really did justice to the tone of the guitar... Until now. The LR Baggs Anthem floored me

I installed it myself (it took about 45 minutes) and immediately plugged it into my faithful Twin. Full rich tone while not losing the chime of the guitar.. Wonderful tone that doesn't mask what your guitar sounds like. Near perfection. It really doesn't change the tone of your guitar. If your guitar sounds bad, you'll get more bad. If it sounds great you'll get more great.

Should have done this sooner

I opted for the less expensive SL version rather than the full anthem after extensively trying out both the anthem and the lyric. IMHO, the Anthem SL is the closest I've ever used to a plug-and-play, "your guitar but louder" solution. This thing sounds absolutely amazing IF you are expecting the sound of a mic. If you are used to the overblown presence of a traditional UST, or the fat and solid tone of a sound hole mag, this will seem thin. But when recorded and looped back, nothing sounds more full and natural at the same time. The amazing thing is, Baggs has managed to create multiple systems that are both MORE sensitive to the guitar's body and MORE resistant to feedback than older pickups previously hailed for natural tone. I get as much gain before feedback with the Anthem SL as I did out of the standard Element system. I also get better string-to-string balance, due to the nature of a mic rather than a UST.

This system is very simple to use and takes little EQ, but beware: it will not make a bad guitar sound good! It picks up the sound that's in your instrument. If your guitar has poor tone, or is poorly set up, this pickup will reflect that. However, if you have a great acoustic and want to capture it live, this is an excellent solution. For those who play in a band, I would also recommend the LR Baggs lyric. It has an even more natural sound, but is less prominent on the bass due to the lack of a UST. In a band, this is no problem, as the bass takes those frequencies. For solo work, the anthem is a stellar choice for anyone who truly values natural tone.

Purchased this pickup and sweetwater had it at my door in 3-4 days. Took about an hour to install it. It does require some adjustment to get the blend of the saddle element verses the soundhole microphone right. This will depend somewhat on what system you are playing through. I use it through a PA system at church and opened up the microphone more than using it through my fender tube amp at home. It comes with a small wooden device to adjust the blend right beside the volume control - very easy. I cannot tell you how good this pickup sounds. Great bass response with good high end without too much string noise. No acoustic pickup is perfect but this one is the best that I have used. I would buy it again and plan to with any future acoustic set ups.

The Anthem SL or regular Anthem acoustic pickup are great. I personally have the SL version, and I love the simplicity of just a volume knob. Once you get the right balance between the mic and the under saddle, leave it alone. If you like tonal options with your acoustic instrument go for the regular Anthem, otherwise for $199 the SL is a steal of a deal. Great pickup!

I've installed pickups in several acoustic guitars over the years. Mostly my own guitars, or those of friends. I've installed soundboard transducers, under-saddle transducers, internal microphones, and even magnetic pickups. I've used K&K, LR Baggs, Fishman, and even off named brands.

While I don't think it's possible to create a pickup that perfectly reproduces the tone of a guitar, there are obviously brands and models better than others. That being said, this is the most accurate pickup I've had the pleasure of installing, to date.

About a year ago, I installed a K&K Fantastick with an LR Baggs end pin preamp in my Martin D15m. It sounds pretty good. I was in no way let down, and I paid about $130 for both pieces separately. But I'd been looking for a pickup to throw in my Epi Masterbuilt. A few months ago, I came across the Anthem SL. I bit more pricey than the setup I put in my Martin, but I decided to bite the bullet and see where it would get me.

Now my $600 Masterbilt sounds better amplified than my $1,300 Martin. WHAT???

I've tried internal microphones in two different guitars. One was my Yairi DY-71, and the other was an older Epiphone PR-350. With both guitars, I got feedback, though not as much on the Epi. Presumably because the laminate, yet nicely aged top wasn't picking up quite as much resonation for the PA speakers. The feedback I was getting with in the lower frequency ranges, with both guitars.

Taking this into consideration, it makes perfect sense that LR Baggs would come up with this configuration. Making the under-saddle pickup responsible for the low end tones means that the microphone can be assigned to the midrange and treble frequencies that commonly don't cause feedback.

I'm extremely happy with this pickup, and will be buying another one soon to replace the setup in my Martin.

Just had this installed into my new Guild GAD-125 and MAN does it sound killer!! Natural sound at high volume with no feedback. Plugged it straight into Mackie Board through QSC powered speakers and it's just sounds great. Also plugged it into a Fishman D.I./Pre/EQ And honestly, I think this pickup does just fine as a standalone system without the Fishman. Sweetwater customer service is superb too.

I've always liked how my old Martin sounds in a room but never liked how it sound plugged in. This LR Baggs pick up sounds incredible and has given my old guitar new life. I went ahead and installed it myself which wasn't too difficult but took a couple of hours. I thought I might have some trouble with feedback since but this has not been an issue at all. I couldn't be happier!

Purchased my first Martin guitar a few weeks ago. I wanted a pickup which would reproduce the same beautiful sound I heard from the guitar. The reviews of all the pickups were extremely helpful. I decided on the Anthem SL because the Anthem Tru-Mic wouldn't fit with framing of my Martin. I installed it myself per the instructions on the LR Baggs website.
I was able to install it with no problems. Took me about 1 1/2 hours including gathering all the tools, removing the strings, installation and restringing the guitar. DON'T do it yourself if you don't have the proper tools. Read and reread the instructions and think it through completely before starting. If there is any doubt take it to a professional.
This pickup reproduces the same sound I hear out of the guitar. It's a great product. I would recommend it to anyone. I'm very pleased with the Anthem SL. I seldom write reviews. When I do it's because I'm either very disappointed or extremely pleased. Great pickup! Buy it!
Thanks Sweetwater.

This is the first acoustic pickup I've tried where I can actually say WOW! It really replicates the sound of the guitar perfectly. I had this put in a Taylor 414, and Tyler was very helpful in helping me figure out if the volume knob would fit in the soundhole with the tight bracing of the smaller body, thanks Sweetwater.

From live to the studio, this pick up is giving me all I had hoped for and more.

I love the Baggs Anthem. I prefer the SL version because I do not need to adjust the balance between the mic and Element once it's initially set. And since they are electrically identical, saving $100 makes it my preference.

I ordered the Anthem SL system because the more expensive Anthem soundhole system control unit will not fit in a Martin 000-15M. The bracing in its smaller body is different around the soundhole then on a dread. Anyway, installation was not difficult, but if you have any doubts about your skills it might better left to a professional. The sound is absolutely prefect! I left this one adjusted just as it came out of the box. I've tried it with both a bone and tusq saddle with great results. Sweetwater service and pricing was great as usual. Thanks,Sean

I love the new LR Baggs Anthem SL. I had it installed in a 2003 Taylor 314-L2, limited edition with Big Leaf Flame Maple back and sides. The clarity of the signal is studio quality, clear and crisp and just like the natural sound of the instrument. But what's really amazing is there is NO FEEDBACK even when playing with a full band.
The SL version is $100 less than the Tru-Mic, but electrically they are virtually identical and sound the same... I know, I have the Tru-Mic in my custom Breedlove.

I love LR Baggs pickups, the sound and the tone its like no other pickup
the element is the most incredible thing on this pickup
theres no other system like LR Baggs you guys rock! and Sweetwater has the best service so recommended

I recently put the Anthem SL in two guitars. One was a dreadnought and the other a 000 size. I was immediately impressed with the true acoustic sound the pick-up displayed when amplified. Both guitars sound equally good. I didn't think I needed to invest in the more expensive Anthem because I'm not a professional musician and didn't need the balancing feature between the under saddle transducer and microphone. The factory setting is fine for ocassional plug-ins. Besides, you can control the balance using the adjustment screw on the volume control. I found that setting the balance heavy toward the under saddle transducer and a little for the microphone worked best for me. I would highly recommend this pick-up for anyone who wants to amplify their guitars' true acoustic sound.

I have been following the development of the Anthem SL Classical for some time. I have never been very happy with the way pickups sound in Nylon Flamenco guitars. I had Mark Magdichx1265 order one of these from LR Baggs and I could not be happier. Once you mix in the (tru mic) and blend it in. The sound sounds like your guitar. I am so looking forward to being able to turn up my DeVoe and play loud with no feedback. I also found that the install did not change the tone of the guitar unplugged. This is truly a game changer product. If you have determined that a pick up is the right thing for you and your guitar this is really the only way to go. I think I may even try to go wireless as we.. Flamenco Fusion on my guitar loud with out feedback and bleed in from using mic is so very welcome. My review is directed at the LR Baggs Anthem SL Classical specifically voiced for Nylon Strings. Thanks Sweetwater and L.R Baggs

Due to unsatisfactory natural acoustic sound and an irritating crackle I took out the undersaddle/microphone system on my D-18. Time for something new. I had seen the LR Baggs Anthem system demo'ed online and was impressed with its natural acoustic sound. No boomy bass or piezo sizzle. Realizing an online review does not a good product make, I took a leap of faith and ordered the Anthem SL system from Sweetwater.
I did the install myself but if you don't have experience working with acoustic guitars please seek pro assistance.
The sound of my Martin through a Princeton Reverb was outstanding!
Can't wait to run it through my LR Baggs Para DI into a PA.
Extremely satisfied with the Sweetwater service, Thanks TJ!
I recommend the LR Baggs Anthem SL highly.

Had this pickup installed by a luthier, which was a good plan for me anyway as I don't like drilling holes into old instruments. He had to remove the aging Fishman thin-line that was pretty old and getting kind of rasty sounding, and then put in a new saddle.

The resulting sound with this new pickup combo is full and rich on my J-50 Gibson (1957). I find myself spending more time playing thru an amp now. Just remember to unplug the cord from the guitar after you are finished, as it will drain the battery if left in. Having the volume control just under the sound hole is a good feature. Having a battery cutoff switch here might be a good addition though.

The only difficulty I've had was accessing the battery bag, which is velcro'd to the body inside. I had to loosen the lower strings all the way to reach inside, but once you do that its easy to replace. Just push it back in and it grabs the velcro. I used a small needle-nose plier to make sure it was centered on the velcro pad. I don't see a better way to do this without modifying the body itself. The bag is attached by wire to the pickup with ample free play, but just be careful when pulling it out. Once the bag is clear of the sound hole, the battery is easily swapped out.

I have a Baggs bridge pickup on my old acoustic violin so I was hoping that this would be just as great sounding on my guitar, and I am not disappointed.

Much better than old Martin under saddle pickup,
the microphone is the Difference
Make sure to adjust the Volume controller

Easy Installation. Sounds great. Put it in an old Lyle copy of a Hummingbird.

So I really like the product, good sound quality. I expected that and was not disappointed. What was lacking was an installation manual. It was findable online pretty easily. No mention was made about having to possibly adjust the saddle height or needing a new saddle because of the thickness of previous piezo pickup and new piezo pickup. As it was my first install of this type the removed pickup was much thicker than the new pickup. Just putting it in caused some of the strings to actually rest on the frets. So a new saddle and figuring out the proper string height took some Youtube videos and research. Still worth it but i probably would have ordered the new saddle up front had I known or expected there might be a problem.

This pickup gives as accurate a representation of your acoustic guitar plugged in as I've heard. Surprisingly easy to install yourself, if you're just patient, and watch the YouTube videos. A minimum of controls, which allows you to concentrate on your playing. That's why you got into this, right?

As always, my guy Chris Sanders is there with timely help and advice. Sweetwater is #1!

See the photo below - THAT's what it looks like. Get it?

I purchased a Baggs Lyric Microphone for my new Bourgeois Slope D as I wanted a smooth mic tone and an minimally invasive installation. While I really liked the Lyric for fingerstyle music, I had a hard time getting a good strum tone that didn't sound boxy. I play through a Bose L2 and tonematch...so I have a lot of sound shaping ability. After my first gig with the Lyric, I ordered up an Anthem SL from Sweetwater and installed it today. I instantly noticed the fat low end of my slope D was present again and the mids and highs sounded like they were mic'd. I plugged in my 000 Wechter which has a Fishman Matrix Infinity to compare and it sounded like a quacky piezo by comparison. (I normally play it through a Fishman Aura to get rid of this but I was plugged straight in for the test) Bottom Line, The Anthem SL has a nice wide tone...seems like the best of both worlds. I didnt care for the large control unit on the std anthem so I opted for the SL. I will be ordering another for my JOMC.

After replacing the stock pickup, it is an instantly noticable improvement in sound of my Guild D120.
I have an LR Bags HiFi in another guitar, a Gibson L-00.
Yes the Guild and Gibson are two completely different sounding acoustic guitars but I can hear the difference between the two LR Baggs pickup systems.

If you are wanting a more natural acoustic sound - get the LR Baggs HiFi
If you want to improve sound but leans slightly more towards the sound of a pickup than a Mic - get the Anthem SL

I would suggest just keep the demos without singing, this is about the guitar sound not the singer or microphone sound.

I got the Anthem SL professionally installed in my guild f112.
I tried it out with my band and I was not able to tame the high end easily.. I had to keep the mic pretty low. It missed having an on board tone control. I could tweak it more at the mixer but I was expecting it to be more plug and play.
Later I plugged it in at home at a level more attuned for recording and it sounded great.
I expect it'll be great for solo gigs, so I'd better get practicing.

Installed this in my Martin and I'm very pleased with the results. MUCH more faithful capture of my guitar's true sound than the under saddle pickup that came stock in my 200 series Taylor. I was worried about not having the full Anthem's ability to adjust the blend on the fly, but I've found once you find the right blend setting, you needn't touch it again. Great product, and as usual, superior service from Sweetwater.

After connecting the unit, we began adjusting the gain screw and luckily just as we hit the sweet spot, the screw dissapeared into the unit . Thats right it just pushed right into the controller and is gone but the sound couldn't be adjusted any better. I'm a real nut and and have ordered the Fishman Aura 16 to add to the quality sound. My only complaint is the jack threads are too short for a Martin D35 and we barely got enough thread to screw on the strap peg.

LR Baggs keep raising tha bar on acoustic instrument amplification.
I'm totally pleased with the sound of the mic/pickup. I placed in my
Huss & Dalton OM and it just brings out the essence of my instrument
completely.

I installed the SL in my Martin D16 and I'm not happy. This pickup does not capture the tone of this guitar at all (tooooo bright) and feedback is awful at low volume. Any finger taps or even brushes of the hand to the guitar is picked up. Perhaps its too sensitive. I made adjustments (with the screw) to eliminate the pickup that is causing the feedback but the tone is just not there. Very disappointed. With a lot of eq I was able to eliminate the feedback but its too much work for a live gig. Craigslist here it comes, I will keep looking.

This review is based solely on my own experience with the Anthem SL. I had heard some beautiful sounding audio demos of this dual pickup system and really wanted to like it, but for me the tone sounded awful no matter how I calibrated the piezo and tru-mic pickups.

My setup: I play mostly fingerpicking and some open hand strumming through a mahogany Martin 000-15m auditorium acoustic guitar, and I use D"Addario phosphor bronze medium-gauge (.013-.056) strings tuned down a whole step, which gives me the ideal string tension and a nice warm tone. For amplification I use a Fender Acoustic 160 SFX, but I have also played the Anthem SL through professional PA systems.

Installation: The first thing I noticed was a strong bass response which seemed to overwhelm the amps I played through. Since I didn"t yet own an acoustic amp I thought the amplifiers were the source of the problem. After playing through full-range acoustic amps and PA systems, however, the problem persisted. Since my guitar tone sounds pretty balanced when I play/ record through a good mic or even a magnetic soundhole pickup, I determined that the problem must be the Anthem SL rather than the guitar itself (or at least the way the Anthem interacts acoustically with my guitar).

Tone problems: The Anthem SL allows you to dial between the under-saddle piezo pickup and the internal microphone, but the tone on mine was almost unlistenable no matter how I adjusted it. When I turn it all the way to the piezo pickup I get zero high end, and it just sounds like a crappy speaker muffled by a pile of blankets. This was unusual to me since piezos are reputed to sound thin and "quacky," which is basically the opposite of the sound I was getting. Adjusting the pickup balance to the middle gives me a hint of high frequency response, but nowhere near sufficient for a live performance. Adjusting all the way to the microphone produces some ugly high frequency feedback and excessive handling noise. The closest I could get to a serviceable tone is when I adjust it almost completely to the internal mic but dial back towards the piezo just a hair. Even still, the low end thoroughly dominates the sound, creating a boomy, muddy tone that"s borderline unlistenable. When fingerpicking, which tends to produce warmer tones, the bass response from the low E and A strings is huge and unfocused and thoroughly dominates the sound palate. Even the high E and B strings have kind of a bassy middy sound through the SL, and the high strings get drowned out when I pick the low strings. Not surprisingly, strumming produces similar effects, creating a muddy cacophony that"s pretty unpleasant on the ears.

Troubleshooting and attempted "fix": Based on the way my Anthem SL sounds through a nice guitar and good amps, I brought my guitar back to the shop that installed it thinking there must be something wrong with the piezo or mic placement, but the guitar tech looked it over and said it's installed properly. I asked if the medium gauge strings and fingerpicking could be responsible for the muddy, bass-heavy response and he thought that was a possibility. If so, that seems like a pretty serious oversight on the part of LR Baggs since this type of setup is not that uncommon. Moreover, the same boomy muddy effect occurs even if I capo the neck a few frets up on the fretboard. Also, I was using light gauge strings when I first had the Anthem SL installed, and I remember it sounding pretty bassy through PA systems even then, but I didn"t do a thorough enough controlled comparison to rule out the possibility that the heavier strings contributed to the problem. Unfortunately, tone control on the back end is limited. Since the bass-heavy signal is coming directly from the source (the Anthem SL), adjusting the tone on my amp only makes it sound like a more trebly muddy mess but a muddy mess nonetheless.

Tentative solution: Since the tone of the Anthem SL is basically unusable for either live or recording purposes I got a $50 Seymour Duncan magnetic soundhole pickup (the Woody), and it sounds a lot better than the… Anthem SL. I still have the Anthem in my guitar, and I can use it to dial in more bass response, since the Woody is a bit thin sounding, but my SL is purely supplemental at this point.

Follow-up comments pending: Since my experience with the Anthem SL is so out of step with the typical glowing reviews it receives I"m planning to take my guitar somewhere else to get a second opinion. Perhaps there"s a problem that the guitar tech missed? I saw one reviewer comment that his pickup was initially positioned in a way that exaggerated the bass so maybe something similar happened here. I may also upload some recordings of the SL and other mic/ pickup sources so that users can hear for themselves. In any case, I will post an update once I have more information as I"m still hoping the system installed in my guitar can be salvaged.

I'm a touring musician player and have used this product for 2 years, traveled hundreds of miles with it and have played well over 100 shows with it. I have had nothing but trouble with this pickup since day one.
I bought this for my Martin 000-15m.

These are the negatives:

-First and most important, this had the muddiest sound. Low mids out the wazoo, with know onboard EQ control to resolve it. You just have to hope the sound engineer can make it clearer.
-Speaking of onboard controls, nightmare. No EQ control, and you have to have a completely separate tool to control the mic volume.
-You can pretty much guarantee feedback if you turn your mic volume past a certain point.
-The adhesive is terrible. The piezo/controls/battery pack were all falling out in the first two weeks.
-When the battery dies, it dies CATASTROPHICALLY. Buzzing, feedback, breaking up, distorting and overdriving. And there's no way to know the battery is dying until it deafens everyone in the room with 150 dB of distorting breakup and roaring.
-When the battery wasn't dying, or it wasn't falling out, I was constantly picking up extra noise. Be it RF interference, cable shortages, I don't know. But there was always extra crackling and popping to accompany the muddy sound of my guitar.

This pickup did have a pro though:
-Whenever a sound guy asked if my guitar plugged in, I could say yes!

It's not worth it. Go all the way and buy the Anthem. Or go and buy something else. This is not worth your time, money, or humiliation in professional music settings.

Every contact point inside rattled when you play acoustic. The wires, the ground, the plug receiver, and even the volume knob.
Crap fitting for the plug- self adhesive velcro didn't stick.
Sounds awful.
Ripped it out and threw it in the trash. problem solved.

I play relatively low volume acoustic guitar in small venues. I bought this pickup for my MARTIN 000-18 GE and had if professionally installed in December. I play through a Fishman Loudbox. However, no matter how I adjusted things, I never did get an acceptable sound from this pickup system - it did not sound natural at all. It was my first and will be my last LR Baggs product. I've had very good luck with the Fishman dual source systems as well as the K&K dual source - Trinity system and should have just stuck with that rather believing the hype. I'm paying to have the LR Baggs removed next week and also have to pay for a new saddle as well. So it's a $375 mistake for me.