steel string acoustic pickups/transducers?

[ericbrowning]

I have a Martin d-15, and I'm looking to amplify it. Price max is probably about $200. I use the guitar for everything; weekly jazz duo gigs at a restaurant, Michael Hedges (although not even close in talent)style stuff at open mic nights, and strumming songs for people at a camp I work at. I usually just mic with an old condensor mic, but I'd like more freedom and versatility. I need a good overall system, just a faithfully reproduced tone. Also, preamp can be included in cost if you think;
example: Martin Thinline Gold Plus + Some outboard preamp
Thanks in advance everyone,

-Eric

[frankfalbo]

I've done a lot of research with this, an I have made a custom system for my Tacoma that is loosely based on the K&K system. The K&K Trinity system is the finest available today. You have a condenser mic blended with body transducers. No undersaddle pickup, and no preamp in the guitar, so no holes besides the output jack, and there's an outboard preamp/blender. If you are after Michael Hedges purity, then you need the mini condenser. I couldn't bring myself to buy the GHS or Fishman system after hearing the K&K system. Nobody does natural acoustic sound better. They are at www.kksound.com.

My Tacoma is a piezo and a shure mini condenser mic, and then I made my own outboard preamp that either splits or blends the two. I used the same mic and a different piezo in a classical I made, but I use the same outboard preamp. Neither guitar has a battery. Everything including the phantom power for the mic is outboard. It cost me far less, so it was worth it, otherwise I would have gotten the trinity system.