LR Baggs iBeam Active Acoustic Guitar Pickup and Preamp System

User installable. Ultra-quiet.

Item: LRBIBEAMSYS

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LR Baggs iBeam Active Acoustic Guitar Pickup and Preamp System reviews

Rate and Review This Product:

29 People rated this product : * * * * * * * * * * 7 out of 10

 

4 People wrote reviews

Read all LR Baggs iBeam Active Acoustic Guitar Pickup and Preamp System reviews...
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10 zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.

"For Real Guitar Sound... GET THIS PICKUP!"

Feature:
This came with everything you need (except a step drill bit). My guitar already had the proper sized endpin hole. I was replacing the awful Fishman (under the saddle) pickup that came with my new Guild acoustic. The I-Beam comes with the locator tool, the velcro battery bag, sticky hooks for hold the wires inside, and sticky volume control plate for just inside the sound hole (I put it a little more inside the sound hole so it wouldn't interfere with the soundhole cover for live shows. I can always control the volume with my compressor pedal.

Quality:
excellent quality. everything fits as it should...and it looks very well hidden.

Value:
a little pricey, but well worth it.

Desirability:
It is very desirable...if you are sick of the pezo sound or the fishman thinness... try the real sounds of LR Baggs...

Sound:
This is the best sounding pickup I have heard so far in my life. It makes your guitar sound like your guitar. just straight into an SWR California Blonde amp...or with a little compression... it sounds great. Also works good thru a distortion pedal!

Ease of Use:
easy to install...even though the instructions warn you to have a professional do it. I do have a lot of guitar repair experience, but even anyone with half a mind can do this :) I am living proof.

Support:
haven't had to use it, but the LR Baggs online resources are very helpful.

Overall:
I expect to use this pickup for as long as I have the guitar, and would buy another for future guitars.

Submitted: 1/11/2008

Style of Music: Melodic Art Pop & Rock


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* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

"Search no further than the I-Beam!"

Feature:
The I-Beam feautres an active onboard preamp in the saddle-jack, so a 9V battery is required. However, the unit comes with a nifty little "battery bag" that sticks to the inside of the instrument's body. My unit came with a volume knob that attaches to the rim of the sound hole for easy adjustment. There's no need for EQ control, reverse phase, etc. on this unit because 1) it sounds great flat, and 2) the isolation of the transducer itself avoids feedback very well.

Quality:
The wiring on this unit is very heavy and dependable. The strapjack itself is made of metal and the transducer shell and volume knob are light plastic, making them easy to install.

Sound:
After hearing Phil Keaggy's sound byte with the I-Beam on LR Baggs website, I immediately knew that it was the right system for me. Basically, the I-Beam reproduces what it "hears," so what you hear acoustically from your guitar is what you're going to hear through the I-Beam - even the smallest details. When I first installed it, I put on D'addario's XP 12 gauge acoustic strings and the sound was a little "boomy." - but again, it was heavy on bass acoustically with those strings too. In worship team rehearsal, however, I had to cut the bass back quite a bit. However, today I restrung the instrument with Marshall's SP 10 gauge acoustic strings, and it sounds absolutely perfect now. I suspect that at church on Thursday, I'll be able to reset the mixer to flat EQ. This unit sounds great live and on the recording front.

Overall:
I couldn't recommend another unit over the I-Beam. It's a guitarist's best bet for live/recording reproduction.

Submitted: 10/25/2004

Style of Music: Contemporary Christian Music


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Read all LR Baggs iBeam Active Acoustic Guitar Pickup and Preamp System reviews...

iconCertain items must be exchanged directly through the manufacturer if they are found to be defective. This includes tubes, strings, pickups, raw frame speakers, drum heads, drumsticks, cymbals, cowbells, and harmonicas. These items can only be returned to us if they are unopened. details

About This Product!
Description
The iBeam Active System combines a patent pending bridge plate transducer with an all-discrete class "A" endpin preamp that enables you to simply "plug-in-and-play". The user installable iBeam reproduces the natural tone of an acoustic guitar while maintaining perfect string balance and providing full dynamic range.

"I finally played my first gig with the iBeam, and it was magnificent. It is by far the best any acoustic has ever sounded for me in any live situation."
-Eddie Bush, Cfox endorser

The patent-pending iBeam itself is the heart of the system and weighs only 1/3rd of an ounce. This revolutionary bridge plate transducer easily sticks to the bridge plate on the inside of the guitar and does not affect the acoustic tone of the guitar in any way. The iBeam is microphonic enough to hear the rich (but correct) texture of finger squeak and top tapping, but is resistant to feedback and gives you excellent amplified sound without a hint of piezo quack. Included with each iBeam is a placement jig that allows you to install the pickup in minutes and get the ideal placement for the transducer inside the guitar.

"The tone of the iBeam is unbelievable, or more appropriately, totally believable. Transparent, acoustic, balanced, very true to the guitar."
- Rick Rubin, Dutch's Music

The iBeam preamp is made up of class "A" discrete circuitry and built on our Stereo strapjack Plus. Pre-tuned to deliver that great LR Baggs performance from the iBeam in any situation, it is ultra-quiet and faithfully amplifies the sound and dynamics of the iBeam. There is even a second passive channel available if you would like to add a magnetic or undersaddle pickup to compliment the ibeam.

Technical Info

Weight: 107 grams w/battery

Battery Type: Single 9V

Current Consumption: .3 mA

Battery Life: 1500+ hours (alkaline)

Low Cut Filter: Fixed, 12dB/oct. @35 Hz

Input Impedance: 10 Megohms

Signal to Noise: -94dB, unweighted

Output Level: -10dB

Output Impedance: 600 ohms

Bass EQ: +/-12dB @ 100 Hz

Treble EQ: +/-12db @ 12 kHz
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