L.R. Baggs LB6 Pickup for Acoustic Guitar

L.R. Baggs LB6X — Unitary Saddle Pickup for Nylon-String Guitars

The LB6X is the nylon-string member of the LB6 family, built to the same principle as the original: instead of sitting under the saddle, the pickup is the saddle. Casting the sensing elements into a one-piece saddle removes the layer of guesswork that undersaddle strips depend on — every string sits directly on its own sensor, which is why the LB6 family is known for its string-to-string balance and punchy attack. Classical and nylon-string players get the same treatment, with the saddle geometry and string spacing a nylon-string bridge needs.

Where the Design Came From

In the early 1980s an acoustic player had three options: put a microphone in front of the guitar and fight feedback, use one of the poor pickups available at the time, or fit a soundhole magnetic and accept a more electric sound. Lloyd Baggs was building custom guitars for LA session players and had nothing good to offer them, so he inverted the phase of two of the six sensors he was building into his own saddle replacements. The change kept the string separation and full sound intact while making the pickup markedly stronger against feedback — and the Lloyd Baggs pickup, later named the LB6, has been a first choice for players ever since.

Output and Signal

The LB6X is passive and has no controls of its own, but its output is strong enough to be plugged straight into most amplifiers and effects without a preamp. An external preamp is still the better route when you want volume control at the instrument or a balanced feed to a PA — the L.R. Baggs LB Pre endpin preamp is made specifically for the LB series and adds a thumbwheel volume control.

Fitting and Setup

The saddle slot is normally re-routed to match the length and width of the pickup, and the saddle material can then be shaped to set the action and intonation exactly as the original saddle did. The sides and length of the pickup must never be sanded, filed or shortened. Every pickup is performance-tested in a guitar fixture before it leaves the factory, and professional installation is required.

Specifications

• Type: Unitary saddle pickup — pickup and saddle in one piece, saddle replacement
• Instrument: Nylon-string guitar — the steel-string version is the LB6, the 12-string version the LB12
• Active/Passive: Passive — external preamp optional
• Controls: None
• Power: None required
• In the box: LB6X pickup