Can’t find the best pickup for nylon string guitar? Then, you are in the right place: we will provide you with all the essential information to make the right decision.
When choosing a pickup for your nylon string guitar, you need to consider several factors. Each pickup offers different tone characteristics. Pickup installation is permanent and fits in the broad budget range.
We will dive more into the details so you can invest in a quality pickup for your nylon string guitar.
The 4 Best Pickups for Nylon String Guitar
| Image | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
| KNA NG-1 Piezo Pickup (Top Pick) | Check Price |
 | K&K Sound Pure Classic Pickup (Close Runner-Up) | Check Price |
 | Fishman AG Acoustic 6-String Pickup | Check Price |
 | Barcus Berry 1455-3 Acoustic Guitar Pickup | Check Price |
1. KNA NG-1 Piezo Pickup (Editor’s Choice)
KNA NG-1 is one of the best pickup options for musicians who want to amplify the sound of guitars without any modification and use them professionally. NG-1 piezo pickup utilizes the tension of tuned strings securely and safely installs on the guitar tie block.
It is a passive system that is made to work smoothly with your acoustic amplifier via your preferred preamp. This pickup performs well and is loved by guitarists. It gives a high amplitude signal that is enough to fill the large space. In addition, being an affordable option makes it reasonable for every musician to purchase this and improve their performance.
It goes on easily on the tie block behind the saddle and ensures that it does not interfere with your guitar sound. It is detachable, and you will be impressed with this external pickup option. The pickup is a perfect casual gig as it does not need any setup, and you need not have to lug around stands and mics, and there is very little feedback. Additionally, if you want more control, you can consider this preamp.
KNA NG-1 passive piezo pickup is made for nylon string guitars that are required for every music enthusiast. It is encased in tonewood which is lightweight and produces a natural sound without any modification. When it is not in use, you can place it with no detriment to the acoustic sound. You will love the output of this simple pickup.
Pros
- It comes with an 8-foot detachable cable
- No need of modification required
- Lightweight wooden sensor casing
- Easily detachable when no use
- Offers natural sound
- Straightforward installation
- Durable and heavy build
- Good presence
Cons
- None
2. K&K Sound Pure Classic Pickup (Close Runner-Up)
The pure classic pickup is made for offering optimum sound transmission, and you can install it with superglue or double-stick tape for easy removal. It is a passive system with four sensors that can be integrated into the guitar bridge and headphone jack. The three contact ultra-efficient sensors give a perfect balance and capture wood vibration. Double stick tape reduces the output so that you will need a preamp. However, installation with superglue does not impact the output.
Bridge plate transducers are the perfect choice for getting a natural and rich guitar sound. The bridge plate position offers an adequate sound balance by picking up strings without sounding rough or listening to the soundboard to amplify your guitar characteristics. The result is full range warm signal that sounds perfect even without a preamp.
It is popular because of the typical bracing and recording balance of a classical guitar. Whether you are a percussive flamenco player or a traditional player, this pickup system is a perfect way for guitar amplification. The output is similar to the active pickup.
Pros
- Sounds great
- Looks super
- Great pickup
- Natural sound pickup
- Musical and warm sound
- Loud even without a preamp
Cons
- None
3. Fishman AG Acoustic 6-String Pickup
AG-Series offered by Fishman is the classic under-saddle ceramic guitar pickup. It does not need a battery, and you can directly plug it into your favorite amp. The brand has been working dedicatedly to help musicians of every style to help them achieve authentic sound when and where they plug in this pickup.
Fishman is committed to offering professional quality, and it is a leading company in MIDI control, pickups, amplification, effects, electric instruments, and other product categories. The brand has a loyal family of technicians, players, instrument manufacturers, and repair professionals because of its quality products and exceptional customer support, service, and interaction.
It is an under-saddle piezo pickup that fits easily in your acoustic guitar saddle. It captures the character and resonance of the guitar.
Every note comes with fantastic tonality and texture.
You can plug it straight into your amp or use an impedance matching preamp to achieve superb performance. Once you install the high-quality pickup on your acoustic guitar, you can easily hit the stage with confidence.
When it comes to technical innovation, Fishman leads the market. It is working hard for over 25 years to provide great products to the musicians. Performers, acoustic musicians, and technicians rely on Fishman pickups, pedals, preamps, and amplifiers to accurately reproduce natural tones.
The products are easy to use and come with studio-friendly designs and reliability. The brand offers an incredible range of quality products so that you can choose them with ease. Choose Fishman if you want to amplify the acoustic tones effortlessly.
Pros
- Truest sound possible
- AG-series do not need a battery
- Impedance matching preamp is required
- Professional installation is recommended
- Functional
- Affordable
- Easy installation
Cons
- None
4. Barcus Berry 1455-3 Acoustic Guitar Pickup
It is an ideal pickup for natural and true sound for direct feed recording or reinforcement application. In addition, this acoustic guitar pickup can be easily mounted inside the instrument.
It is completely shielded against any hum and produces a natural sound free of any added tone and color. In addition, it offers a high-level output signal with accurate amplitude. You can use it in any musical instrument, portable sound reinforcement system, or amplifier.
The acoustic guitar pickup offers a fantastic dynamic range, broad-spectrum frequency coverage, feedback rejection, and excellent transient response. The pickup can be mounted easily inside any acoustic guitar. When it comes to budget, this acoustic pickup covers a wide range of budget options.
It offers enough sound quality to fill a large space. It is also a perfect choice for practicing or rehearsals at home. Finally, it is a perfect budget choice. The pickup position allows for efficient sound from nylon string vibrations and produces an amazing warm and loud natural sound. It is soft, and its characteristic tone makes harmony and melody.
Pros
- Provides a high-level output signal
- High amplitude signal
- Broad-spectrum frequency coverage
- Dynamic range and fantastic transient
- Mounts easily inside the acoustic guitar
- Easy to install
- Suitable for acoustic instruments
- High fidelity
Cons
- None
Do Pickups Work With Nylon Strings?
Yes, pickups work with nylon strings, and most guitarists have played an instrument like this. However, mostly these are starter guitars for beginners, especially for kids, as nylon strings are soft on their fingers. For most guitarists, nylon string guitar is a gateway to a steel string or electric guitar, while some use nylon string guitar for life.
The nylon-string guitar amplifier helps get your musical message heard in concert. That can be done by borrowing from the steel-string guitar and capturing the vibrations or sound with piezo-based contact pickup.
The magnetic pickups do not work with non-magnetic nylon. The core of the three low strings is also made of nylon fibers; however, they feel like metal. Mostly they are coated with silver-plated copper wire, which is again non-magnetic.
You can use the microphone for amplification in nylon string guitars. Still, it is difficult for musicians to compete in concert conditions because their instruments may get extremely loud, and the feedback will make everyone crazy.
Thus an excellent piezo pickup can be the top choice here. We have already written about such systems in our article about the best pickups for cigar box guitars.
Under saddle transducer pickup works well and comes in many forms like piezoelectric sensor, electrets film, coaxial cable, etc. These sit under the saddle but with limited view. There is no impact of body resonances and deliver direct signal with little spatial depth.
However, these pickups color the signal so that no tone control can fix it perfectly. You can plug a nylon string guitar with a piezo pickup into an acoustic-electric guitar amp in high gain mode or crunch mode.
Conclusion: The Best Pickup for Nylon String Guitar Is…
Acoustic guitar pickups are simple yet important devices that transform the ordinary guitar into an excellent gig guitar. It offers you a lot of opportunities so you can unleash your musical creativity effortlessly. Above mentioned guitar pickups sound awesome; thus, choosing anyone is difficult.
Our favorite from the list is KNA NG-1 Piezo Pickup because this offers you an extreme power boost.