Nowadays, we see lotsa of guitars like Taylors, come standard with pickups & cut with a big hole on the side for the control system.

How much tone is lost or affected as a result of installing a pickup, much worse to cut a big hole on the side.

I suspect the hole in the side does not change the tone much, if at all. But I still think it's shame to do to a fine guitar. On a guitar that you buy for on stage use primariy, it's probably OK. The best guitar for live/amplified might not be the best guitar.

I have propblems with the whole idea of putting any kind of electronics in a really good guitar, like a "Standard" or higher Martin, or a 6xx or higher Taylor, or any Collings.

I'm well aware that there are places where you _have_ to plug in, because the ambient noise is so high that if you mike the guitar at a level high enough to be heard at all, you'll get massive feedback. But there's no point in playing a good guitar in those settings. The fine qualities of tone can't be heard. Not even by the player. Anything with a bearable action and decent intonation will do fine. That's what Takamines and them are _for_. Get a low-end guitar with high-end electronics and blast the place. Then go home and play your Collings.

Peter (Who plays his Collings "out," but doesn't do bars)

I play two open-mics/wk in San Francisco with my '98 Collings D-1. One open mic is pure acoustic (can't beat a Collings for that!) and the other one requires you to plug in and play through a PA.

For the latter challenge I had an ACTIVE Fishman pup installed in my D-1 by Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto, CA. Total price including installation was a little under $200. Then, I was directed by some pros to find a used (they don't make them new anymore) STEWART UDP-1 pre-amp to plug into before running to the board and PA. I found one in Vintage Guitar Magazine for $100.

The combination just KILLS!!! Unbelievably accurate acoustic tone!

The installation of the pickup in my D-1 made absolutely ZERO change in the tone of the instrument.

I would NEVER cut a big hole in the side of a guitar. And with a Fishman/Stewart UDP-1 setup, there's no need to.