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pjterry
Aloha
2 Posts |
 Posted - 08/01/2007 : 07:47:00 AM
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Aloha All,
I'm thinking of electrifying my Lanikai tenor and am wondering if anyone has suggestions on brand or type of pickup to use. I'm not crazy about sticking something to the top surface but if that's the best that's what I'll do. Also I'd rather have something that can be removed easily for acoustic playing.
Mahalo for any suggestions about what provides the best sound reproduction and ease of use.
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Haole with aloha |
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GUke
Lokahi
188 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2007 : 12:39:58 PM
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Do a search and you'll see my post on passive pickups and also a note about active pickups. The pickups installed by shops as I have done, don't affect the acoustic when unplugged. Though now my ukuleles have been drilled. I've noted other players using the Markley transducer that you cant stick on and remove and therefore not necessary to put a hole in the instument. They seem to work fine. And probably one of the least expensive ways to go. But I prefer to plug with the cable. Looks cleaner and I feel more confident with the larger cable exposed than the smaller wire connected to the outside transducer.
Aloha,
Guke |
Genaro
Should I? Itʻs only $, and where Iʻm going itʻll burn or melt. |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2007 : 10:07:58 AM
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| Elsewhere, they tend to just suggest using a microphone. No hole. No cable. No problem. |
Thank you. |
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Rich_Smith
Lokahi
USA
242 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2007 : 07:02:35 AM
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| I will be installing a MISI preamp pickup in my next (likekestrings) uke. It has a capacitor that is charged for one minute and is good for 8 hours or more of playing. No battery keeps it light. The transducer is mounted under the saddle. |
Rich Smith |
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2007 : 10:33:36 AM
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| Interesting application for a capacitor. Of course, they've used that concept in high energy physics (fusion experiments), but one normally only hears of advanced battery technology in domestic electronics. Is this a new generation of capacitors available for domestic electronics using a dielectric material that permits higher energy storage densities in a still compact design, or are the energy requirements for the pre-amp simply so low that capacitor technology is viable? (Given that capacitors tend to be among the "purest" basic electrical modeling components (pure in terms of not incorporating substantial inductance or resistance), the charging time could be very short, as you indicate.) |
Thank you. |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2007 : 5:25:19 PM
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Hi Absolute,
Hey, a good ole capacitor discussion, just what every geek enjoys! 
Or did you mean condensor? 
Joking aside, it is probably a combination of several improving technoligies: 1) CMOS Opamps that draw very little current (some take less than 1mA these days), and CMOS is better for connecting to high impedance piezo transducers. And, 2) New high density capacitors such as TDK SuperCaps which can be as much as a Farad or more (you can google to find them).
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2007 : 8:35:45 PM
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| Use to be a Farad took a cap as big as a car. Now you get an 8 hr source for a p/u and a preamp. E Rich when you get um in I like hear. Maybe I put one in my uke or guitar or hearing aid. |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
Edited by - noeau on 08/11/2007 8:37:10 PM |
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hikabe
Lokahi
USA
358 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2007 : 11:40:20 AM
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Fishman active pickups work well. $200 includes labor at any good luthier. Probably worth more then the Lanikai. The installation does not compromise the acoustic quality of the sound, at least not enough for a rocket scientist to notice.
Don't go passive if you are a profesional musician. A passive pickup is basically a tiny mic picking up the echo resonating inside the sound box of the instrument. If you talk into the sound hole your voice will go to the speaker just like a weak mic. If you face the speaker with a passive it will feedback horribly.
Playing straight into a good mic is a good option but means not being free to move around.
If you do go cheap with a passive pickup, boost it with the fishman preamp, $150.
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Stay Tuned... |
Edited by - hikabe on 08/12/2007 11:41:46 AM |
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Rich_Smith
Lokahi
USA
242 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2007 : 6:22:06 PM
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| Check out www.mi-si.com and search for Acoustic Trio. I should have my next uke done with this pickup in it in about a month. Rich |
Rich Smith |
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GUke
Lokahi
188 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2007 : 7:19:16 PM
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Hiram,
Is there any difference between the pickup used in the active Fishman set-up and the undersaddle Dean Markeley passive or Fishman AG undersaddle pickup? They all look the same to me -- a rod connected to a wire placed in the saddle. I have these passive undersaddle pick ups in two of my concert ukuleles.
If I had a larger tenor ukulele then I would have considered the active Fishman with the on board EQ & and volume controls, and pop up battery holder. This is mounted on the side so not only do you have a hole for the cable, but they do cut into the side to mount the unit. (I have this thing about having to loosen the strings, stick your hand into the soundhole to change the battery even though you don't change the battery often. But what a task if you forget to check and on stage you notice the battery needs changing.) Anyway I do use a Fishman preamp which boost the signal. but I now have volume & EQ controls.
The active Fishman pick up on my brother's concert ukulele (with the battery inside) doesn't have volume or EQ controls. So even with his active Fishman, he likes using the pre-amp to have controls. He can shut off the pickup without having to turn down the volume at the sound system "head" or guitar amplifier. I admit that I probably spent more going with the passive undersaddle pickup and the additional preamp. But again the concert size wouldn't allow for the active pickup I would have chosen.
And on a side note the Fishman undersaddle pickup seems more responsive volume-wise than the Markeley undersaddle pickup i.e.
at the same volume setting on my amplifier the ukulele with the Fishman is louder. Also the Fishman undersaddle pickup was customized as the luthier who installed it needed to measure the distance between strings as per Fishman request. And finally both under saddle pick ups are more responsive volume-wise than the passive Fishman transducer on my other ukulele.
Genaro |
Genaro
Should I? Itʻs only $, and where Iʻm going itʻll burn or melt. |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2007 : 8:12:53 PM
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| The differences are usually related to the available electronics. Passive p/u's are ok I have one but sometimes when you plug into a pa you get an impedance mis-match and the guitar has no gain and cannot be heard. Therefore a pre-amp is suggested. An LR Baggs parametric is a good one. |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
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hikabe
Lokahi
USA
358 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2007 : 11:24:12 PM
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I borrowed a friends uke for a few months to evaluate the passive pickup he had installed in his Kamaka tenor, the same size as mine. I was terrified of moving around on stage because of feedback and had to crank the volume to drive the sound. So I bought a Fishman ProEQ II to boost and clean the sound of the passive pickup. It was also easy to control volume and EQ settings with the preamp sitting in front of you.
But I decided to get an active pickup installed in my uke to eliminate all problems and now I never have to worry about a thing. I now use the preamp as a DI for my electric guitar when I am going through a mixer.
On the other hand, if you are not a performer, tinkering and learning about different gear is a lot of fun.
A side note... A student of mine has a Lanikai that he had to unscrew 4 screws to get to the battery. Eventually the screw holes wore out and he is now taping it shut with duct tape.
I don't know how the Fishman compares to Dean Markley saddle setups. Still sounds like a passive set up to me. I just think Fishman makes quality gear that is a little better then Dean Markleys stuff. Baggs products takes me way back...
Another pick up that has worked for me, on occasion, is "hey baby, is that a G string your plucking or are you just happy to see me?" |
Stay Tuned... |
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