loud pick click when using sound system

[Grace]

Help! Just got a mando with a built -in McIntyre feather pickup. Had a gig last week and used sound equipment with the mando for the 1st time, including a Baggs belt-clip preamp. Suddenly noticed super loud pick click - don't know if it had been there all along and was noticeable only when playing a softer tune, or if I did something to the adjustment on the preamp - like had the gain adjusted poorly. Any ideas? G

[Desert Rose]

Welcome to amplification

Its very unforgiving, you no longer can fake it when you dont know a part and mistakes will be known by everybody.

Nothing wrong with your sound setup likely you just have a learning curve to get over

Scott

[fredfrank]

What to do? Use a microphone.

[Grace]

Yes, amplification is unforgiving. Would a microphone, rather than the internal pick-up solve the problem? G

[TonyP]

Do you have some kind of recorder? That would be the best way to get an objective listen, electric vs mic. Years ago I noticed that John Reishman used to put electrical tape on his fretboard extension, also known as the "Florida" or peninsula, just to get rid of pick click. It was then I noticed others getting the pesky thing either cut off like Sam Bush, or scooped out. I had my frets done and had that done at the same time. No more noise. I'd not played an unscooped mando in years and played one the other day, and there it was, pick click. I never play that high so that thing is really just for decoration in my book. YMMV

[Klaus Wutscher]

To me this sounds not like a problem with pick click. Rather it seems that the pickup amplifies your attack more than a mikrophone would. Totaly different thing. Scooping your florida would not help a bit.
I would suggest to work with your preamp and see if you can isolate the frequency that causes the problem. If you find it , just roll it off and you should be fine. This is very common with piezo pickups.

[labraid]

Would a light gauge pick solve the problem because it "thuds" less on the strike..? I have a McIntyre installed on one of my flat-tops with a Fishman GII preamp, the bass frequencies set low and the trebles high. Just checked it out, not getting the click in this one. Maybe the preamp?

[Grace]

Thanks to all who responded. I'll do some experimenting and will let the guy in the band who does sound know what you all have said. I suspect the answer lies in the preamp. What happens if I don't use a preamp? I've only used a small clip-on Audio Technica mike in the past and so trouble-shooting the McIntyre is new to me. G

[Klaus Wutscher]

I found out that with any piezo pickup, a preamp is helping a lot. The sound of a piezo going directly in the board is , well, undesirable. Just experiment with the preamp and the EQ setting on the bard and you should be fine.

[Desert Rose]

Klaus

I agree

The instrument needs preamping for the best performance

Scott

[Devon Headen]

Would a light gauge pick solve the problem because it "thuds" less on the strike..? I have a McIntyre installed on one of my flat-tops with a Fishman GII preamp, the bass frequencies set low and the trebles high. Just checked it out, not getting the click in this one. Maybe the preamp?

I'm speaking from guitar experience, not mandolin, but I think it will still apply. A lighter gauge pick will give you a more pronounced click. I like the light gauge when I'm playing aggressive rhythm because it helps accentuate my strumming patterns.

[Grace]

Hey - just letting all of you kind people who responded - I had a gig last pm...switched picks, but mostly experimented with the gain on the preamp...I think that was part of the problem before. G

[mandroid]

Re Mic:I would think so, as the pickup #is in firm contact with the surface of the soundboard and would be amplifying thumps and clicks, which, in contrast, a microphone would hear the sound coming out of the soundhole/s, and be a bit less sensitive to the mechanics of how the sound is produced.

If it were an electric [coil-magnetic pickup] then only the strings moving in the magnetic field would be sensed.

[labraid]

This is what I was thinking with the thinner pick, it does audibly click playing acoustically, but that sound shouldn't reach/affect what the pickup hears, since it is more concerned with the attack and vibrations.

[RobP]

I use a Sans-Amp pre-amp, and I am able to dial out a lot of the pick noise with the "Blend" knob and the EQ.

What does the Baggs pre-amp have for EQ?

Rob

[Grace]

Rob - pre-amp doesn't have EQ - just bass, treble, volume, gain. Any EQ adjustment has to happen via the soundboard. I thought a simple pre-amp would be fine for me...guess I shoulda gotten one with Eq adustment. Maybe in the future. Thanks. G

[mikeyes]

There was a discussion on this topic on Co-Mando and the solution offered was to take a rubber glove, remove a finger and stretching it over the extension thus muffling the pick click. If you can find some black gloves that would be a bonus, I suppose.

There was a name for this device, but I won't repeat it here. Perhaps "mandolin cot" (like Finger cots used in handling papers) will do.

[steve in tampa]

I have been using my MK with a Fishman piezo bridge pickup and had the some problem.

Solved it to a reasonable extent with a Boss Compresser/Sustainer in to a Boss 7-Band EQ, and run that through an Aphex Acoustic Exciter.

Its a lot of stuff to haul around, but I have it all on a pedal board with a volume pedal and a tuner.

I use mics in our group and we have know problems like this. But i am considering a pickup.

I would get in instrument mic[or try one at a music store if it is one that allows it] and see where it goes from there.

[steve in tampa]

Tried out the new setup last night through the PA, and it was great. The compresser/sustainer and EQ combination really did the trick. Kept a natural full sound, and brought it to the front of the mix much better. Did not have to dig in, and was able to get better dynamics.