pickups & preamps

**Ethan Setiawan** · Jun-07-2012, 9:12pm

I've been wanting to get a pickup for my acoustic ff-style mando. For you pros out there, what pickup and/or preamp do you use? I play mostly acoustic-based stuff, with banjo, guitar, and fiddle.

With a electric guitar occasionally.

It seems that things might be a little less cluttered with one less mic stand.

**Ben Milne** · Jun-08-2012, 3:50am

Popular pro options would include but not necessarily be limited to Scherltler Dyn M, McIntyre Feather, K&K twin. Some of these brands have suitable associated preamps, otherwise LR Baggs, Headway make decent DI/pres.
Remember that although you lose a mic stand, you gain cables and boxes around your feet.

**Chris Reber** · Jun-08-2012, 12:24pm

I'm about to have the K&K Twin internal installed in my mandolin next week. It gets very consistently good reviews. I also plan to purchase the Radial Tonebone PZ-Pre to go along with it. That also has received nothing but great reviews (in fact, all 5 members of the Punch Brothers use it!).

I plan to post an audio clip of it once the work is done on it. Stay tuned!

Cheers,

**Bob Bronow** · Jun-08-2012, 12:32pm

I've also got the K&K Twin built into my mandolin.

I've got the D-Tar Solstice on order. Like the Tonebone PZ, it's a blending preamp allows you to mix the output of each of the K&K twin's pickups independently through a single stereo instrument cable.

**dcoventry** · Jun-08-2012, 12:58pm

Originally Posted by Bob Dobbs

I've also got the K&K Twin built into my mandolin.

I've got the D-Tar Solstice on order. Like the Tonebone PZ, it's a blending preamp allows you to mix the output of each of the K&K twin's pickups independently through a single stereo instrument cable.

Haven't looked into the Tonebone. However, the D-Tar looks good for my Phoenix Jazz to blend the McIntyre with the magnetic pickup.

mmmmmmmmmmm........blend-a-licious.

**Perry** · Jun-08-2012, 1:29pm

Originally Posted by Chris Reber

(in fact, all 5 members of the Punch Brothers use it!).

Copycats! As a long time user I can say the ToneBone Pre-Z is an easy to use great sounding unit packed with LOADS of useful features for the gigging musician.

I use mine with a Schertler and am totally satisfied. I have a K&K in my guitar (Collings 01) and like the way it sound as well.

It seems to be a toss up between Schertler and K&K these days for mandolins.

**Brad Maestas** · Jun-08-2012, 3:42pm

I used a Schertler for a long time but disliked the fact that I had to mount it every time I plugged in. It sounded fabulous through the PRE-A II pre and a pair of PUB 2/280s (all Schertler) but I found I had to EQ fairly heavily to get it to sound natural when going direct into a board. One of the favorable things about it, however, was that no permanent installation was required.

I sold all my Schertler stuff last year and have decided to go ahead and have a K&K Twin installed. I have the now-defunct Raven Labs MDB-1 mixer and the True Blue EQ (when needed) to blend my signals so I'll be off and running as soon as the pickup is installed. I'm pretty excited about how much easier it will be to amplify!

**Tim2723** · Jun-09-2012, 9:40am

I haven't tried a Tonebone yet, but I want to. They get a lot of great press and you sure can plug a bunch of stuff into them.

**mandroid** · Jun-11-2012, 1:27pm

A Schertler was built in to my Mix A5, I run a Balanced cable [1/4"TRS]
to the Mic input on my Roland AC 60, and use the Mic Pre stage built in.

Previously, the Dyn M went on my Varnished A4,
without any instrument modifications.

**Mark Seale** · Jun-11-2012, 4:06pm

The pre-amp of choice in these parts is this: http://www.fire-eye.com/ These are handbuilt units and the list of top level players running them is impressive considering they are handwired here in Austin.

**herbsandspices** · Jun-11-2012, 4:56pm

Schertler C-Dyn-S is the internal pickup, which is now called the Resocoil. You can buy it in a few different configurations... Django Books had it in a 1/4" input recently (instead of the bulky and ugly square plate XLR input), but it's not on their site right now - might be worth a call or email.

**Ben Milne** · Jun-11-2012, 10:00pm

Those red eye units look handy, especially the untits with and a/b on board.
Glad people have mentioned the tone bone. Anything Radial is good going.

**Mandobart** · Jun-13-2012, 10:06am

Just thought I'd chime in with my usual advice, if you've settled on the K&K, take a look at JJB (NFI). I've used both. The JJB sounds, installs, performs and lasts as good or better than the K&K in my 3 years experience on eight instruments with them. Customer service has been great whenever I've had questions. The JJB's still cost about $20 bucks. The best pre-amp I've used for these piezo p'ups is the K&K Pure.

**Perry** · Jun-13-2012, 10:24am

Originally Posted by herbsandspices

Schertler C-Dyn-S is the internal pickup, which is now called the Resocoil. You can buy it in a few different configurations... Django Books had it in a 1/4" input recently (instead of the bulky and ugly square plate XLR input), but it's not on their site right now - might be worth a call or email.

I think I got one of the last 1/4" Resocoils from Django Books. I agree the new plate seems excessive not to mention the XLR limits your choices of pre-amps as far as inputs.

I had a Red Eye and they are good sounding units indeed but lacked the feedback controls, filters and other useful features of the ToneBone Pre-Z.

**mandroid** · Jun-13-2012, 4:57pm

FWIW XLR [both 'genders'] to TRS adapters are easy enough to come by.. Nutrik makes very nice ones..
but yea the end button/1/4"TRS jack on a mandolin is more sensible, for an installation in a Mandolin.

IDK, maybe, the big hole cut in the side for those XLR plate jacks
is big enough to stick the pickup thru so it can be pre wired.?