Benedetto suspended jazz guitar pick-up for mandolin

[Fretbear]

Why wouldn't a pick-up like this work on a mandolin? It's hard to believe that the individual guitar string spread is that critically matched to the poles of the pick-up, considering that players set up their nut and bridge string spacings differently.
According to the description it delivers:
"Clarity and accuracy, a natural replication of the sound of the arch-top instrument, and musical warmth."
It also mounts very efficiently off the edge of a pickguard.
Thoughts?

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electron...s.html#details

[allenhopkins]

I believe for optimum performance from a magnetic pickup, the string should be directly above the pole-piece of the pickup. Humbucking pickups are double-coil, and I'd guess (no expertise here) that this might make positioning even more important...?

If the Benedetto is designed for either six or seven-string guitars, as advertised, I'd question whether it would work equally well with the four courses of mandolin strings. A Benedetto with four pole-pieces spaced for mandolin configuration, would be what's needed, IMHO.

[MANNDOLINS]

I think they work quite well.

[Stephen Lind]

Originally Posted by MANNDOLINS

I think they work quite well.

ya but how would you know
that looks beautiful Jonathan

[Fretbear]

Originally Posted by MANNDOLINS

I think they work quite well.

How well is quite well? Perfectly? Can you still use bronze strings?

[MANNDOLINS]

I would use nickel or stainless strings....it is a magnetic pickup....with nickel strings it has an even string to string balance, warm tone and no noise.

[Fretbear]

Thanks Jon. You make nice mandolins, I like that blackface F-7 on your site.
I also have a blackface F and would have considered installing a tortoise pickguard just to hang that pick-up from, as it would be so unobtrusive, but having to use non-bronze strings make's it a no go.

[TomTyrrell]

Any magnetic pickup is going to work better with non-bronze strings. That's why you don't see bronze electric guitar strings.

The mag pickup will respond to the steel core of a bronze-wound string but you would need to find a custom maker who could make you a pickup optimized for that string type in order to have real success.

[mandomedic]

speaking of jazz pickups for mandolins. Can anyone provide me with information on where to buy the thin volume and tone pots that mount under the pickguards and do not protrude through the top of the pickguard, but have a plastic control knob that comes out along the trailing edge of the pickguard? Thanks, kenc

[Michael Lewis]

Ken, you looking for the ones that work with a thumb wheel just under the edge of the guard? I got mine from MOUSER, and now Stew/Mac carries some that are probably better grade hardware.

[UnityGain]

Originally Posted by MANNDOLINS

I think they work quite well.

Jonathan, is that an off the shelf pickup or something you had to custom order? If its shelf whats the model? Looking to modify my Michael Kelly to put one of those babys on there for a rocking good time.

Oh, I guess there really are not many options really... Hmmm... Now do I want to get out the router and get fancy....

[Roger Kunkel]

Would it be possible to have this pickup, a volume and tone pair, and the output jack all mounted on a pickguard which could be swapped for the standard pickguard when desired?

Maybe there's a grounding issue?

-rog

[zekelittle]

I use a small Kent Armstrong floating pickup. I think he used to make the bennedettos. The under pickguard volume w/ tone control can now be purchased at Stew-Mac for $30 or so. I also use nickel strings from Martin at Emando. the package sounds real jazzy on the 5-stringers that I make.

[mandroid]

Yea, R.K., strings have to be grounded, usually to the bridge, It sits on a ground wire ,
like with Strings Thru the body type bridges,

or the tailpiece, one of the mounting screws is also holding contact with a ground wire .

I expect the white wire sheild, seen in #2of3 above, has the hot and ground-wire together in there.

[Roger Kunkel]

Originally Posted by mandroid

Yea, R.K., strings have to be grounded, usually to the bridge, It sits on a ground wire ,
like with Strings Thru the body type bridges,

or the tailpiece, one of the mounting screws is also holding contact with a ground wire .

I expect the white wire sheild, seen in #2of3 above, has the hot and ground-wire together in there.

Okay, so then you have a ground wire with a little alligator clip you clip to a string behind the bridge.

Zeke, nice looking axe!

[mandroid]

Why not develop one of the De Armond 'Monkey on a Stick' Pickup mounting schemes? ,
they fitted a wire bracket clamped to the strings past the bridge, went thru the pickup for support .
A tab went under the pickguard , on the opposite side . added stability .

If you could make something like that with a quiet powerful humbucker pickup ,
likely interest would be aroused in others .

[pops1]

I have used the kent armstrong jazz and floated it from the pickguard worked quite well. I used a small pencil sized support on the other end and it didn't seem to change tone and made the p/u very stable. Into a small tube amp it would really rock and roll, or into an amp with more headroom was nice.