A Pickup that Works for Me

[ukenukem]

Just wanted to share my experience finding a pickup for my new Loar LM-310f. I am a fairly recent mandolin player (not quite a year) but have played guitar for decades and currently bass in an Americana cover band (alteredrootsband.com). I added mandolin on a few tunes using an Ibanez M510e I got used. It works but I wanted something better and also a pickup system less prone to noise. I recently got the LM310f from The Mandolin Store and was enjoying that on it's own merits but adding a p/u was phase II.

After much research (I am a Librarian by day) I now have an ultra thin humbucking p/u and control box (I designed that part) by Marshall Hammett.

http://marshallhammettpickups.com/



Using steel/nickel strings from Mapes I installed the p/u last night and tested it through my handy Roland Micro Cube and was very satisfied with the sound. I wanted a pickup that was clear without any quack and could be plugged into any amp or PA available (w/o preamp). I also wanted vol/tone controls handy as I switch from bass to mandolin between songs and nee to be able to silence the instrument I am not playing.

I did have to angle the p/u so the bass side was lower as the ferrous wound strings were quite boomy. I did check with a magnet, the p/b stings I have around and the core of the wound strings seems to attract as much as the plain so if I swap strings I will change the p/u to a flat/close up install. The control box even fits in the H/S case!

I knew that a humbucker would be less "acoustic" sounding but that is a trade off I was willing to accept. It ended up closer than I imagined and if I change to P/B strings I bet it will sound closer.

The p/u is held in place by sticky putty so it is not permanent and the control box is velcro'd to the tailpiece cover. The whole thing is removable for easy string changing or playing accoustically. He even made it plain wood (only his URL tastefully added) including the control box so it fits in visually better than most. I requested the p/u have a 1/8" plug so I can even try different p/u to the system or move it to another mandolin. I love options.

Dealing with Marshall was a pleasure! He listened to my ideas and created what I needed by modifying his usual p/u. It sounds great and I am very happy Marshall created something that fit my needs.

(Hat tip to the Mandolin Store as well!)

Bob

[pops1]

Nice, these must be the thinnest pickup's I have seen.

I did something like this about 10 years ago or so with a Kent Armstrong pickup. It was very thin and I put it at the end of the fingerboard and floated it from the pickguard. The Armstrong was only around 6k and worked very well with either elect or phosphor bronze. I put the volume and tone in the lower parts of the ff holes, it was convenient and worked well. Mini pots. It actually sounded very acoustic and I am thinking of doing another.

[ukenukem]

That is correct, I had originally thought of using a floating jazz p/u and controls in the f-holes but was turned off because guitar size would look too big, plus in chrome to attract the eye! My other thought was to use a black lipstick with the control box.

This one has a relatively low output (around 3K?) but the output sounds fine. It is sized for mandolin and I think Marshall used a bar magnet as I recall. There are several "flat" humbuckers designs out there but I selected this one as it looked the best and he was interested in helping me.

Bob

[pops1]

I went to his website, but the contact wouldn't work, do you have contact info, Thanks.

[DHopkins]

Use this:

marshallhammettpickups@gmail.com

[ukenukem]

UPDATE - I changed strings to a set of Mapes P/B hoping that it would balance the output of the p/u (the nickel/steel set was way too bassy so I had to set the p/u at an extreme angle) so now the p/u is level and the sound is much improved acoustically and magnetically. The steel core of the wound strings is about the same diameter as the plains so that balances the p/u.

I am still working on how to attach the p/u as the blue tack putty does not hold it firmly enough for stage use. Right now a narrow strip of velcro is in the lead but I have yet to add that to the top. Plus I will need a "rail" of wood to lift the p/u closer to the strings.

Anyone wanting to try some great strings should check out Mapes.

https://www.mapesstrings.com/

Bob

[DHopkins]

I use the putty on my F4 to hold the L R Baggs pickup and it has always worked fine. It leaves no marks and hold firmly. I don't think the Velcro will work. There's an air gap between the pickup and the instrument preventing the pickup from a snug fit on the instrument and not allowing it to pick up all the vibrations of the instrument.

[pops1]

I would move it closer to the fingerboard, there is more string movement there and it will be closer to the strings and warmer. 3M sells some thick double stick tape that I have used with good success. I would first stick the tape to your shirt or something before the mandolin to take the tack down or it will remove finish. I place it against my flannel shirt then on the mandolin and it sticks quite well, stays put and comes off should I need to.

[ukenukem]

Interesting thoughts, thanks! I did try the p/u next to the fingerboard and it was not bright enough, sounds best to me about 1.5" from the bridge. I am mentally figuring out options to raise the p/u off the top with minimal contact. This is a magnetic humbucker so contact with the body unrelated to signal strength (other than distance from the strings).

I live in S. Florida, what is this "flannel" of which you speak?

[pops1]

The flannel is my shirt, I don't want the tape to be as sticky as it is so I touch it to my shirt first. I have had pickups on and off all summer with the same piece of tape. If you want to raise it you could put a piece of wood shaped to the top of the mandolin and flat for the pickup the thickness you want to raise it. You can still double stick tape both to the mandolin. The tape is about 1/16" thick.

[Tom Wright]

Weatherstrip foam comes in thicknesses down to 3/16". It is already adhesive on one side, usually. Any foam you can trim to suit would be a fine way to mount a magnetic pickup, and sheets of varnish-friendly pressure-sensitive adhesive can be had from StewMac.

[ukenukem]

"The flannel is my shirt" Thanks Pops, I do know what flannel is, I was just pulling yer mando strap. One great thing about forums is you can get great ideas you may not be aware of, thanks again!

[Jeff Budz]

Ugh, I would never strap/putty/tape all that stuff to my mandolin no matter how good the pickup sounds. So many invisible options on the market that sound great. If you want a floating magnetic pickup for electric type tone look at the pickup on a Phoenix Jazz model.

[pops1]

Ugh, I would never strap/putty/tape all that stuff to my mandolin no matter how good the pickup sounds. So many invisible options on the market that sound great. If you want a floating magnetic pickup for electric type tone look at the pickup on a Phoenix Jazz model.

The tape can go on the inside for a pickup like the K&K, for a magnetic pickup like the Phoenix it has to be attached to the mandolin somehow. The tape would be invisible, be removable, and not modify the instrument. A magnetic pickup can also be attached to the pickguard, if you have one, I have done that several times. Any pickup gets screwed, puttied, taped or glued to the instrument. Most on the inside. Exception is a Fishman bridge pickup that will mount a carpenter jack to the side of your mandolin, i'd rather have the tape.

[DHopkins]

Ugh, I would never strap/putty/tape all that stuff to my mandolin no matter how good the pickup sounds. So many invisible options on the market that sound great. If you want a floating magnetic pickup for electric type tone look at the pickup on a Phoenix Jazz model.

I've been doing it for years with no problem. In addition, I've seen professional mandolin pickers and fiddlers in performance using something to hold the pickups. I assume it wasn't staples or duct tape.

Sticking a pickup to a mandolin using something "gooey" does sound repulsive to some but it actually works...safely.

[ukenukem]

"Gooey" is a little too, well gooey feeling than the stuff Marshall included. More like "silly putty" feel. We use it work (Library) to hang posters temporarily, it's a common office supply these days.

I still will likely use a couple of pieces of wood to raise the p/u close to the strings and attach the wood to the p/u and to the top with narrow strips of velcro. If I run two thin strips under the G and E strings it will not be very noticeable if I remove the p/u and go nekked.

[Don Grieser]

I just got one of Marshall's pickups. Only had a chance to do a quick preliminary test, but it's very quiet and sounds great so far. He's really great to work with. I'll report back after I have some time to play with it over the holiday.

[ukenukem]

Great to hear Don. I just changed my setup slightly in that I now have two thin strips of black Velcro about an inch long on the top under the G and E strings about 1.5 inches from the bridge. then the p/u has Velcro on the bottom in two strips again. That arrangement was not tall enough so I made a couple of spacers to lift it up. on the bass side I just stuck two strips of Velcro to each other but on the treble side I put a plastic strip between them to give it slightly more height. I may need to use thicker plastic to get the treble side closer to the strings for better balance, but for now it is working very well.