I like the Sherler Dyn, but find the gummy thing a little annoying and wouldn't mind having a petal for volume or other effects. What would folks recommend for pickups. I play in a 5 piece bluegrass band.
I like the Sherler Dyn, but find the gummy thing a little annoying and wouldn't mind having a petal for volume or other effects. What would folks recommend for pickups. I play in a 5 piece bluegrass band.
First point: most vol/fx pedals are designed for use with either 'active' transducer systems or passive magnetic pickups. If you use one directly with the majority of pickup types used on mandolin, you have a major impedance and level problem in most cases... generally, you will need to 'buffer' the output via a suitable preamp and use the FX LOOP of that to run any additional pedals.
Have to say that I personally don't much like pickups, but recognise they may be a 'necessary evil' in certain situations...
One of the easiest routes is to use a decent piezo system such as the K&K/JJB. Coupled with a decent preamp many do report acceptable results from these.
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'39 & '45 D-18's, 1950 D-28.
How about plugging the Schertler into a Zoom A3 and then into an amp. via a volume pedal?
Any piezoelectric pickup with the Tonedexter d.i.
I use the radius, and I'm about to have it internally mounted, because the putty and surface mount is unsightly IMO.
2007 Weber Custom Elite "old wood"
2017 Ratliff R5 Custom #1148
Several nice old Fiddles
2007 Martin 000-15S 12 fret Auditorium-slot head
Deering Classic Open Back
Too many microphones
BridgerCreekBoys.com
I use the Zoom A3 with a Schertler pickup. Good eq, basic effects, quiet, volume boost for solos, and XLR in with phantom if you need it. I've switched from the Schertler putty to the equivalent of Blu Tack. Less of a mess putting the pickup on and taking it off.
2010 Heiden A5, 2020 Pomeroy oval A, 2013 Kentucky KM1000 F5, 2012 Girouard A Mandola w ff holes, 2001 Old Wave A oval octave
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The Zoom A3 looks like a nice piece of equipment. Is is as challenging to use as other threads suggest? I see they don't make them anymore but can be found for around $150. Is that what they typically go for?
I run good piezos, the stock one on my Rigel and the K&K Twin on my Mendel OM, through a RedEye Twin preamp, then into the board. The RedEye really improves the sound and it has an effects out and return on it.
In all honesty, the Zoom is a bit fiddly - in tems of its knobs and the multiple tasks they perform and in saving and recalling settings - but it does have a wealth of useful features if you're able to "set it and forget it". You could, for instance, power-up and output the Schertler to a non-phantom equipped amp at the same time as using a piezo pickup. The worst thing I've found about it are the instructions!
writing about music
is like dancing,
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2007 Weber Custom Elite "old wood"
2017 Ratliff R5 Custom #1148
Several nice old Fiddles
2007 Martin 000-15S 12 fret Auditorium-slot head
Deering Classic Open Back
Too many microphones
BridgerCreekBoys.com
it a mini mixer? run IEM off it too?
writing about music
is like dancing,
about architecture
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