Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: Magnetic Pickup suggestions for solid body electric mandolin

  1. #1

    Default Magnetic Pickup suggestions for solid body electric mandolin

    I am customizing a solid body electric Mandolin. Can you please suggest me good Magnetic pickups for the Mandolin?

  2. #2
    Registered User Tavy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Tavistock UK
    Posts
    4,436

    Default Re: Magnetic Pickup suggestions for solid body electric mandolin

    One that fits the hole in the body

    But the "rails" pickups are good as there are no pole pieces. Use a hot rails pickup if you want to rock out, or the Seymour Duncan cool rails if you want more of a smooth blues/jazz tone. Or you could use a "lipstick" pickup if you want the surfer dude sound.

  3. The following members say thank you to Tavy for this post:


  4. #3
    Registered User Tom Wright's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Rockville, MD
    Posts
    1,916
    Blog Entries
    7

    Default Re: Magnetic Pickup suggestions for solid body electric mandolin

    I like individual poles to adjust sensitivity for each string. My favorites are Steve Ryder's pickups--he makes 4- and 5-pole pickups, single coil, stacked-single-coil humbucking, and side-by-side humbucking. His shop is in Portland, Maine.

    http://sjryder.com/
    Bandcamp -- https://tomwright1.bandcamp.com/
    Videos--YouTube
    Sound Clips--SoundCloud
    The viola is proof that man is not rational

  5. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    S.W. Wisconsin
    Posts
    7,500

    Default Re: Magnetic Pickup suggestions for solid body electric mandolin

    I guess first I would ask what sound you are going after, clean or distorted. Kent Armstrong makes a thin humbucker that has a ohms and is great for a clean sound. Something higher in the 10k or + range if you want to rock out. Marshall Hammet also makes a pickup for a mandolin that is small.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  6. #5
    Quietly Making Noise Dave Greenspoon's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Leesburg, VA
    Posts
    1,102

    Default Re: Magnetic Pickup suggestions for solid body electric mandolin

    Check out Almuse.
    Axes: Eastman MD-515 & El Rey; Eastwood S Mandola
    Amps: Fishman Loudbox 100; Rivera Clubster Royale Recording Head & R212 cab; Laney Cub 10

  7. #6
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    13,086

    Default Re: Magnetic Pickup suggestions for solid body electric mandolin

    Second vote for Almuse.

    But you could try giving us some information, like:

    1) Where are you located?
    2) What is the size of the mandolin's pickup cavity? Width, length, depth?
    3) What pickup did it have, and why are you dissatisfied with that pickup?
    4) How many strings does the mandolin have?
    5) What style of music do you want to play?

  8. #7
    fishing with my mando darrylicshon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    atlanta
    Posts
    1,303

    Default Re: Magnetic Pickup suggestions for solid body electric mandolin

    I built a solidbody for a friend and ordered one from

    http://customshop.seymourduncan.com/...ini-humbucker/

    I forget what specs we ordered, but that pickup sounded great, I'm planning on ordering a few just haven't had the spare cash yet
    Ibanez 70's 524, 521, 3 511's,2 512's,513,1 514,3 80s 513's, 522
    J Bovier F5-T custom shop
    Kiso Suzuki V900,
    The Loar lm600 Cherryburst
    morgan monroe mms-5wc,ovation
    Michael Kelly Octave Mandolin
    Emandos Northfield octave tele 4, Northfield custom jem octave mandolin 5 octave strat 8
    2 Flying v 8, octave 5, Exploryer octave 8 20"
    Fender mandostrat 4,3 Epip mandobird 2,4/8, Kentucky. KM300E Eastwood mandocaster
    Gold Tone F6,Badaax doubleneck 8/6

  9. #8

    Default Re: Magnetic Pickup suggestions for solid body electric mandolin

    As was stated above, it really depends on what kind of sound you're going for, and where the pickup is located. My favorite electric guitar sounds are old Gibson PAF pickups and real single coil Fender tones. If I was building an electric mandolin, I'd set it up with a Telecaster bridge pickup and a Stratocaster neck pickup.

  10. #9
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    S.W. Wisconsin
    Posts
    7,500

    Default Re: Magnetic Pickup suggestions for solid body electric mandolin

    The Kent Armstrong and Marshell Hammlet pickups are around the same, 6-7k ohms and should be similar in sound. They are both much cheaper tho. I have used the Kent Armstrong that is very thin, much thinner than most pickups and it sounded very good, actually very acoustic depending on what you plugged into and how loud you played. I have a Hammlet in the shop now, but haven't put it in a mandolin yet but I think it will also sound good and is very small physically.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  11. #10

    Default Re: Magnetic Pickup suggestions for solid body electric mandolin

    Hello... Thank You so much for your suggestions ...
    I live in India. The main reason to build a solid body Mandolin is to help myself play Indian classical music .. I am looking for a clear sound (though i would love to experiment with different kinds of tones later ,even distorted ones).

  12. #11
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    S.W. Wisconsin
    Posts
    7,500

    Default Re: Magnetic Pickup suggestions for solid body electric mandolin

    For a clear sound keep the pickup low ohms, like 6-7.5k ohms. Also don't put it too close to the strings, let your amp work more.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •