Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: Did LR Baggs make a mandolin pickup 30 years ago?

  1. #1
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts
    2,045

    Default Did LR Baggs make a mandolin pickup 30 years ago?

    Reason I'm asking - my 1989 Flatiron Performer has a bridge piezo. Originally went to an old Barcus Berry 1/8" jack that I had switched out to a regular 1/4".

    The 1989 Flatiron catalog stated "Pursuant to the development of our Performer Series carved tops Flatiron enlisted Lloyd R. Baggs to custom design a transducer bridge pickup."

    A Google search doesn't show any pickup. Maybe someone has better searching skills than I do.

    Guess I'm just trying to figure out of this is a Baggs or (much more likely) an early Fishman. Thanks for any help.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Bridge pickup resized.jpg 
Views:	68 
Size:	161.3 KB 
ID:	191839
    Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Big Muddy M-11, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
    https://www.facebook.com/LauluAika/
    https://www.lauluaika.com/
    https://www.facebook.com/Longtine-Am...14404553312723

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    High Peak - UK
    Posts
    4,172

    Default Re: Did LR Baggs make a mandolin pickup 30 years ago?

    If it’s “custom designed”, they copied it from Fishman!

  3. #3
    Registered User Tom Wright's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Rockville, MD
    Posts
    1,919
    Blog Entries
    7

    Default Re: Did LR Baggs make a mandolin pickup 30 years ago?

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Platt View Post
    Reason I'm asking - my 1989 Flatiron Performer has a bridge piezo. Originally went to an old Barcus Berry 1/8" jack that I had switched out to a regular 1/4".

    The 1989 Flatiron catalog stated "Pursuant to the development of our Performer Series carved tops Flatiron enlisted Lloyd R. Baggs to custom design a transducer bridge pickup."

    A Google search doesn't show any pickup. Maybe someone has better searching skills than I do.

    Guess I'm just trying to figure out of this is a Baggs or (much more likely) an early Fishman. Thanks for any help.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Bridge pickup resized.jpg 
Views:	68 
Size:	161.3 KB 
ID:	191839
    Baggs did make a bridge pickup, Don Stiernberg's Nugget has one, as does Drew Emmitt's. Both sound fabulous with no special EQ. You may be lucky and have the same model. They do not sell one now, don't know if/how long a model was offered.
    Bandcamp -- https://tomwright1.bandcamp.com/
    Videos--YouTube
    Sound Clips--SoundCloud
    The viola is proof that man is not rational

  4. The following members say thank you to Tom Wright for this post:


  5. #4
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Northeastern South Carolina, west of North Carolina
    Posts
    15,346
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default Re: Did LR Baggs make a mandolin pickup 30 years ago?

    Funny you should mention this, today of all days. On this day in mandolin history, in 2008, Baggs announced plans for their Radius pickup, a stick-on type.

    I have Fishman bridge pickups on two of my instruments, and they look just like that. My installation is a little different - under the bridge and into the sound hole, then out through a 1/4" endpin jack. Of course, that would diminish the collector value for my mandolins - technically. But they weren't purchased with that in mind, but rather as working instruments. Of course, if I ever become famous, that won't matter, and their value will go through the roof ...
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

  6. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    DeKalb, IL
    Posts
    3,633

    Default Re: Did LR Baggs make a mandolin pickup 30 years ago?

    This is interesting. I have a mandolin in my shop right now that has that same type of setup. I think the owner told me it originally had a carpenter jack or something like that. No hole through the body on the original. I'm moving it to another mandolin he has and will be going through the top for a 1/4" jack in the end pin. I'll have to ask him how old it is.

  7. #6
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Northeastern South Carolina, west of North Carolina
    Posts
    15,346
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default Re: Did LR Baggs make a mandolin pickup 30 years ago?

    It's really convenient. I hated the little bracket that held in place the 1/8" jack that was part of the Fishman. This approach is solid, and any standard issue 1/4" cord will work. It just depends on how the owner feels about the effect it will have on collector/trade-in value. I believe the wire going inside was long enough for him to attach the inner part of the jack, fish it out through the routed-out hole in the butt, and attach the outer part of the jack - the two pieces screw together. I believe.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20210206_134222.jpg 
Views:	58 
Size:	355.4 KB 
ID:	191846 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20210206_134323.jpg 
Views:	62 
Size:	630.7 KB 
ID:	191847
    Last edited by journeybear; Feb-06-2021 at 1:53pm. Reason: uploading photos
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

  8. The following members say thank you to journeybear for this post:


  9. #7
    Likes quaint instruments poul hansen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    Danmark
    Posts
    725

    Default Re: Did LR Baggs make a mandolin pickup 30 years ago?

    To avoid holes in a collectors instrument, there are 2 ways.

    1. Use a IK Multimedia’s iRig Acoustic that uses a microphone in the soundhole or

    2. Use a bridge or soundhole pickup and connect it to a guitar wireless system and drop the sender/transmitter inside the instrument

    I use both on my guitars but haven't gotten around to testing it on a mandolin.


    https://www.zzounds.com/item--XVIU2

    https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irigacoustic/
    Kentucky KM-805..........2 Hora M1086 Portuguese II(1 in car)
    Hora M1088 Mandola.....
    Richmond RMA-110..... .Noname Bearclaw
    Pochette Franz Janisch...5 Pocket............Alfredo Privitera pocket
    Puglisi Pocket 1908........Puglisi 1912.......Puglisi 1917
    3 Mandolinetto ..............C.Garozzo
    1 Mandriola...................Cannelo G. Mandriola...Böhm Waldzither 1921
    Johs Møller 1945............Luigi Embergher Studio 1933
    Marma Seashell back......Luigi Embergher 5bis 1909

  10. #8
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    High Peak - UK
    Posts
    4,172

    Default Re: Did LR Baggs make a mandolin pickup 30 years ago?

    The original Fishman bridge pickups terminated in a 1/4 inch “Carpenter” jack that clamped onto the edge of a mandolin body. The one I had [I still have it somewhere] had the tendency to pull off the edge of the instrument but this would depend upon the profile of the edge you were attaching it to.

    In fact they still sell them https://www.fishman.com/portfolio/m-...ndolin-pickup/

  11. #9
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Northeastern South Carolina, west of North Carolina
    Posts
    15,346
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default Re: Did LR Baggs make a mandolin pickup 30 years ago?

    I may be confusing the Fishman in my mind with the first arrangement I had: two Barcus-Berry Hot Dots, one each implanted into the feet of the bridge, the wires going into the sound holes of my F-12, then out through a 1/4" endpin jack. Those may have come originally with an 1/8" jack. Something did; it may have been that. I recall the Fishman being a considerable upgrade; this may have been a reason why, in addition to the sound quality. I see that the Fishman M-100 I have on my more recent instruments comes with a 1/4" jack, which back then had a kind of C-shaped bracket that screwed to the side of the instrument where the pickguard bracket screwed on. I didn't like this, as it always loosened and swiveled, scraping the finish on the side of the mandolin. Eventually I had my luthier take off the jack and connect the wire to the ones from the BB Hot Dots. I went right to this method with the A models. I never got the M-200 with the Carpenter jack.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

  12. #10
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts
    2,045

    Default Re: Did LR Baggs make a mandolin pickup 30 years ago?

    Thanks so far. Looking at Drew and Don's mandolin bridges makes me pretty sure this is a Fishman. The Baggs has the wire coming out near the end like a guitar under saddle piezo.

    Have seen another Flatiron Performer with the same bridge as mine, so that's why I was wondering.
    Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Big Muddy M-11, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
    https://www.facebook.com/LauluAika/
    https://www.lauluaika.com/
    https://www.facebook.com/Longtine-Am...14404553312723

  13. #11
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Northeastern South Carolina, west of North Carolina
    Posts
    15,346
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default Re: Did LR Baggs make a mandolin pickup 30 years ago?

    Aha. They're well-thought-of, easily installed, and not inordinately expensive. So they'll show up a lot. I don't know whether any company offers them as standard equipment. More of an after-market, user-installed item. So I understand. It's working all right for you?
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

  14. #12

    Default Re: Did LR Baggs make a mandolin pickup 30 years ago?

    I did have a 2004 F9 that had a Baggs bridge pickup. It sounded great. It was installed by Gibson in Nashville.

  15. The following members say thank you to steve in tampa for this post:


  16. #13
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts
    2,045

    Default Re: Did LR Baggs make a mandolin pickup 30 years ago?

    Quote Originally Posted by journeybear View Post
    Aha. They're well-thought-of, easily installed, and not inordinately expensive. So they'll show up a lot. I don't know whether any company offers them as standard equipment. More of an after-market, user-installed item. So I understand. It's working all right for you?
    Yup. No problems at all. Mainly interested in finding out whether it was a factory or aftermarket. Since Flatiron did offer a pickup from the factory at the time.
    Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Big Muddy M-11, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
    https://www.facebook.com/LauluAika/
    https://www.lauluaika.com/
    https://www.facebook.com/Longtine-Am...14404553312723

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
  •