Octave Mandolin pickup - Fishman M-100?

[Spenno]

Hey there, late last year I treated myself to an octave mandolin - it's the Trinity College. It was in immaculate condition including a quality hardcase and cost me only £125 - a bargain, as I have played it most days! I enjoy it so much I have been looking into more expensive octaves - especially those with a pickup, as I'd like to try and incorporate it into my band if they'll let me! Anyway ...
I don't think I'm going to be able to afford the next level of instrument, ie a handmade model, especially an electric. So I have been wondering about having a pickup installed. I have been directed to the Fishman M-100 which seems to be popular. It's marketed as a mandolin pickup - is it also the correct size for an octave? However I don't want a wire hanging around the instrument - I want it hidden inside it, with a jack on the side. I can't really tell if that's the intention with this pickup. Also, I don't know much about preamps (I had a classical guitar with internal Fishman and onboard electrics, but the M-100 is literally a bridge and jack). Would I need a preamp pedal in conjunction with it? Or something else - the Fishman Preamp Jack, or Prefix Pro, in conjunction with the M-100? I just want something simple, decent quality and tidy.
Thanks for any help guys. I really just want to get the most I can out of this instrument and have an excellent instrument tech who will install anything once I've decided on it.

[Bob Borzelleri]

Don't have experience with the M-100. But i did have an OM with a PUTW installed. It was great. It basically made the instrument louder with no coloration. I didn't usually use a pre amp but I had a Fishman pre amp that I used with it a few times. Eventually, i stopped going through the trouble of dragging out the pre amp.

[trevor]

I have used the McIntyre Feather M-200 mandolin pickup on octave mandolins with great success.

[John Flynn]

I had a Fishman M-100 in my main mandolin for over 5 years, used it every week. Never really liked it much. I found it had a lot the characteristic pizeo "quack" tone. Using a preamp helped it a lot, though. I used a Baggs Para DI with it.

Now I have a K&K Twin Spot in my Mendel octave mandolin. I like it a lot. I don't even use a preamp with it. It's also a lot less expensive than some of the alternatives mentioned. I think the K&K "spot" pickups are one of the best deals out there.

Of course, if you are going into a PA and feedback is not an issue, a comparably priced microphone is the way to go.