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Topic: Electric guitar pickup in Weissenborn |
Tim Tweedale
From:
Vancouver, B.C., Canada
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Posted 14 Mar 2017 9:47 am |
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I've used a Fishman rare earth pickup for almost 20 years of professional playing, and it's always been about an 8/10 for me. Perfect for Lindley-style or other acoustic stuff, but a bit to bright and jangly. For a while I switched to a Sunrise, for about 5 years, but ultimately it was a little bit more feedback prone when playing with a drummer.
Anyhow, the idea of trying an electric pickup in a weissenborn has always intrigued me. Why not go with a lapsteel, you ask? Well, mostly because I like the size and feel of the weissenborn, the scale length and string spacing are right, I like playing standing up, and I like the characteristics of a hollow body.
Anyone tried it? I realize it involves cutting into the instrument, which I'm okay with (I would get a cheaper dedicated instrument for this purpose).
I'm interested! Especially if anyone can respond with links, videos, images or sounds of their experiences in this field, that would be great. Or even links to previous threads where this has been discussed, which, if that has happened, sorry to double-post; I did a search and wasn't able to turn up much on the subject.
Thanks! |
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Patrick Metzger
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 14 Mar 2017 4:57 pm
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That's are really great question Tim! Is part of the problem is that the sound hole cut-out for a Wiso is smaller than on other guitars, limiting your pickup options?
I wonder if someone like Don Mare could design something special for Wiso. |
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David M Brown
From:
California, USA
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James Hartman
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 14 Mar 2017 6:01 pm
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No need to cut up your instrument. The Baggs M1 is a magnetic soundhole pickup that's fairly (but controlled) microphonic so it senses both string vibration and body resonance. I've used one in a Weissenborn (tight fit in that particular soundhole, but manageable), sounds great. Sort of best of both worlds (electric/acoustic).
If you really want to go for a conventional style electric guitar pickup, National Reso makes a slimline humbucking pickup designed to mount on the instrument top at the end of the fingerboard. On your Weiss I suppose you'd have to mount it below the soundhole. I have one of these on a metal body reso, and I really like it. Plenty of room for it under the strings, in fact I had to shim it up with a block of ebony to get it properly close to the strings - all mounted simply with double stick tape. I've played loud outdoor shows with it with no serious feedback issues.
Both pickups benefit from going thru a good preamp, like the Baggs para DI. |
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Jerry Kippola
From:
UP Michigan, USA
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Posted 14 Mar 2017 7:37 pm
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| I have a Sunrise PU in my original Weissenborn, no modification, sounds amazing. |
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Tim Tweedale
From:
Vancouver, B.C., Canada
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Posted 15 Mar 2017 3:49 pm
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Thanks, fellows! I appreciate the replies, but these are all acoustic guitar pickups, and each does its job to create a more-or-less faithful acoustic guitar-like sound, which, even if it's a good sound, isn't what i'm after. My question was about installing an electric guitar (or lap steel) pickup in a weissenborn. Anyone have any experiences with that?
I know I said this in the original post, but it's probably helpful to pre-empt the "well, why not just play a lap steel?" question. To which my answer is, because I like the length, string spacing, weight, shape, balance, and feel of the weissenborn.
Thank you! And I look forward to hearing about your experiences.
PS: Thank you for the suggestion of the National pickup, James! I will check that out. |
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Howard Parker
From:
Maryland
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Posted 15 Mar 2017 4:21 pm
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Just a note that with an e-guitar pickup you'll have to use a nickel, stainless or some string with magnetic properties.
It'll have to be compatible with your Weissie tuning and scale length.
fwiw
h |
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David M Brown
From:
California, USA
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Posted 16 Mar 2017 4:58 am
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I've mounted all sorts of pickups in soundholes over the years as an instrument tech.
Once you find the tone color of pickup you desire, it should be relatively easy to mount it in the guitar.
Those National resonators with the built-in pickups mount them between the resonator and fingerboard. WHere you install the pickup does affect the tone color, too. |
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James Hartman
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 16 Mar 2017 8:22 am
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| David M Brown wrote: |
Those National resonators with the built-in pickups mount them between the resonator and fingerboard. WHere you install the pickup does affect the tone color, too. |
True. But since Tim appears to be looking for a more "electric" sound, on his hollow neck he may find that mounting a National magnetic PU all the way down near the bridge more to his liking.
A big plus for the double-stick tape mounting is it's easy to experiment by moving the pickup around. Just put some low-tack masking tape down first, to protect the finish on the top. I'd use cheap Scotch brand double-stick (or the like) to experiment (easier to remove), save the heavy duty stuff for final mounting. |
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David M Brown
From:
California, USA
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Posted 16 Mar 2017 1:29 pm
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| James Hartman wrote: |
True. But since Tim appears to be looking for a more "electric" sound, on his hollow neck he may find that mounting a National magnetic PU all the way down near the bridge more to his liking.
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Exactly so!
But those National style pickups are not small, like some other pickups - but they might be just the sound he's looking for. |
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