| Author |
Topic: Reso--To Pickup or Not To Pickup? |
Dana Duplan
From:
Ramona, CA
|
Posted 7 Dec 2004 4:57 pm |
|
I know the topic of what dobro pickup is best has come up many times--it seems that no one is totally satisfied with any one setup--that has been my experience with my acoustic guitars as well.
Part of me says I should have one installed in my guitar "just in case" but I'd rather not spend the $$ or hack into my guitar if possible--I'm playing in a 3-piece Jugband, so no big competition against loud electric instruments or bass--just loud reso guitars!! Have others in my situation been able to mangage just using good microphones? Any advice?
Thanks,
DD |
|
|
 |
Dan Tyack
From:
Olympia, WA USA
|
Posted 7 Dec 2004 6:15 pm
|
|
| Mikes are always the best solution for dobro, unless you are playing at Megadeath levels. |
|
|
|
Bob Hickish
From:
Port Ludlow, Washington, USA, R.I.P.
|
Posted 7 Dec 2004 6:33 pm
|
|
Dana
Dan is right !! save you money
and get a good mike .
BH |
|
|
|
Tim Tweedale
From:
Vancouver, B.C., Canada
|
Posted 8 Dec 2004 12:59 am
|
|
Ah! My favourite topic! Playing dobro in a band that does go from whispery soft to megadeth-like levels, I've found the best set-up is to have a mic on your guitar for the soft stuff and a magnetic pickup for the hard stuff. Get a magnetic pickup that just sits on top of the body (like the kind you get for an archtop). Dimarzio, Barcus-berry and Don Lace are some good brands for those.
It's also really good to be able to control your mic level from the stage. This can be achieved by either moving away from/closer to your mic, or going into some kind of mic preamp that has a volume dial.
-Tim |
|
|
|
Charlie Wallace
From:
Pioneertown, California, USA
|
Posted 8 Dec 2004 9:46 am
|
|
I've been using the Schatten RG-03 Dobro pickup with various results. Unless I have a very good sound man who is willing to spend time with me, it usually ends up sounding like an electric lap steel rather than a Dobro. So I have gone to only using a mic if there is no drummer on stage.
I have found a pretty good alternative lately for those times when the stage volume gets to the point where a mic is no longer an option. I bought a 1930's Mastertone Special (a lap style wooden Hawaiian guitar - made by Gibson. Kind of a cheaper version of the Gibson Roy Smeck). Because it has a sound hole, I put a Sunrise Pickup in it and use the Sunrise preamp. This gives me a very good sound with lots of volume and little feedback. It does have a more "wooden" tone than a Resophonic guitar but for me it works. |
|
|
|
Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
|
Posted 10 Dec 2004 7:40 am
|
|
If you use a magnetic pickup on top of your Dobro a nice effect to run it through is a good quality phase shifter. Turn up the treble a bit and you'll get a pretty nasal Dobro sounding tone with one of these that you won't get by using the magnetic pickup alone. I use an old MXR Phase 90 which works great but I got an even better sound through a friends old ElectroHarmonix Small Stone...JH
------------------
Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.
|
|
|
|
Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
|
Posted 10 Dec 2004 10:00 am
|
|
I have an audio-technica AT35 horn mic which does a great job on reso. Haven't tried it in a super-volume stage situation yet, but it really works well in a medium size band. I do miss being able to "work" the mic for tone and volume, but you can get some of that from your attack.
------------------
Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
|
|
|
|
