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#1
02-21-2008, 01:29 PM
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Best Pickup for Resonator
I have a Regal Duolian biscuit bridge guitar that I've been mic-ing with a Shure Beta SM-57. Does someone in the forum have experience with a good pickup on a steel-bodied resonator like this? I want to capture the resonator sound.
I've been reading about Fishman and K&K resonator pickups - I have a lot of experience with Fishman products, and none with K&K. Thoughts? - mike
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Mike Ball Playing a resonator guitar is kind of like putting strings on a chrome-plated garbage can, then hitting it with a baseball bat - only it usually doesn't sound as good as that. 
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#2
02-21-2008, 01:41 PM
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Quote:
I don't believe it's a preamp...it's just to house the 9 volt battery. You can install the output jack in the lower F hole like Mark Knopfler does it. I wouldn't drill a hole in the side of the guitar or anything radical like that! I personally wouldn't have put a pickup in a 80 year old guitar like mine to begin with, but the previous owner asked for it. It has a newer National neck too. In any case, the Highlander sounds really good. I love K&K's pickups but have only heard the Pure Western and Trinity Western. Last edited by Lewguitar; 02-21-2008 at 01:50 PM.
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#3
02-21-2008, 01:49 PM
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Thanks Lew. Doesn't that Highlander require a stereo cable, rather than a plain DI cable, for the battery pack to work?
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Mike Ball Playing a resonator guitar is kind of like putting strings on a chrome-plated garbage can, then hitting it with a baseball bat - only it usually doesn't sound as good as that.
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#4
02-21-2008, 01:51 PM
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I'm curious what Mark Knopfler uses. I saw him recently and his Style O amplifies beautifully!
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#5
02-21-2008, 01:56 PM
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thats an interesting question...i've wondered how it would work to add a pickup to w metal bodied resonator..hhmm...no ground or feedback problems?...
i sort of "predicted" i might want to amplify my resonator so i bought a michael kelly bijou"e" with a neck humbucker and a transducer type underneath. it works great and instead of a tone control i have a blend control that offers many many options for sound type. its really a fine instrument with or without amplification. i wa "leary" of how a pickup might work (or not) in a metal one...interesting topic.
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Barrett
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#6
02-21-2008, 02:00 PM
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Quote:
Lew
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#7
02-21-2008, 02:01 PM
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Quote:
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Mike Ball Playing a resonator guitar is kind of like putting strings on a chrome-plated garbage can, then hitting it with a baseball bat - only it usually doesn't sound as good as that.
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#8
02-21-2008, 02:07 PM
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I just did a google search for: "Mark Knopfler National Pickup" and came up with some info. Here's what Mark Knopfler uses: http://highlanderpickups.com/catalog/inline.htm Same one Don put in mine I believe. Last edited by Lewguitar; 02-21-2008 at 02:31 PM.
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#9
02-21-2008, 02:25 PM
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i like to use a bit of "overdrive" with mine sometimes and that really gets touchy but, when its right,,,...oooo baby! 
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Barrett
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#10
02-21-2008, 02:51 PM
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I have the National/Lace stick-on magnetic pickup on my steel bodied National and it works and sounds great. None of the pickups I listened to (Highlander, Pickup The World, Cone Tone, etc) sounded truly like a reso. I think there's just too much going on sonically. But this pickup sounded as reso as any of them (really) and can handle BAND volumes. Excellent for Chris Whitley kind of tones, very versatile. It has some magnetic character, but for my ears/tastes that's a lot more musical than piezo character.
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#11
02-21-2008, 02:57 PM
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National is offering a new option. It's called a hotplate. It consists of a new coverplate that has a cutout with a magnetic (tele-style) pickup as well as vol/tone controls and 1/4" jack. You remove the original cover plate and put it aside for safe-keeping and install the "Hotplate". There is no modifications to the guitar at all. This is not a cheap option but many National players are raving about the results.
http://store.nationalguitars.com/hot-plate.aspx I looked into the Fishman pickup for my (spider-brige) Dobro DM33. I didn't like the fact that it requires a battery be mounted inside the instrument. This design would make it extremely inconvenient to replace batteries. Highlander does not make a pickup for spiders, at least they didn't. Another inexpensive option is a McIntyre Feather pickup, or the K&K..
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"Vintage taste, reissue budget"
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#12
02-22-2008, 11:40 PM
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Kind of cool, but $395? I thought the Lace thing was a little pricey, but I was happy I spent the money once I heard it. But considering it's a $90 pickup, maybe $10 worth of pots and a jack and a cover plate, strikes me as a little spendy. I would also have reservations about a single coil for acoustic applications. Yeah, I know Fishman does a single coil rare earth, but why have the noise? Guess I'll just have to hear one.
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