Cherub on Amazon- anyone tried it?

Aaron Smith · #1 06-20-2014, 08:08 PM

I play several different instruments in an acoustic trio, including violin. For the past year, I've been using an Audio Technica ATM-350 clip-on condenser mic for live sound. It is a great mic, but a bear to use live. Constant feedback issues, wind at outdoor shows, and it picks up the sound of me breathing through my nose while I play.

I figured I would get a piezo pickup also so I could blend the two signals. After looking around Amazon, I saw the Cherub- a $7 clip-on piezo pickup. Ordered it, figuring I didn't have much to lose.

http://www.amazon.com/Cherub-WCP-60V.../dp/B008LMS4MK

Short story- the Cherub is awesome! It is very dependent on placement, but once I figured out the right spot, I'm getting tone almost as good as my $300 condenser mic, with no feedback or wind issues. I don't even bother trying to mix in the mic. I'm running it straight into the Line6 G30 wireless transmitter that I used to use for electric guitar; the sound is flawless.

So... they make a guitar version as well. Anyone tried it? Seems like for less than $10, it's worth rolling the dice.

cloudyafternoon · #2 06-21-2014, 03:46 PM

I've never tried it, but it looks like an interesting option to amplify my ukulele without dropping a lot of $. Do you find that it needs a lot of gain at the mixer?

RGtheMusicGuy · #3 06-21-2014, 05:59 PM

Looks interesting and has good reviews. The cable looks a bit cheap, but it could easily be modified for a 1/4" jack. Might be a fun test especially considering the price, could be good to use for my wife's mandolin.

pieterh · #4 06-22-2014, 04:11 AM

Interesting - I might have to try one of these especially at the price. Our fiddle player usually uses a DPA4061 with violin mount that I borrow from the theatre where I work and I doubt the Cherub can compare. On the other hand it is cheap enough and compact enough that we could have one each permanently living in the instrument case. My Guild is equipped with a Pure Mini but the Taylor is battery dependent so a passive back up is not a bad idea (yeah I know, have spare batteries or better still, change the battery before it dies...)

cloudyafternoon · #5 06-22-2014, 06:26 AM

For $7, I ordered the acoustic pickup. It'll arrive mid-week, so when it does, I'll see how it performs with my Cordoba ukulele. Reviews on Amazon said it puts out a fairly hot signal.

Aaron Smith · #6 06-22-2014, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloudyafternoon

I've never tried it, but it looks like an interesting option to amplify my ukulele without dropping a lot of $. Do you find that it needs a lot of gain at the mixer?

The signal it puts out is comparable in strength to the K&K PWM pickups I have in my guitars. I had originally planned to run it into an MXR 10 band EQ pedal as a pre-amp, but honestly I haven't had the need to. Running ot straight into the wireless reciever works great.

When I say that it's sensitive to placement- it's REALLY sensitive to placement. Moving it by 1/4" can change the signal strength by 10db or more, and totally change the tone. This may be a bigger effect on the violin than on a guitar.

Aaron Smith · #7 06-22-2014, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RGtheMusicGuy

Looks interesting and has good reviews. The cable looks a bit cheap, but it could easily be modified for a 1/4" jack. Might be a fun test especially considering the price, could be good to use for my wife's mandolin.

It is a cheap molded plastic cable, as you would expect on a $7 pickup. I don't anticipate it being a reliability problem, but if it is- I'll just order another!

Aaron Smith · #8 06-22-2014, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pieterh

Interesting - I might have to try one of these especially at the price. Our fiddle player usually uses a DPA4061 with violin mount that I borrow from the theatre where I work and I doubt the Cherub can compare. On the other hand it is cheap enough and compact enough that we could have one each permanently living in the instrument case. My Guild is equipped with a Pure Mini but the Taylor is battery dependent so a passive back up is not a bad idea (yeah I know, have spare batteries or better still, change the battery before it dies...)

I think it is definitely possible to get a better sound from a good condenser mic. Like I said, the AT mic I have sounds great... it is just really impractical for live sound. The problem with violin is that it isn't a fretted instrument, and I really need to have a lot in the monitors to play well. i always have a lot of trouble with soundmen and feedback... they always want to turn it down completely in the monitor mix.

pieterh · #9 06-22-2014, 09:52 AM

Monitoring is a challenge, isn't it! Our fiddle player also likes it quite loud in the monitors which is why I now have him to my left - his monitor is to his right so it points away from me. To be honest though the only time the speakers howl is when he forgets himself and holds the violin by his side, ie right in the firing line of the monitor! And this is with the 4061, which he has behind and pointing to the bridge under the strings. We have tried the 4099 which by design sits over the strings and that did become more feedback-prone. Also there wasn't a significant difference in sound and the 4061 is more discreet so we keep using that for now.

Still, not wanting to hijack the thread and to amplify (ha ha) the point I didn't make so successfully above: for the price the Cherub is worth trying in order to get round the sensitivity issues we have and also to provide a passive battery-free backup for our instruments. I had a quick look on Amazon UK, who are selling them so cheaply that you have to add them to a different order in order to get one, they don't send them out on their own!

dannyg1 · #10 06-25-2014, 09:53 PM

I bought the acoustic guitar Cherub and just got it today. A quick run through my amp with the Cherub mounted on the soundhole was enlightening in a good way. This pick-up sounds better than an undersaddle, it's breathy, has good air and solidity (That's the tone, not the build).
Feedback wasn't a terrible problem but the mic did seem to lots of top rubbing noise, fretting noises too (This stuff may bother you more than it did me).

The only absolute caveat I found was that touching the housing with a finger or a pick makes a horrific sound. Just don't do it.

I'll try it on the headstock next and do a mix and compare with my Bagg's M80.

May just be the best $12 I've ever spent and, were I to be running an open mic, I'd buy two or three of these for mounting on whatever un-electrified guitars came in to play. This is way better sounding than the $40 wooden mag pick-ups I've seen hosts pressing into use.

jomaynor · #11 06-26-2014, 10:28 AM

Thanks, Aaron, for making me aware of the Cherub.

RustyZombie · #12 06-26-2014, 02:01 PM

Back when I was newer to guitar, someone wanted me to strum the chords to the song they were singing for some music showcase thing a local community college was doing. Amplification was going to be necessary and my only acoustic at the time had no pickups. I was going to find a soundhole pickup but one of her friends had a clip-on mic they wanted me to use. I'm not sure if it was the Cherub, but it looked very similar.

I thought it sounded good, but one thing I discovered it was SENSITIVE to a lot of noises. During the performance I felt some pressure in my lower abdomen, and I knew what was imminent I figured no one would hear me fart over all the noise. Next thing I know I hear the thunder from down under coming out over the PA.

It was all I could do to keep from cracking up.

I don't think anyone really noticed, but I still get a chuckle thinking about it.

Aaron Smith · #13 06-27-2014, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyg1

I bought the acoustic guitar Cherub and just got it today. A quick run through my amp with the Cherub mounted on the soundhole was enlightening in a good way. This pick-up sounds better than an undersaddle, it's breathy, has good air and solidity (That's the tone, not the build).
Feedback wasn't a terrible problem but the mic did seem to lots of top rubbing noise, fretting noises too (This stuff may bother you more than it did me).

The only absolute caveat I found was that touching the housing with a finger or a pick makes a horrific sound. Just don't do it.

I'll try it on the headstock next and do a mix and compare with my Bagg's M80.

May just be the best $12 I've ever spent and, were I to be running an open mic, I'd buy two or three of these for mounting on whatever un-electrified guitars came in to play. This is way better sounding than the $40 wooden mag pick-ups I've seen hosts pressing into use.

Fantastic news! My experience with the violin is that it can pick up a lot of bowing/handling noise, but it's very dependent on pickup position. Moving the pickup even a millimeter or two can have a dramatic effect on both tone and handling noise.

I have had no issues with feedback at all, even at stage volumes. Yes, it does make terrible noises if you touch or tap the pickup itself.

When you get a chance, can you post a picture of how you mounted it in the soundhole?

Aaron Smith · #14 06-27-2014, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jomaynor

Thanks, Aaron, for making me aware of the Cherub.

No problem!

Aaron Smith · #15 06-27-2014, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackmoresNight

Back when I was newer to guitar, someone wanted me to strum the chords to the song they were singing for some music showcase thing a local community college was doing. Amplification was going to be necessary and my only acoustic at the time had no pickups. I was going to find a soundhole pickup but one of her friends had a clip-on mic they wanted me to use. I'm not sure if it was the Cherub, but it looked very similar.

I thought it sounded good, but one thing I discovered it was SENSITIVE to a lot of noises. During the performance I felt some pressure in my lower abdomen, and I knew what was imminent I figured no one would hear me fart over all the noise. Next thing I know I hear the thunder from down under coming out over the PA.

It was all I could do to keep from cracking up.

I don't think anyone really noticed, but I still get a chuckle thinking about it.

That is hilarious. It's one of the biggest problems I've had with the clip-on condenser mic I was using before the Cherub. The violin sits right under my head, and the mic is inches away from my face. You don't realize how heavily you breathe while playing until you do it right into a sensitive condenser mic. Along with my amazing violin solo, the audience was treated to 110db of me panting like a hyena.

By comparison, the Cherub doesn't pick up any breath noises or wind noises. I can't comment on rogue flatulence in the middle of a set.