Pickups

Hi,

I've been playing just under a year and just bought a used Hound Dog that has two jacks for two pickups. One I believe is a Fishman that came with the guitar, and the other was installed by the previous owner and I don't know what or where it is. I assume there are different types, e.g. ways of mounting a pickup that produces different results. But would I use both pickups simultaneously, or is it more likely that the owner didn't like the Fishman and so installed a second one?

I've played and performed with acoustic and electric instruments, so not a total newbie in that sense, but the dobro is uncharted territory for me. So far, I've only ever used a mic to amplify, and this guitar sounds loads better than the cheapo I started on. I guess I could just plug in and see what happens, but thought you all might be able to provide some more seasoned insight. I'd be interested in hearing your opinions about the pros and cons of using pickups.

Thanks,
Dave

Probably the second pickup is magnetic, then again you'd probably see a magnetic p/u.
Indeed there are players using two p/us simultaneously - as in, run two cables from your guitar to the console or to a premixer, then dial in the right balance between the two (hopefully) different sounds.

Dave:

Don't know how brave you are about tinkering with your instruments, but if you have average mechanical aptitude you can take this guitar apart and get it back together without any negative impact. Just pay close attention to the precise location of everything as you take it apart and get it back exactly the same way when you reassemble the guitar. If the cone doesn't have a mark at the 12 o'clock position before you remove it put one there so you get it positioned right when you put it back in. The top of the guitar should be made of two pieces of wood and there will be a joint right in the middle of the top where they are glued together--this is where you make your mark. If you did take it apart you could get a look at the pickups and then have an idea of what you are working with.

Alternately--and especially if you are not really thinking about changing them out to something else--just plug each one in and listen to it and take note of the different characteristics and tonal qualities of each and see if you prefer one over the other. Note whether you get significantly higher output from one over the other. Play each of them through an amplifier and find out where the feedback threshhold is for the different pickups.

The primary advantage of using a pickup in your resonator guitar is that it frees you up from having to play the microphone for the appropriate volume level. As stage volume levels get louder microphones get to be less effective at fending off feedback, and a pickup will only take care of just so much of this for you, but it will help some. The Jerry Douglas Fishman Aura is probably the best at fending off feedback, but upgrading to this might cost you more than the guitar cost you.

I play a Clinesmith with a Schertler Basik pickup in it, and I like the sound and tone that I get from the pickup, but my band likes the sound pretty loud on our stage and I am constantly fighting feedback issues. Changing my position on the stage by only a few inches can set it off sometimes. I think of the pickup as being a convenience, though I have gotten really terrific sound out of it when running it through a microphone tube-amp before injecting it into the mixer. I kept the monitor speaker turned at a tangent to my position on the stage and the sound was divine.

Have fun experimenting and check back in and let us know how it goes.

Art

I went with the fishman reso pickup, the new one built into the bridge. Passive. I had it put in by a pro. I use the proeq pre amp and had the plug in off set from the strap knob. I don't use the system very often, and am no pro of electronics in general. But it sounds great. I found out that amplyfying amplfys technical shortcommings as well as the quality sounds I can make, so I had to tackle several issues of technique that I'd been putting off.

If you got the new Fishman reso bridge pickup, you REALLY need to check out the Fishman Jerry Douglas Aura pedal. They were designed to be used in conjunction with one another. The sound really is amazing. I've played it thru a PA and I've played it thru my Crate 125D. It's wonderful!! It's also $250! When I bought my Gold Tone......with the pickup installed by Beard, I had already budgeted for the pedal. It does not sound good on it's own, it quacks like a flock of ducks. You need some sort of preamp.