The Steel Guitar Forum

I've been looking around to find a pick up that I can install on a D-60 Dobro. So, I guess I'm wondering what you all might be using. Any input is appreciated, so thanks in advance!!

I can suggest which one not to get, the Fishman donut that came in my Black Lighting sounds awful to me. Its got an active preamp too and it just don't cut it.

The best pickup in the business is the Fishman Nashville under the saddle pickup which is typically run through the Fishman Jerry Douglas Aura “imaging” pedal. This is what pros use who need or choose to plug in: Jerry Douglas, Rob Ickes, Andy Hall, etc. But the whole setup gets expensive - not sure if you’re willing to pour that kind of money into a D60. Do a search here on the forum, this pickup system has been discussed many times since hitting the market around 10 years ago.

As Glenn wrote above, avoid the old Fishman “donut” pickup which screws to the underside of the cone. It’s terrible.

Some folks use surface mounted magnetic pickups under the strings, but most I have come across make your guitar sound more like a lap steel and less like a dobro. There is one out there receiving more favorable reviews recently from a company which I believe is located in Oregon called Krivo.

If you go for the Fishman Nashville pickup I would suggest getting one premounted by Kent Schoonover into one of his modular spiders.

Despite the bad mouthing above, I've gotten along for years with one of these:

I'm with Erv. Using the Fishman on my 60D into a Zoom AC-2 DI and am a happy camper.

I had OK results from the “donut” but the Nashville is far superior. It has much more gain before feedback. Using a good preamp is essential and the Aura pedal really gives it a natural dimension and clarity.

I don't play a dobro enough to invest a lot of money in a pickup, better or not.
Erv

Jeez, I see what you mean about the cost on the Fishman Nashville Pick Up. I'm not sure it's worth putting that particular pick-up and a new Kent Schoonover modular spider into a D-60 either. I mean, no doubt it's a pro quality pick up but, between my lack of ablility and my particular dobro, might not be the most cost effective option. I saw some clip on microphones that looked interesting. I think the manufacturer was Myers. That might be the ticket for me. Anyone try one of those?

More links here including the Myers and Gold Tone systems: https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... bro+pickup

Also read some of the reviews from a few squareneck spider bridge players here: https://www.myerspickups.com/see-in-act ... %20Pickups

New to me is the Gold Tone condenser mic v. the dynamic one, but I've heard pretty good things about the dynamic system though I've not any experience with it myself. https://goldtonemusicgroup.com/goldtone/accessories/abs

www.elderly.com usually offers some pickups/mics etc. suitable for resonator guitars as well.

I agree, the cost of the Fishman rig is prohibitive to me too. I once lucked into a Regal with the Fishman Nashville pickup installed. It's basically just a piezo transducer that doesn't really transfer the actual reso sound, thus the Aura or other reso sim is a must.

Otherwise, the resonator guitar is a bit difficult to amplify without feedback.

Depends on your application but sometimes a mic into the PA is the best path.

Any input is appreciated.....

You need a jack plug.

Sorry couldn't resist it.

Lee

One in every crowd!

I like the Myers pickup too, no firsthand though, ive only watched a few demo's. Its really a mic/pre combo i think. Ive been just hanging a lapel mic through the soundhole and getting ok results.

The Gold Tone condenser mic has worked well for me over the past five years or so. I go through an ART Phantom Pro II into the mic channel on a Roland AC-33 for brew pub gigs and direct to house sound on stage. Even if I could justify the cost, the Fishman Aura rig is not an option because I play an eight string.

Check out the Krivo resonator pickup...I put them on my tricones (including a Tim Scheerhorn tricone, one of only 3 in the world, see picture on the Krivo site), which have a more complex sound than your D-60, and was very happy with it. Not as good as a microphone...but more than good enough for a typical gig...

Installs non-invasively in minutes, which was important to me for the Scheerhorn...the Fishman+Aura is somewhat better, but is way more expensive and invasive to install...

I guess they have been quite popular - they are listed as sold out on the website
https://www.krivopickups.com/store/p2/K ... tars..html

Check with Jason @ Krivo about when he'll have them back in stock... krivopickups@gmail.com (503) 757-8054‬

mistake

L. Bogue Sandberg wrote:The Gold Tone condenser mic has worked well for me over the past five years or so. I go through an ART Phantom Pro II into the mic channel on a Roland AC-33 for brew pub gigs and direct to house sound on stage. Even if I could justify the cost, the Fishman Aura rig is not an option because I play an eight string.

L. Bogue, I have this Fishman Platinum Stage unit and I'm considering adding the GT condenser mic you're using. https://www.fishman.com/products/series ... og-preamp/

It uses batts or 9v. adapter for power. Since Gold Tone indicates that the preamp stompbox that comes with their other ABS dynamic mic system is not compatible with the condenser mic, I don't really know if the Fishman P will work or not.

So, my question is this: How does one use phantom power? If I understand correctly, this is picked up through the XLR cable from the FOH desk so no external 9v. or battery power is required? It's only necessary that the board has a provision to supply this 48v. source ...or by another off board unit, like your ART, that will generate that amount of voltage? This only powers the microphone, so a preamp is still required?

This is one aspect of acoustic amplification where I have little experience. I usually just come out of the Fishman into a small amp or play into a stage mic, depending on what everyone else does.

Jerry,

I'm a retired civl engineer who doesn't know zip about electronics. But any condenser mic requires phantom or on-board power. The larger acoustic amps often supply phantom as do many PA systems. My little AC-33 does not so I need the ART Phantom Pro II which is powered by a 9v battery. When I'm using the AC-33 I'm rarely above 4 on the Master Volume, bass and treble at 5. On stage, I let the sound guy worry about it. I don't use a preamp in either case.

Your Fishman Platinum Stage requires a 9v or phantom to operate itself, so it won't power the condenser mic. You can buy the dynamic Gold Tone without the stomp box. Running that through the Fishman box might work fine.

As I recall, Gold Tone suggested the dynamic version needs a larger (~100 watt) acoustic amp to preform best, while the condenser also works with smaller amps. For small venues like the local pub, I just need a bit of boost to be heard without beating up my right hand. In fact, last Sunday, I ran the signal into a tiny Black Star Fly 3 bass amp.

Hope this helps. I'd be totally lost without the SGF!

Thank you very much for your response and your information, L.BS. It is very helpful.

Rob Anderlik is a member here though he doesn't post very often. But if someone wants to get into the Fishman Nashville arena for their dobro there is a good deal available from Rob.

On the Resohangout Forum, which is all resonators/all the time, Rob posted in the classifieds a combo in mint condition: Fishman Nashville pickup mounted on a Schoonover modular spider with a Beard Legend Cone. $250 for the package, if one were to buy these Items individually you're talking around $400. Click on the link below.

This is the current setup I have in my Clinesmith maple resonator, sounds great and I run it into the Fishman Jerry Douglas Aura Imaging Pedal.

One thing to be aware of regarding the Beard Legend cone: the "lip" near the edge sits a little higher than other cones, and the whole unit under the palmrest sits a little higher than what I had when a Scheerhorn cone had been in there previously. It can make for a tight fit depending on what type of coverplate is on top of your guitar.

Were I to consider buying this setup I would contact Rob for these details.

https://www.resohangout.com/classified/10782

Thanks to all the folks who threw in the information they had on dobro pickups. I certainly know a lot more about that now than I knew before. At least from a what's available and what price rangers are regarding which choices. Mark, thank you in particular. I took a look at Rob's post in Resohangout. It turns out what he was asking for his whole system was what alot of the mics w/preamps were going for. Since I know how well fishman pups work out in acoustics I was sure for the money it was the way to go for me. It's not cuz I'm such a good dobro player I had to have that particular set up, I just felt in time as I grew in to the dobro more and more, I would end up gravitating to this set up anyway. Rob was a great guy to do business with. Not one of the best salesman,(LOL JK if Rob reads this) he practicaly talked me right out it by saying he wouldn't do it on a OMI Dobro d-60. I told him I'd let him know after i had time to give it all some thouhgt since he told me all that but, in the end his brutal honesty is what sold me on this item. So, I'm looking forward to getting it put in and doing what I can to get to the next level. Hopefully the retrofit won't be to complicated but I do all my own guitar and steel work anyway. Also I think the aluminum cone might be original so I had plans to change it out as well. So It's like I get to kill to birds. Muchas Graias once again compadres!! Once again the forum pulls through for me.

I use a Meyers pickup. I like the sound I get, but there are a couple of caveats. First, the output is 1/4", but it's low impedence. If you just plug in a 20ft 1/4" cable and run it to a PA, you're likely to be disappointed. There won't be enough signal left. You'll need some kind of DI box. Second, it is a microphone and you will get feedback at high volume levels, particularly if you're positioned in front of the speakers. I've used two setups with reasonable success. I've only used this sitting in with people at open mics, so I can't swear that either would work on a larger stage.
1) The cheap solution: Behringer ADI21 DI box. Cheapest one I know of with an XLR out. Use the XLR. Sounds good as long as you're not in front of the speakers.
2) Better solution. L. R. Baggs Align Session. No XLR out, but it seems to work well with 1/4". The compression/saturation feature seems to give me a bit more volume before feedback.
I'm sure there are other DI/preamps that will work well, but these are the ones I've tried. There are some that won't.