The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi
Will the JD Aura pedal work with magnetic pickups (Krivo and Lace)

Thanks

It does work but will have less effect. They are designed to work best with piezo pickups.

First of all, though I don’t own one myself, I was able to test drive a reso with the Krivo pickup. It’s the closest thing to getting accurate resophonic sound reproduction of any of the surface mounted magnetic pickups out there. Though on its own it still sounds a little lap steelish to me. The Lace isn’t even in the same league, definitely inferior and even more lap steelish.

The link below is to a video of the Krivo run into a JD Aura pedal by Chris Eaton in the UK. We’re not related, except perhaps by ancestry. As mentioned by Kevin, the Aura pedal is designed to work with a piezo pickup. I don’t think the JD pedal does much of anything to enhance it.

The best option so far is to combine the Krivo into the ToneDexter by Audio Sprockets. Luthier Damon Wack in Florida has had success with this. Also an expensive option like the Fishman Aura unit, but the sound is pretty accurate, not unlike using the JD pedal in its intended purpose, with the Fishman Nashville pickup. Damon has gone this route because he doesn’t care for the sound of the Nashville pickup insert when unplugged. For myself, I think the Nashville mounted on the Schoonover modular spider in my Clinesmith is the best it has ever sounded unplugged, and prior to the Nashville I had two different bridge inserts and a #14 spider in this guitar over the years.


https://youtu.be/P1mXoF1_8Vk

Is Krivo making a pickup that would work on an 8 string square neck resonator guitar? If not, does anyone know what kind of p/u's 8 string reso players are using these days? It probably hasn't changed from the last time I asked about it, but I thought I'd ask just in case something new has come up.

Bob, things have changed very little if at all but here is a possibility. I mentioned Damon Wack earlier. He built a a seven string resonator for a client, and being that he is a fan of the Krivo run through the ToneDexter he was was able to get Krivo to build a custom 7 string resophonic pickup for this guitar. If they’re willing to build a 7 string version maybe they would be willing to do an 8 string version.

For awhile a few years back Kent Schoonover was offering 7 and 8 string versions of the Fishman Nashville. I don’t recall the details, but it wasn’t long after when he decided to pull the plug on the idea. Then I heard awhile back that he in fact decided to make one for someone, either 7 or 8 string. I have no actual details.

So the bottom line is that you should get a hold of both parties and see what they are willing to do - if anything - for you.