Home made Highlander style pickups?

[snakehips]

This particular pickup has been in & out of that slot a few times - but was never fully sunken into the slot, on any Highlander, that I can remember

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[pete1951]

Great photos, thanks.
Hopefully they are the final piece of information I need!
Pete

[hoss]

Hi Guys…..just posted in the National Avenue Forum regarding using the piezo and microphone combination of a LR Baggs Anthem in a Reso Rocket…perhaps one of you clever bods can paste the link here. Results are very promising sound wise. Find under “An alternative to The Highlander”…cheers…Hoss

[Michael Messer]

Hi Hoss,

I think we would all be interested to hear a well recorded demo of what you have done.

Here's the link to your other thread on the subject....

michaelmesser.proboards.com/thread/12960/alternative-highlander?page=1&scrollTo=103597

Shine On
Michael

[Michael Messer]

Looking again at your new pickup system, I am really interested to hear it, but I see it includes a microphone fitted to the neck-stick. This is the part that concerns me because back in the 1980s I dabbled with fitting internal mics. At one time I had a piezo fitted to the biscuit, a C-ducer strip on the cone and a PZM (pressure zone mic) fitted to the neck stick. I also tried this with a tie-clip mic. Back then it was an okay way to go, but there is no question that the mic sound was boxy and boomy and that the internal mics caused feedback problems. Fitting a mic inside a guitar when you are supposed to be hearing it from sitting a metre or so from the front of the guitar, was not a great way to go. Along with many other combinations I ended up using nothing until Mr & Mrs Highlander invented their system, which although not as true as using a microphone in front of the guitar, is by far the best thing that anyone has made so far. I agree that it is not rocket science and that I am interested to hear what you have achieved, but I am unsure about the internal mic.

I look forward to hearing your demo.

Shine On
Michael

[hoss]

Thanks Michael…I’ll let everyone know when I have the comparison recorded. The beauty of the anthem system is that it is widely accepted as the best internal microphone system yet to be produced and is fitted into many upmarket guitars as the system of choice. If you’re not familiar with the system have a look at the reviews going around. I didnt buy it for this purpose, it was just sitting there amongst some other gear and the light bulb came on and I thought it was worth a go. No feedback issues so far., By the way…this system is not cheap…but i think you get what you pay for. I have tried a few other microphone type pickups with other instruments over time. And I haven’t been impressed. This is probably the first one that I think has some value. Stay tuned…just could take some time.

[Stevie]

Someone gave me a tiny DPA levalier mic (forget which one) and I didn't have any idea of its worth! When I eventually discovered, my mind turned to a use for it and that prompted me to go for the resonator, partially because I learned on here that piezo-bad-mic-good. As MM says, fitted to the neck stick (I used a spiral of that thick green foam rubber coated wire to provide a little mechanical isolation) it was way too boomy.

Trying to correct that, I mounted it to the treble side of the underside of the cover plate with the kit supplied self-adhesive "hook" and then I found that the boominess was gone and it was lacking in bass! I moved it to the bass side of the underside of the cover plate and finally arrived at something I could live with. Note that being a self confessed/imposed bedroom warrior, I had to put the amp in the next room and record it to be able to get a working idea of the mic's contribution to what I was hearing while playing because my brass MMB is mighty loud!

Although I didn't have feedback problems, the amp was (as stated) in the next room. I have written this only to indicate that acceptable results can be achieved using an internal microphone although I concede that better solutions exist.

e&oe ...

[pete1951]

I now have a pair of Fishman piezo pickups, they are 1.6mm in diameter, they are surprisingly squash resistant, so a groove of 1.5?...

And what about one each side of the biscuit? Stereo?
Pete

[snakehips]

Hi again !

Don’t put the piezo on the tailpiece side of the biscuit, or you will amplify the sound of the short end of strings between the tailpieceand the bridge

[pete1951]

As all the sound is coming through the bridge I’m not sure that more ‘tail tone’ would come from the back of the biscuit. I will install one front and one back and use a blend pot. If the back piezo picks up any unwanted noise I can turn it off. I could always put felt under the strings at the tail/p. ( I think mandolin strings used to have some wool wrapped around the first inch or so from the loop end to stop this happening )
Pete

Still am not sure how wide to make my slot???

[snakehips]

You want a snug fit.

[snakehips]

Hi again !

Perhaps I’m best posting here.

I found a new source of piezo to try in my spare Highlander pickup-slotted biscuit.

Same length and seems the same diameter as the Highlanders )as the fit is quite a snug fit, just like Highlanders.

I’ve only just got over the excitement of a near perfect fit - so not yet got around to wiring the pickup up to a jack socket and trying it out.

Will keep you posted.

[pete1951]

I have made this old circle cutter do what I want!



My biscuit is 1mm larger than an NRP at the moment, and the piezo 1mm closer to the centre ( If a anyone has a bust Highlander I would love to borrow it for a couple of days)

]

I pushed the piezo in with the round end of my slide ( Snakehips thought of this )
My cutter has a 6mm centre pin, hence the 6mm dowel filled hole
Just have to put it in a guitar!
Pete

[snakehips]

I actual roll the slide (rather than use the end of the slide) across the underside of the biscuit, working my way around the biscuit, pressing the piezo into the tight-fit slot.

My Highlander-replacement piezo pickup is sounding fairly good, so far.
A bit lower output, and a more treble than the Highlander, although not horrible piezo quack.

Recorded some videos badly, comparing different Nationals - they are not good enough to present, I don’t think.
Need time to do a better demo/comparison.

[pete1951]

Just stuck my first attempt in a guitar, not very impressive. Low output ( compared with a standard piezo) thin and ‘quacky’. I put it through a Fishman Pro preamp ( old , but has 5 band EQ, ‘smooth’ control and a few other useful features) but couldn’t get a good sound out of it.

Will get some different piezos and have another try!
Pete