Charlie Wilson Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 Hi, I'm looking to buy a good Pickup for my Dulcimer. Can anyone advise on a good one that keeps close to the natural sound of the instrument? I need it mainly for recording! Thanks! Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KWL Posted October 18, 2021 Share Posted October 18, 2021 Charlie, are you looking for something to be built in to the instrument? If so, this one from Folkcraft works very well. https://www.folkcraft.com/collections/building-supplies-plans/pickups You need the one that fits your fret board width. There are several stick on pickups to chose from but all of them amplify ambient noise such as fingers touching the instrument, the pick hitting the fret board, and even the dulcimer sliding on your lap. A great alternative to a pickup is a microphone for recording. You can get an adequate microphone for less expense than some pickups. Whatever method you choose you will need some accessories depending upon how you plan to record. I have two dulcimers with built in pickups. When I record with them, I run them through a computer interface into my computer and use Garageband as my recording program. I do the same thing for recording with a condenser microphone for dulcimers that do not have a built in pickup. I use these methods when recording video as well. I think it gives the video better audio than just using the computer speaker. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Wilson Posted October 19, 2021 Author Share Posted October 19, 2021 Thanks for the advice Ken, I also use Garageband and an interface. My problem is that I record in my living room and my mics pick up everything happening in and outside the house. I'm trying to cut down as much background noise as possible. I hear what your saying about Stick on pickups with condenser mics, but I think they deliver a slightly more natural sound than other types but I guess it's a compromise! I'll check out what's on offer from the Folkcraft site! Thanks again, Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KWL Posted October 21, 2021 Share Posted October 21, 2021 I've been away for a few days and did not have internet access. In the past I have used the Dean Markley Artist pickup which is a piezo stick on model. It amplifies the sound of the dulcimer very well, but it also amplifies any pick noise or anything touching the body of the dulcimer. I never recorded with it, but used it for live performances. It is relatively inexpensive if you want to experiment with one. https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ArtistTrans--dean-markley-3000-artist-transducer-acoustic-pickup?mrkgadid=1000000&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=gdsa&mrkgbflag=0&mrkgcat=guitars&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=39700065013197193&lid=39700065013197193&ds_s_kwgid=58700005374436429&device=c&network=g&matchtype=b&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9006582&creative=537361853694&targetid=dsa-1385849832210&campaignid=6730319005&awsearchcpc=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwn8SLBhAyEiwAHNTJbcq8f67mbM9OWOlFj7nkWmbfCWH7KUaXkZ6pTmzaFuXJmwlRYDLOFxoCd5wQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Wilson Posted October 22, 2021 Author Share Posted October 22, 2021 Thanks Ken, I'll look into it! All the best, Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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