Wow, quite impressed with the CLIP-ON PICKUP

kissing

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Wow, I bought one of these off eBay just as a little experiment (I was intending to plug it onto an ocarina, to see if I can amplify the ocarina that way).

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It's basically a piezo pickup that CLIPS onto the headstock, just like how clip-on tuners do.

Well, the ocarina experiment failed - turns out the ocarina doesn't produce its sound through the vibrating cavity, but the airflow hitting its voicing edge... but I tried it on some of my ukes. Very pleased with how this cheap thing works. The output was stronger than I expected from a clip-on, there is very little feedback (sounds cleaner than some undersaddle pickups), and has a more 'natural' characteristic to the amplification, as though it was a microphone.

And the best thing is, it's TOTALLY non-invasive. Just clip on and off. You don't even have to turn the amp off to switch between instruments. Just clip off and on. It's even more innovative than those stick-on pickups you have to stick with plasticine on the soundboard. I'm surprised these pickups aren't more well known here.

Of course, it also has its limitations. It also picks up the percussive noises of you tapping the instrument. I also don't like how the clip is attached to a flimsy, short cord that can't be replaced. personally I think it would be a better product if the clip pickup just had an output jack for you to plug your own cord into.

However, coupled with an external pre-amp/DI-box, you can perform live with it by all means. Personally, I think it sounds good enough plugged straight into an amp raw too.

I bought mine for $12 here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Clip-On-Pickup-...ccessories&hash=item3cb65a501e#ht_3368wt_1139

Check it out if you absolutely don't want to install a pickup on your ukes, but want something cheap, simple and effective!

I still do prefer my undersaddle pickups, but I do have a few ukes with no pickup. This clip pickup will fill in nicely for them.

ps: You can amplify a harmonica with it! I just tried!

pps: I've just thought up of some more uses for it...
-Plug in your electric instrument into more than 1 amp inputs, so you can self-monitor or achieve a richer, dual sound.
-Acoustic sound options on my solid-body steel-string electric uke
-Backup pickup if your active pickup runs out of battery and you have no spare batteries
 
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Interesting, Thanks for sharing.. My electrician husband would be all over altering one of those after a trip to radio shack..
Thanks for the input. I don't really need amplification, maybe on my little uke.. however my luna is so loud I need to find a way to turn it down...
 
Lol! I just amplified my vocal cords with it!!
Just held it against my adam's apple, and I hear my voice as though it was a mic! Woohoo!
 
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Just curious - How did you get it to amp a harmonica? It actually clips on to a harmonica? o_O
Any way, sounds pretty interesting!
 
Yeah, just clip it onto one side of the harmonica and play.
 
Thanks for the tips. I'm on my way to order.
 
Got a sound bite of one?
 
These work well, but sometimes it moves and you get some unwanted noise.
 
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