Would You?

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BigD

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So i was wondering, lets say you have your favorite uke. Your 'performance uke'. One you play everyday and is always the one you reach for. If you had events coming up in your life where you had to play amplified would you have a pickup installed? Play through a mic? Look for another stage ukulele? Is it worth the fear of a damaged or possibly altered ukulele to have a pickup installed in something your more comfortable with? Obviously a competent luthier can install a pickup system but hey things happen, who knows? And also can putting something like that in there change the acoustic sound? Also if you had a recommendation for a pickup ( will play mostly acoustic, but will like the use of basic effects ) what would it be? Im coming into a new point of my playing where I'm trying to incorporate certain effects and such into my music. This is all in the vary early stages though, and knowledge on anything would be much appreciated!! I play out of an older model Roland Cube, which has actually been pretty good, pawn shop 25 bucks couldnt complain!
 
play through a mic'...
 
Sounds like you need your favourite uke up there with you when you perform....rather than some strange, practical beast.
I would have no hesitation getting a pickup put in, after all some of the top uke makers - ones that know all about their instruments and things "accoustical", don't have a problem with it.
Cast aside your fear....your uke was made to be played into the next phase, not left at home while you conquer the world.
 
Ha, Stumdaddy!
I have a pre-amp in what used to be my fave, it came that way, and yes, I love amping it up, it's not a very loud uke. But my "now" fave? Nah, I'd rather mic it than risk getting it messed up. It's kind of a cool peice, pretty darn loud, and I understand there's less distortion playing into a good mic, than with a pickup....I dunno????
 
L.R. Baggs has a new Lyric system, and it's just a mic installed on the bridge plate. It's noise canceling, and the mic weighs around a half ounce. A half ounce can effect thuddy notes, but usually needs to be placed further out. This would be centered on the bridge plate, and uses two sided tape. I'm considering installing one on a parlor guitar, but that guitar is loud already.
 
BigD said:
If you had events coming up in your life where you had to play amplified would you have a pickup installed? Play through a mic?
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A key factor here is...... how much amplified playing will you be doing? If it's a couple of gigs use a mic and see how you go, if it's mainly just you playing solo, a mic will sound just fine. Even if you plan to do lots of gigs you can still test drive the mic set up.
You may need to consider a pickup if you plan to play with a other instruments/sounds - it's easier to control
In my experience it's best to make yourself comfortable up there in a performance situation. That may mean playing the uke you love. That will mean being able to be heard, and be able to hear yourself with a sound that approximates what you're used to hearing.
So if you get that with a mic and your fave uke - great. If not, explore other options.
 
There's no wrong answer. I have had pick-ups installed in my performance ukes.
 
If you know a competent luthier, you shouldn't worry about installing a pickup. I would personally put a pickup in so you have options. What if there's only one mic and you sing as well? Sometimes, a dynamic mic doesn't amply well.
 
The advice I've been given most frequently by people I'd consider "in the know" is that unless you perform regularly and need to be amplified, don't install a pickup. For the occasional "appearance" just get mic'd.
 
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The question to ME is kind of more like: Is it worth NOT having a pickup?

Play through a mic?
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Mics tend to sound better than pickups. IF everything goes perfectly. But you've got to have a good mic, know where to put it, have a sound guy that can make it sound good without feeding back, keep still while you play, etc, etc, etc... You will get a much more consistent sound with a pickup. Even if the sound guy is a total hack you can bet that your uke will sound pretty much like you'd expect.

Look for another stage ukulele?
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If it would make you feel more comfortable, maybe this would be the way to go. I'm an all-in-one kind of guy - give me the good one and put a pickup in it. Life's too short to wonder what uke to bring to a gig. But anything (good and bad) can happen at a gig. A stage is a pretty exposed public place. I worry sometimes that my Moore Bettah is going to get over-abused at gigs. But would I sacrifice the sound, playability, and juice that Chuck put in that 'ukulele? No way. If conditions are bad enough that instrumental damage is going to occur, it's not a gig I should be playing anyways.

And also can putting something like that in there change the acoustic sound?
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Not enough that you will notice it.

Also if you had a recommendation for a pickup ... what would it be?
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LR Baggs Five-0. Or a MISI if you don't want to deal with the little coin battery.
 
I go into each build with the mindset that EVERY `ukulele is a performance `ukulele.

That said, normally I would say if you're installing a pickup, install a good one.

I'm not feeling normal today, so I'll go with this, for your given situation. If you're going to play through a Microcube, I wouldn't suggest wasting your time or money on installing a pickup until you're ready to use it amplified. Meaning, why put slicks on a Camaro that's only going to be used as a daily driver? Surround that Camaro with the right track, and setup, then it makes sense to install the slicks. If you surround yourself with a proper sound system, by all means, install a proper pickup.

And no, a good `ukulele will show no significant degredation in acoustic sound with a UST installed, for most everyone out there. I would think you'd need a very golden ear to remotely hear any difference.

I may not be in the know, but I know on all of my instruments at home, the ones that are played regularly all have pickups installed, and they're not played amplified regularly.

I'll put this on the table: If you have a pickup installed, you're more apt to play amplified without hesitation, because you can. You avoid it now, because you can't.

Clear as mud now?
 
Kekani said:
I go into each build with the mindset that EVERY `ukulele is a performance `ukulele.

That said, normally I would say if you're installing a pickup, install a good one.

I'm not feeling normal today, so I'll go with this, for your given situation. If you're going to play through a Microcube, I wouldn't suggest wasting your time or money on installing a pickup until you're ready to use it amplified. Meaning, why put slicks on a Camaro that's only going to be used as a daily driver? Surround that Camaro with the right track, and setup, then it makes sense to install the slicks. If you surround yourself with a proper sound system, by all means, install a proper pickup.

And no, a good `ukulele will show no significant degredation in acoustic sound with a UST installed, for most everyone out there. I would think you'd need a very golden ear to remotely hear any difference.

I may not be in the know, but I know on all of my instruments at home, the ones that are played regularly all have pickups installed, and they're not played amplified regularly.

I'll put this on the table: If you have a pickup installed, you're more apt to play amplified without hesitation, because you can. You avoid it now, because you can't.

Clear as mud now?
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:agree: There are two other alternatives - get an additional ukulele which is prewired, or take another uke you may have that now and get it wired.

Regardless of which of the options presented through this thread, the time to try amped or mic'd is not at the on-stage performance. Rehearsing with a microphone or plugged-in and getting used to it will save a lot of confusion, doubt or mistakes in front of an audience.
 
BigD said:
So i was wondering, lets say you have your favorite uke. Your 'performance uke'. One you play everyday and is always the one you reach for. If you had events coming up in your life where you had to play amplified would you have a pickup installed? Play through a mic? Look for another stage ukulele? Is it worth the fear of a damaged or possibly altered ukulele to have a pickup installed in something your more comfortable with? Obviously a competent luthier can install a pickup system but hey things happen, who knows? And also can putting something like that in there change the acoustic sound? Also if you had a recommendation for a pickup ( will play mostly acoustic, but will like the use of basic effects ) what would it be? Im coming into a new point of my playing where I'm trying to incorporate certain effects and such into my music. This is all in the vary early stages though, and knowledge on anything would be much appreciated!! I play out of an older model Roland Cube, which has actually been pretty good, pawn shop 25 bucks couldnt complain!
Click to expand...

Well, my "main performance uke" already has a pickup installed, so I don't worry about that.

But, if it didn't and I needed to be amplified, I would look into either one of the adhesive transducer pickups (like the K&K Big Shot, which I also use) or a mic that can mount on the uke itself without impeding the sound. I've played the uke in front of a mic, and personally end up hitting the mic stand at least once when strumming, which is why I prefer something mounted on - or in - the instrument itself.
 
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