Good Under Saddle Pickups

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A while back my stock Pono pickup stopped working (which was an undersaddle pickup) and I want to replace it. I'd like to get another under saddle pickup for the sake of simple installation. I want one that's decent but I also don't want something too expensive. Any recommendations?

These are "Pono" piezo pickups:


I've opened up Pono electrics and compared them side by side.
From observation and installations, I'm 99.9% sure they are the same unit:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ARTEC-Piez...U-MADOLIN-PP407M-ARTEC-ORIGINAL/112510228690?

or

http://www.eyguitarmusic.com/Artec-Ukulele-Saddle-Piezo-Bridge-Pickup-PP-404U-NEW_p_181.html


And these "Artec" ukulele piezo's are amazing quality.
Much better than the typical other no-name generic pickups, and on par with the more expensive pickups like Fishman/LR/Misi, etc, in my experience.
This may depend on what pre-amp you couple it with, but they also sound sufficiently good standalone as a passive.


Installation will be easy, since you'll just need to replace the existing one that's malfunctioning.


edit: Installing a new one may require some soldering. If you're going to take it to a luthier to be soldered anyway, your existing pickup may not actually be broken. It could just be a broken solder joint at the jack or somewhere. It is unusual a passive piezo pickup would just "break".
 
I see a plug on the end of that Artec piezo, how does that connect to an endpin jack?

It can connect to an endpin jack that has a "no solder" unit allowing it to be plugged in. I have installed them in that way before.
However, I've found that endpin jacks that come with the plug in mechanism (search "No solder endpin jack" on eBay) tend to be rather poor quality and have quite a bit of hum/hiss when connected to an amp.

NO-SOLDER-STRAP-PIN-ENDPIN-JACK-FOR-GUITAR-_1.jpg


^The plug built-in to the piezo unit will plug into one of these endpin jacks, but the quality of the output suffers with unwanted hum.





The jack that comes on the other end of the pickup is good for connecting into a preamp unit that is compatible with that jack.

eg:
41Kib4TWXeL._SY355_.jpg


However, for a passive pickup installation, directly to endpin jack, I get my luthier to cut off the plug part on the end of the cord to expose the internal wires and then solder it on the traditional way.
This eliminates the unwanted hum, and produces a better output signal. I'd do it myself if I was more familiar with soldering - but it's not my area of expertise :)

eg:
2.jpg
 
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Does the current pickup in your Pono have a plug? Can you check to see whether it has become unplugged, or whether the solder joint has broken? Maybe the pickup itself is okay.

Kissing, thank you for the new Artec links. I had a link to Amazon, but they no longer carry Artec pickups.
 
I appreciate this thread and have ordered the ARTEC from eBay. My uke has a horrible sounding under the soundboard pad. I have tried to eq it but it still sounds bad - this way I can shorten my bridge and solder to the endpin jack that is already installed.
My budget does not run to the pre-amped systems and I looked at one called a Fishman Sonicore but could find nothing on it on the Fishman site and at 3.3 inches it seemed a tad long.
 
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I appreciate this thread and have ordered the ARTEC from eBay. My uke has a horrible sounding under the soundboard pad. I have tried to eq it but it still sounds bad - this way I can shorten my bridge and solder to the endpin jack that is already installed.
My budget does not run to the pre-amped systems and I looked at one called a Fishman Sonicore but could find nothing on it on the Fishman site and at 3.3 inches it seemed a tad long.

I've had many Artec passive systems installed on ukuleles and guitars. They work really well :)
 
The Artec pick up arrived in a timely manner from California and I had it professionally installed. It is not in my Opio longneck soprano. The bridge had to be milled lower to accept the solid pickup as well as widened a hair. As this is a slide through saddle we did not want the pickup to show. The milling was done on a huge milling machine and so was effected with great precision. I am delighted with the result and the sound is excellent.

I was unable to find a braided pickup except for one listed as a Fishman Sonicore. It matters not now as I am delighted with this project and the Opio is now much more versatile for use in our small worship band at church.

Thanks for the recommendations
Ian
 
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