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Strabo - Posted - 10/07/2024: 16:32:16
I have a L.R. Baggs pickup for mandolin and I want to use it on a fiddle.
On a mandolin, the pickup was to be applied to the top plate using a white gummy substance, just aft of the bridge on the treble side. The white gummy material is easily removable and has never damaged the finish of a mandolin of mine. Here's a stock image of the pickup installed on a mandolin.
I'm wondering if I should I try to duplicate this position on my fiddle or maybe stick it to the bridge.
Thoughts?
.
DougD - Posted - 10/07/2024: 16:52:18
No experience with the Baggs, but I did help a friend try out a similar Schertler he'd been given, and we stuck it to the top at about that position. Sounded fine. I think that type of pickup is way too heavy to attach to the bridge, plus it might damage the top if it falls off. That gummy stuff isn't permanent, is it, so go ahead and experiment.
The Violin Beautiful - Posted - 10/07/2024: 19:58:06
I don’t think attaching the mandolin pickup to a violin bridge would be a good idea. The amount of mass it would add to the bridge would be considerable, and it would work against itself by dampening vibrations. The Baggs violin pickup has a small piezoelectric lead that’s imbedded in the waist of the bridge.
The mandolin pickup works by picking up plate vibrations for its signal. If you’re attaching it to a violin, I would suggest attaching it to the top. A customer of mine came up with an impressive electric setup by using a cheap piezo pickup for guitars and attaching it to the top in the lower left bout, next to the tailpiece.
fiddlefire - Posted - 12/10/2024: 07:05:41
I haven't heard of anyone doing this and will it have any good results. I have installed the Baggs pickup system on several of my violins and they work great. They duplicate the tonal value of the instrument and I would advise going with the violin pickup that is in the bridge itself. You will have to have it set up by a luthier because the bridge comes as a blank and needs to be fitted to your violin. It's worth it if you want to go electric.
