I tried the AXL PG-800, I found one on Amazon for $10 and I can attest that works amazingly well! These things seem to work better for fiddles than for guitars. Thanks for saving me several hundred dollars.

Thanks for taking the time to share this info. Just ordered one.

Thanks for putting out such great advice!

YOU sir are a DAM GENIUS!!! I have a recording studio with over 60 different mics, and I have to say, this tip really rocks!! If placed well, you can really get great articulation from this mic technique and mic. The ACTUAL sound of the violin is not right, so for that in a recording setting you should use a room mic as well, but WOW - just WOW! Great TIp my friend!! Very glad I found you and this tip!

@OutlawFiddleJam

6 жыл бұрын

thanks! mostly dumb luck though. no genius here. I'm very glad to share! I have a nice large condenser mic to record with too and just use this live.

Fantastic! Just ordered one for $12.99. Great talking to you on the phone. Thanks!

Thank you! I was planning to order another pickup tonight so now I know to get he AXL PG-800. Am ordering a nano POG too tonight!

Thanks for the tip! Works great! A microphone sounds better for recording, but I haven't found a better sounding pickup. I used it on stage for the first time a few days ago. Actually, my daughter was playing with one of her bands and I was running the sound system, so I got to hear it from the best spot for evaluating it. We put the pickup in the center (rather than the corner), tucked under the tailpiece. And we went straight into a Fishman Aura Sixteen with a violin image loaded in. It sounded best with the blend very low, just 25% or so. From the Aura, we went into a Radial passive DI. I just ordered a handful more of them as spares.

Thanks so much!!! Super helpful :)

Hi! I decided to trust you and I ordered a pickup like that from US (paying few euros of expedition). I tried this morning on my violin. It works fine! It takes somes low and mid-low frequences which are very difficult to hear with a lot of violin pickups. I'll try tonight on a small concert system... My experience teaches that a violinist who wants to have a deeper sound (rich on the low freqs and not focused on the mediums) should have a look at some pickups originally built for guitars, because they are designed to take a wider gamma if frequences. Hope to have given my contribution to the discussion. Thank you very much for the video!

I ordered the headway band pickup a while back. It's not the prettiest pickup system but I liked that it was easily attach and remove able. We have an amplifier, attached to a bunch of surround sound speakers, which I tried today and couldn't figure out how to make it work.

I found this exact trick to amplify my viola...a happy accident born out of desperation when I lost a very expensive Fishman transducer. The very cheap stick on bottle cap guitar pickup stuffed under the tailpiece cost me £3 and to my ears sounds better than the Fishman. Although there is a slight feedback problem occasionally at soundchecks, it can be EQ'd out easily. I have played some decent sized gigs at high volumes with this setup. I guess the lower guitar frequency response works better with a viola..a lovely rich sound with a real wallop to the bottom string.

@cydsnest

5 жыл бұрын

Awesome. I play viola in a waltz band and I just ordered one of these for $12.99

Would love to have you try our Myers Pickup! Great video

I purchased a Barcus Berry pickup for my violin several years ago, it has adhesive that attaches it to the back side of the bridge and, braided metal wire that goes into a Switchcraft 125 1/8"jack and 10ft. 1/8"to 1/4" cable. A few years after I had been using it the system of mounting the jack to the tailpiece went bad and, I had to figure out a way remounting it, at that time I didn't realize that a simple piece of shrink wrap and, a zip tie was the answer (very inexpensive). Down the road I started having problems with the cable, molded ends sometimes just don't last. So I opted for the new BB 3100. Well I was excited because I really like the carpenters jack for connecting regular 1/4" cables but, when I connected it to the sound system the output was very weak!! I couldn't believe it because my original BB that I bought had tremendous output and, did NOT require a preamp. I purchased an LR Baggs para DI and, this drastically improved the sound of the BB 3100 ($169). Well lately I decided to switch back to my older BB, renovated the mounting of the Switchcraft jack to the tailpiece bought a 10ft. cable got everything working great. Decided to an A B comparison again between the two BB pickups and, just plugged into a simple guitar combo amp with NO preamp the difference was astounding!!!! I have sold the newer BB 3100 and, have went back to my older BB. I wish I could find another one or two of these older BB pickups I would purchase them in a heartbeat!! I did try the AXL pickup on my violin and, I will say that for a cheap pickup it sounded GREAT!! I have 2 of them. Would sure love to find some of the older BB units though. Nice video, Thanks for taking the time to do this.

Great video, from one professional to another :) And you're easily as entertaining as me ! hehe

It's difficult to impress people with your knowledge of sound when the sound level of your video is so low.

@scootin123

6 жыл бұрын

John Malcolm yea me too about the quite audio. THOUSANDS, I'm sure. A hundred I know, youtube video producer' final production results in too quite audio. I'm guessing that editing software presents to the video makers are louder audio that the the video is projected over KZread on the internet . Sure it's irritating to the listener but , I justify it by the good information I get from the person or youtube channel with the irrational quite video. In many cases the listener has to realize the video makers produces the videos for his or her on enjoyment . After all he or she is doing it for free. 50 cents for 10,000 views is doing it for free, right?. SO I HAVE LEARNED TO just grin and bare . Then leave a thumbs up, and also a reminder comment " we can't hear your blankets blank narrative

@OutlawFiddleJam

4 жыл бұрын

Hmmmm.... seems loud enough on my system... this might have been produced before i found the audio compression setting in imovie though. Thanks for your comment

a little trick a soundman told me is, try to stick the mic under the tailpiece pointing to your bridge (with the foam thing on). i haven't tried yet but if it works in orchestra it cost nothing to try.

I tried the Axl on my viola. There seems to be a good amount of noise in it, but for $12, that's to be expected. I found the best placement for me was on the back of the instrument, with about 1/3 of the suction cup under the sound post and the remaining 2/3 toward the A string edge of the instrument. I'm impressed for the price, for sure. I normally use the Headway Band which is a great pickup with LOADS of headroom, but it mutes the instrument as it's wrapped around the waist of the instrument. I like that the AXL will allow more of the natural resonance of the instrument. I'll be trying it with the band this weekend.

@geoffreyperry9531

8 жыл бұрын

+Warren Pattison Cool! Keep us posted on how it works for you!

I love it it does work great sunyin

Ever tried the Realist Pick-up? Good Vid!!

The Audio-Technica Mic is a Pro35. AT8531 is only the power supply, although it usually comes with a smaller power supply

@rockon2112yyz

8 жыл бұрын

...and it's $150 not $300

hello thanks for the video quite useful! by the way what type of chin rest have you got on the violin in the video?

Excelent video. Is it possible you post the real sounds from these tests? Not the captured sound from the camera's microphone but that recorded straight from the pickup to the recording software. Regards.

@OutlawFiddleJam

9 жыл бұрын

The recorded examples are now available on www.FiddleJamInstitute.com. Thanks!

That is getting close to the sound post. Maybe getting the piezo right over the sound post is the ticket? I wonder what two of those Fishman piezos would sound like. One in each side of the bridge. And then wire them together. Of course, you may need a way of blending the inputs such as a volume pot. And deciding whether to run them in parallel, or series like a humbucker.

@geoffreyperry9531

6 жыл бұрын

There might be more "shake" a bit back from the sound post area i think, but experiment on your own instrument! As to the double fishman, there are some like that on the market already I think. Keep us posted on what you come up with!

Entertaining video on exploring the search for the pretty much perfect violin pickup. The lesson here is go cheap first . The often quoted accusation by comment board Nazionale is "you get what you payfor" which is total nonsense . Harbor Freight has built a successful company by offering the tool consumer an alternative to "You get what you pay for"

Oooo, what chinrest is that?!

Wow! Thank you for all of this information! I never thought about the heavy-breathing. That's an important thing to consider with the microphone idea. I was thinking of the LR Baggs pick-up, but I'll definitely give the 800 a whirl, first! =) Has it held up okay? I'd think a cheap pick-up might fall apart rather quickly, and I'm a bit worried that they probably all don't sound the same (should I happen to get one that sounds amazing!).. =/

@geoffreyperry9531

8 жыл бұрын

+Katy Adelson I've tried a couple of them and they both seem to sound pretty similar. I can not attest to the quality of every one though.

it would be nice to hear the axl pg-800...any possibility?

dammit I though I was here to learn how to pull chicks!

Found the AXL PG-800 at Amazon for $11.89 new! They also have the 801 for a bit more.

@OutlawFiddleJam

9 жыл бұрын

I think the 801 does NOT have the suction cup part but just a double sided tape instead. The 801 also has a jack rather than an attached cable.

Thanks, for $9. I will give it a try.

Very interesting and informative review, thanks! The dealie with suction cups is to moisten the cup, which increases its holding power greatly. If water (or spit) doesn't do it, the trick is to use glycerin, which is thick enough to allow for some irregularities. To find it on eBay or Amazon search for "glycerin" including quotes.

@geoffreyperry9531

9 жыл бұрын

John L Smith thanks for the info!

@fiddlemusik

8 жыл бұрын

+Geoffrey Perry ... not sure I'd want to put any liquid or other liquid based material on the finish of any of my fiddles. I mean, they aren't Strads, but still. :) Thoughts? Glycerin is a great product though for a bunch of uses.

Hear sound examples: fiddlejaminstitute.com/violin-microphone-and-pick-up-comparisons/

@OutlawFiddleJam

Жыл бұрын

PS: I had this only for paying members before but today peeled it back so members of the Free Fiddle Jam Club can now also see/hear it as well. Join the free club here: fiddlejaminstitute.com/clubvsaap/

Looks like it would be in the way of a fine tuner in the position you have it.

@OutlawFiddleJam

9 жыл бұрын

could be. You'd have to experiment on your own instrument.

@potaylo

9 жыл бұрын

FiddleJamInstitute looks like you do not have a fine tuner on your E string tail piece or any fine tuners for that matter.

@geoffreyperry9531

9 жыл бұрын

Yes, this is true. I went with the Knilling tuners a couple years ago. No fine tuners needed anymore! The Axl Pick-up still seems to work with fine tines pressing on it to though.

Hey have you tried any of the in bridge pickups ? Like the LR baggs or Schatten? Pretty much I'm told they are the standard for the players in nashville !

@OutlawFiddleJam

10 жыл бұрын

I have... and I have the new Fishman v300 on an instrument too. I'm still experimenting. I hear very good things about the Yamaha pick-up too.

I'm trying to use this with a tailpiece that uses fine tuners, and it will not fit under the tailpiece as far in as you show, due to the fine tuner mechanism under the tailpiece.

Which one would be better for recording sessions for class purposes

@geoffreyperry9531

3 жыл бұрын

recording? a microphone. But the cheap pickup mentioned here sounds pretty close!

Want to hear the audio comparisons of these pickup options? Join the FREE Fiddle Jam Club (fiddlejaminstitute.com/join-us/) and get the Fiddle Jam Institute's FREE newsletter then join us here to hear the audio: fiddlejaminstitute.com/violin-microphone-and-pick-up-comparisons/

Would the AXL pickup be feedback resistant do you think? We use Band pickups and plug our violins into lots of FX pedals and a good sound guy told us recently we would have less feedback problems with piezo pickups. Would this be working like a Band pickup?

@geoffreyperry9531

9 жыл бұрын

Kathy Drayton I have not used the Band pickup yet. The AXL definitely feeds back less than a mic at least! I've found that it is not the pickup that feeds back so much as the instrument design itself! F holes are designed to let sound out of course, but they also just as easily let sound IN too! That sound (your and/or other instruments in the band) can get in there and bounce around and feed back or just muddy-up your tone as your amp tries to amplify everybody mixed in with you! If you are playing acoustic oriented music the AXL will work fabulously. If you are standing near loud guitar bass and drums though it will start to get compromised.

All very new to me......what is the device you plugged the AXL into....be specific please

@geoffreyperry9531

5 жыл бұрын

Sorry, I guess I did gloss over that pretty quickly as this video is primarily about the pickup, but it's just a pre-amp and any pre-amp can help shape and control the sound. This one is a Fishman; an older model that I don't think they even make anymore. There are many many preamps on the market these days, they all have some kind of volume knob and various amounts of tonal (EQ) controls, and also different sorts of outputs (1/4", XLR, etc...). They are handy for doing subtle adjustments to your sound... so you can feel comfortable and give a better performance!

Thanks for the video. I'm wondering if you've tried the Fishman pickup on the body of the violin(ie not on the bridge) or even(gasp) on the soundpost.

@geoffreyperry9531

9 жыл бұрын

The Fishman works best under pressure. Piezo's by nature are pressure sensing devices. I can't imagine where on the body it might work. ?? I have done some experimenting with a piezo in the sound post. I have not tried the Fishman there though. Cool idea! You'd have to cut a slot in the sound post to try it.

@misaacsable

9 жыл бұрын

Mounting it on the bridge(as Fishman suggests) seems to miss out on a lot of air-body resonance/vibration that contributes to the sound of the violin.

@geoffreyperry9531

9 жыл бұрын

Michael Isaacs completely agreed! It is loud though. I'll try one in the sound post soon. Thanks for re-inspiring me on this subject.

Very helpful - thanks from - Susanna music stories

I noticed you don't use any fine tuners, even on the e string. So can I still slide that suction cup pick up under the tailpiece with fine tuners through it? I'm thinking probably not.

@geoffreyperry9531

5 жыл бұрын

Excellent observation! Yes, I use Knilling Planetary tuners, so no fine tuners needed. I think you can get that pick up under most tailpieces, even with fine tuners, but it really depends on how much room you might have on your instrument between the underside of your tailpiece and the top of your violin. This varies from instrument to instrument for sure, but even if it's a bit tight and you have to lift the corner of the tailpiece to get it under... all the better! ..as the nature of piezo pickups is that they are a pressure sensing medium, and the more pressure, the stronger the signal. You be the judge for your instrument.

Is the magic spot of your violin at which the pizeo pickup sound most exceptional happens to be just over or near your sound post?

@OutlawFiddleJam

9 жыл бұрын

It IS behind the sound post about an inch on my violin.

I have searched high and low on how to connect an L R Baggs pickup to a standard little female jack socket. (NOT a Carpenter jack!) The little jack socket has 2 little connections with little holes and the other is taller with a lip on it (Very standard). Can you help please?

@geoffreyperry9531

6 жыл бұрын

there should be plenty of tutorials on the net about this, but basically, a "carpenter" jack and the "female" jack you talk of are the same thing, just one has a housing that somewhere along the line got called "carpenter". usually there are 2 fins (3 if it is for a stereo cable), one is hot and the other ground. Just solder the wires to the fins. Hint, the ground fin is the one that will touch the main body of the plug and the hot will only touch the tip of the plug. just visually follow the metal layers in the jack to figure out which is which.

Thank you. Still a bit confused because the single thin cable that comes from the L R Baggs pickup has: An inner single wire, covered by a plastic sleeve. On the outside is a metal mesh sleeve. What do you connect to what?

@geoffreyperry9531

6 жыл бұрын

the metal mesh sleeve IS the ground in this case. Just unbraid it a bit, twist it off to one side to make it into a wire, and solder that to the ground pin. Be careful not to over heat it though as it can melt through the protective plastic layer and short out your signal. "tin" the pin with a bit of solder first. do the same for the ground "wire" too so that when you finally solder the ground to the pin it only takes a little bit of heat to melt them together! I learned that one the hard way! ;~)

@JNITLOST

6 жыл бұрын

Many thanks for taking the trouble to explain this and give me some tips..................John

Difference between fishman v100, v200, and v300 pickups?

@OutlawFiddleJam

9 жыл бұрын

I think the 100 is just the PU with a 1/8th" jack and needs a special 1/8th to 1/4 cable. The 200 has a carpenter jack that attaches to the instrument like a chin rest would and the new 300 is a new element that it permanently embedded in the bridge.

What do you do when you have a tuner on the E-string?

@OutlawFiddleJam

9 жыл бұрын

maybe move the PickUp one way or the other, or try the kind of fine tuner that is all above the tailpiece.

thanks

@geoffreyperry9531

3 жыл бұрын

my pleasure. FYI: I will be releasing a new kind of pickup in a dedicated electric violin through my company Outlaw Fiddle by early 2021! subscribe to be kept up to date!

I bought a Barcus Berry pickup and they told me not to shave or tamper with but play as it comes in the package. I am a bit confused because most violin pickups seem lower on the E string side - ie shaved down? Could you kindly give me your advice.

@OutlawFiddleJam

6 жыл бұрын

JOHN AUSTIN i would think that you'd want to shape it to optimally fit your particular instrument for best playability and tone. Just be careful not to damage the piezo element or wire.

@johnaustin9259

6 жыл бұрын

Many thanks again

Can my new L R Baggs violin pickup be used as it is or does it have to be filed down and thinned out?

@OutlawFiddleJam

6 жыл бұрын

John Austin it will make a sound either way. You may want to adjust for your comfort and playability

@JNITLOST

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks again

2021 me telling 7 year ago you good job for making this video because u saved me 150$

@geoffreyperry9531

3 жыл бұрын

Your welcome!

So I am interested in pickups that have the blended acoustic electric sound. I use an acoustic, very high quality viola and also violin. Loaned my fishman to a student and he broke it! So now I need something new. Had been using the fishman plugged into a marshall, you are right, have to EQ the daylights out of it. Difficult to use effects without taking too much time in between tunes on stage. Also want to change effects within a tune, and the volume agreement between the effects is an issue, cannot figure it out. Also, sometimes the band drowns me out, esp on viola. Have convinced the sax player to STOP using a pickup, will see if this works. Did you ever put together a video on using more than one pickup simultaneously as you mention at the end of this one? Honestly I hate my electric sound from the audience. You are right, the ambiance under the ear fools you. The audience hears this piercing treble and lots of working noise (bow, scratching). I want my sound from my studio recordings, much better. I don't want to sound like an electric guitar with a bow. Pointless. Anyway, what say you regarding best pickups for this situation? Thanks so much.

What is that cool clear chinrest??

@OutlawFiddleJam

6 жыл бұрын

It's acrylic. I think from the 1970s. Jean Luc Ponty and I both have them. I thought that was kind of cool when we met.

You make a video on sound, and there is no demo on how they realy sound?

@OutlawFiddleJam

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the reminder! I've been meaning to do that...

@OutlawFiddleJam

Жыл бұрын

Check out the other comments below.

question, I know NOTHING about these. I play violin, but would like to change the tone so it sounds "warmer". I understand this amplifies, but can it be make a violin sound warmer? Now, all this that you showed gets plugged into am amplifier, correct? What kind? I'm not rich and this is just for playing with family and friends, so nothing to break the bank, lol. I found every product you showed, including the Fishman preamp, 200.00, but they had another, cheaper, only has bass, treble and volume, is that ok? Help? Please? :) Thank you kindly!

@OutlawFiddleJam

9 жыл бұрын

Yes, you'd still have to plug into some kind of amplifier or PA system. A PA system will most likely sound best or "true-est" If you want warmer try turning down the treble or "hi's"

@JudysRevenge

9 жыл бұрын

FiddleJamInstitute Thank you :)

Hello, do you have any cheap or old Violin or Violin accessories GiveAway? I just really need 😔

Where did you get your cool clear plastic chinrest?

@geoffreyperry9531

9 жыл бұрын

My sister found it in a drawer at the String House in Rochester, NY and knew right away who to send it to! I'm sure you can find them around somewhere. Jean Luc Ponty and I both have them!

@johndonnelly5971

9 жыл бұрын

Geoffrey Perry cool, thx

I like you wallpaper - HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?

@guitarcentergainesville6980

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks. I try to inspire myself sometimes... or is that kick myself in the butt to keep it real.

@guitarcentergainesville6980

7 жыл бұрын

agreed! a bit cheesy but a good question to ask ourselves.

@guitarcentergainesville6980

7 жыл бұрын

I have goofed with multiple piezo's but it can get kind of frankenstein-ish! It's hard to balance the different ones out without a mixer too.

Will this work on a cello as well? The tailpiece is further away from the body.

@geoffreyperry9531

9 жыл бұрын

The trick is to get good pressure, with piezo's being pressure sensing devices. On a Cello, you'd have to put something between the tailpiece and the pickup to take up the space. I've used a piece of wine cork to supplement that distance on a violin with higher action than mine. You would have to be creative on a Cello. A tennis ball?? ;~)

@artpal

9 жыл бұрын

Geoffrey Perry Thanks. Also, would the AXL PG-800 still need a pre-amp to make the signal strong enough?

@geoffreyperry9531

9 жыл бұрын

Liza Figueroa Kravinsky a pre-amp is not needed, but recommended, if just for EQing. There may be some impedance matching (that I know very little about too), but you can plug it directly in to an amp or PA and use it.

@geoffreyperry9531

7 жыл бұрын

Yes. I added a wine cord between the pickup and the back of the tailpiece on a student cello once and it seemed to work very well. be creative. it just needs pressure to operate well.

U r funny! Yeah ur a real pick up for ladies! Lol - I mean that in a good way😀 I have a carbon fiber cello (Luis and Clark) and hmmm I wonder if it could work with that.i don't see why not! Thnx!!

@geoffreyperry9531

8 жыл бұрын

+Picco bow Yes it will. You might need to supplement the larger gap between the top of your cello and the underside of your tailpiece though. I stuck a wine cork on top of the pickup on a cello once. Experiment!

Give us the example of sound please

@OutlawFiddleJam

9 жыл бұрын

Sound examples can now be heard on www.FiddleJamInstitute.com

@robertrandall3854

8 жыл бұрын

+FiddleJamInstitute Please provide the specific link where we can hear it. Thanks.

@hiyouseemcool

Жыл бұрын

@@OutlawFiddleJamI went to the website but it’s really hard to find the pickup sound examples, link please?

@OutlawFiddleJam

Жыл бұрын

@@hiyouseemcool fiddlejaminstitute.com/violin-microphone-and-pick-up-comparisons/

@OutlawFiddleJam

Жыл бұрын

more exactly: fiddlejaminstitute.com/violin-microphone-and-pick-up-comparisons/ Just had to search for the word pickup in the search bar

Audio is very low

I notice that you don't have on Adjuster on the E String ...! Maybe THAT is Your Secret ?!?!?!

@geoffreyperry9531

3 жыл бұрын

Don't need one with Knilling Perfection planetary tuners!

I use almost the same cheap microphone! I use an elastic band to keep it in place. Never tried your spot though, i'll give it try! You can hear it in action here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/aGSItqqTpcStmKw.html

Hi whats your email because i want to the guitar pick up

@geoffreyperry9531

9 жыл бұрын

Emanuel Alvarado You can contact me through my website: www.fiddlejaminstitute.com. Thanks!

I can barely hear you speaking. I'm even wearing headphones. Great information 👌