What is the best way to put a pickup in a brass bodied Dobro.

[olddawg]

I have a round neck chrome/brass Dobro that I am tired of micing live. Is there a prescribed way of mounting a piezo or other pickup in it so I can plug in just like any other electric/acoustic guitar with an under saddle piezo, etc?

[olddawg]

This is a Duolian with the saddle mounted in a biscuit. Would you just put a piezo under the saddle like anything else, or is there a better way?

[rjb]

Ask Flux:
Welcome to the Official Jerry Douglas Website

[olddawg]

The consensus seems to be on the Lace pickup which just seems to be a small single coil magnetic pickup that is in a sealed plastic and stuck to the body with double sided tape. I have an old flat chrome Harmony pickup. I think I will do the same thing with it and see how it sounds. I don't want to drill into the top of the guitar to run wiresxto an endpin jack though.

[olddawg]

The consensus seems to be on the Lace pickup which just seems to be a small single coil magnetic pickup that is in a sealed plastic and stuck to the body with double sided tape. I have an old flat chrome Harmony pickup. I think I will do the same thing with it and see how it sounds. I don't want to drill into the top of the guitar to run wiresxto an endpin jack though.

Damn! That old Harmony pickup is just a hair to thick! I've seen other brands (like the Dean) come factory with a lipstick pickup. The Lace is probably the best option. I would rout the wire through the small round hole next to the bottom F hole and then to an end pin jack. All reversible.

[rjb]

The Lace is probably the best option.

Here's another option.
Schatten Resonator Guitar Pickup For Spider Bridges
I have no experience with either the Lace or Schatten units.

[olddawg]

Here's another option.
Schatten Resonator Guitar Pickup For Spider Bridges
I have no experience with either the Lace or Schatten units.

I'm not sure if the Shatten will work on a DM-90. Guess I will have to tear it down to know. It isn't a Gibson made DM-90.

[rjb]

I'm not sure if the Shatten will work on a DM-90. Guess I will have to tear it down to know. It isn't a Gibson made DM-90.

I should've paid closer attention. I'm not a reso guy, but do know there's a difference between biscuit and spider bridges.

[Plucky]

The consensus seems to be on the Lace pickup which just seems to be a small single coil magnetic pickup that is in a sealed plastic and stuck to the body with double sided tape. I have an old flat chrome Harmony pickup. I think I will do the same thing with it and see how it sounds. I don't want to drill into the top of the guitar to run wiresxto an endpin jack though.

I would avoid the lace. It doesn't fit under the strings on most instruments I've seen, unless you install it much closer to the cover plate or have very high slide action. This includes the Ultra Slim model.

The main issue is, however, that despite what they might say in the product description, you need to use nickle-plated steel strings, or the only thing you will hear is the plain strings.

Oh, and I should mention that on the Ultra Slim 'Duo-coil' model, the metal pickup cover is GLUED on, as opposed to being soldered, usually resulting in no continuity with the baseplate, and subsequently hums if you touch the cover when not also touching the strings(it does happen).

Schatten for the win...

[Plucky]

I'm not sure if the Shatten will work on a DM-90. Guess I will have to tear it down to know. It isn't a Gibson made DM-90.

There should still be a screw securing the biscuit. Make sure you get the correct model.

[olddawg]

There should still be a screw securing the biscuit. Make sure you get the correct model.

I'm about ready to hot glue a round piezo to the body.

[Plucky]

I'm about ready to hot glue a round piezo to the body.

Still better than the Lace...

[Plucky]

There should still be a screw securing the biscuit. Make sure you get the correct model.

I'm about ready to hot glue a round piezo to the body.

Sorry. My brain was thinking of the Fishman for a sec. The NR-2 is Schatten's biscuit pickup. Disregard the comment about the screw. Brain fart...

[Sock Puppet]

I've not tried these, but did find the idea interesting - sort of an opened out humbucker:

Original Flatpup. Extremely flat guitar pickups. Outside the box!

A small microphone in the f-hole sounds nice.

Came across this after posting:

http://music-electronics-forum.com/t23205/