I used a Barcus Berry for a long time, but when it got busted (by a rowdy drunk in East Durham), I decided not to get another one. It's inconvenient playing into a mic as you can't move anywhere away from it, but the sound is worlds better. I never loved the sound I got out of the pickup.
Microvox swan-neck mics velcroed onto tailpiece, and hence quick and easy to put on/take off. Bboth the fiddlers ( 2 mics plug into one Microvox preamp/power supply) in the ceilidh band in which I play use them, and we can easily and quickly get a good sound through either our PA or AER combo. We do not use foldback with the PA and have no problem at all with feedback. We like the sound much better than either the bridge transducer or bug type jobbies. Not quite as good as a decent ordinary mic, but they do allow you to move! Not expensive, and a pleasant, helpful firm to deal with, esp if you are in UK.
I've mentioned this before here- I prefer my Audio Technica ATM 35 condenser mike which clips on the chin rest (same as swan neck?) It has a much more natural sound than most pick-ups I've heard- but can be tricky to prevent feedback in a very loud, environment or with certain acoustics.
Why not try a Headway 'The Band' pick up as used by Seth Lakeman and my little fiddle buddy Chloe. Cost about a hundred pounds and can be bought from Hobgoblin music. Very simple and very effective. Picks up the sound of the whole fiddle, not just from the bridge.
By all accounts, it depends what you're using it for, how much compromise you're willing to make and how much money you've got.
For a warm sound in recording, a mic like a Rode NT-2 is great. Pointless when sent down long cable runs into a mixer preamp though. Something like a AKG C1000 is good live, I know a couple of people who swear by them, and cart one around plus a decent mic preamp. Of course you're then fixed to a mic stand. Something like the Microvox is OK, better positioned a bit back from the f-hole in my opinion (over where the post would be if it were on the bass side), but you're still close-mic-ing, which results in the usual problems of overly rich harmonics. The piezo pickups are usually only ever going to sound like a piezo pickup (i.e. lacking in harmonic depth), although can sound OK if used as a roughly 35:65 mix with a close-mic. On the plus side, piezo pickups are most feedback resistant, through to the NT-2 which I've never tried sending a through moniters as I suspect the result would be disasterous.
If you've got the option of sending a markedly different mix to the house than what goes to the monitors, piezo can be very useful as it can be monitored at about 70:30 to a close-mic, meaning that although it sounds crap on stage, the audience are getting a nice sound.
Should point out I'm not a fiddler, it's just my experience of either trying to stick one through a PA + monitors without feedback, or trying to record them.
First choice, AKG mic; second choice Audio Technica ATM35; third choice currently Pickup-the World pickup, a polymer film dooflicky. It sits under the base leg of the bridge.
I have only used the pickup once so far, but it seemed better than the Baggs bridge I have on another fiddle. There is a similar one called the Gage Realist that would be worth checking out. It is longer and spans both feet of the bridge.
fiddle pickup
fiddle pickup
I was just curious what brand of pickup all you fiddle players use?
# Posted on July 28th 2007 by stevequincy
Re: fiddle pickup
I used a Barcus Berry for a long time, but when it got busted (by a rowdy drunk in East Durham), I decided not to get another one. It's inconvenient playing into a mic as you can't move anywhere away from it, but the sound is worlds better. I never loved the sound I got out of the pickup.
# Posted on July 28th 2007 by irishfiddler32
Re: fiddle pickup
Microvox swan-neck mics velcroed onto tailpiece, and hence quick and easy to put on/take off. Bboth the fiddlers ( 2 mics plug into one Microvox preamp/power supply) in the ceilidh band in which I play use them, and we can easily and quickly get a good sound through either our PA or AER combo. We do not use foldback with the PA and have no problem at all with feedback. We like the sound much better than either the bridge transducer or bug type jobbies. Not quite as good as a decent ordinary mic, but they do allow you to move! Not expensive, and a pleasant, helpful firm to deal with, esp if you are in UK.
Bye now
Keith
# Posted on July 28th 2007 by ocarolan
Re: fiddle pickup
Try this fella, I'm not a fiddle player , but i know some players who swear by theirs. http://www.riml.biz/
# Posted on July 28th 2007 by Taurus
Re: fiddle pickup
thanks gilly, much appreciated
# Posted on July 29th 2007 by stevequincy
Re: fiddle pickup
I've mentioned this before here- I prefer my Audio Technica ATM 35 condenser mike which clips on the chin rest (same as swan neck?) It has a much more natural sound than most pick-ups I've heard- but can be tricky to prevent feedback in a very loud, environment or with certain acoustics.
# Posted on July 29th 2007 by azfiddle
Re: fiddle pickup
Why not try a Headway 'The Band' pick up as used by Seth Lakeman and my little fiddle buddy Chloe. Cost about a hundred pounds and can be bought from Hobgoblin music. Very simple and very effective. Picks up the sound of the whole fiddle, not just from the bridge.
# Posted on July 29th 2007 by Freddy Frog
Re: fiddle pickup
By all accounts, it depends what you're using it for, how much compromise you're willing to make and how much money you've got.
For a warm sound in recording, a mic like a Rode NT-2 is great. Pointless when sent down long cable runs into a mixer preamp though. Something like a AKG C1000 is good live, I know a couple of people who swear by them, and cart one around plus a decent mic preamp. Of course you're then fixed to a mic stand. Something like the Microvox is OK, better positioned a bit back from the f-hole in my opinion (over where the post would be if it were on the bass side), but you're still close-mic-ing, which results in the usual problems of overly rich harmonics. The piezo pickups are usually only ever going to sound like a piezo pickup (i.e. lacking in harmonic depth), although can sound OK if used as a roughly 35:65 mix with a close-mic. On the plus side, piezo pickups are most feedback resistant, through to the NT-2 which I've never tried sending a through moniters as I suspect the result would be disasterous.
If you've got the option of sending a markedly different mix to the house than what goes to the monitors, piezo can be very useful as it can be monitored at about 70:30 to a close-mic, meaning that although it sounds crap on stage, the audience are getting a nice sound.
Should point out I'm not a fiddler, it's just my experience of either trying to stick one through a PA + monitors without feedback, or trying to record them.
# Posted on July 30th 2007 by Andy V
Re: fiddle pickup
First choice, AKG mic; second choice Audio Technica ATM35; third choice currently Pickup-the World pickup, a polymer film dooflicky. It sits under the base leg of the bridge.
I have only used the pickup once so far, but it seemed better than the Baggs bridge I have on another fiddle. There is a similar one called the Gage Realist that would be worth checking out. It is longer and spans both feet of the bridge.
# Posted on July 30th 2007 by Jode
Re: fiddle pickup
i use a audio technica atm350
has great sound
no feedback
sounds like ur playing acoustically
# Posted on July 31st 2007 by fidylan
Re: fiddle pickup
We've also had very good results with the AT35x Pro variation of the ATM35 clip-on condensor mic.
This one has an XLR connection at the end and does not have the little preamp box with it, and so it needs phantom power from a preamp or mixing desk.
As d-dog says, it is a true sound and by experimenting with the position of it over the strings you can get a bit more or a bit less of the room.
We're very happy with it.
stv
http://cdbaby.com/Culchies
# Posted on August 1st 2007 by stv culchie