Best pickup for busking?

[The Slasher]

I own a Norman B-20, and a Crate Taxi 30 Amp, I'm thinking about buying a pickup for my guitar, that wouldn't require any modifications...I'm thinking of spending around 80 to 100$ for a pickup, anyone got suggestions?

[Terry Allan Hall]

For a P/U, I just use a Dean Markley "Sweet Spot", like I do in all my other guitars, although any quality UST'll probably do ya just as well.

 

The Crate Taxi is an excellent choice for a busking amp/mini PA, btw, due to it being able to accept both a passive (w/o a pre-amp) or an active P/U.

 

And these amps have the perfect amount of volume for busking...I can only turn the "mic" channel up to about "3" or "4" before my Shure SM-58 is on the verge of feeding back, so it'll hold a charge for about 5 hours..plenty of time to make decent $$$, iof you have a good spot.

[recordingtrack1]

Excuse me, but what the heck does "busking" mean?

[Hudman]

 

Originally posted by recordingtrack1 Excuse me, but what the heck does "busking" mean?

 

 

Playing on street corners for money.

 

Street performers (or beggers with a bit of talent).

[Terry Allan Hall]

Originally posted by Hudman Playing on street corners for money. Approximately correct, but never on street corners...there are much better locations, actually. Street performers (or beggers with a bit of talent). Many of us who busk regularly find the term "beggar" to be a little insulting, as we don't beg, we provide quality entertainment and local color , and the recipients of these are free to compensate us for or not. Ft. Worth and Dallas is pretty cool about street performances, as long as you don't block the sidewalk or cause other problems (when the crowd gets too big, I take a short break and let it thin out). In downtown Ft. Worth weekdays from 11am 'til 1pm (lunch time), I average $70, on Friday or Saturday nights when I'm not booked somewhere, from 8 'til midnight (or whenever I feel like chucking it in), I average $250...plus CD sales!...btw, several of my best paying gigs came from the owner/manager of a venue catching my act while busking!

 

[Hudman]

It depends on where you are and how you do it. I have witnessed both types of busking: entertainment AND begging. There is a difference.

 

I didn't mean to offend anyone - I was stating a fact. Many people consider busking to be equal to begging.

[kwakatak]

K&K Pure Western mini. This is what I'm considering when I develop a need for a pickup and at $85 Shoreline Music has the best deal on them that I've seen:

 

http://www.shorelinemusic.com/amplification/kk.shtml

 

Installation is pretty easy but unless you have a 1/4" reamer to ream out the end pin jack then I'd get a tech or luthier to do it. You're supposed to use superglue to stick the transducers to the underside of the bridge plate.

 

NOTE: this doesn't include a preamp - and I'm quite sure this is so - but for your purposes you may not need one.

[Cldplytkmn]

 

Originally posted by kwakatak K&K Pure Western mini. This is what I'm considering when I develop a need for a pickup and at $85 Shoreline Music has the best deal on them that I've seen: http://www.shorelinemusic.com/amplification/kk.shtml Installation is pretty easy but unless you have a 1/4" reamer to ream out the end pin jack then I'd get a tech or luthier to do it. You're supposed to use superglue to stick the transducers to the underside of the bridge plate. NOTE: this doesn't include a preamp - and I'm quite sure this is so - but for your purposes you may not need one.

 

 

just a minor correction to an otherwise spot-on post... the endpin jack will need a 1/2" hole. Best to get somebody professional to do it... should cost you $5.

 

the install is really easy... i did it a few days ago...

[EvilTwin]

I dig the DM Sweet Spot, as well. It's a good "plug and play" pickup -- passive with a ton of output. Do LB's clay shim trick, and voila, a very usable UST.

 

There's some alright soundhole pickups you can get cheap from Seymour Duncan (I haven't ever had a liking for Dean Markley's).

[The Slasher]

Bump

 

[daklander]

 

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall For a P/U, I just use a Dean Markley "Sweet Spot" ...

 

 

I also have the Dean Markley Sweet Spot. I can't recommend it unless you run a good di box or an amp that works with it. I've found it works well going direct to my PA system but with many others it's a bust with nothing but top end and little of that. It also seems to be quite quacky depending on the weather and or humidity.

All things considered I'd go with the K & K Pure Western instead.

I really like my Fishman Rare Earth Single Coil but it's not an exceptionally acoustic sounding pickup but sounds very good and is not dependent on an external di box or preamp.

I've also had great luck with the Dean Markley Pro Mag. The early one.

 

As to the amp...

I've heard some good about the Taxi though not used one. The Carvin Stage Mate should work well too.

[Terry Allan Hall]

 

Originally posted by daklander I also have the Dean Markley Sweet Spot. I can't recommend it unless you run a good di box or an amp that works with it. I've found it works well going direct to my PA system but with many others it's a bust with nothing but top end and little of that. It also seems to be quite quacky depending on the weather and or humidity. All things considered I'd go with the K & K Pure Western instead. I really like my Fishman Rare Earth Single Coil but it's not an exceptionally acoustic sounding pickup but sounds very good and is not dependent on an external di box or preamp. I've also had great luck with the Dean Markley Pro Mag. The early one. As to the amp... I've heard some good about the Taxi though not used one. The Carvin Stage Mate should work well too.

 

 

Yeah, despite the manuf. claims to the contrary, the Sweet Spot (like ALL passive piezo p/us) needs to be pre-amped...I use a Baggs PADI into my PA, but the Taxi has a pre-amp built in for passive piezos.

 

As for ASTs, they just don't work for my gigs, due to feedback issues (which is probably why you rarely see a "pro" using one).

 

"Quack" is just the gods' way of telling you to refine your technique.

[daklander]

 

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall "Quack" is just the gods' way of telling you to refine your technique.

 

 

I'd have a tendency to agree if it didn't change with conditions or amps. Same fingers and technique, same guitar, same pickup. Some days the quack is so obnoxious I put the guitar away and pull out something else, other days it's darned near like a miiked guitar. Again, same player, fingers, technique and PA system.