Electronics for Pick-Up

[Tiptannick]

I would like to customize my Tiptar's Pick-up and to learn how electronic for guitar works (passive, active ...) to build my own Tap-Guitar someday. Anyone can help me ?

Where can I find documentation about electronic connections for Pick-Up ?

Thanks

[rockola]

A reference I've often seen praised, but don't own myself, is "Guitar Electronics for Musicians" by Donald Brosnac.

I haven't actually wound my own pickups yet, so take my advice for what it's worth, but I have two books on the subject: "Animal Magnetism for Musicians" by Erno Zwaan, and "Basic Pickup Winding" by Jason Lollar.

All of these should be available at least from Stewart-McDonald and probably from Amazon as well.

For general information about matters related to instrument building, I suggest joining the Musical Instrument Makers' Forum (http://www.mimf.com/) . A lot of people who have actual experience on pickup making (such as the aforementioned Jason Lollar) are frequent visitors there and in my experience are more than happy to offer their advice. There's also an archive of past discussions and you can find answers to most basic questions there already. Check it out.

[Tiptannick]

On my 12 strings Belgrado Tiptar, the output level is very weak compared with a Stick.

What kind of picks-up can I use to have a bigger sound (like other Tap-Instrument !) ?

And what about active electronic ?

[rockola]

You could use an active preamp even with the pickups you now have on your Belgrado. See the thread
Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster (http://www.tappistry.org/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=161) in the "Touch-Instruments" section.

[jdwinger]

"Guitar Electronics for Musicians" by Donald Brosnac

is maybe getting a bit old for specific product references, active electronics and, as I remember (it's been about 12 years since I've owned a copy) didn't really cover piezo to any great degree (the technology goes back that far with Barcus berry "hot dots" and such, but the current implementations are newer than the book).

But the basics are here and probably well worth a read...though there may be online resources (like "guitarnuts.com") that will do you well too.

There are a number of options with active electronics...just about any electronics that you can put in an outboard box you can put directly into the instrument (save tubes ;) ) or even on a strap-mounted box (like those old Passac acoustic preamps or zoom effects units).

some examples

http://www.raven-labs.com/
http://www.guitarelectronics.com/gpreamps.html


There are also strictly active pickups (EMG, I believe Copeland and Shadow make a couple of active-only)

Two advantages of having the electronics in the guitar are access to the controls and signal "buffering" (which negates or mitigates signal loss down the instrument's output cable)
Of course, there are disadvantages of onboard complexity (having a power-supply-battery, fdigging holes in your instrumentetc)

If loss through isn't the problem (and it sounds like it's just more getting your level up), you may want to consider an outboard unit

[rjgoos]

Tiptannick:

I have seen pictures of a Belgrado TipTar, but have never heard from an owner. Do you like your instrument?


Rockola:

Did I read in the archives that you have tried to build your own tap guitar? How is that project going, and what overall design did you choose?


Thanks to both,


RJ

[rockola]

Folks, in general, when you wish to start discussion on a new subject, feel free to start a new thread. I have replied to rjgoos's question in the Do it yourself (http://www.tappistry.org/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=42) thread (found under Touch Instruments (http://www.tappistry.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=3).