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Thread: Seeking a bridge pickup for my Eastman 515

  1. #1

    Default Seeking a bridge pickup for my Eastman 515

    Hi All,

    I am trying to put a good quality bridge pickup on my new Eastman 515 F-Style mandolin. I have a Fishman M-300 on my old Eastman 504 A-Style mando, which I intend to sell. I was hoping to switch the pickups, but sadly the shop tech says 1) that the string spacings are different; 2) that the radius of the top is different, and 3) that the M-300's prior installation --I'm assuming he means the amt of wood already shaved from the bottom--make it unlikely that it could be adapted for the 515. I also have a Fishman Aura Spectrum pedal that I love and is central to my signal chain for both recording and performance. I want to use it both for my amplified fiddle (this part works perfectly-no complaints or questions), and for my new Eastman 515 mando. Do you agree that the M-300 is a poor fit for an Eastman 515? Are the other Fishman mando pickups (e.g. M-200) a better fit? Are there other options? I am willing to buy another pickup, but I want it to work well with the Aura Spectrum. Thanks for any thoughts!

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Seeking a bridge pickup for my Eastman 515

    If you like your M-300 buy another. Since you know it is compatible with the Aura. I like the K&K installed under the top. It could still be used with the Aura I can't find the input impedance online for that. It says it works with an under saddle p/u so should work with the K&K.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  3. #3
    Registered User Polecat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Seeking a bridge pickup for my Eastman 515

    Before shelling out for an expensive pickup, I would recommend you buy a cheap piezo pickup like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Imelod-Contac...r_1_1?dchild=1, to see how it works with your pedal. I suspect it will work perfectly well - in spite of the manufacturers' claims, piezo pickups are all pretty much the same inside, and you may well be surprised at the sound quality. I personally have an antipathy to piezo pickups - for my taste they require too much jiggery-pokery to sound "natural", but that's just me. Having tried the experiment with the cheapo, you can make a better informed decision whether to buy another bridge pickup or something else.
    "Give me a mandolin and I'll play you rock 'n' roll" (Keith Moon)

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    Registered User tooloud's Avatar
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    Default Re: Seeking a bridge pickup for my Eastman 515

    for a K&K pickup alternative JJB 220 mandolin twin pickup http://jjb-electronics.com/prestige-220.html

    Chuck

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    Default Re: Seeking a bridge pickup for my Eastman 515

    While the basic makeup of piezo pickups is the same inside, two conductors separated by a dielectric, they are not the same. Different thickness and size makes a pickup sound different. The K&K mando pickup is a thicker base material and larger than their other pickups. I find gluing the disc in with tape between the top helps warm the sound, and a good preamp with headroom will make it sound quite natural. I used two pieces of tape, each glued in, and then glued to the pickup. I get a very natural sound, but I don't play real loud. I think the louder you play the less natural the sound. Then also the louder you play the less likely a mic will get the job done without feedback. It's not a perfect world, but if you want to play gently and be heard at decent volumes a pickup is the way to go. I have to play much harder to use a mic and have the same volume and I don't feel my setup sacrifices anything to the mic. Much easier on my old hands not to have to play hard.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

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    Registered User Polecat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Seeking a bridge pickup for my Eastman 515

    We're getting a little OT here, but pops1, it sounds to me that you are describing a condenser pickup, rather than a piezo, which would be "two conductors separated by a layer of piezoelectric material" (not a dialectric). My favoured pickup is indeed a condenser (AKG c411), and just like a piezo, it sounds different if attached to the soundboard with different materials (so.called "acoustic putty", blu-tack etc.), and if you play around with the mass of the device. For example, if I attach it directly to the soundboard with double-sided sticky tape the signal (which is probably the truest transduction of the soundboard's vibration) is very harsh, and to my ears, unpleasant. A little "padding" between p/u and instrument does wonders. The double-bass player in my band has a piezo pickup that clamps to the bridge and has removable weights that affect how the pickup "hears" and reproduces the vibrations of the bridge. He mixes the signal with that of a DPA mic, which alone is too prone to feedback.
    "Give me a mandolin and I'll play you rock 'n' roll" (Keith Moon)

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    Default Re: Seeking a bridge pickup for my Eastman 515

    You are right Polecat, ughhh I hate getting old. Thanks for catching that.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

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    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Seeking a bridge pickup for my Eastman 515

    I would see if an M-100 with an endpin jack installed would work better. At least if your repair person is willing to do this. Otherwise, the M200 would probably work.

    My Flatiron has an M-100 installed (I think, bought it used early this year.) Sounds good into my Fishman amp. Haven't tried it with an outboard pre-amp so can't comment there.

    Since you're happy with the current Fishman setup, would advise going that route again, rather than a piezo. They both work, but if you get used to one, you might not like the other. Or it might take longer to adjust between the instruments. Have a JJB system that goes on the A Jr. Again, it works for what I need. But wouldn't want to switch between the two pickup systems.
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    Registered User Polecat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Seeking a bridge pickup for my Eastman 515

    The Fishman bridge pickups are piezo pickups.
    "Give me a mandolin and I'll play you rock 'n' roll" (Keith Moon)

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    Default Re: Seeking a bridge pickup for my Eastman 515

    Quote Originally Posted by Polecat View Post
    The Fishman bridge pickups are piezo pickups.
    Yes and I might add a pickup in the saddle sounds the same in almost any instrument. The same under the soundboard will capture more of the sound of the instrument. There is less feedback in the saddle p/u's if you are needing to play loud, but the quality of sound IMHO is better when mounted under the top.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  12. #11

    Default Re: Seeking a bridge pickup for my Eastman 515

    I'm very happy with my Fishman M200 on a Breedlove OF. I use it straight into a Trace Acoustic or into the PA using an Ashdown pre amp Di. Good for volume, but I do use a Mooer Woodverb reverb and a small amount of TC Bodyrez to adjust the tone to my liking.

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