Building a Chapman stick (also called touchstyle guitar), looking for a pickup

[HoloPed]

Hi all.
My wife plays classical guitar and piano, and I want to build her a Chapman stick, or a touchstyle guitar.
I found this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsFl0b6DNxk

I have a lot of experience working with wood,electronics and 3D printing, but I know nothing about electric guitars.
What kind of pickup do you think he is using on that instrument ?
Is there a difference between an electric guitar pickup, and an acoustic guitar pickup?
If I want 12 strings, can I hookup two pickups and join them together somehow ?

Any insight would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,
HP

 

[Mincer]

Re: Building a Chapman stick (also called touchstyle guitar), looking for a pickup

Instruments like Warr Guitars use custom pickups, most likely with some kind of rail design. The pickups generally need to be powerful and clear, with a strong attack and not a lot of sustain- in a way, compare it to a clavinet. Others to check out are Skeletone and, on the cheap side, Krappy Guitars.

 

[HoloPed]

Re: Building a Chapman stick (also called touchstyle guitar), looking for a pickup

Wow, Krappy's website is straight out of the 90's.

Can you recommend a suitable pickup? Something mid-range, in terms of quality and price.
Also, how do you join two pickups together ?

Thanks.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Building a Chapman stick (also called touchstyle guitar), looking for a pickup

Not being a tap style player, I'd have to recommend active pickups, most likely wired to their own output jack so you can process each half separately. So it would be like 2 complete circuits in the instrument. Each should have their own volume and tone controls too, but my guess it is like wiring 2 guitars in one body.

 

[jtougas]

Re: Building a Chapman stick (also called touchstyle guitar), looking for a pickup

You may also want to take a look at the harpejji, given your wife's piano background.

 

[jtougas]

Re: Building a Chapman stick (also called touchstyle guitar), looking for a pickup

Also, Applied Acoustic Systems' Chromaphone and String Studio plugins are great for modelling different & unique sounds (great products, and good people, too).