Pickups for resonator guitars?

[IMENATOR]

Last weekend I got to play a resonator guitar, nothing fancy actually since it is the Fender's entry point resonator but the tone caught my attention. Can you educate me on what are the options out there? Pickup the sound by string vibration o cone vibration? Would just an SM57 in fron the guitar just sound better? I ask this because I have noticed resonators with picukups tend to be way more expensive so wondering if doing a DIY install of a pickuo could be a more affordable approach.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Pickups for resonator guitars?

i recommend the liberal use of an angle grinder, a drill and whatever your favourite electric pickup is.
Sure, it doesn't sound exactly like a carefully mic/ed up pure resonator sound, but through a fender twin or deluxe reverb it sounds righteous nonetheless.

The pickup in this one is just a gibson 57A5 that i had laying around (cos my gibson axes all have SD's). I have no idea what the pots are...probably spare gibson 300ks or something.
You can use specially designed piezos and stuff, but seeing as resonators originally are a pretty "industrial" approach to making vibrating strings louder, i wouldn't worry too much about being a purist. I once read in an interview with Johnny winter that he liked resonators because they sound like "a garbage can with strings".
I dont know if people listen with their eyes, but every time i pull this one out at a gig, people seem to really dig the sound.

 

[jtougas]

Re: Pickups for resonator guitars?

If you can find one, Barcus Berry made one that used it's magnet to pull double duty: sense the strings, and stick to the front of the guitar. It was the favored pickup of my personal favorite resonator player: Chris Whitley. I managed to track one down, and put it on my own (woodbodied) resonator, and it sounded great.

Highlander also used to make (and may still make) a biscuit incorporating a piezo pickup, and had a preamp on it. May be worth digging for one of those, too.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Pickups for resonator guitars?

ive slapped firebird and mini humbucker pups in holes cut by the neck and they always sound great. in the studio a mic is great but not practical for live use

 

[Grenade]

Re: Pickups for resonator guitars?

I have a K&K on the bridge of this one. I'm adding a Lace Sensor Ultra Thin and Vol. & Blend pots. A mic never hurts.