chazzee - Posted - 03/20/2011:  19:07:04

Let me preface this post by stating I play by myself with just a loop machine so it's imperative I have a pickup of some sort on my banjo.
I cant stand being tethered to a mic when I perform live.
I've tried a fancy banjo pickup but my favorite so far has been those Dean Markley 3000 transducer mics that appear to be sticking a little wooden tablet to the banjo head with some funky putty.

What happens when I'm out of said putty and what makes a good substitute?

I hope someone out there can sympathize with my dilemma.

Chaz

rudy - Posted - 03/20/2011:  19:12:52

Any office supply place or sometimes box stores have a putty-like substance that is used for sticking pictures, posters, and the like to walls. I would think that would be a good substitute, if not the same thing as what is supplied with the transducer.

Bart Hopkins recommends this material, reffered to as poster putty, in his book "Getting a Bigger Sound".

Edited by - rudy on 03/20/2011 19:18:00

chazzee - Posted - 03/20/2011:  19:20:17

Great. I figured that would suffice but I was wondering if any had tried it. I feel like I often get shunned for my "electric" banjo but I really like those pickups and in a pinch, if I had more 'putty-of-the-Gods', I can use it on my dulcimer.

Chaz.

Ryan_Gray70 - Posted - 03/20/2011:  21:01:13

it seems like everytime i play a show the mic cant pick up the banjo (dang sound guys never know what they are doing lol) so im going to get a pick up for my open back. when i do where would i put it? im sorry chaz that i cant answer your question, but i would really love the advice. if there is anything else i can help you with i would be glad to!

Grumpy1 - Posted - 03/20/2011:  22:14:37

Schatten ships the stuff with their pickups. I bet you can get it at Stew-Mac.

John Gribble - Posted - 03/20/2011:  22:42:50

I was told many years ago by the people at Barcus-Berry to use florist's putty, the stuff used to make flowers stay in place in arrangements.

chazzee - Posted - 03/21/2011:  08:55:29

My drummer/sound tech swore by those 'pickups'. I don't have the discerning ear he has and he has worked at a
plethora of guitar shops so I took his word for it.
I'm very pleased with them because a lot of my 'flailing' sound is me thumping on the banjo head and my earthworks pickup didn't pick it up as loud as i wanted.

chazzee - Posted - 03/21/2011:  08:56:57

I think they are Dean Markley professional 3000 transducer pickups. They are pretty cheap ($30) and work well for me.

teletodd - Posted - 04/01/2011:  06:25:48

I came across a used banjo that has a transducer stuck to the bottom of the head. It has some foam on it and a wire leading to a jack attached with a plastic mount to the tailpiece. The wire is also scotch taped to te head in a couple spots Certain note Buzz or rattle, almost like snare drum snares, I think because the tape is old. Not sure of the brand of the p/u, but Ill probably tinker with it to alleviate the snare buzz. Any suggestions?