The Basics and Beyond!!! Take your playing to the next level.
The Internet's largest collection of information for ukulele and jazz guitar.
I use a L. R. Baggs Para Acoustic Preamp and a L R. Baggs Element with my Ko'olau CS Contemporary Tenor.
A few manufactures have pickups installed on their productions models. Most custom builder's have a preference for the system to use on their ukulele but can install whatever system you would like.
The preamp & pickup system on my Ko'olau is passive, I use a L. R. Baggs Para Acoustic Preamp.
For an amplifier I use a custom Reazer's Edge cabinet and Acoustic Image Clarus amplifier head.
Roland Micro Seres of Battery powered amps are a great choice for portable amplification.. I have a Micro Cube which is really great for small settings. Gerald Ross uses a selection of the Roland Micro Series of amps as a main part of of performance setup.
Here is a great thread and review on UkuleleUnderground on portable amps for busking and performing with ukulele.
The Para Acoustic DI is a main part of my live setup.
I've had a tone of Roland gear over the years and never had any trouble with any of it. This is next on m list of gear to get.
Active requires Phantom Power or a battery supply.
Passive does not require a power supply.
If you are running a passive pickup in you acoustic instrument, be it guitar or ukulele you will need to run a Direct Box (DI).
Also see Ukulele Amplification |
Guitar Pickups
Although designed for acoustic guitars, we have learned of many musicians using them with mandolins, violins, double basses and a whole host of ethnic stringed acoustic instruments fitted with transducers. So, it appears as if it’s usefulness is only limited by the users imagination!
BBE Sound, Inc.
5381 Production Drive
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
Tel: (714)897-6766
Fax: (714)896-0736
( from listing's site ) - Located in Huntington Beach, California, BBE Sound, Inc. has been providing music professionals and consumers with leading edge sound improvement technology since 1985.
The Leon Audio Company
62 Edgeware Road
Aldgate
South Australia 5154
Phone: (08) 8339 3865
Fax: (08) 8370 8780
(from their site) - High performance audio, theatre and conference products.
( from listing's site ) - Tech 21 was formed by a guitarist possessing the unusual combination of a trained ear and electronics expertise. In 1989, B. Andrew Barta incorporated Tech 21 and made his unique invention commercially available to players and studios around the world. His highly-acclaimed SansAmpTM pioneered Tube Amplifier Emulation in professional applications for recording direct and performing live, and created an entirely new category of signal processing.While there have since been many entries into this niche, SansAmp continues to maintain its reputation as the industry standard.
Shoreline Music has a great
selection of the top brands of pickup and preamps and loads of great information for
making an informed decision.
Visit their site: Shoreline Music
NEW - The L.R. Baggs FIVE.O ukulele system is small, light-weight, and best of all, specifically tuned to track the uke’s natural dynamics and its unmistakably unique voice.
We started this in a loft in downtown Los Angeles, California, with a hope and a dream, and no business sense whatsoever. The first L.R. Baggs product was our LB6 Series Pickup. We would like to thank Leo Kottke for his early support. Stores would call us and say, "Leo Kottke said he was using your pickup." We could literally track his touring route as the stores would order in his wake. Early endorsers were Steven Sheehan of the Judds, James Taylor and Kathy Mattea. These endorsers gave us the encouragement and support that sustained us when we had more enthusiasm than business sense. They spread the word and gradually our business grew.
We've come a long way from those old "mom-and-pop days." Every year we have designed new and exciting products. We have endeavored to use our God given talents to offer the cutting edge in guitar amplification. We hope that we have created products that will encourage, motivate and inspire you, our customer. We would like to take this opportunity to say, "Thank You." We hope that we have been able to enhance your musical talents in some way and we very much appreciate all of you who have chosen L.R. Baggs.
Roland US
Corporate Offices
Roland Corporation U.S.
5100 S. Eastern Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90040-2938
P.O. Box 910921
Los Angeles, CA 90091-0921
Phone: (323) 890-3700
Fax: (323) 890-3701
(from Roland USA site) Rich, deep, stereo sound to go — introducing the AC-33, the world’s first AA battery-powered amp made specifically for acoustic guitar. Portable yet powerful, the AC-33 provides true stereo sound, Guitar and Mic/Line channels, custom-tailored effects, anti-feedback, and a Phrase Looper. But this amp was made to go places no amp has gone before. Thanks to its battery-power capability, the AC-33 lets you take your act anywhere — into the backwoods, onto the streets, or wherever your imagination leads you.
Hard Copy Book: $9.95
PDF Download: $4.95
Reading music is not as hard as one might think. It may be new and unfamiliar but is not hard when you have a proper plan of attack.
Reading music on the ukulele is easier than reading music on guitar or piano. There are only four strings with a smaller range of possible notes.
Music in the key of C with all natural notes, no flats or sharps is pretty easy to play in open position on a ukulele. This would be the same as playing the white keys of a piano.
Standard music notation has been the Lingua Franco of musicians, both professionals and hobbyists for many centuries.
Reading standard music notation opens you up to vast world of published music.
Reading simple melodies in open position is the first step to reading music on the uke.
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Content is always being added and updated. So check-in often. Thanks, Curt
DIRECT_BOXES.PHP | Updated: Monday, 26th March, 2012 @ 08:31am