Recommendation for a mandolin pickup?

[John H]

Looking for something for my Eastman model 514 (F-style, oval soundhole). Schertler's sounds inticiing, but it's also $300. Other recommendations? Thanks!

[Pa'ani]

Have you checked out the K&K pickups ?
I know they have a mandolin pickup model, you could probably get more information on their website.

[ultrevex]

I use the K&K external mounted 'hot spot' transducer on my mandolin. Great natural sound, effortless install, plenty hot with good balanced eq, about $25-30 direct from them.

[jbgordon]

If you don't want to spend the money on the Schertler, then I would definitely go with the K&K hot spot or Mandolin twin.

[walterw]

baggs is supposed to be coming out with some sort of ibeam variant for mandolin, but i think it's still vaporware at this point.

[bazooka47]

I have an Eastman 814 into which I have installed a McIntyre Feather pickup. The installation was easy, and it sounds great.

Since then, I have "discovered" the K&K Mini-Western. Although I have not tried the K&K mando pickup, I bought the Mini Western for guitar and put it into my Collings D1A- again, a relatively easy installation - and it sounds FANTASTIC. I went ahead and got the K&K preamp also, even though I already had a Baggs DI box. It's a very nice, elegantly simple rig.

Knowing what I know now, I would be tempted to try the K&K in that Eastman.

By the way, that Eastman F4 style is SUCH a great mando for the money, don't you agree?

[jcground]

Lots of recommendations here for the K&K. I've also seen recommendations for the McIntyre MT-100:

http://www.mcintyrepickups.com/pickups.html

I believe they're the OEM pickup in Weber and Breedlove mandolins that have pickups.

All heresay from me, though. My mando doesn't have a pickup. I park in front of a mic when necessary.