Pickups are great optional cello accessories that can make your cello sound like an electric cello.
Cello pickups come with various features, making it quite difficult for beginners and students to choose the most appropriate equipment for them. In addition to this, since there is a handful of cello pickups that are available on the market, it may be difficult to decide what product is the best to use.
In this article, we have curated ten of the best cello pickups in the market. Moreover, we have listed what you should look for in cello pickups.
Overall Best Cello Pickup
A great and affordable Piezo electric pickup for your cello that has good sound reproduction and great tone.
Features:
• Adjustable volume level
• Great tone
• No battery required
Top 10 Best Cello Pickups
What to Look for in Cello Pickups
One of the primary things that you should be doing before purchasing an equipment is to identify the ideal features which the best cello pickups should have. This way, you are guaranteed that you will be getting the right cello pickup that is of high quality. Here are two of the features that you should look for when picking the best cello pickups.
The Attachability of the Cello Pickup
The first thing that you should look for when picking the a cello pickup is the attachability. Hence, you should ask yourself what type of cello pickup you want. Do you want the permanent one or the removable one? Removable cello pickups come in various designs, quality of tone, and price. Here are the different types of removable pickups:
- Clip-on microphones – Clip-on microphones produce excellent tone. Plus, they are easy to place on your cellos.
- Easy-fit pickups – These pickups do its job of transmitting the tone of your cello well.
- Under-the-bridge pickups – These pickups collect vibrations from the bridge and the top of your cello, so they are able to produce a well-rounded sound.
- Bridge mounted pickups – Being mounted on the bridge of your instrument, these pickups provide a better and more reliable tone.
- Contact microphones – Contact microphones produce excellent tone reproduction.
Usually, cello players purchase a removable cello pickup because it is more convenient to them. However, for those whose cellos need constant amplification, you should consider the permanent one. With a permanent pickup, you actually have to integrate it with your cello. So it will always be attached to your cello.
The Volume Produced
The volume that is produced by the cello pickup is another essential aspect that you have to consider. You should, therefore, note that the volume of the cello pickup will differ regardless of its attachability. You should consider the equipment that is able to generate a louder sound without generating squealing feedback. The feedback is a dangerous thing since it can damage your performance.
The features that we mentioned above are just some of the key features that you should take into consideration when picking the best cello pickups. It is worth noting that the final decision will still be dependent on your preference as the player.
All Cello Pickups
Below you can find all of our favorite cello pickups and transducers. We hope that one of these will meet your needs.
1. SUNYIN Cello Pickup
Kicking off our list is the SUNYIN Cello Pickup. This pickup features an adjustable volume level, helping you avoid feedback squeal. The sound is crisp and clear, making it ideal for performances. It also features a self-adhesive backing, making it convenient and easy to install near the sound hole. The design of this pickup is small and undetectable, yet its functionality makes it a great option for cellists.
2. Donner Piezo Pickup for Cello
If you are looking for the best cello pickups, the Donner Piezo Pickup for Cello could also be a good choice for you. It is a cello pickup with a low profile design. Being self-adhesive, you can easily place or remove it from your instrument. What makes this cello a good option is its quality reproduction of sound while minimizing noise interference. It also features adjustable volume control to avoid squeal feedback.
3. Imelod Piezo Pickup for Cello
The Imelod Piezo Pickup for Cello works by contacting directly with the sound source. With this pickup, you can remove almost all external sound interference and not be influenced by the sound reflections from the objects you can find nearby. It comes with a double-sided tape a self-adhesive Velcro for multiple mounting options. Being pocket-sized, it is relatively easy to use. You just have to plug it in your amp.
4. Realist Pickup for Acoustic Cello
The Realist Pickup for Acoustic Cello produces a powerful and rich response that is acoustically true for arco and pizzicato without having to adjust the controls. This flexible element of this cello pickup fits under the bridge foot, allowing you to pick up sound from the top plate and the bridge. This is a battery-powered gear and it does not require a pre-amp.
5. HEIMU Condenser Pickup for Cello
The HEIMU Condenser Pickup for Cello could be a good choice for PA amplification and lie recording of your cello. You can attach it below the bridge specifically between the bridge and the fingerboard, creating a distinct combination of a natural string sound and high-audio separation. The adapters for wired systems give you simple and flexible possibilities.
6. The Feather Cello Pickup by Myers Pickups
The Feather Cello Pickup by Myers Pickup is a lightweight cello pickup, hence its name. It is compact enough, allowing you to position it on your instrument without modification. All of these while amplifying the natural ton and beauty of your cellos. It is fully equipped with an active preamp, helping you produce a rich sound to your instrument. The power-source is pre-installed. It is compatible with most wireless systems.
7. Randon Acoustic Cello Pickup
The Randon Acoustic Cello Pickup is another great option for you should you be looking for the best cello pickups. It is able to remove interfering external sound while not being influenced by sound reflecting from nearby objects. It has a stick patch design that works by contacting with the sound source directly. This acoustic pickup comes with double-sided tape and a self-adhesive Velcro for placement options.
8. Adeline Acoustic Cello Pickup
We think that the Adeline Acoustic Cello Pickup is another great option for you. This acoustic pickup delivers high reproduction and superior sound. It is made of solid wood, so you can expect high fidelity without compromising the quality. This pickup is a piezo pickup so you can be sure that it is immune to environmental interference. It is very simple to install and operate, plus it does not require a battery to be used.
9. Fishman C-100 Classic Cello Pickup
The Fishman C-100 Classic Cello Pickup is another great choice should you be looking for the best cello pickups. It features a patented Floating Mount System, making it easy to install in the wing slot of the bridge. It also features a 1/4 tailpiece mounted jack and ten cables which completes the whole package. While we recommend an impedance-matching preamp, it is not really required.
10. KNA VC-1 Portable Piezo Pickup for Cello
Completing our list is the KNA VC-1 Portable Piezo Pickup for Cello. This is a portable piezo pickup with a wooden encased element. It is able to deliver natural sound without modifying or altering the sound that your cello produces. It even includes neatly-finished shim discs plus a 1/4-inch socket jack that you can attach to the tailpiece with a Velcro band. YOu can expect the quality of this pickup.
Conclusion
As a cello player, you should remember that a cello pickup is a great equipment that you can use to improve your performance on stage. Because of its functionalities, you can use it without having to resort to other equipment that might only cause you trouble. Hence, it is essential that you consider the features of each of the products so that you could choose the best cello pickups that are durable and useful. You should keep in mind that your future success as a cellist will depend not only on your skill but also on the equipment that you put into your instruments as well.
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