Korg CA-30 Digital Chromatic Tuner

This Korg chromatic tuner is easy to use, accurate and affordable. Two AAA batteries included. $25 shipping $3

ElectronicTuner Cord

The microphone is more susceptible to feedback because it picks up resonances through the air but it gives a slightly more genuine boost to the sound. The piezo film pickup is much less sensitive to feedback because it picks up vibrations through the wood and you get more volume. Additionally, the piezo pickup can be installed on a wide variety of other musical instruments.

Piezo Pickup for James Jones Hammered Dulcimers

This pickup assembly includes a piezo film sensor which is mounted with double stick tape onto the underside of your soundboard. A shielded cable runs to either a Fishman Powerjack (tm) endpin pre-amp or a plain 1/4" jack.(Installation and Specs) The photo shows the Powerjack installed in its instrument installation block. Attached to this block is a holder for the 9 volt battery although I am now installing the battery on the underside of the back just inside the handhold with velcro which makes replacement easier. This complete assembly is installed inside the hammered dulcimer and is attached to the back with two brass threaded machine bolts. Access to the jack is through the hand hold on the back of your instrument. Nothing is visible from outside the instrument except the heads of the two machine screws holding the assembly to the back.



The screws are flush to the back. This pickup is best where you need a fair amount of volume. If you already have a pre-amp or want to use one that has external controls, I can install the pickup in your instrument without the Powerjack pre-amp connected to a standard Switchcraft 1/4" phono jack. Installing the pickup with the internal Powerjack pre-amp does not exclude using a external pre-amp with controls
Option #1 - Piezo Pickup Assembly with Fishman Powerjack, mounting block and battery (shown above) $125 plus $10 installation

Option #1A - Piezo Pickup Assembly with Switchcraft 1/4" phono jack and mounting block. $85 plus $10 installation

( Note: The pickup assembly can be installed in any ordered new instrument for $10. However, it is currently not available as a retrofit kit for some older instruments. This assembly currently won't fit a used 3/13/12 or a 3/16/15/5. (The pickup can be installed on all new instruments of this size though)

Option #2 - Piezo Pickup for other musical instruments

The piezo sensor can used on any musical instrument including my harps, bowed psalteries, thumb pianos, bouzoukis and mountain dulcimers either mounted internally or externally. It can be attached and removed with care with double stick poster tape so you can experiment as to optimum placement with no modifications or damage to your instrument. Contact me if you have any questions as to its use on your instrument.

I am offering the individual elements for sale. The piezo sensor and Fishman Powerjack can be used together without the block on any instrument with an endblock not more than 3/4" thick or it can be externally mounted in a variety of different ways depending on the instrument.

The Fishman Powerjack preamp with attached piezo sensor and battery. Mounting block not included. $115 plus shipping $3

Fishman Powerjack preamp (with no piezo pickup )$50 plus $3 shipping

Piezo Pickup wired to a Switchcraft 1/4" phono jack) $55 with $3 shipping

Piezo Pickup Option #3 for other musical instruments

You may already have a high impedance (10 Megohm or greater) pre-amp and only need the piezo sensor. You can wire the sensor to either a shielded mini-plug or jack or to any a shielded standard `1/4" phono plug or jack. I recommend ultimately going into a high impedance pre-amp for the best possible sound. I can install the pickup in your instrument with a standard Switchcraft 1/4" phono jack.

If weight is important the pickup can be connected to a mini-plug connector. By using a shielded extension cord and a mini-to 1/4" adapter the line the pickup sensor can be connected to an outboard pre-amp either worn on your belt or located within a few feet from the instrument. If this is the option you'd like just purchase the pickup and do the installation and attachment to a jack yourself.

The Piezo pickup sensor is 1 5/8" X 3/4" and comes with 18" of shielded coaxial cable

Just the piezo film pickup sensor is $35 plus shipping of $1

Cable

I recommend using a quality 1/4" straight to 1/4" right angle cable with a 1/4" female/xlr male adapter. If you are retrofitting the piezo pickup assembly into one of my older instruments you will need to have the right angle 1/4" phono plug to located the block for attachment with the machine screws. You can use just the 1/4" to 1/4" cable but for situations requiring a low impedance XLR connection, the adapter will give you the optimum performance. You can get these cables at most music stores.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SHIPPING YOUR INSTRUMENT