Electronic Tuner, Tuner Chords, Internal Mics and Piezo Pickups

Clipped on the front rail of a hammered dulcimer

 Pitch Pocket HST E-tuner
  • Compact size with 360 degree rotating display
  • Operates as a clip-on or free-standing tuner (Dual Mode) in other words it can be a mic or read the vibrations directly off the instrument
  • Lighted LCD display turns from red to green when string is in tune but also has a "needle" to indicated when you are getting close

  • Works for all acoustic instruments
  • Battery included

Price $20 plus $3 shipping

 

ElectronicTuner Cord

Plug this into your electronic tuner and clip onto a tuning pin and you've got the most positive read in any kind of noisy environment. Great for noisy dulcimer workshops. $14 shipping $3

 

James Jones Hammered Dulcimer Amplification - Piezo Film Pickup

This pickup assembly (see above photo) includes a piezo film sensor mounted with double stick tape onto the underside of your soundboard. A shielded cable runs to either a Artec endpin pre-amp or a plain 1/4" jack. The photo below shows the pre-amp installed in its instrument installation block accessible from the back handhold. The pickup requires a 9 volt battery. This complete assembly is installed inside the hammered dulcimer and is attached to the back with two threaded machine bolts. Nothing is visible from outside the instrument except the heads of the two machine screws holding the assembly to the back.



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 pre-amp. The pickup is connected to a standard Switchcraft 1/4" phone jack. Installing the pickup with the internal pre-amp does not exclude using a external pre-amp with controls

( 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)

Pickup Price
  • Piezo Pickup Assembly with Artec pre-amp, mounting block and battery (shown above although piezo film now is slightly different)

    $95 plus $15 installation

Pickup Components for other hammered dulcimers or 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 pre-amp can be used together without the mounting 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.
Component Prices
  • The Artec pre-amp with attached piezo sensor and battery. Mounting block not included.

    $80 plus shipping $3
  • Artec pre-amp (with no piezo pickup )

    $35 plus $3 shipping
  • Piezo Pickup wired to a Switchcraft 1/4" phone jack)

    $40 with $3 shipping
  • Piezo film pickup sensor (see photo below)

    $30 plus shipping of $2
This shielded piezo film sensor is 1 5/8" x 5/8" with 16" of flexible shielded cable attached. It comes with double stick tape already attached
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" phone 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" phone 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.
Roland Mobile Cube Battery-Powered Stereo Amplifier
This little unit really fulfills the need for a high quality battery powered amp to play on the street. Works great with my piezo pickup. Produces a very natural sound with plenty of volume. Runs off 6 AA batteries. Use rechargeables and you've got a very economical package. $169

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" phone 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