I’m looking for a simple amp and pick-up combo for busking. Can anyone recommend me cheap equipment (brands/models) that will do the job?
My solution, for now, is to play a G flute.
It’s heard at a considerable
distance. I’m not sure how well a
D flute is heard, but I think it’s
heard alright, FWIW.
Dude, you gotta have a Marshall Stack for busking - it’s the only way to go, everyone knows that. Make sure you get the one that goes to 11.
Loren
And the sustain! Don’t touch it; it’s still going…
But, seriously…
I don’t think anyone sells a mic/amp combo. Some players prefer a mic on the flute, others a mic-stand mic, some a head-set mic (like some singers, particularly keyboardists, will use). Terry has some useful suggestions on his site; I always end up with the mic-on-stand, for a number of good and convenient reasons too numerous to go into now.
The amp, if you just want a stand alone amplifier (as opposed to a small PA, or one that’ll blow your socks off) should be made for amplifying as cleanly as possible – go for a keyboard amp or acoustic guitar amp, preferably solid-state (not tube) as these avoid distortion at high volumes, with plenty of head room before extraneous noise begins to interupt or corrupt your flute tone (as opposed to guitar amps, which covet distortion as the volume increases, the tubes getting “hotter” as they crank up, and some, in fact, will go to 11.)
Small PAs are good, too – made to stay clean, and you can add three or many more (depending on model) players if you want. Some are quite portable, and not too expensive, depending on how loud you need to go.
Gordon
I have successfully used an inexpensive Radio Shack tie-clip mic. http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&category_name=CTLG_007_008_003_001&product_id=33-3013
An 1/8" to 1/4" female to female coupler and some electrical tape to attach it to the belt clip will allow you to plug into an amp using a 1/4" guitar cable.
I attach the mic to my headjoint with a velcro wire-tie, but there are other solutions, some as elegant as Terry McGee’s solution http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/mic-clip.html or as primitive as using a twisty-tie.
Cheers,
Nigel Tufnel
On a serious note: There are a ton of decent small amps available these days, check out your local mega music store (Guitar Center, Sam Ash, etc.), or an on-line dealer like Musiciansfriend.com.
Regarding mics, the info on Terry M’s site is one (good) way, another is to go “James McNally” style - use a headphone mic, also available through your local large and impersonal music retailer :roll:
Loren
I played with a friend recently who was using this system by Yorkville. A very impressive sound in a small package. I was particularly impressed by the small four channel mixer (M8)! Of course this does require a plug which is not often available when busking. There are a number of locations where I live that this is possible.
Clark
Sorry I forgot to give the URL for this system. http://www.yorkville.com/search.asp
Clark
I figured out the miking part of things, with
a radio shack lapel mike. But I wanted a highly
mobile amplifier/speaker, battery operated.
Well, there was the pignose. It just didn’t
seem right.
The good news is that flutes are audible,
more so than low whistles, and if one
moves up to more treble instruments,
one can be heard for blocks. Best
http://www.kksound.com/silverbullet-ebay.html
would anyone be able to offer an evaluation of the above?
I use something similar, by Yamaha (PS/7 discontinued…). I can’t speak of the “Silver Bullet”, but this configuration of gooseneck microphone works very well for me. I can be very loud even in rock bands without picking up feedback.
I’m now busking with a D flute, unamplified.
I tend to play thing high. It’s working very well,
Making bucks. FWIW.
I used a headset a couple of weeks ago
and it worked fine. My impression is that the miking
part is the easy part.
How does one with batteries only amplify the sound?
As mentioned I’ve found only the pignose.
I am using this for performance. I don’t use the clamp on my flute, as I wanted to be able to use the mic for flute and whistles, so I attached the mic to a headband from a cell phone rig, and I use it like headset mic, thinking it would be more suited to instruments than a vocal mic. It comes with a small preamp that requirs a 9volt battery. I feed that into a small mixer and then ito the pa system. It works great!
I’ve seen someone who uses a Fender “amp in a can” for violin. Hard to beat it for a compact, easily transportable package. It’s heavy with the batteries, but hey, good batteries are heavy. I imagine it would work quite well with the proper microphone for a flute.
Can’t help with the amp, but I like this little combo quite well …
http://www.pick-uptheworld.com/wind.htm
It straps onto your flute, the pre-amp (w/ its own volume control) clips onto your belt, then you run a standard 1/4" guitar cable from yourself to your amp, and Robert’s your parental male sibling. I’ve used mine with a regular ole crate amp and it sounds OK …
audio-technica makes a clip-on condenser mic that works well for flute, just plug it into a pignose amp and you’ve got some amplification
Does the pignose sound good with flute?
does anyone know whether a pignose 20 would work okay with a microvox pre-amp for a wooden flute?
preamp:
http://www.hobgoblin.com/local/contfram.htm
pignose:
http://www.pmtonline.co.uk/index.asp
I once used this Barcus-Berry flute mic/pre-amp combo:
It worked terrific.
It didn’t fit the large bore of the wood flute, so I added a lap of cork around it to fit. Then just removed the crown and plugged in. Great sound.
I stopped using it because I had too many flutes on stage, so removing corks became cumbersome.
I have 2 of these systems. If you’re interested, I’d be willing to part with both or one of them. PM me off list.