#1.LR Baggs Mandolin Pickup
For those who are interested in the best mandolin pickup, the LR Baggs brand is certainly one that stands out amongst the crowd. It is quite possibly one of the easiest to attach with putty and doesn’t do any damage to your mandolin. The hi-tech contact sensors help reproduce a truly realistic sound and the price is very reasonable for the quality that you are getting in return.
Best Mandolin Pickup
- #1.LR Baggs Mandolin Pickup
- #2.Fishman M-200 Professional Mandolin Pickup
- #3.Myers Pickups Mandolin Pick Up
- #4.Fishman M-300 Archtop Mandolin Pickup
- #5. Northern Lutherie Mandolin Pick Up
#1.LR Baggs Mandolin Pickup
When it comes to the best mandolin pickup, we suggest that you try out the LR Baggs Mandolin Pickup. The LR Baggs brand is definitely one of the industry standards and is certainly one of the most popular. With a little bit of mounting putty, this mandolin picks up and installs easily on any mandolin without being destructive to the finish. The setup is quite easy and anyone can do it properly.
It is definitely a blessing to not have any screws or holes. Many people really like the hi-tech contact sensor that has amazing sound reproduction and is quite true to the actual sound. One of the downsides is that some people can’t seem to keep the unit attached, but from our experience, we have never seen any of this.
#2.Fishman M-200 Professional Mandolin Pickup
Next up, we have the Fishman M-200, which is the best mandolin pickup for those who want something more professional and are willing to pay a premium for it. This mandolin pickup is designed for all archtop-style mandolins and features a piezo-ceramic pickup element. This element is embedded in an ebony replacement bridge.
If you are going for sheer performance, the Fishman M-200 is definitely one of the better options for you. The downside is that it sort of needs a professional installation which can be a bit annoying. It is for sure the top-performing pickup you can buy and will give you a beautifully improved live sound. The only thing is it is a pain to install.
#3.Myers Pickups Mandolin Pick Up
Another really nice option when it comes to the best mandolin pickup is the Myers Pickups branded mandolin pickup. This is definitely a great all-in-one pick-up on the market today. We think the standout feature is that it is one of the smallest all-in-ones and includes an internally powered, active preamp. And it comes out of the box ready to play and plugin.
Installation is also a breeze and the Myers Pickups come with three different mounting options. Also, the powered source is included and comes pre-installed. Best of all, many people really like the sound it produces as it gives you a great acoustic tone while keeping very small and lightweight.
#4.Fishman M-300 Archtop Mandolin Pickup
The Fishman M-300 Archtop Mandolin Pickup is a pro-quality archtop pickup that gives you a pretty accurate reproduction of your mandolin’s acoustic sound. Just a fair warning before we get started though, this pickup does require a professional installation although you are certainly more than welcome to try to do it yourself.
We think the standout feature of the Fishman M-300 is that it is just incredibly reliable and consistent, which is quite important when it comes to professional performances. Overall, this pickup has some incredible engineering and just produces a wonderful sound. The only thing is you need to pay a premium that some are unwilling to pay.
#5. Northern Lutherie Mandolin Pick Up
Lastly, we have the Northern Lutherie Mandolin Pick-up, which is for sure one of the more affordable pick-ups out there for the excellent quality that you are getting in return. While this is not really a common brand, we believe that we have found a nice diamond in the rough. It is handmade in the USA and gives you amazing clarity of sound.
We think the standout feature here is that it gives you very little feedback response while giving you very high clarity and output and is at the top end of the market in terms of clarity here. It also has a 20 mm dual sensor that delivers some pretty amazing sound and tone that other pickups in this price range just can’t reproduce.
References
https://www.lrbaggs.com/pickups/radius-mandolin-pickup
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/threads/124529-Best-performing-pickup-for-mandolin
