Frequently Asked Questions

Balanced Acoustic Pickups

Q: Can I plug my NeebSound Pickup into any acoustic preamp? A: You can plug the pickup into any piezo preamp using a mono cable, but if you plug it into a standard piezo preamp, it will only be functioning as single-ended. This will cause a marginal increase in noise floor. To operate differential (balanced), you will need to plug into either a NeebSound PiezoBuddy or into a high input impedance ribbon microphone preamp.
Q: Can I plug my NeebSound Pickup into a microphone preamp? A: Yes, but it needs to have a high input impedance for best sound. There are a couple of options. You can use a preamp designed for ribbon microphones, or you can use a "lifter" device to run in between the pickup and a standard microphone preamp.
Q: Do you have a recommendation for the best preamp? A: Your tastes may vary, but of course we recommend our PiezoBuddy system for the best low-noise performance. For cheaper options, consider an sE Electronics DM2 TNT ribbon microphone preamp.
Q: I have a high input impedance microphone preamp. How do I plug in the pickup? A: You will need an adapter cable that converts from a TRS barrel plug to an XLR plug. Standard pinouts apply. We offer these as an accessory, but you can purchase them elsewhere.
Q: I've removed the pickup from the top of my instrument. How do I get the adhesive off of my instrument? A: For most modern finishes, you can use an instrument/guitar polish.
Q: What advantage does a differential pickup have over a traditional piezo element? A: Our pickups are dead silent when used with a differential (balanced) preamp.