What is the best pickup for a ukulele?

The two “best” ukulele pickup solutions (as of 2018) seem to revolve around the LR Baggs ukulele UST element. This UST is used in both the LR Baggs Five-0 ($150) and also the MISI Acoustic Trio Uke ($135). Both of these pickups are active, but are each powered with very little weight in different ways.

Can you add a pickup to a ukulele?

The same vibrations that are sent into your ukulele’s body to create that lovely ukulele sound can also be picked up by a pickup. That means you can amplify them and transmit them through a speaker.

How do ukulele pickups work?

Piezo pickups are by far the most common and are made out of a sheet or strip of piezoelectric crystals that act as a transducer. Vibrations on the body of the ukulele are “picked up” by the piezo crystals and they turn this into an electrical signal that can be turned into sound by an amplified.

Are electric ukuleles any good?

The pure electric ukuleles do have their advantages. Being so quiet when not plugged in, they’re perfect for late-night practice. And at great volume, they’re less likely than electro-acoustics to produce feedback (the screeching sound you get when the amplified sound feeds-back into the instrument’s pick-ups).

Do I need a preamp for my ukulele?

If you have a passive piezo pickup, the short answer is: YES, you need a preamp. These pickups can sound great, but they need an optimized environment to really shine. That said, there are times when you don’t need a preamp for a passive pickup. Like when the input is high-impedance!

Should I buy an electric acoustic ukulele?

The pure electric ukuleles do have their advantages. Being so quiet when not plugged in, they’re perfect for late-night practice. Electric ukuleles, however, do lose some of the traditional ukulele sound. So if you’re going for that sound, buy an electro-acoustic ukulele.