What
is this stuff?
The sensing material is a high tech polymer film originally developed
for NASA and the US Navy. It shows excellent linearity over the entire
audio spectrum, and properly applied, it is one of the most transparent
sounding transducer materials for musical pickup systems. The outer wrap
is a special metalized Kevlar cloth that is extremely thin, fully conductive,
100% shielded, and protects the sensor from damage. >>top
How
do I choose the best pickup for my instrument?
Take a look at our 'pickups' page and follow
the appropriate link next to your instrument. This section will provide
you with instrument specific details and basic mounting and installation
instructions. If you have a unique instrument or one that is unlisted
please contact us for recommendations.>>top
Do I need a pre-amp?
We recommend using a pre-amp with all of our products. Although many other
manufacturers claim their products do not need a pre-amp, use of a pre-amp
in most cases greatly improves product performance.
The primary purpose of a pre-amp is impedance matching. The output impedance
of our pickups is around 1 megohm and to realize the full low frequency
spectrum of the output, it is advisable to plug it into an impedance of
5-10megohms. For some higher register instruments this might not be as
necessary.
Another reason for using one is to increase the output level. Many amplifiers
and mixing consoles are designed for stronger signals, or ones that are
already pre-amped upstream, and for these, a pre-amp is needed. Though
pre-amps are ideally not supposed to color the sound when all the levels
are set to their 'flat' position, they all have different types of coloration
and should be auditioned to make the best choice. All PUTW pre-amps are
designed to be as flat as possible. Please contact us if you have questions
about compatibility with pre-amps from other manufacturers. >>top
Will installing an endpin jack violate the integrity
of my instrument?
This is somewhat subjective, but the consensus seems to be that anything
newer than 1970 could have been purchased from the factory with an endpin
jack installed. If the instrument is older than that and is in collectable
condition, other alternatives such as our 'Vintage
Systems' are available. Properly installed, endpin jacks do not pose
any risk to the structure or tone of an instrument, and they are to date,
the most reliable system for plugging in. >>top
Can I use PUTW pickups with other brand electronics?
Yes. We have not found any acoustic pre-amps that are not compatible,
though some are noisier than we would like, and some might color the tone
in an interesting way. >>top
Can I combine a PUTW pickup signal with other pickups?
Yes, but this usually requires pre-amping the signals prior to mixing
them together. Our output jacks are stereo ready, and the signals can
be routed to the tip and ring of the output jack. All of PUTW's pre-amps
come in configurations for every conceivable combination of products,
and we have suitable systems for both onboard and off-board pre-amping
and blending. >>top
Can
I use this cheap old cable?
When the pickup signal is not pre-amped upstream of the cable, the signal
is susceptible to degradation from the inefficiencies of the cable. We
have done a lot of research in this area, and have found the best cables
are fully shielded, have low capacitance, and need to be durable. When
the pickups are run passively, good cables can be used without problems,
but some A/B testing should be done to hear what a particular cable is
doing to the signal. PUTW stocks cables from various manufacturers that
have excellent characteristics for our passive pickup installations, and
these are very reasonably priced and fully guaranteed. Check our website,
or contact us for prices and specifications. >>top
Can
I experiment with the pickup on things other than those mentioned here?
Yes. We encourage experimentation, and our customers have used them on
everything from pots and pans, to furniture, typewriters, and bizarre
musical inventions. The only concern is not to get them wet, or expose
them to extreme heat or harsh chemicals. >>top
Can I cut or modify the shape or size of my pickup?
No, this could cause a short circuit in the output. PUTW manufactures
all sorts of shapes and sizes of pickups for every conceivable application.
If it appears a different size would be more appropriate for you, contact
us to see if we can exchange it for a different model.
I'm designing a unique instrument, and wonder if you make custom elements?
Yes. We do this quite regularly for people, and really enjoy the process
of solving unique sensing challenges. The turn around time for custom
orders is usually around 4 weeks. >>top
I am a part time luthier; can I get a discount on
your products?
Yes. We sell wholesale direct to builders without needing to jump through
hoops or lengthy application processes. We also have no minimum order
requirements, or any problems with luthiers making a profit by being distribution
points for us. >>top
I wish to purchase more PUTW products, should I buy
direct or through a retailer?
Our buy direct prices are the same or slightly more than what the average
retailer will charge, and we encourage our customers to work with their
local dealers when this is practical. Some people may not have a retailer
listed nearby, but we are always interested in sending samples to new
dealers and opening up retail sales accounts with reputable outlets. We
even work through our dealers for custom orders, even if the correspondence
was done directly with us. Our only interest is in creating win-win situations
for everyone, and so far, we think we've done a pretty good job of this. >>top
I am a touring and recording artist. Can I get an
artist discount?
Most all of our business comes from word of mouth referrals or from people
hearing people perform with our products. Whether we can offer an artist
discount or not largely depends on the degree of talent and exposure an
artist can provide.
We do not pay any of our endorsers, nor do we have binding contracts that
specify that they only use our products. These professional relationships
are very important to us, and we do everything possible to maintain the
highest levels of respect and integrity towards our customers and business
associates. >>top
I own a music store and would like to carry your products.
What do I do?
Call or e-mail us, and we'll send a brochure of all our products. We have
no minimum order requirements and welcome any and all reputable retail
outlets. >>top
I am a music teacher, and our school needs some amplification.
Can you help?
Yes. We try to assist educational programs in any way we can, and are
happy to discuss instrument needs and budgets. >>top
Where
are your products manufactured?
Pick-up the World’s products and promotional materials are produced
exclusively within the United States by a dedicated staff of professional
musicians. >>top
What
is your return policy?
If you find your amplified tone unsatisfactory, please visit our troubleshooting
pages or contact us for installation support. 99% of the time unsatisfactory
tone is caused by a faulty installation and is easily resolvable.
We encourage and expect everyone to make informed purchase decisions.
There are a number of great websites and many online resources that can
help point you in the right direction when looking for amplification systems.
Check out various forums and listen to the sound samples on Doug Young's Acoustic
Pickup Comparison Page.
If you have somehow purchased one of our products in error or would like
to make an exchange, you may contact us within ten days of purchase for
return authorization for your unused product. Returns without prior authorization
are not accepted. Products purchased through third party retailers are
subject to their return policies.
>>top
What
do you charge for consultations?
One hour maximum consultations are included in the purchase price of our
pickup systems. Beyond one hour, or if consultations are requested for
instrument purchasing, repair work, PA system building etc. $45 per hour is charged.
>>top
Advisement's:
Do not for any reason solder, cut or puncture the film. This will void
our otherwise iron clad warrantee. If you would prefer a different size
element, contact PUTW, as we make numerous shape and sizes for special
applications.
If the pickup is mounted externally, be confident in the integrity of
the finish before mounting either the pickup or the jack adhesively. It
is always better to mount the jack clip on a tailpiece than on the soundboard,
but that's not always possible. >>top
Disclaimer:
Pick-up the World (PUTW) or any of its affiliates cannot be held liable
for damage to finishes. The adhesives used in our tapes are chemically
friendly with most all finishes, but can cause chips to come off if the
finish has fine cracks in it, or if it is really delicate. Please use
your discretion, and contact PUTW for alternative mountings if finish
damage is a possible concern for external mountings. >>top
Warranty:
Pick-up the World warrants all of its products against defects in materials
and workmanship
for one year under normal use. If your product is out of our standard warranty
period we will
be happy to upgrade your product to current specs. for a discounted fee.
Please contact us for
options.
>>top
Correspondence:
We love hearing happy stories from our customers, and this inspires us
to continue pushing the envelope in the quest for perfect sound. If for
any reason things don't sound quite right, we gladly take whatever time
is needed to assist in installation help and troubleshooting. Please feel
free to contact us during our normal hours of
operation with any questions, comments or support issues you may have. >>top
Privacy
Policy :
PUTW will not share your personal information with anyone under any circumstances:)
>>top
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