Schatten AT-04 Archtop Guitar Pickup
NEW
Compensated Ebony Bridge With Suspended Sensor Element
We've redesigned our archtop guitar
pickup.
Fuller, fatter sound
More even response
Reduced 'hand' noise
Greater range of adjustability
The Archtop Pickup Re-Thought
With the new AT-04 archtop pickup, we've separated the piezo sensing unit from the bridge itself so that the piezo element is no longer embedded within the bridge's upper saddle. The piezo sensor is attached directly to the underside of the saddle and is fully enclosed and shielded to guard against the possibility of line noise.
By moving the pickup's sensor from within the saddle to underneath it, we have accomplished some pretty good things. For example: the bridge is physically stronger since it doesn't have to be slotted to allow a sensor to fit inside. Vibration transmission within the saddle itself is improved and sound transmission to the sensor was also improved.
This pickup has been designed to operate properly and sound terrific without the use of a preamp when plugged into any 'normal' amp (guitar amp, bass amp, etc.). If you require the added ability to be able to plug directly into a P.A. or mixer then you may wish to add one of our Preamp/DI units to your pickup system.
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Details
The redesign of the pickup's base has made it possible to fit the new pickup to a much wider range of archtops, specifically including those older instruments that require a lower bridge height. Modifications to the pickup that may be required for fitting a lower bridge height are now more easily and confidently done.
The AT-04 pickup
comes with 24" of thin non-microphonic shielded cable and is supplied
with a high quality take-apart endpin jack and a small nylon clip
(which will allow you to hang the output jack from the strap button,
if you wish). Instructions and warranty
information included.
This pickup has been designed to operate properly and sound terrific without the use of a preamp when plugged into any 'normal' electric guitar amp. (guitar amp, bass amp, etc.). If you require the added ability to be able to plug directly into a P.A. or mixer then you may wish to add one of our Preamp/DI units to your pickup system.
View:Installation Instructions - AT-04
Pictures
Technical
AT-04 Dimensions
The
photo above shows an 'exploded' view of the components that make
up the new AT-04. With previous archtop guitar pickups, including
ours, it was difficult to trim down the overall height of the
pickup in order to make it usable on archtops that required a
lower bridge height.
The AT-04 can have the feet on the base trimmed down.
On the saddle, the area of the height adjusters, the area on the
underside of the saddle, and the top surface of the saddle all may
be trimmed to suit.
The AT-04 sensor unit is attached to the underside of
the saddle with 3M VHB tape and was designed to be easily removed
for saddle trimming and then reinstalled on the bottom of the
saddle.
The only requirement for saddle height trimming is that
the bridge not be trimmed down so far that it can no longer
physically support the string pressure.
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About Pickups, Preamps, Amps
Terminology
Passive Pickup - A piezo pickup.
Impedance - To simplify things as much as posssible we'll say that impedance refers to the range in which an amplifying device can 'hear' a pickup plugged into it.
Preamp - A device specifically designed for use with piezo pickups that increases the signal strength and lowers the impedance of a passive pickup.
Active Pickup - A piezo pickup with an attached preamp.
Microphone Preamp - a device that may be built into P.A.systems and mixers that is designed to work with microphones. These units will not generally work with passive pickups.
'Normal' Electric Guitar Amps: A passive pickup has an impedance of approximately 2 mega ohms (2 million ohms) which virtually all 'normal' electric guitar amps can generally handle without issue.
'Acoustic' Amps: may or may not require the use of a preamp with a pickup and that will depend upon whether or not there is a special built in preamp section to that amp that specifically allows for the choice in plugging in either a passive (non-preamped) or active (preamped) pickup. This choice is quite often in the form of pushbutton on the amp's control panel. Many acoustic amps show a selection that may indicate the choice of 'high impedance' and 'low impedance'.
Low impedance in these instances usually indicates that in this range the amp will handle an impedance of 1000 ohms or less - which will allow active pickups with preamps to be used.
High impedance in these instances may indicate an allowable impedance into the 2 or 3 mega ohm range - which will allow passive pickups to be used. Or it may indicate a maximum input impedance allowed of 20,000 ohms or less - which will handle magnetic electric guitar pickups but not passive pickups. You should carefully read the technical specifications of your acoustic amp in order to see what it will do.
P.A. Systems, Mixers: all of these units will require the use of a preamp between themselves and a passive pickup. Microphone preamps built into P.A.'s and mixers are not designed for use with passive pickups and will not work properly.
Computers: Due to the vagaries and variables inherent in the sound cards found in computers, the only thing that we can advise is that a preamp will almost certainly be necessary.
