Looking for in mouthpiece mic/pick-up,any ideas?

[jarvis tremintosy]

I have been using an old barcus berry transducer microphone from about 1976.However the one I have been using seems to be on its last legs. My mouthpiece has been customized to take it. I would like to stay with the in mouth piece mic/pick-up. I have had no luck locating a replacment on ebay and there does not seem to be anybody manufacturing anything like it currently. Any advice. I have been running through tube amplifiers including a Fender Delux, with a boss me-50 effects processor . I had been using an MXR micro-amp as a pre-amp, but recently procured the orginal barcus berry pre-amp that goes with mic. I would love to stay with the in mouth piece set up. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

[pfrank]

Congradulations! 31 years is a good run, like a Toyota with 300,000 miles...
I had a King pickup "nipple" drilled into my mp about when you got your barcusberry, but it fell apart sometime in the early 90s so I had to switch to microphones. Eventually the nipple wore down so the transducer wouldn't stay on and the jack into the belt-preamp was another point of weakness (just like a walkman). I have seen the King transducer/preamp/octave box on ebay once or twice, but the seller was always asking mucho dinero (like, over $300!) ridiculous really, for what it was.
However aggrivated I was at the time it fell apart, I have come to appreciate microphones over transducers. MUCH better fidelity! Yes, the transducer was effective with effects (partly because of the limited frequency range), but a mic technique can be just as good as long as you limit feedback, and it's much better for the straight trumpet sound.

Good luck!

[nowave]

Wow! I'm amazed your B-B lasted so long. The weak link (at least for me) was the thin wire leading into the transducer. I had at least two and they always died within a couple of years.

When I used mine (1980s) it was the perfect way to get a heavily processed & overdriven sound without feedback (using a mute to cut the acoustic sound of the horn). There has to be someone who could fabricate something similar today, but I doubt there's anything commercially available anymore.

If you search for posts by pfrank and mulligan stew (among others) you'll get some good feedback regarding mic setups. I know that mulligan gets some very processed sounds using a high-quality close mic - without feedback issues.

[MarkZ]

This story has a happy ending.

As it turned out, I had a Barcus Berry trumpet transducer since the late '70s. I probably hadn't used it since then.

Through the miracle of Paypal and UPS, jarvis tremintosy now has it, along with a well worn spare mouthpiece drilled out for it and a '70s vintage Electo Harmonix "power booster".

[ConnCoprion]

[tbear2500]

Not to resurrect a dead horse, but I recently came across one of these mouthpieces and have been unable to find a suitable pickup for it. I am aware of the aforementioned bad sound and all, but I would like to have it in large part for the novelty, and the uniqueness to some extent as well. I have noticed, though, that there are many pickups for acoustic guitars with similar designs. Do any of you know if one of these would work (assuming I secured it properly), or if the volume or pressure at the pickup would damage it?

[Chris "Elliot"]

I'm looking for a pick up as well to use with my trumpet, I know where I can drill my mouthpiece.
Did someone know which modern pick up always for sale I can use?

[FromTheLoft]

Serious time delay bump, but in any case ...

I have not tried this, but noticed today that the following company sells a pickup drilled into the mouthpiece ...

http://Piezobarrel.com

This is discussed in the context of an "Electric Trumpet" demonstration by Brian Hayes at:

https://youtu.be/nVEDn2FIJso

... where he feeds this into a couple of guitar effects pedals.

I hope this helps someone. I think I am going the Voco Loco route to feed into effects pedals. But it looks like a good solution.

Best regards,

- Scott