If you want to move beyond the living room and play your ukulele on stage, busk in a public space, or record music in a studio, you need a pickup. A pickup is a device that converts your strings' vibrations into an electrical signal that can be amplified. However, choosing the right pickup is complex, as the technology directly impacts your amplified tone. The choice often comes down to balancing natural sound (what your ear hears) against feedback resistance (what the audience doesn't want to hear). This guide breaks down the three main types of pickups to help you choose the best system for your gigging and recording needs.
Piezo Pickups (The Industry Standard)
Piezoelectric crystals are the most common technology for amplifying the ukulele. They work by converting vibrations into an electrical signal. This category has two main styles:
• Under Saddle Transducers (UST): A strip placed directly under the ukulele’s bridge saddle. These are favored by most performing players for their consistency and reliability on stage and high resistance to feedback. However, they can produce a distinctive, "crisp" or "piezoelectric" sound that some find less natural than a mic.
• Soundboard Transducers (SBT): Small discs that attach inside the instrument, reading vibrations directly from the wood. These often provide a warmer, more natural tone closer to the acoustic sound but are much more sensitive, prone to feedback, and pick up extraneous noise like arm movements.
Microphone Pickups (The Best Tone, Highest Risk)
Using a microphone—either an external mic on a stand or a miniature condenser mic mounted internally—provides the best, most natural amplified ukulele sound. A microphone captures all the instrument's nuances, shimmer, and overtones, delivering precisely what your ear hears. The Risk: Microphones are highly susceptible to feedback, especially at higher volumes or in loud environments. They also pick up all noise on stage, including monitors and background chatter, making them difficult to use without a skilled sound technician.
Active vs. Passive Power Systems
Pickups are further categorized by how they are powered, which affects their performance and convenience:
• Passive Pickups: Require no battery but send a weaker signal. They require an external preamp to boost the signal to be effective. Pros: Lighter instrument, supposedly more dynamic and "natural" tone.
• Active Pickups: Include an internal preamp and are usually powered by a 9V or small 3V battery. Pros: Produce a stronger, cleaner signal, often with onboard EQ controls. Cons: They add weight to the instrument and stop working completely when the battery runs out.
Choosing the right pickup is all about trade-offs: pure acoustic tone (Mic) versus maximum reliability (UST Piezo). Whether you choose an active system for convenience or a passive system for dynamics, amplification is the next step to becoming a performing musician.
Your Complete Ukulele Roadmap is Here.
Amplification is one step, but mastering the instrument is the full journey. Learn how to optimize your strumming, fingerpicking, and chords to get the best possible sound before you plug in.
This guide covers all foundational techniques, advanced strumming patterns, and includes a full chord library to master the instrument for stage and studio.
