Electric Kalimba

Buy an acoustic kalimba or opt for an electric one? That’s the dilemma.

There are kalimbas on the market with the pickup already incorporated. They are musical instruments that appeal to many, since they already imagine what volume they can reach and what effects create. Anyway, don’t be hasty: consider well why buy an electric kalimba or why avoid spending that extra $20/40.


Finether on Amazon

Let's go in order.

How do pick ups work on a Kalimba?

The pick up is a trasducer, an electrical device that transforms the vibrations of the instrument into electrical impulses. So by connecting a cable, which we’ll call Jack, to an amplifier, the kalimba will be amplified.

In kalimba, the pick up is mounted inside the box and the cable must be connected to the bottom left exit. Many kalimbas have the pick up on the top of the box, for a matter of convenience during the performance.

The pick up will reproduce perfectly the sound of your kalimba. If you ear buzz or other issues, it means that the pick up is badly fitted or it's broken.

Is it worth spending more for a built-in pick up?

It depends on your kalimba usage and how experienced you are in amplifiers.

If you have to play alone, for yourself or for your friends around the fire, in the mountains during a trip and if you are novice, I don’t think you need a pick up.

It’s just a suggestion! The electric kalimba also works once disconnected from the amplifier, it is not an electric guitar that plays little without an amplifier.

If you have to play with other musicians, then you absolutely need a pick up: the kalimba has a lower volume than the other musical instruments and tends to "get lost". 

If you need to record songs you can use an audio card to connect to your PC, or a microphone. You choose. Obviously, in this case, the pick up allows you to save time and energy.

If you want to experiment with new sounds and effects, then don’t think too much: the electric kalimba is for you.

There is a shortcut for those who own an acoustic kalimba...

...its name is external pick up. There are acoustic pick-ups on the market. I used a suction cup one for years on my violin. They cost relatively little (depending on whether you buy one cheap or professional!) and attach to the instrument in various ways: stickers, with suction cup, clip, magnetic...take a trip to an instrument shop and you’ll get an idea!


Schaller Oyster pick up on Amazon

Popular Posts