Wiring two dobro pickups to stereo out

[jonshack]

Hello all, I've been playing around with amplifying my dobro and I think I've landed on an affordable solution which works well for me at gigs. I have a barcus berry magnetic pickup under the strings and a cheapo piezo pickup on the body. Each goes to a dual channel preamp (like this one http://kksound.com/products/dualchannelpreamp.php) and the mixed mono signal goes to my amp. Works quite nicely - the piezo gives a lively resonator sound and the magnetic pickup adds body and presence. When balanced carefully I get a very dobro-y tone with little feedback compared to micing up. Seperately the mag pickup is too lap-steely and the piezo is too hollow sounding - but together they really work.

Having tested this a few times with everything taped on, the next stage is to install the two output jacks (and the piezo itself) inside the guitar. Preferably I'd like to wire the two pickups to a single stereo jack and then use a stereo-to-two-mono cable into the dual preamp. My question is about wiring. Do I wire both grounds to the sleeve lug and then each hot wire to tip and ring respectively? Also can anyone recommend a specific jack for this purpose? Would I have problems with a fancy end pin jack, bearing in mind the dobro's tailpiece?

Many thanks,
Jonathan

[Ken Byng]

Jonathan
I would use a standard but heavy duty stereo socket wiring the common earths together. Also attaching an earth wire to the underneath of the cone cover. You have a choice of either using a stereo to 2 mono out adaptor (pictured), or a stereo to 2 mono Y lead. I find the former more convenient.

I once used a Schatten contact pickup on a resonator guitar, and it sounded very authentic indeed.

[jonshack]

Thanks Ken, good tip about grounding the cone cover. Any more recommendations before I get the black and decker out?

[Ken Byng]

Not really Jonathan. The whole procedure is fairly straightforward.

If you intend to drill through the tailpiece, I would buy a cheap replacement first if you can get hold of one. Mounting the jack socket through a metal tailpiece will give much more stability to the hole, and help prevent the wood around the hole from splitting if any pressure is put on the socket. This should only be done if the tailpiece lies flush with the bottom of the guitar. I would be inclined to keep the original tailpiece intact.