Balanced Piezo Contact Mic Kit

Cortado MkII

A phantom-powered, balanced contact microphone with wide bandwidth, low noise, and a high signal level. Build it as a standard mic, a tin can mic, or an instrument pickup.

Board 2.3
Power 48V phantom
Skill Beginner

Open the interactive assembly guide Buy this kit

Build the kit

The interactive guide walks the build step by step against a zoomable board image, adapting to the build style you choose, and remembers your progress in this browser.

Interactive assembly guide Web app

Every step with the exact parts highlighted on the board, resistor color bands, part photos, a searchable component index, and saved progress.

Board 2.3 · Standard / Tin Can / Pickup Assembly & owner's manual PDF

The complete printable manual. Covers all three build styles plus how to use and mount the finished microphone.

PDF · 4.0 MB

Background reading

How the circuit works and why it is built this way.

Essentials of Hula Mic Design PDF

Design notes on the buffered piezo topology behind the Cortado, covering impedance, bandwidth, and the tradeoffs in contact microphone preamps.

PDF · 4.7 MB

Help and community

The forum is the fastest way to get unstuck. Most build questions have already been asked and answered there.