Considering a Piezo bridge on a Jr build...

[Texas07R8]

I've been thinking about building a DC Jr. type body for a while now, I love my 59 Jr. and I think it'd be a good start. Originally I wanted a wrap tail like the stock Jr. but lately I've been researching the piezo bridges and I'm thinking about making my build a DC Jr. shape with a single P90 in it but have a separate bridge and tailpiece like a LP Std. and using a piezo acoustic bridge instead of an ABR.

The LR Baggs T-Bridge looks good to me that Stew-Mac sells. I've checked other products online and they seem similar and the Baggs seems to be priced well compared to the others. I've been impressed with the sound quality after watching several videos of these systems in action.

I figure I could cut a control cavity sized to a LP Std. then I could fit the Control-X Mixer/preamp assembly and add a 9v battery compartment and use 3 of the 4 typical holes that a Std. control cavity would have (plus I get the simplicity of an existing cavity route design and template but also I won't have to jack with a custom backplate). I'd use my neck pickup volume and tone positions for the single P90 and I could use the bridge volume position for the 3 way toggle switch to go from passive to active or a blend of the two.

Has anyone used one of these before or built a guitar with both magnetic and piezo pickups? I love the way my Jr. sounds unplugged. It's a big fat slab of mahogany with no maple on top and it's resonant as hell. Makes me think a piezo on this type of design would be a good thing.

Any thoughts, successes or nightmares with this type system?

 

[xsouldriverx]

fishmann and graphtech are the two ones i would go with. i dont have info on the baggs so i cant comment. maybe one company makes a wraparound peizo.

 

[NateM]

I don't have experience with LR Baggs electric pickups but their acoustic pickups are top notch in my opinion so as long as that holds true in the electric region then they are probably just fine. On the other hand, Parker Flys use Fishman piezo bridges and I think they sound pretty good through them.

-Nate

 

[DGNRepair]

Graphtech is the one I highly reccomend. I install their system at least once a month for the guitar builder I work for and have never had a problem, plus the sound is great. Also, you can load the Graphtech Piezo saddles into a Tone Pro's AVT-2 wraparound bridge, which is exactly what we do. Let me know if you need any more info about this system.

Dan

 

[Texas07R8]

Graphtech is the one I highly reccomend. I install their system at least once a month for the guitar builder I work for and have never had a problem, plus the sound is great. Also, you can load the Graphtech Piezo saddles into a Tone Pro's AVT-2 wraparound bridge, which is exactly what we do. Let me know if you need any more info about this system.

Dan

Hey Dan, thanks for the info. I don't have any orders placed for any piezo stuff, just kicking it around.

Please get me some more info if you don't mind. I'd really like to hear more about the GT saddles in a Tone Pros wrap, that sounds like EXACTLY what I had in my mind's eye.

My plan is to run a stereo jack on the guitar and stay away from those 13 pin systems. I'm trying to keep it minimal and simple, just want to be able to toggle between magnetic and piezo and blend the two and a simple volume would be nice for the piezo. I can live without a piezo tone control as I've got EQ in my mixer for that.

 

[Paragon]

Check out Rockappella's doppelganger.


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EHoI_urMWw]YouTube - Handmade Gibson Les Paul 1959 replica with piezo demo.[/ame]

 

[DGNRepair]

Hey Dan, thanks for the info. I don't have any orders placed for any piezo stuff, just kicking it around.

Please get me some more info if you don't mind. I'd really like to hear more about the GT saddles in a Tone Pros wrap, that sounds like EXACTLY what I had in my mind's eye.

My plan is to run a stereo jack on the guitar and stay away from those 13 pin systems. I'm trying to keep it minimal and simple, just want to be able to toggle between magnetic and piezo and blend the two and a simple volume would be nice for the piezo. I can live without a piezo tone control as I've got EQ in my mixer for that.

That is exactly what the GT system is. Here is a link to the site with all of the info Products&Ordering - Graph Tech. The basic version comes with the pre-amp board, a 3 way mini toggle, a stereo jack and you supply a 250k or 500k pot for the volume. The install is very straight forward. Another cool thing is that it is a smart system, that knows if there is a mono or stereo cable plugged in and configures itself accordingly. Too bad you are no where near CT or you could check one out in person.

If you are interested, because I am a dealer, I could get you a really good price on the system and piezo pickup saddles. PM me for more info.

Dan

 

[xsouldriverx]

hey dan,
right now im flip flopping with the fishmann and the GT system. if money becomes a concern maybe ill give you a call about the gt and some of those alessandro (spelling?) pots

 

[Texas07R8]

thanks Dan, check your PM, I'll be sending you an offline message shortly. I'm out in Phoenix this week at a tech school so I won't be home until Friday night so no big hurry. Sounds like your package is spot on to what I want/need.

Best regards,

Ray

PS_ this forum is the bees knees.......