tune o matic piezo 12 string

[light_n_roses]

Hi there!

As someone of you may already know I'm currently building a EDS-1275 double neck kit, I would like to put a tune o matic piezo on the 12 string neck but I think that none exist..any suggestions?

 

[light_n_roses]

it seems that this guitar Colt Flame Top 12 String w/Piezo - SC | Dean Guitars has a 12 string tune o matic piezo, who know where I can get one?

 

[pinefd]

I'll bump this thread, not because I have an answer, but because I'd also like to find one myself. I actually contacted Graph Tech to ask whether I might be able to purchase one of their Ghost Resomax tune-o-matics without the saddles being pre-notched, but they said no. Here was their full response: "Unfortunately we do not manufacture any 12-string TOM bridges, nor do we offer any blank saddles. The slots in our saddles are formed in the manufacturing process and their depth-to-piezo relationship is very specific. I have had customer file and re-slot the saddles (at their own risk) but we do not endorse this practice."


Frank

 

[light_n_roses]

I'll bump this thread, not because I have an answer, but because I'd also like to find one myself. I actually contacted Graph Tech to ask whether I might be able to purchase one of their Ghost Resomax tune-o-matics without the saddles being pre-notched, but they said no. Here was their full response: "Unfortunately we do not manufacture any 12-string TOM bridges, nor do we offer any blank saddles. The slots in our saddles are formed in the manufacturing process and their depth-to-piezo relationship is very specific. I have had customer file and re-slot the saddles (at their own risk) but we do not endorse this practice."


Frank

I have contacted graph tech by my self and they have told that I'm not the first to ask, so they are looking to start producing them but it will take at least 3 months. They have also told me that they will advice me when it's ready.

Anyway I really think that their tune o matic piezo 12 strings will cost very much, I already have Graph Tech ghost tune o matic piezo 6 string on my les paul and it's nice but it hasn't been economic at all. I hope that something more affordable will emerge eventualy.

 

[Ripthorn]

It's a very niche product, and getting good response out of piezo elements small enough to have individual saddles for each string on a 12 string and still have enough output is difficult. The voltage a piezo produces is affected by the amount of deflection and the size of the crystal/film/etc. element. You make the element really small, and there won't be nearly as much voltage produced by the vibration. That means you have to add more gain in the preamp, which increases the noise in the signal. It's a non-trivial solution for a 12 string with individual saddles.

If you go with shared saddles, it's not as much of an issue, and you can just use a regular 6 string bridge with two notches filed in each saddle. Of course, that leaves the door open to intonation issues for the lower strings.

 

[pinefd]

It's a very niche product, and getting good response out of piezo elements small enough to have individual saddles for each string on a 12 string and still have enough output is difficult. The voltage a piezo produces is affected by the amount of deflection and the size of the crystal/film/etc. element. You make the element really small, and there won't be nearly as much voltage produced by the vibration. That means you have to add more gain in the preamp, which increases the noise in the signal. It's a non-trivial solution for a 12 string with individual saddles.

If you go with shared saddles, it's not as much of an issue, and you can just use a regular 6 string bridge with two notches filed in each saddle. Of course, that leaves the door open to intonation issues for the lower strings.

I was thinking more of the latter solution, using the shared saddles. That's why I asked Graph Tech if they would sell me a regular 6 string bridge, without the notches in the saddles. Having them pre-notched, in the middle of the saddle, may not leave room for two additional notches on either side of the center notch...and using the center notch as one of the two notches would mean that the bridge would have to be mounted slightly off center.

 

[light_n_roses]

This guitar http://www.deanguitars.com/query?upc=819998188115 has a tune o matic 12 strings piezo bridge ( I suppose some kind of asian production) but I have contacted Colt and there is no way they are going to sell me a spare bridge.

Of course shared saddles are the only way, indeed the only bridge with individual saddles for 12 strings guitars ( and of course with no piezo) is made by ABM and it cost an harm and a leg, something like 140 euro just for the bridge. I suppose that graph tech will just take their actual bridge with piezo and make 2 slots on each sadle, also it will cost more or less like the current 6 string graph tech ghost piezo ( which I own and which is kind of expensive). I don't want to immagine how an ipotethic Graph tech ghost 12 strings tune o matic piezo with 12 saddles could cost!!