Piezo quack

[Smilin' Bob]

What setings on your guitar preamp and acoustic amp are likely to diminish piezo quack?

 

(Yes, I know that just liking the guitar is best)

[guitarist21]

On my acoustic, I prefer not to go piezo:

 

 

On my Strat, I have a Fishman piezo bridge. Usually I keep the bass (and sometimes the mids) up on the amp because that helps to get rid of some of the "ball bearings in a pie pan" type sound.

 

Ellen

[Terry Allan Hall]

It has little or nothing to do w/ the settings on either your preamp or amp...your picking technique is where "quack" is eliminated, as picking too hard is what creates "quack" in the first place...

 

Try this: set up your amp/preamp as you normally do, then play one note over and over, starting out by playing as hard as usual and then gradually diminishing how hard you hit the string of your guitar...when you're no longer overdriving the signal, causing the voltage to "spike", the "quack" will go away everytime.

 

Developing proper technique is the only real solution (other than a very expensive 18-volt preamp like the Mama Bear), but learning how not to cause voltage spikes is considerably cheaper.

 

And, if you learn how to correctly strike the string, you'll not only always be able to play "quackless", your guitar(s)'ll also always sound much better...

[guit30]

Ellen,

I agree, love the Fishman acoustic pickups, I have the NeoD

Jim

[Smilin' Bob]

Terry, I'll give it try! Thanks!

[EvilTwin]

 

Originally posted by guit30 Ellen, I agree, love the Fishman acoustic pickups, I have the NeoD Jim

 

 

I'm thinking of a Neo-D for my new Guild. How true is the acoustic sound?

 

As for eliminating quack, search "Little Brother clay shim." It does a lot to eliminate the quack of UST's.

[Terry Allan Hall]

 

Originally posted by EvilTwin As for eliminating quack, search "Little Brother clay shim." It does a lot to eliminate the quack of UST's.

 

 

It does help a little w/ "quack", but it's main usefullness is "mellowing out" the tone.

[EvilTwin]

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall It does help a little w/ "quack", but it's main usefullness is "mellowing out" the tone.

 

Well, every little bit helps.

 

And just for Bob's reference:

 

http://littlebrother.nlpd.com/Clay-UST/index.htm

 

I think the pickup being used is also very important. I played an old Conn guitar with an ancient Shadow UST, and the sound was horrible -- incredibly compressed and quacky.

 

Something like Dean Markley's Sweet Spot (probably the best UST for the cash) isn't like that at all. There's some quack, but that's inevitable.

 

Of course, bridgeplate transducers may supplant UST's in the next few years and make this whole discussion moot.

[daklander]

 

Originally posted by EvilTwin Something like Dean Markley's Sweet Spot (probably the best UST for the cash) isn't like that at all. There's some quack, but that's inevitable.

 

 

I have the Sweet Spot in my old FG150 and it is extremely sensitive to hard picking "quack". As TAH states, lightening up eliminates that problem. The problem then is the need to change guitars to do a song that needs hard hitting.

 

The acoustic tonality of the Sweet Spot seems to be very acoustic but I have found there are many DIs that don't do well with it. I generally plug direct to my PA and it sounds fine. Others I've plugged into, with or without a DI, the sound became very thin with no bottom at all and little top end either.

[Terry Allan Hall]

Originally posted by daklander I have the Sweet Spot in my old FG150 and it is extremely sensitive to hard picking "quack". As TAH states, lightening up eliminates that problem. The problem then is the need to change guitars to do a song that needs hard hitting. The acoustic tonality of the Sweet Spot seems to be very acoustic but I have found there are many DIs that don't do well with it. I generally plug direct to my PA and it sounds fine. Others I've plugged into, with or without a DI, the sound became very thin with no bottom at all and little top end either.

 

I've got the "Sweet Spot" in all of my "performing" acoustics, and I plug them into a Baggs PADI...this is a match made in tonal heaven, and the "clay trick" just makes it even better.

[EvilTwin]

 

Originally posted by daklander I have the Sweet Spot in my old FG150 and it is extremely sensitive to hard picking "quack". As TAH states, lightening up eliminates that problem. The problem then is the need to change guitars to do a song that needs hard hitting. The acoustic tonality of the Sweet Spot seems to be very acoustic but I have found there are many DIs that don't do well with it. I generally plug direct to my PA and it sounds fine. Others I've plugged into, with or without a DI, the sound became very thin with no bottom at all and little top end either.

 

 

I also go direct to the PA, pretty much.

 

Fingerstyle on my Seagull with the Sweet Spot works really well because I don't vary my attack too much, but with a pick...like you say, you can have some problems.

 

That's why a soundhole pickup will be next on my list. I'm thinking of a Neo-D. I love my SS, but I can't just play with so little right-hand power with a pick...especially since I don't use any sort of volume pedal...I have to put some mustard on it to be heard.

[daklander]

 

Originally posted by EvilTwin That's why a soundhole pickup will be next on my list. I'm thinking of a Neo-D.

 

 

I have the Fishman Rare Earth Single Coil in my Ventura. Sounds great and is certainly worth a look.

I run it direct, as I do the Sweet Spot, and I have to punch in the dB input level cut on that channel otherwise it's too hot.

[daklander]

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall I've got the "Sweet Spot" in all of my "performing" acoustics, and I plug them into a Baggs PADI...this is a match made in tonal heaven, and the "clay trick" just makes it even better.

 

Thanks for the tip. I'll have to look into the clay though that pickup is pretty mellow in the FG150, under light playing conditions.

[Smilin' Bob]

Wow, the old clay trick! Who'd a'thunk it?

 

I mean, come on. Would you actually put clay on your guitar if someone else hadn't tried it first? It's like the first guy to eat an oyster.

[Terry Allan Hall]

Originally posted by Smilin' Bob Wow, the old clay trick! Who'd a'thunk it? I mean, come on. Would you actually put clay on your guitar if someone else hadn't tried it first? It's like the first guy to eat an oyster.

 

Absolutely!

 

When I tried it for the first time, I did it on a customer's guitar, with the promise that if it didn't work, I'd re-do/replace for free...it made a big enough improvement that I immediately (over the next few days, actually) set up all my other guitars the same way, and I've done several of my friend's (and other) guitars since...

[Smilin' Bob]

Terry, would the clay make a non-electronic acoustic have a bigger/mellower sound? I have a lmainate Chinese dread w/ a SD sound- hole pup.

 

The acoustic/electronic guitar I had in mind for the question is a nylon string Yamaha CGX171SFC, the Gypsy Kings Ramirez clone.

[guitarist21]

 

Originally posted by daklander I have the Fishman Rare Earth Single Coil in my Ventura. Sounds great and is certainly worth a look.

 

 

I wouldn't rule out the humbucker, either, which is what I have. I love it.

 

Ellen

[Scodiddly]

Having a good super-high-impedance preamp like a Fishman or Baggs DI is a huge help. Or, if you're handy with a soldering iron, you could build your own pretty cheaply: http://www.scotthelmke.com/mbb.html

[Smilin' Bob]

Originally posted by Scodiddly Having a good super-high-impedance preamp like a Fishman or Baggs DI is a huge help. Or, if you're handy with a soldering iron, you could build your own pretty cheaply: http://www.scotthelmke.com/mbb.html

 

Wow! I'm learning lots of stuff here!

[daklander]

 

Originally posted by Smilin' Bob Terry, would the clay make a non-electronic acoustic have a bigger/mellower sound? I have a lmainate Chinese dread w/ a SD sound- hole pup. The acoustic/electronic guitar I had in mind for the question is a nylon string Yamaha CGX171SFC, the Gypsy Kings Ramirez clone.

 

Well, I ain't Terry but I don't think the clay trick would do much, if anything for your guitar. I believe the help from the clay is in isolating the piezo from direct contact with the bottom of the bridge, and thus, it from the sound board. That little bit of isolation doesn't hit the piezo quite as hard and so makes it act more like you're stricking the strings lighter than you actually are and that will cause the tone to be a bit more mellow.

JMI....

[Terry Allan Hall]

Originally posted by daklander Well, I ain't Terry but I don't think the clay trick would do much, if anything for your guitar. I believe the help from the clay is in isolating the piezo from direct contact with the bottom of the bridge, and thus, it from the sound board. That little bit of isolation doesn't hit the piezo quite as hard and so makes it act more like you're stricking the strings lighter than you actually are and that will cause the tone to be a bit more mellow. JMI....

 

Well stated!