Piezo, Nanomag?!?!

[danxrs05]

Hey guys.

 

Did any of you had the chance to try an electric guitar with a Piezo or nanomag?

 

How did you like it?

Does it sound good?

 

(Ex: Gibson Piezo, PRS hollowbody, Epi. Les Paul Ultra II, etc)

 

Which guitar would you recommend. The PRS Hollowbody is AWESOME but way too expensive for me.

 

How do you like the Ultra II from Epiphone?

 

Give me some feedbacks, tips, advice.

 

Thanks.

I'm looking for a new guitar and would like to look more into that extra option (piezo, nanomag)

[Elias Graves]

I've never heard a piezo I liked even a little. Way too harsh.

 

EG

[Cobalt Blue]

 

I've never heard a piezo I liked even a little. Way too harsh. EG

 

 

I would attribute this, not to the piezo, but to your approach/settings/et cetera.

We can look at two very different players whose guitars are equipped with piezo bridges--Petrucci and Albert Lee--and we can distinctly see that there is no quote/unquote standard piezo sound. And no one is going to argue that Petrucci's sound is harsh.

 

So, to the OP, let me say that I understand your desire to own an instrument that allows for a bit more than standard magnetic pickups will.

 

I have owned many piezo bridge equipped guitars, and I have also owned an Epi Ultra II. In my opinion, the Ultra II is not the way to go. The NanoMag is cool, but, though it emulates acoustic tones, it does not translate acoustic attack, and that it was the piezo bridge does so well. If you are looking to switch from acoustic emulation to electric and back, the Epi Ultra II (w/ NanoMag) might work for you, but if you are looking for the blended tones, I would not recommend the Epi Ultra II.

 

Your choice will be dependent on your own tastes in music. If you are leaning toward the Petrucci side of things, I would look at Music Man, Parker, and Godin.

If you are leaning toward the Albert Lee side of things, I would look at the Fender Deluxe Power Strat and Tele (I own one of each), the Albert Lee Sig Music Man models, and the Parker P36.

[Elias Graves]

 

I would attribute this, not to the piezo, but to your approach/settings/et cetera. We can look at two very different players whose guitars are equipped with piezo bridges--Petrucci and Albert Lee--and we can distinctly see that there is no quote/unquote standard piezo sound. And no one is going to argue that Petrucci's sound is harsh. So, to the OP, let me say that I understand your desire to own an instrument that allows for a a bit more than standard magnetic pickups do. I have owned many piezo bridge equipped guitars, and I have also owned an Epi Ultra II. In my opinion, the Ultra II is not the way to go. The NanoMag is cool, but, though it emulates acoustic tones, it does not translate acoustic attack, and that it was the piezo bridge does so well. If you are looking to switch from acoustic emulation to electric and back, the Epi Ultra II (w/ NanoMag) might work for you, but if you are looking for the blended tones, I would not recommend the Epi Ultra II. Your choice will be dependent on your own tastes in music. If you are leaning toward the Petrucci side of things, I would look at Music Man, Parker, and Godin. If you are leaning toward the Albert Lee side of things, I would look at the Fender Deluxe Power Strat and Tele (I own one of each), the Albert Lee Sig Music Man models, and the Parker P36.

 

 

Not MY settings. I don't own one with a piezo. You couldn't give me the thing.

 

EG

[_pete_]

I've had great success with Graph Tech's piezo systems. You can add them to nearly any guitar for as little as $150.

 

The key to getting a good sound with any piezo is to run them through an acoustic amp or direct to a PA with a good eq.

I get a very good acoustic sound running mine through a Zoom a2 acoustic processor and into an acoustic amp.

[StompBoxLover]

 

I've never heard a piezo I liked even a little. Way too harsh. EG

 

 

how about this?

straight into the soundcard, no fx whatsoever.

[Cobalt Blue]

 

Not MY settings. I don't own one with a piezo. You couldn't give me the thing. EG

 

 

 

 

That's what is so wonderful about the internet: people who have no experience and limited knowledge can feel free--even obligated--to offer opinions of questionable worth. Their motto is "Type and click 'Enter.' Don't think. Just be the first."

[Elias Graves]

 

That's what is so wonderful about the internet: people who have no experience and limited knowledge can feel free--even obligated--to offer opinions of questionable worth. Their motto is "Type and click 'Enter.' Don't think. Just be the first."

 

 

I've played them, I've heard them, I don't like them.

Maybe you do. That's cool.

I don't own it because I don't like the way they sound.

Nothing personal. Why the hostility?

 

EG

[danxrs05]

Ok keep it clean plz. End of your discussion HERE.

[Wyatt]

No big piezo fan here either.

 

But I contend there is a lot of variety. I lean toward the LR Baggs systems. I find them much warmer and more natural. Fishman seems to dedicate itself to that the near signature, fizzy "piezo tone" that has become a staple of jazz fusion/new jazz/adult contemporary tunes where they have really embraced the piezo as a unique tone.

 

But, the key here is compromise, if you want acoustic tones without the extra equipment and don't need perfectly natural tones, it's a great compromise. And then if you WANT that fusion piezo tone, well, they are excellent.

 

Personally, when I play acoustic, I use a Sunrise soundhole PU or one of the contact transducers, not an undersaddle piezo, but those aren't acceptable options to get acoustic tones from a electric guitar.

 

I mean the tones here all sound like someone has a playing card stuck in the strings, or the sound wave is being clipped somewhere. Not very bell-like or natural.

[YOUTUBE]OqnymSwExzU[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]LclqsrShTCk[/YOUTUBE]

 

I like the Acousticaster, by Godin, but can't find a youtube video of anyone PLAYING it, they just yap about it while showing it.

 

I wish I could comment directly on the guitars in the OP, but have limited experience with those models.

[Cobalt Blue]

 

I've played them, I've heard them, I don't like them. Maybe you do. That's cool. I don't own it because I don't like the way they sound. Nothing personal. Why the hostility? EG

 

 

I guess I just don't know how helpful it is to respond to a request for recommendations for specific guitars by answering that--right across the board--you dislike all of them.

However, my reply wasn't seen to be too helpful either (for I was only reprimanded), and it is true that, perhaps, I was a bit hostile in my reaction to your post, so I will offer you my apology and bow out of this dialog.

[FiresideVanity]

I have a Michael Kelly Hybrid and I use a stereo "Y" cable to run the piezo signal to an acoustic amp and the magnetic signal to my Peavey Classic 50 and I love how it sounds.

 

It does take a bit of eq tweaking to get something that doesn't ice pick your ears, though.

[Wyatt]

 

I have a Michael Kelly Hybrid and I use a stereo "Y" cable to run the piezo signal to an acoustic amp and the magnetic signal to my Peavey Classic 50 and I love how it sounds. It does take a bit of eq tweaking to get something that doesn't ice pick your ears, though.

 

 

That is an excellent point. Piezo's want a full-range amp...acoustic or PA or similar, or running straight into the PA. Most don't sound very good through guitar amp, which is heavily voiced in the midrange for magnetic pickups. I know people who run both into their regular amp and a clean, scooped mid amp like a BF Fender can sound okay (horrible into a midheavy Marshall or tweed), but if you really want get the most out of the piezo, it means extra equipment and signal runs.

[Padrino]

 

That is an excellent point. Piezo's want a full-range amp...acoustic or PA or similar, or running straight into the PA. Most don't sound very good through guitar amp, which is heavily voiced in the midrange for magnetic pickups. I know people who run both into their regular amp and a clean, scooped mid amp like a BF Fender can sound okay (horrible into a midheavy Marshall or tweed), but if you really want get the most out of the piezo, it means extra equipment and signal runs.

 

 

i played a upscale schecter model a while back with a piezo system in it. if you want a pure acoustic sound yes, you had to buy more equipment. but i personally like it to blend the tone of the piezo and magnetics. very unique stuff that can really bring some life into your sound.

[tlbonehead]

 

Hey guys. Did any of you had the chance to try an electric guitar with a Piezo or nanomag? How did you like it? Does it sound good? (Ex: Gibson Piezo, PRS hollowbody, Epi. Les Paul Ultra II, etc) Which guitar would you recommend. The PRS Hollowbody is AWESOME but way too expensive for me. How do you like the Ultra II from Epiphone? Give me some feedbacks, tips, advice. Thanks. I'm looking for a new guitar and would like to look more into that extra option (piezo, nanomag)

I have a number of guitars with piezo bridges. I almost always run them simultaneously with the mag pickups. Here's a rough vid using three signals to the mixer. (dual amps and piezo direct)

 

[YOUTUBE]yOw3FU9DxhU[/YOUTUBE]