piezo pickup in a Jazzmaster or Jaguar

For help with setups and other technical issues.
Post Reply
User avatar
pullover
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1477
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 6:31 am
Location: Denton Tx

piezo pickup in a Jazzmaster or Jaguar

Post by pullover » Mon Oct 09, 2006 3:56 pm

Has anyone ever put a piezo pickup in their Jazz or Jag? I was wondering what it would take to do this, seams to me like it might be pretty simple, but I have a habit of understating things.
Why should we buy postage stamps? We can make our own.

User avatar
vintage-tone
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:40 am
Location: Denmark
Contact:

Re: piezo pickup in a Jazzmaster or Jaguar

Post by vintage-tone » Mon Oct 09, 2006 4:42 pm

Hi Pull,
I did a few years ago with a few different systems.
One of the main issue is that response and balance of the Piezo by definition are directly linked to the pressure the string applies on it.
You need to have a good string load for it to work.
Using the tremolo also becomes a real issue because the friction of the strings on the saddles usually generates a wide range of horrible sounds heehe...

The best result I got was using http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics ... matic.html but it waas quite some serious work to modify some studs and get this bridge in place on a Jazzmaster.

Once the piezo in, you need a preamp to boost the weakling lil signal coming out of it, onboard of the guitar or outside as a pedal, rack, direct box etc etc...

all and all it's costy, time consuming and the result is certainly not the best, the floating tremolo of the Jagz and Jazz really dont work well with it, even if locked.

What would you like to get out of the piezo ? a different sound and mix it with the magnetic pick ups or an electro acoustic sound ? If you are looking for an electro acoustc sound, my humble opinion is : forget it ...
heheehe I never yet heard a convincing electro acoustic sound coming out of an electrical soldi body guitar without really deep and heavy modifications or a real built in advanced system ( Parker / Godin ). Even the Tom Anderson piezo equipped still sounds like an electric guitar with something different but it's not even close to an electro acoustic sound.

The easiest guitar to install a piezo on are by far the tele and hardtail's family, then eventually the strats, gibson "tunomatic" .
It's not imposible at all to put a Piezo in a Jag / jazzmaster  but it's going to cost you a good 300 to 1000 $ and LOTS of work, so just make sure you know where you re heading to so you don't waste your time and money on something you may never be happy with  ::)
Learn something new everyday keeps the doctor away !

User avatar
pullover
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1477
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 6:31 am
Location: Denton Tx

Re: piezo pickup in a Jazzmaster or Jaguar

Post by pullover » Mon Oct 09, 2006 5:03 pm

Thanks V-tone, I was hoping to get a semi acoustic sound so that I didn't have to bring an acoustic to gigs with me, but if the sound sucks I wouldn't use it. I have a super reverb that I tote to gigs and 2 guitars, misc pedals, a PA system, mics, and all the cords and crap so I was hoping to downsize and nix the acoustic. I have a telecaster that I could put a piezo on but I hate it, I will probably start an "I hate my telecaster" thread.  Thanks again.
Why should we buy postage stamps? We can make our own.

User avatar
Mad-Mike
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1619
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2006 1:04 pm
Location: Somewhere
Contact:

Re: piezo pickup in a Jazzmaster or Jaguar

Post by Mad-Mike » Sun Oct 15, 2006 4:19 pm

There's always an LR Baggs X-Bridge if you don't use a trem.............

As for me, I'd almost love to see if there was a way to embed piezo elements into some rocker bridge compatible saddles, drill a hole down the back, and then run the pickup connections under the pickguard via a  flat ribbon cable.  As for string noise, I could see some inventive musical possibilities for that.
It's Me

User avatar
rabidhamster
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 263
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 9:44 pm

Re: piezo pickup in a Jazzmaster or Jaguar

Post by rabidhamster » Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:34 pm

itd be handy for picking up the behind the nut ringing/plucking.  Someday I will build a guitar with a piezo in the nut as well:)  I've a couple nifty tunes I've written playing harmony with myself using the string before and after my fingers on the fretboard, but so far this only works acoustically with a couple guitars and basses I've had.  I'll have to find a custom neck maker that will agree to run a couple wires from the nut slot to the  bridge for me:)

As far as piezos go, the aura fishman system does a great job (to my ears) of taking a craptastical piezo sound and making it quite passably acoustic sounding for a live show.  Theres options for mic placement and everything.  It probably wont work a miracle if the acoustic sound on an offset doesnt sound acoustic to begin with though.  I'll bet you could get a semi-convincing gypsy guitar tone out of it though, lots of those have tailpeices on top and a low string break angle...

User avatar
Superfuzz
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2889
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 12:20 pm
Location: Prato, Italy

Re: piezo pickup in a Jazzmaster or Jaguar

Post by Superfuzz » Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:05 am

and what if you put a Seymour Duncan acustic pickup? I'm not an expert but it will be cool. :D
Architecture students are like virgins with an itch they cannot scratch,  never build a building 'till are fifty, what kind of life is that?

User avatar
ChrisDesign
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 322
Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2019 9:21 pm
Location: UK
Contact:

Re: piezo pickup in a Jazzmaster or Jaguar

Post by ChrisDesign » Mon Nov 22, 2021 10:54 pm

I’m making this a zombie thread 🧟‍♂️

I found this searching for a way to add a piezo to my jazzmaster. Now, 15 years later, I’m adding my answer: The Jazzmaster Acoustasonic.

That guitar does the electro acoustic thing that 2006 people said forget. The new player series is just over £1k, so I’m calling the price comparable to retrofitting a jazzmaster.
"I own a '66 Jaguar. That's the guitar I polish, and baby - I refuse to let anyone touch it when I jump into the crowd." - Kurt Cobain

Post Reply