N(to me)GD - P245 SH in Trampas Green

[shinksma]

Killer guitar! Any notable difference in the piezo sound between the P24 and P245?

So I did some experiments tonight, running P245SH and P24 pure piezo signals through my rig (because that's how I'm going to use it, but also convenience), no effect on piezo (zeroed out Fishman Aura image mix), straight into Fishman acoustic amp. I used a looper to record the same rhythm pattern twice, once with P24 and once with P245SH. This gave me the opportunity to hear them while not playing - that is always an interfering factor.

My wife also listened to the recorded loop as an independent observer, not knowing which was which. She agreed with my observations. Since she runs the soundboard with me when we produce live sound for other bands/festivals, I do trust she knows what to listen for.

The P245SH sounded very much like the P24, except the P245SH had a bit more "body" or resonance or a very mild reverb and depth, if you can call it such. It was as though I'd turned up the reverb and bass slightly in the P245SH, maybe cutting the mids a touch, compared to the P24. Or if prefer, the P24 had a slightly bit more mids to cut through and was a cleaner tone. I attribute the delta to the semi-hollow nature of the P245SH.

Both sounded great, and I doubt the average punter in the audience would be able to tell the difference. But is lends a slightly different feel to the player, and if that helps get the "right tone" through a psychological boost, then I am all for it.

And once again I could slightly tell the difference in feel due to the different neck width/carves. I did not notice an obvious difference in scale length (24.5" vs 25"), but it undoubtedly had an effect on string tension (same gauge strings on both guitars). Maybe that is also a difference in the tone. :shrug:

I intend to gig the P245SH later this week - we'll see how it plays "in the wild".

 

[dmatthews]

So I did some experiments tonight, running P245SH and P24 pure piezo signals through my rig (because that's how I'm going to use it, but also convenience), no effect on piezo (zeroed out Fishman Aura image mix), straight into Fishman acoustic amp. I used a looper to record the same rhythm pattern twice, once with P24 and once with P245SH. This gave me the opportunity to hear them while not playing - that is always an interfering factor.

My wife also listened to the recorded loop as an independent observer, not knowing which was which. She agreed with my observations. Since she runs the soundboard with me when we produce live sound for other bands/festivals, I do trust she knows what to listen for.

The P245SH sounded very much like the P24, except the P245SH had a bit more "body" or resonance or a very mild reverb and depth, if you can call it such. It was as though I'd turned up the reverb and bass slightly in the P245SH, maybe cutting the mids a touch, compared to the P24. Or if prefer, the P24 had a slightly bit more mids to cut through and was a cleaner tone. I attribute the delta to the semi-hollow nature of the P245SH.

Both sounded great, and I doubt the average punter in the audience would be able to tell the difference. But is lends a slightly different feel to the player, and if that helps get the "right tone" through a psychological boost, then I am all for it.

And once again I could slightly tell the difference in feel due to the different neck width/carves. I did not notice an obvious difference in scale length (24.5" vs 25"), but it undoubtedly had an effect on string tension (same gauge strings on both guitars). Maybe that is also a difference in the tone. :shrug:

I intend to gig the P245SH later this week - we'll see how it plays "in the wild".

Great post.
I really appreciate the insight from someone who already has a PRS piezo guitar. I expected the similarities, and almost expected them to be imperceptible. I have a P22 and have had my eye on a P245 mostly for the neck carve. Now I have a better idea what I'd be getting myself into. I'll bide my time until the right deal comes along. A SH would be fine, as would a rosewood neck.

 

[dmatthews]

Oh... and I can't wait to hear your post gig thoughts too!

 

[goat-n-gitter]

So I did some experiments tonight, running P245SH and P24 pure piezo signals through my rig (because that's how I'm going to use it, but also convenience), no effect on piezo (zeroed out Fishman Aura image mix), straight into Fishman acoustic amp. I used a looper to record the same rhythm pattern twice, once with P24 and once with P245SH. This gave me the opportunity to hear them while not playing - that is always an interfering factor.

My wife also listened to the recorded loop as an independent observer, not knowing which was which. She agreed with my observations. Since she runs the soundboard with me when we produce live sound for other bands/festivals, I do trust she knows what to listen for.

The P245SH sounded very much like the P24, except the P245SH had a bit more "body" or resonance or a very mild reverb and depth, if you can call it such. It was as though I'd turned up the reverb and bass slightly in the P245SH, maybe cutting the mids a touch, compared to the P24. Or if prefer, the P24 had a slightly bit more mids to cut through and was a cleaner tone. I attribute the delta to the semi-hollow nature of the P245SH.

Both sounded great, and I doubt the average punter in the audience would be able to tell the difference. But is lends a slightly different feel to the player, and if that helps get the "right tone" through a psychological boost, then I am all for it.

And once again I could slightly tell the difference in feel due to the different neck width/carves. I did not notice an obvious difference in scale length (24.5" vs 25"), but it undoubtedly had an effect on string tension (same gauge strings on both guitars). Maybe that is also a difference in the tone. :shrug:

I intend to gig the P245SH later this week - we'll see how it plays "in the wild".

Thanks for the update! It sounds like my P22 will take care of my piezo needs just fine for the foreseeable future, and my 594 probably bridges some of the difference in electric tones. I suspect my next piezo PRS will be a HBII, somewhere in the (probably distant) future.

 

[shinksma]

Great post.
I really appreciate the insight from someone who already has a PRS piezo guitar. I expected the similarities, and almost expected them to be imperceptible. I have a P22 and have had my eye on a P245 mostly for the neck carve. Now I have a better idea what I'd be getting myself into. I'll bide my time until the right deal comes along. A SH would be fine, as would a rosewood neck.

Thanks for the update! It sounds like my P22 will take care of my piezo needs just fine for the foreseeable future, and my 594 probably bridges some of the difference in electric tones. I suspect my next piezo PRS will be a HBII, somewhere in the (probably distant) future.

You guys are most welcome. I enjoyed doing the comparison, as it helped me understand what one guitar might do differently compared to the other. The physical differences in the guitars are such that I felt the P245SH was a worthwhile addition to the P24, and the sonic differences in the piezo, while slight, do follow from those physical differences. Plus, the 58/15s are certainly a different sound from the 57/08s - how much is the pickup itself vs the body I cannot truly say.

Yeah, I too have my eye on a HBII eventually. Almost picked up one earlier this year. I would like a SC, again to complement the DC nature of the HB Spruce I already have.

 

[shinksma]

PSA for those interested in getting one of these: Sweetwater just received a P245 SH in Trampas Green in stock - 2017 year on headstock, so possibly one of the last builds in the series. Non-10-top. They also have a 2016 solid-body P245 with Rosewood neck and Brazzy board for a whole lot more $$$.

 

[shinksma]

Oh... and I can't wait to hear your post gig thoughts too!

OK, so I took the P245SH to a gig last night. It rawked!

It seems to have a looser, more resonant sound than my P24 - which I suppose can mean it sounds muddier in certain contexts. But for me it worked great in the mix! We play Celtic Fusion, which means sometimes I'm on mandolin or acoustic guitar, sometimes on electric guitar with acoustic sounds or all-out rock'n'roll sounds, doing lead breaks. The shot below was taken during one of my songs where I start out playing "acoustic" but do an electric lead break at the end with dirt and reverb+delay. So the P245SH (and P24) is perfect for that.

One curious thing: I don't know whether it was my mood or simply how the guitar feels in my hands, but I noticed I was playing solos differently from my usual patterns. :shrug:

 

[DogPhishHead]

Beautiful and I love the SH SC design....play it in good health sir !

 

[bodia]

Glad to hear it has landed in a happy home, and is getting some good lovin'!

 

[dmatthews]

Good times! Thanks for the write up shinksma, helps fuel gas!
Do you find yourself changing much on the amp for the different pups?

 

[shinksma]

Good times! Thanks for the write up shinksma, helps fuel gas!
Do you find yourself changing much on the amp for the different pups?

I haven't tweaked much, but my gigging amp is a small acoustic amp fed by an amp emulator for those electric sounds. (I really wish we'd gig at places that demanded more volume and had larger stages, but c'est la vie.)

At home I haven't found any need o change amp settings - the guitar/pickups do sound different from the other guitars/pickups, but not in a way that demands more/less treble/mids/bass, for example.

I honestly have not had a chance to run this guitar through the Archon. Too dang busy with music stuff: gigs, running sound at festivals, recording for movie soundtracks. If I didn't have a real job on top of all that I'd still be too busy.