Switchcraft22
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2024
- Messages
- 2
Just wondering for you guys that own one. How versatile is the the hollowbody II piezo. Thinking of purchasing one
Hollowbody piezo
- Thread starter Switchcraft22
- Start date
JasonE
New Member
I actually have 2. I have a single cut and a double cut. Mine both have 57/08 pickups from the factory. I find these guitars super versatile. I played the single cut exclusively in the last band I was in. We played newer country and rock. I did it all on one guitar. It was great being able to have acoustic sounds as well as all of my normal tones in one guitar. I play everywhere from really clean to the higher end of medium gain. These guitars do it all well.
Anachronism
Bassist with a guitar habit
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2018
- Messages
- 136
They are very versatile guitars. They cover the territory that most guitars with two humbuckers can, and add the option of an acoustic tone that's good enough for a lot of live work. It helps that the HBII is pretty resistant to feedback, so it can cover many high gain tones.
Jostein
New Member
My next Hollowbody or Archtop will have the piezo.
JasonE
New Member
IMHO, the hollow body is meant to have the piezo in it. I am not really interested in owning one that doesn't have it. I am not sure why I feel that way but it is a must have for me on a HB PRS.
I have two solid body P22 guitars too. I like those a lot as well. The only thing I would probably change on them is I would put the Pattern necks on them that the HB guitars have. Both of my P22 guitars have the Pattern Regular neck carve. If I was forced to sell either the P22 guitars or the HB guitars, it would be a really difficult choice. These guitars are in my "going to die with them" section of my collection.
I have two solid body P22 guitars too. I like those a lot as well. The only thing I would probably change on them is I would put the Pattern necks on them that the HB guitars have. Both of my P22 guitars have the Pattern Regular neck carve. If I was forced to sell either the P22 guitars or the HB guitars, it would be a really difficult choice. These guitars are in my "going to die with them" section of my collection.
Daryl Jones
non-practicing pacifist
My Hollowbody II Piezo is nothing short of amazing in so many ways. I love the versatility of it, can do and be so different depending on what I want to play with it. Most of all I love blending the mags and piezo together through separate amps and it allows a lot of creativity for me. I'm not much of a shredder so I do a lot of singer/songwriter stuff and the guitar just plain works for me for solo (by myself) playing for small groups and venues. It's my absolute go to for that.
JasonE
New Member
Reading this reminded me that I used one of my HBII P guitars in some duo gigs. The other guy was playing an acoustic and I was able to play both acoustic and electric sounds. It made us sound different than any other duo in this area. It was pretty cool. I got a lot of positive comments playing those gigs.
ViperDoc
Plugged In.
Any piezo loaded PRS is versatile by definition. The HB2 LR Baggs preamp is specifically designed for that guitar, and it sounds fantastic, especially when loaded with .011 guage strings, and when used in parallel mode using separate outputs (the only way to run it). Depending on the year, whatever pickups come in it will also determine the standard tones. I love dialing in the piezo with the mag tones for extra texture. The piezo tones alone offer an excellent acoustic tone. The fixed bridge is the best way to run it since the trem versions cause piezo crackle when actuating the trem.
GO FORTH.
GO FORTH.
veinbuster
Zombie Three, DFZ
I’m in the highly versatile camp.
I have two.
I have two.
Digirati Studios
New Member
I love my SE Hollowbody Piezo. Blending it with the neck pickup gives me a unique sound I don't often hear elsewhere. The SE in peacock blue is an amazing color that's rarely photographed accurately. In person it trends much more towards a vibrant teal.
I think it's incredibly versatile, probably moreso than my Silver Sky SE and my McCarty SE.
I think it's incredibly versatile, probably moreso than my Silver Sky SE and my McCarty SE.
JasonE
New Member
I have run .010 gage strings on mine since the first string change. I noticed no difference in the sound of the piezo on any of them after changing strings.
I always run my in parallel. I typically run the piezo signal to either a Fishman Aura or a Fly Rig Acoustic then to the FOH. It sounds really good this way. I prefer the sound of the Aura but I like the extra effects in the Fly Rig. I need to put the Aura on a board and run a couple of mini pedals in the effects loop of it. That would give me the best sound and add the effects I want.
Prina
Avoiding imperial entanglements
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2023
- Messages
- 836
I'm curious and have heard good things about the solid body piezos.
What do you like specifically about the P22s compared to the HBs?
ViperDoc
Plugged In.
I can vouch for the solid body piezo as well. The preamp was redesigned for the solid body variant, and that preamp is kick-a55 too. They're more comfortable to play, being thinner. Both sound awesome.
D'Addario makes a set of 10's w/a wound 3rd string that is a great compromise between the 11's and a regular set of 10's.
I think the wound 3rd string adds to the fullness of the tone...
JasonE
New Member
It is a different feel and the tone of the electric part is a little different. The solid body P22 feels more like my other guitars and has the added bonus of the acoustic tones. The only thing I would change about them is I would put the Pattern neck on them instead of the pattern regular. I can play the PR neck but like the pattern a little better. The pattern regular feels closer to my DGT. My P22 Trem has a hotter set of uncovered 57/08 pickups in it. I like those a lot. I haven't had any issues with the piezo on the trem model as others have had. I am not a huge trem usage guy and I don't think I have ever used it with the acoustic sounds.
Daryl Jones
non-practicing pacifist
I learned something yesterday about the LR Baggs Piezo in the HBII. There's a potentiometer inside the guts that is adjustable ...YAY! I'm a bit of a chicken when it comes to messing with things electronic but this seems easy enough for even an electro-tard like me to dial in. Em, anybody else adjusted theirs? That factory setting on it is waaay too hot for my liking (brutal feedback and extremely sensitive to changes with the volume knob) and this seems like the perfect way to tame the beast within. While I'm in there I might just tackle increasing the gauge of the wires leading to the battery holder to 20's. The 22's are far too light IMO.
jak3af3r
Jake
Yep. When I put 10s on I had to change the G string level and I may have adjusted them all at that time to get the match with the magnetic pickups better. It's fiddly work but well worth it.
dogrocketp
I drank the PRS kool aid, and it was tasty!
In a musical theatre pit, the Hollowbody piezo is invaluable. I have an SE that I use. If it gets bumped, I don’t have to kill anybody. And it’s blue.
