PRS SE Piezo Issues and Dilemma - Looking for advice.

[Scott Peterson]

I have performed with my K-16 Taylor acoustic for many years; however, I had a few issues related to incidents at gigs where I decided I valued the guitar too much and wanted to look into other options. I bought a Taylor K5 but found it was not the right tool. A friend has a PRS HBII SE Piezo that I borrowed, and it was great. I created a signal chain around it, performed with it, and enjoyed it enough to seek my own. I now have a PRS Hollowbody II Piezo that I purchased online from Reverb with a no-return policy; I have owned it for a month. I cannot return it. I bought it mainly to perform acoustic/electric shows. The guitar features a proprietary LR Baggs mag/mix jack that you use the controls to mix, and it's a nicely balanced and good guitar for playing.

Testing at home, I had no issues. However, for a line check the day before an acoustic duo gig this past weekend, the piezo now has a frequent but intermittent issue. For lack of a better term, it fritzes out - drops in volume, and has all kinds of static noise. I have changed batteries and adjusted the piezo level to no avail. I cleaned the jack contacts and saw no damage or bad solder joints on the board. The issue remains. I bought it for $1000 to repair via PRS PTC repair center, which is $500 plus shipping (approximately $100 each way) and a month to fix. I can handle a month because I have other guitars to cover the gigs, but the cost is prohibitive compared to the guitar's value. The Piezo preamp inside is a proprietary LR Baggs system; I tried to source online and found nothing. What solutions would you suggest to rectify the situation?

Given the situation with this PRS Hollowbody II Piezo, here are a few potential solutions I am exploring:

1. Local Tech Repair: Before going through PRS's PTC repair, I could contact a trusted local guitar technician. Even though the preamp is proprietary, a skilled luthier or tech can troubleshoot the piezo system, spot potential issues like wiring or component faults, and possibly make repairs for a lower cost than the PRS repair center. However, having looked at the system personally, I am doubtful this would be effective.
2. Bypass the Preamp: If the issue is with the preamp specifically, bypassing the onboard piezo preamp and using an external acoustic preamp might be worth exploring. This could be a more cost-effective alternative and still provide me with the desired tone. I could attempt to route the piezo output directly to a pedal or external preamp designed for acoustic instruments. My question is, will it work, and is that financially feasible?
3. Part-Out Option: If the piezo system proves too difficult or expensive to repair and is essential for my needs, I am considering reselling the guitar as-is for a reduced price and using the funds toward another guitar. Some buyers may not care as much about the piezo system if they're primarily looking for electric features. Still, I imagine the financial hit in the current market would be a significant loss.
4. DIY Replacement/Upgrade: I might be able to replace or upgrade the piezo system. Companies like Fishman or Graph Tech offer piezo systems you could install to replace the faulty one, though it would take some research to confirm compatibility.
   
   What are your thoughts on this? Has anyone else experienced these issues?

 

[ElrytNamrogo]

I have a Core line HBII and had some issues similar to what you describe.....volume drops, static noise, and even individual strings not working. Full disclosure, I'd had the guitar refinished and I think the guy that did it didn't do a great job of re-wiring it.

First thing I noticed that made a difference was the grounding wire that ran and connected to the bridge post....toying with this could either improve or make the issue worse. The next thing I noticed during trouble shooting was a couple of the pins on the bottom of the piezo bridge had separated. I replaced the bridge easy enough, but the issue still persisted.

I ended up sending it to PRS and just told them to replace the entire piezo system as I didn't want to have to keep running into issues.

But maybe looking at the wiring would be a place to start in your circumstance.

 

[Scott Peterson]

I have a Core line HBII and had some issues similar to what you describe.....volume drops, static noise, and even individual strings not working. Full disclosure, I'd had the guitar refinished and I think the guy that did it didn't do a great job of re-wiring it.

First thing I noticed that made a difference was the grounding wire that ran and connected to the bridge post....toying with this could either improve or make the issue worse. The next thing I noticed during trouble shooting was a couple of the pins on the bottom of the piezo bridge had separated. I replaced the bridge easy enough, but the issue still persisted.

I ended up sending it to PRS and just told them to replace the entire piezo system as I didn't want to have to keep running into issues.

But maybe looking at the wiring would be a place to start in your circumstance.

Thank you. Those are good ideas to check, and I appreciate the response. What are the best practices for removing the board? I have read that there are installation instructions somewhere, but I have had no luck finding them.

 

[ElrytNamrogo]

Thank you. Those are good ideas to check, and I appreciate the response. What are the best practices for removing the board? I have read that there are installation instructions somewhere, but I have had no luck finding them.

I've never removed the board, the only thing I removed was the piezo-loaded bridge. There's a ribbon-wire that runs from the board to the bottom side of the bridge. On my Core, the connector on the bottom of the bridge has a dozen or so long terminals on it, so if you take the bridge off to inspect, be mindful of that connector.

To me, the issues you mention mostly relate to the wiring issue I had...specifically the grounding wire. When I would fidget with that wire through the bottom side f-hole, my problems would get better or worse depending on the situation. I'm no builder and have absolutely zero idea on how all the wiring works, but that one wire that runs into the bridge support inside the guitar (which ends up getting grounded to the treble-side bridge post) was what gave me the most response in my trouble-shooting.

 

[Scott Peterson]

I've never removed the board, the only thing I removed was the piezo-loaded bridge. There's a ribbon-wire that runs from the board to the bottom side of the bridge. On my Core, the connector on the bottom of the bridge has a dozen or so long terminals on it, so if you take the bridge off to inspect, be mindful of that connector.

To me, the issues you mention mostly relate to the wiring issue I had...specifically the grounding wire. When I would fidget with that wire through the bottom side f-hole, my problems would get better or worse depending on the situation. I'm no builder and have absolutely zero idea on how all the wiring works, but that one wire that runs into the bridge support inside the guitar (which ends up getting grounded to the treble-side bridge post) was what gave me the most response in my trouble-shooting.

I'll be seriously looking into that tonight. Thank you for your help and suggestions. What you are saying makes perfect sense, and I agree that it would be one of the priority items to check on.

 

[ElrytNamrogo]

I'll be seriously looking into that tonight. Thank you for your help and suggestions. What you are saying makes perfect sense, and I agree that it would be one of the priority items to check on.

Glad I could provide a little insight! Good luck on your hunt, and keep us posted!

 

[Jo-]

Hi Scott. Long time no see.
Just wanted to say hi. Hope you get your guitar sorted.