Question for the piezo users out there

cshallcross

cshallcross

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Oct 10, 2017
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Atlanta, GA
Super excited to be picking up a P24 this weekend if all goes well, and I have a stupid question. Right now I just play at home, and I run a Mesa Express 5 50 2x12" combo. If I'm running the blended line out of the p24 directly into the Mesa, should I be able to dial in a good sound with the piezo through the amp? I would probably be blending it in about 50/50 to my clean channel, but I've seen some people mention it might not sound great unless I get a PA. For my bedroom studio, I don't think I want to setup a PA. Am I out of luck running it into the Boogie hoping for some good tones, or do I need to start looking into something like a separate acoustic amp?
 
I'd run it through the Boogie for a bit and see how you like it. You won't get the full-range response that you'd get from a dedicated acoustic amp, but I'm guessing you'll get something you like. I've run that way using piezo-equipped guitars before. It definitely adds a little flavor to your sound. But ultimately, only you can say if it's good for you.
 
Thanks Alan! I am in love with the Express's clean channel currently, so I'm just hoping to add in a little of the piezo jangle to that clean tone. I run a few things in the loop like my dl4, carbon copy and t2 trinity reverb...but I think they will all mesh well with the tones I'm going for. I just didn't know if I really needed to grab an acoustic amp right away as I'd like to same some funds where I can.

Hopefully the Boogie will keep me happy for now, I just wasn't sure if others were doing that (running a piezo setup just into one main electric guitar amp). I'm new to all things piezo, but after hearing a few sample videos of the p24 I knew it was what I was wanting.
 
+1

Personally, I use mine as my "acoustic" guitar period. I don't bother with the magnetics. To this end, I found to get me where I needed to be, I had to run a full-range system. That was easy because I gig a Line 6 Helix with an FRFR wedge with a signal that runs to the FOH. I just built an adequate "acoustic" patch in the Helix, and I was good to go.

At home, I use the guitar through the Helix plugged into my recording system. Works fine, and sounds great.

For those RARE moments when I need access to BOTH sounds (acoustic and electric) I have a patch in the Helix that gives me a standard "amp" on one path, and then the "acoustic" rig on the other path. I can blend them or switch between using a footswitch. I run two cables out of my P22. I send the magnetics to the guitar input and the piezo to the Aux input.
 
Just my opinion, you can a get a reasonable sound out of a guitar amp using your peizo, but an acoustic amp will make it sound better (I use a Fishman Loudbox Artist - with no additional pedals). The other consideration is strings, using a set of 11's with a wound G string will sound better through the peizo versus say a set of 10's for example with no wound G string
 
I do blend the piezo into the clean channel of my Boogie a fair bit. Channel 1 of my Mark V is set of specifically for that and I can hear the piezo.
It is nicer overall if I run the magnetic pickups into the Boogie and the piezo into my Fishman, but I’m usually too lazy for that.
 
Happy to know I can likely make it work with just one amp for now. I'd love for the Boogie to do the heavy lifting while I'm too lazy to have too complicated of a setup in place. The farthest I would likely go is just to add a small reliable acoustic amp to the mix down the road.

So excited for it to get here.
 
CVS said:
Just my opinion, you can a get a reasonable sound out of a guitar amp using your peizo, but an acoustic amp will make it sound better (I use a Fishman Loudbox Artist - with no additional pedals). The other consideration is strings, using a set of 11's with a wound G string will sound better through the peizo versus say a set of 10's for example with no wound G string
Click to expand...
I was thinking of going the 11's route as I like the feel. Good to know that might help with the tone in this case.
 
I run my magnetics through a typical guitar amplifier and the piezo through a little Bugera AC60, splitting the signal. So far, that's the best way to "blend" the sound I have found. To me, piezo through the
cshallcross said:
Happy to know I can likely make it work with just one amp for now. I'd love for the Boogie to do the heavy lifting while I'm too lazy to have too complicated of a setup in place. The farthest I would likely go is just to add a small reliable acoustic amp to the mix down the road.

So excited for it to get here.
Click to expand...

I found this little amp to be perfect for my situation. Very simple amplifier with a couple inputs and some on-board effects to jazz up the tone a bit. This is what I use when splitting the signal.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BugAC60--bugera-ac60-60-watt-2-channel-portable-acoustic-amp
 
I get a very reasonable acoustic tone with my P245 and did with the HB2 when I had one, through the regular clean channel of my amps. A little chorus doesn't hurt.
 
When I got my P22 I had it straight into my H amp. I liked it but soon wanted to experience what it could do fully. So I bought a LR Baggs Para DI box and put it to the PA at practise.
It was a world of difference. The DI to full range really brings out the best.
 
I do like using the PA, but it's a bit of a pain for gigging and whatnot. I am certainly likely to use two wireless transmitters if I get serious with the piezo live.
 
For the "best" sound, use two amps, with each sound going to its own. A small acoustic amp can usually be found fairly cheaply, so you do not need a full PA.

That said, I often get lazy and use a single amp (sometimes Mesa, though my current fave for "casual use" is a Swart SST). I tend to use the piezo as a sweetener at much less than a 50/50 blend. The PRS system is excellent for controlling directly from the guitar.

FWIW, the last time I "played out" with a similar guitar, I used a Quilter Aviator with single 12" (HORRORS, A solid state amp!).....Mag pups into channel 1, piezo into channel 2, dialed for a cleaner acoustic sound......One drive box (Ethos OD) for the mag sound. Using the on board controls, as well as the coil split switch. Very versatile in a band situation, being able to quickly go from acoustic to clean rhythm to bluesy to outright thick gain (Santana, Gary Moore, etc). And a touch of piezo blended into the mix can add a nice "crisp" clean edge.
 
Any powered PA monitor will do. I used a Mackie Thump with great results. I sometimes route through my JBL 5" at home. A little reverb and chorus is nice as well. I bought a TC bodyrez, but didn't need it at all.
 
That acoustic amp should sound great!

You won't get a "really" acoustic-sounding tone from the piezo into a regular guitar amp, but you will get a different tone that sometimes is nice to use straight up, or blended with the mag pups.

I do the opposite when gigging: I run my guitar into an acoustic amp, or PA, and use an amp emulator pedal when I want to get that "electric guitar amp" sound.

We don't have room for any of my nice big guitar amps where we gig, and they'd be too loud anyway. And over half of a typical gig (and 100% of our monthly Irish Pub gig) is acoustic, and I will play Mandolin or Acoustic guitar straight in.
 
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