Tonal difference between piezo and regular hollowbodies?

[imaradiostar]

I purchased a PRS hollowbody 1 in 2001 or so. Before I bought it I had played every one I could get my hands on and they were all amazing instruments and all had the solid bridge. When I ordered mine I got the piezo bridge option and it's been very useful.

I might be crazy...but subjectively I don't think it sounds quite as good as the non-piezo ones I played previously. Sure, it's more than ten years later now but I've often thought it over the years. It still sounds excellent but not quite the same- not as much sustain and perhaps not as full a sound. I've thought about this enough that I've even considered removing the piezo bridge just to try the guitar without it.

Has anyone ever had a chance to compare? Am I crazy?

Jamie

 

[Egads]

Someone here did pull the piezo off (LBJ?), but I don't know what bridge he went with. It'll make a difference, but I don't know how much of a difference.

BTW, if you pull it out, dibs!

 

[LJD]

I swapped the piezo off my HBII for a PRS adjustable. The difference was slight. I'd bet the v12 finish on the newer guitars makes much more of a difference. When I shopped for a HBII I played an older one. When I held it I could feel the body vibrate from another customer playing a bass and amp across the room. My 2012 has never done anything like that. I think the V12 is too stiff.

 

[Sage]

I swapped the piezo off my HBII for a PRS adjustable. The difference was slight. I'd bet the v12 finish on the newer guitars makes much more of a difference. When I shopped for a HBII I played an older one. When I held it I could feel the body vibrate from another customer playing a bass and amp across the room. My 2012 has never done anything like that. I think the V12 is too stiff.

Does the 2012 have a center block? I know the 25th anniversary (2010) HBII did.

 

[LJD]

It has the wood beneath the bridge only, not a "center block" like a 335.

 

[mcbprs]

I have a 20th Aniv HBII with piezo and you can certainly feel the vibration in its body (it only has the block under the bridge)

 

[ADP]

I find the piezo bridges are much brighter and "zingier" than the adjustable non-piezo stoptail, which in turn is brighter than the non-adjustable bridge. Without AB-ing the same guitar with all three bridges it's hard to say exactly how they compare, but I'd say there's a significant tone loss with the piezo bridge. In the end it's a compromise. I have guitars with all three and I'm happy with all three though.

 

[jfb]

I've had both, but never really A/B'd them. Curious what people have to say about this.

 

[Nodealcreel]

My problem stems from the need for the peizo. I have been shopping 335's and HB II's for months, but after I got the P22, I can hardly stand standard guitars.... I love the 335's (the ones with tolerable actions, which is a crapshoot from my experience) but when I think of the fact that I have no acoustic sound, I start thinking...well, it would just hang there on the wall like the other "wall art" I have....

 

[veinbuster]

I haven't noticed any acoustic beneift in the HB II I have without a piezo. It is a nice guitar but except when I'm using the piezo (which I ususally do) I can't really hear a difference.