Why did you choose the hollowbody you did, and if it's the 594, do you wish you had a piezo?

dilznik

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Apr 28, 2012
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I ask because I'm torn between the tonal options of the mag pickups on the 594 Hollowbody II and having a piezo on the Hollowbody II Piezo. I don't think scale difference will matter much to me since I switch to my Les Paul just fine.

So what made you decide on the 594 HB2? And if you got the HB2 over the 594 HB2, why did you go that route? And if you have an HB2, how often do you use the piezo?
 
I have two. I have a SCHB II and a HB II. My SC is a non 10 top and my HB is an artist grade top and back. Both of them have 57/08 pickups on them. That was one reason I chose both of them. I really like those pickups. I bought both because I wanted the piezo system in them. I use them for acoustic and electric sounds. I blend them and use them individually. I have a solid body 594. I changed the pickups in mine to 57/08 due to the volume drop off when switching guitars at gigs. I love that guitar with the 57/08 pickups in it. I personally wouldn't buy the 594 HB due to the fact that it doesn't have the piezo system in it. That was the main reason for both of my HB purchases.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I always run the piezo out on it's own channel and either run it through a Fishman Aura or a Fly Rig Acoustic then direct to the FOH mixer. I have been very happy with my acoustic tones running this way.
 
The HB Spruce was a suggestion from this forum when I was looking for a certain 594 HB II that was in short (as in zero) supply. I’m glad I checked it out, because it’s an incredible guitar! So good, in fact, that I bought a second one. Neither has piezo pickups, which I don’t mind. When I did buy a 594 HB, the lack of a piezo was not a concern, as I don’t use that tone currently.

If you really want/need the piezo sounds and have to have it in one guitar, you should get a guitar that’ll accommodate it. It’s a specialty thing that some folks love, some don’t. When I want an acoustic sound, I use an acoustic guitar or one of my T5s. That said, the piezos have their own thing going, and it’s a useful sound in itself. I’d like to have a piezo HB, for sure, but don’t find any of my three HBs lacking without it.
 
I have two HBs: a DC Spruce HB piezo, and a SC HBII with piezo. I really like using the piezo on my PRSi (also found on my P24 and P245SH), as I play pseudo-acoustic a lot when we gig.

I still want a 594 HB, and I will get one eventually, I suppose. If they add a piezo to the model, I will get one a whole lot quicker, though!
 
I have a piezo SCHB. It was great to take one guitar when we were doing one hour of "acoustic" sets followed by three hours of "full band electric."

Last time I gigged that guitar was a wedding playing jazz tunes with my wife singing. I'll roll the magnetic tone back just a bit and blend in a little piezo to try and emulate the big jazz box guitar sound. Works great for that too.
 
I chose this HB Spruce for many reasons I haven't foreseen, seriously. First of all, its acoustic tone is very, very different than many HB II guitars I've tried - the Spruce version is definitely louder, thicker, warmer, you name it. My eyes even got widen up as I heard it driven hard through for the first time - absolutely reminded me of Incubus tone of 2000s era. Also I couldn't resist the 2.6 kilogram of weight, really. It has optional bird inlays and piezo system. To me the latter didn't matter much since I scarcely use it, just feel better having it just in case. So this guitar, originally lent by a friend of mine, was perchased and have become mine ever since.

If the HB II 594 happens to be available with piezo option? Not sure I would mind that hence I prefer spruce top + mahogany back a ton over maple+maple construction of PRS HB guitars. Also I already own a core SC 594 though. But that's just me.


xkiKy5m.jpeg


jkIBTAV.jpeg
 
I chose the HBii with Piezo because it was the only Hollowbody available at the time and it came with a Piezo. When the 594 HBii launched, I bought one of those two as it has Coil Splitting options but both have the 58/15 LT's.

They are slightly different but whether that's the TCI, scale length or Nitro over Cab finish the 594HB has or just the variation you'd expect between instruments, I don't know (or care) both sound amazing and interchangeable to me - just depends on whether I want/need to use Piezo or Coil Splits...

My Hollowbody II with a 1 piece top...
UzQSZTB.jpg


My 594 Hollowbody...
vTZuoJh.jpg


So I'd say you either buy depending on whether you want Piezo or Coil Splits - or get BOTH!

The other option is to go Private Stock like Tim Pierce and combine both...
 
I have a piezo SCHB. It was great to take one guitar when we were doing one hour of "acoustic" sets followed by three hours of "full band electric."

Last time I gigged that guitar was a wedding playing jazz tunes with my wife singing. I'll roll the magnetic tone back just a bit and blend in a little piezo to try and emulate the big jazz box guitar sound. Works great for that too.
I know exactly what you mean I really love that sound combination.
 
I chose this HB Spruce for many reasons I haven't foreseen, seriously. First of all, its acoustic tone is very, very different than many HB II guitars I've tried - the Spruce version is definitely louder, thicker, warmer, you name it. My eyes even got widen up as I heard it driven hard through for the first time - absolutely reminded me of Incubus tone of 2000s era. Also I couldn't resist the 2.6 kilogram of weight, really. It has optional bird inlays and piezo system. To me the latter didn't matter much since I scarcely use it, just feel better having it just in case. So this guitar, originally lent by a friend of mine, was perchased and have become mine ever since.

If the HB II 594 happens to be available with piezo option? Not sure I would mind that hence I prefer spruce top + mahogany back a ton over maple+maple construction of PRS HB guitars. Also I already own a core SC 594 though. But that's just me.


xkiKy5m.jpeg


jkIBTAV.jpeg
Beautiful instrument!
 
I chose the HBii with Piezo because it was the only Hollowbody available at the time and it came with a Piezo. When the 594 HBii launched, I bought one of those two as it has Coil Splitting options but both have the 58/15 LT's.

They are slightly different but whether that's the TCI, scale length or Nitro over Cab finish the 594HB has or just the variation you'd expect between instruments, I don't know (or care) both sound amazing and interchangeable to me - just depends on whether I want/need to use Piezo or Coil Splits...

My Hollowbody II with a 1 piece top...
UzQSZTB.jpg


My 594 Hollowbody...
vTZuoJh.jpg


So I'd say you either buy depending on whether you want Piezo or Coil Splits - or get BOTH!

The other option is to go Private Stock like Tim Pierce and combine both...
Beautiful Guitar you got there!! When I watched that Tim Pierce video of his 594 with Piezo It made me think how much I would love to do a Private Stock Hollowbody with Modern Eagle V pickups and switching plus an added Piezo.
 
@Bowtiefanatc now has my Spruce.

I wanted that guitar for like 20 years (and only traded it for a guitar I’d wanted for 25 years). I wanted the Spruce HBI because they sound better and I’d love to hear it now with his pup swap.

Piezos are awful (my opinion YMMV) sounding and sound as much like a real acoustic guitar as a synth sounds like a real sexaphone.
 
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