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  #1  
Old 06-20-2009, 07:23 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Stratford ON
Piezo pickups died on acoustic-electric

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The piezos on my samick HFB 590 just died. I love this bass. I can't seem to find any info about replacing piezos on an A/E hollowbody bass. Click image for larger version

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What are my options-I was fine with the piezos but I would be open to any suggestions. I do like the thick growl of the bass the way it was and would like to preserve some of that.

Thanks, Dean
  #2  
Old 06-20-2009, 10:10 AM
ByF ByF is offline
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Join Date: May 2009
Hmm, interesting question. Is it completely dead, like no sound, or is it just not working the way it did before? Have you changed anything else on the bass, like the saddle?

Is there any way to get into the body from the back? A removable cover or something?

Does it have a pre-amp built in? How do you change the battery (you did check the battery, didn't you? )?

The piezo transducer is just in the slot under the bridge saddle, so if you remove the strings and lift out the saddle, you'll see the transducer. The wire goes down through a hole in the bridge to the pre-amp (if you have one) and to the output jack.

If I had it in my hands, the first thing I would do would be to look inside and see if a wire has come loose or something. You might have to do it with a little mirror and a flashlight in the f-hole, unless there is a cover.

Hope this helps.

Ed
  #3  
Old 06-20-2009, 10:21 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lafayette, LA
It could be the preamp, but piezo crystal is pretty fragile. However, when the crystal cracks, you get a distorted clicking sound instead of no output at all.

If you want to try replacing the transducer, you can get some piezo cable here:
http://www.tclutherie.hypermart.net/tcl/page6.html

BTW - that's a nice bass
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  #4  
Old 06-20-2009, 11:47 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Stratford ON
Piezo

Yeah,just no sound at all -one minute yes, one minute no. There is a cover. I looked inside but saw nothing...will check again. The preamp is built in and the battery is good...I definitely triple checked that before I posted. There is power to the preamp so somewhere between the preamp and the jack, something has gone stinky.
D
  #5  
Old 06-21-2009, 08:38 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lafayette, LA
I'd bet you have a loose lead somewhere - either from the piezo to the pre or from the pre to the output. Have you looked at the connections to the output jack?
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