Unless they broke (?). I was wondering if its necessary to make a cavety under the bridge of should they be permanently under compression. If so, how much?
Now that's a photo I'd like to see.
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so I got a piezo buzzer from Radio Shack...
- Thread starter RyanHelms
- Start date
Here's my dilemma:
Right now, my Squier is under construction. I've tried this before I gutted out my Squier. But here's the deal: I routed under the bridge a little so that the bridge can lay flat but still accompany the piezo under the bridge. I used electrical tape and taped the element with the brass side on the bridge. Would it make a difference if I had the ceramic side touching the bridge?
Also, I noticed, I didn't get that much output from the bass. Could the problem be with how much pressure I put on the element?
Right now, my Squier is under construction. I've tried this before I gutted out my Squier. But here's the deal: I routed under the bridge a little so that the bridge can lay flat but still accompany the piezo under the bridge. I used electrical tape and taped the element with the brass side on the bridge. Would it make a difference if I had the ceramic side touching the bridge?
Also, I noticed, I didn't get that much output from the bass. Could the problem be with how much pressure I put on the element?
So I tried making one of these today. The piezo-under-bridge-of-solidbody one.
I strung it all up with all screws properly in, and no sound. So I loosened everything while plugged in to a small amp, and at a certain point there was sound. So now I'm going to make little feet for the bridge, kinda like on a table so that there isn't too much pressure. Or get someone at the local music shop to route a small space for the element when I go get the extra endpin installed.
Just agreeing with previous posts here
Edit:
I made the "feet" out of cork, and it works like a charm. I love the sound it gets. Mostly. The low B sounds like cardboard, though I've yet to try it on a real amp (as opposed to a 10' Vox practice amp).
I strung it all up with all screws properly in, and no sound. So I loosened everything while plugged in to a small amp, and at a certain point there was sound. So now I'm going to make little feet for the bridge, kinda like on a table so that there isn't too much pressure. Or get someone at the local music shop to route a small space for the element when I go get the extra endpin installed.
Just agreeing with previous posts here
Edit:
I made the "feet" out of cork, and it works like a charm. I love the sound it gets. Mostly. The low B sounds like cardboard, though I've yet to try it on a real amp (as opposed to a 10' Vox practice amp).
Bad idea to seperate the bridge from the body like that. You want to have as much contact, and as solid a contact, as possible, to transmit the string vibrations to the body.
Cork is a particularly bad idea, since it will dampen these transmissions substantially, as well as decrease your sustain. If you must have a spacer, use metal washers (which would still probably be a bad idea).
However, a better solution would probably be to make a little groove under the bridge, into the body, just large enough for the piezo to fit. Just don't make it too big or deep! Deepen the groove incrementally while testing the piezo.
Cork is a particularly bad idea, since it will dampen these transmissions substantially, as well as decrease your sustain. If you must have a spacer, use metal washers (which would still probably be a bad idea).
However, a better solution would probably be to make a little groove under the bridge, into the body, just large enough for the piezo to fit. Just don't make it too big or deep! Deepen the groove incrementally while testing the piezo.
Series will make it higher. Parallel them (ie: all black wires together, all red wires together - double check for phase tho just to make sure they aren't misassembled).
In my EUBs, I use 1 for each string (requires some experimentation to get even volumes - but once it's set, it's gold).
In my EUBs, I use 1 for each string (requires some experimentation to get even volumes - but once it's set, it's gold).
RyreInc said:
Since one of my Graph Tech saddles broke (and I live too far away to bother with warranty/returns) I'm going to put some experiments with under-the-bridge piezos. It looks quite reasonable to me to face the flat metallic side to bridge plate and crystal side to the body. It's gonna be nice, because this way I'll be able to use piezo cable shield as bridge ground wire. The less flat crystal side is going to be pressed into the soft finish of my WW SSTD nicely.
I've already got some experience with direct string-to-pickup systems (another one has saddles standing on crystals located under the bridge - regretfully requires more routing than I can do to my WW). What makes me upset about these direct systems is too much fret and wind noise and powerful subsonic thump when playing too close to bridge. Wonder If I'll get a bit smoother and woodier sound from under-the-bridge system.
I've already got some experience with direct string-to-pickup systems (another one has saddles standing on crystals located under the bridge - regretfully requires more routing than I can do to my WW). What makes me upset about these direct systems is too much fret and wind noise and powerful subsonic thump when playing too close to bridge. Wonder If I'll get a bit smoother and woodier sound from under-the-bridge system.
i made a pickup for a ukulele with a piezo buzzer from radioshack
it doesn't sound that great, very quiet. but then again i didnt break it out of the plastic case, so that might have something to do with it
i was thinking about putting in a tone knob or just a capacitor to even things out more, but its not a big deal...
it doesn't sound that great, very quiet. but then again i didnt break it out of the plastic case, so that might have something to do with it
i was thinking about putting in a tone knob or just a capacitor to even things out more, but its not a big deal...
I know it's been awhile since this thread has been posted to, but I need some advice. I have a Warwick Corvette Fretless 4-string. I'd like to either add the Radio Shack buzzer piezos to the bridge or use an acoustic guitar piezo pickup to the bridge. The bass has the EMG BTC preamp in it, along with EMG active P and J pickups. Can I get a decent, usable array of tones by just running the output of the EMG's pickup blend pot into an added blend pot? The second blend pot would be blending the P/J signal and the piezo signal. Would this setup work or am I way off base on this one?
- Oct 7, 2000
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- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
If you're going to spend some money anyway...may I suggest that you just buy the appropriate graphtech piezo saddles for your bridge....
the reason...it's REALLY difficult to get a decent sound from a flat piezo mounted between your bridge plate and body (a la radio shack)...reason being, is that it tends to pick up just as much noise on the bass (finger taps, fret noise, etc....) as it does anything else...whereas the purpose-built saddles pick up primarily string vibration...
"radio shack specials" can work very well in acoustic instruments, however, because they are located inside the instrument directly under the saddle (where string-induced vibrations are strong) and not pressed up against a rigid body.
mind you, you CAN use a radio shack type piezo on a solid body...it will work...it's just darn fiddly, is all...
as far as blending the piezo tone...
you should buffer the piezo signal first to create a high impedance input for the pickup and a low impedance output for the blend pot...otherwise, your EMG pickups will "steal the show" and you'll have greate difficulty blending in any appreciable piezo signal to the magnetics...(you can probably accomplish this with an impedence matching transformer, too...but the buffer is the much preferred solution for reasons that a lengthy to describe). Simple FET buffer circuits are easy to create and work well...just search some of the DIY piezo people's work online...there's heaps of nifty little simple circuits out there...
I believe you can DRILL a SMALL screw hole in the CENTER of the piezo, put it between your preferred combination of WASHERS and GASKETS, and SCREW it to the bass. The TORQUE to which you tighten the screw will affect the TONE you get.
ITS easy!
ITS easy!
T. Brookins, have you ever tried this? Piezos are extremely brittle, so you'll most likely need special tools like diamond high-RPM drill or something... The torque won't affect much, because piezos are very linear, it doesn't matter what average pressure they receive, they pick up the difference. Gaskets may be a good idea to dampen extreme high-end.
bad idea...piezos are fragile...drill = destruction
however...finding another way to "clamp" the piezo may be effective, to an extent...
most important affect on tone is dampening...ie foam tape or something similar...then vary clamping on that...might work...worth experimenting on.
PilbaraBass, Shoewreck,
Right on! I haven't tried this yet, but plan to in the not so distant future. Yes, yes, I'll work very slow with a diamond-powdered bit at high speed.
If not that, maybe we could conjure up a design where a small clamp is fastened to the body under which the piezo is slid.
This thread is GREAT and is underrated!
Right on! I haven't tried this yet, but plan to in the not so distant future. Yes, yes, I'll work very slow with a diamond-powdered bit at high speed.
If not that, maybe we could conjure up a design where a small clamp is fastened to the body under which the piezo is slid.
This thread is GREAT and is underrated!
(Subscribed)
Wow! I might try this on my cheapo project bass but I can never
imagine trying this on a Warwick. Wow! Fun thread!
Wow! I might try this on my cheapo project bass but I can never
imagine trying this on a Warwick. Wow! Fun thread!
I can imagine, I've even got the going ceramic crystals for an under-saddle system (nowhere near he Radio Shack ones). Just can't start. Still don't have copper foil required by my PPU design.
id just like to say a big thank you to ryne who stared this thread oh so long ago.
i got a couple of buzzers put em under my bridge . was to quiet so did have to put in a pre amp and a notch filter(was to much trebble.). sounds awesome cost me nz-$30 (pre amp was $22) .
wired it all my self .im useless at that sort of thing ,thats how easy this mod is.
thanks to others for the links
i got a couple of buzzers put em under my bridge . was to quiet so did have to put in a pre amp and a notch filter(was to much trebble.). sounds awesome cost me nz-$30 (pre amp was $22) .
wired it all my self .im useless at that sort of thing ,thats how easy this mod is.
thanks to others for the links
I was thinking of buying one of these, but may just run over to the Shack instead.
http://cgi.ebay.com/BASS-BRIDGE-W-B...ryZ41407QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
MM
http://cgi.ebay.com/BASS-BRIDGE-W-B...ryZ41407QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
MM
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