Why Piezo?

[pdeon99]

Why would one choose Piezo pups over the more conventional coils? Do they provide a unique tone? Or is it to output individual strings to a synth (V-Bass, or GR20, or something)?

 

[PilbaraBass]

Why would one choose Piezo pups over the more conventional coils? Do they provide a unique tone? Or is it to output individual strings to a synth (V-Bass, or GR20, or something)?

Piezos respond to the vibration of the entire instrument, where magnetics respond to the vibration of the string with respect to how they affect the magnetic field established by the magnetic pole pieces of the pickup.

in short, they sound and respond quite differently to magnetic pickups, and this can be a benefit or a negative...also the tonal response of piezo's is quite different...

piezos can be quite bright sounding and can pickup the sound of the string hitting the fret quite easily (not necessarily desireable)...however, piezos have a very wide frequency response good preamps can really bring out the "true sound" of the instrument...

piezos are often used on fretless instruments because they can bring out a quality of the instrument that magnetic pickups leave behind.

you really have to play a piezo instrument, to completely understand, I think.

 

[elros]

Listen to Steve Swallow play. He uses a bass with piezo pickups only. I love that sound.