Piezo issue with Silhouette Special

[lchender]

Hi Everyone,

I just picked up a Silhouette Special with Piezo a few weeks ago. I was playing some palm mute stuff the other day (with piezo pickup engaged) and all of a sudden I started hearing low frequency rumbling and what sounding like wind blowing into a microphone along with static pops. I turned the piezo volume off and the noise disappeared. The noise also doesn't occur when running only the magnetic pickups. I switched cables and changed the battery just to be sure - no change. I started tapping lightly with the edge of my hand on the bridge just to see if that was the issue and the piezo stopped making the noise temporarily. Then the whole piezo output suddenly disappeared (no sound). I tried exerting slight pressure on each of the strings just in front of the piezo contact points and discovered that the low A saddle made a popping noise through the amp when I applied pressure to the A string just in front of the piezo saddle. All of the other strings were silent when manipulated in the same way.

So, it appears I have a faulty A string piezo saddle and I took the guitar back to the store where I purchased it for repair.

I'm wondering if this is a common issue? Is it a simple fix or am I likely to be without the guitar for a long time? Can just the A saddle be replaced or is this a sign that the whole piezo system may need to be replaced?

Thanks in advance for any responses!

Leigh.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Leigh

Saddles can be changed individually. If you want a bit more info on it, click on the link to my JP6 refurb in my sig, and theres a bit of info on it.

Recently I had a problem with the Piezo on my BCB Albert Lee.
The battery compartment has a live and a ground wire soldered to the bottom.
Seems a design flaw in these type of battery cases, insofar constant opening and closing of the battery compartment puts stress on the wires and they can break off. FWIW I think the cassette type battery cases are better - like the ones you find in a lot of acoustics. However I would think that it would be difficult to integrate this into the design of a solid body guitar as you don't have the thickness.
Anyway. back OT - the guys at Customer Service are well experienced in this kind of thing so call them - they will also be able to tell you if any of the saddles are reverse polarity as were 3 on the JP?

Cheers

Spud

 

[DrKev]

Hi Leigh, welcome to the forum!

You did the right thing bringing the guitar back to the store. They are the first people you should talk to.

@Spud, yeah, three saddles are supposed to be reverse phase. Can't remember which ones though and no reason to suspect that that is of any consequence here.

BTW, who constantly opens and closes their battery compartment? What do people keep in there?

 

[Spudmurphy]

Hey Dr K

..."Hi Leigh, welcome to the forum! " - Leigh joinned before you in 04

... You did the right thing bringing the guitar back to the store. They are the first people you should talk to. +1

... @Spud, yeah, three saddles are supposed to be reverse phase. Can't remember which ones though and no reason to suspect that that is of any consequence here.
People don't realise until they have removed the saddle that it has an "R" underneath - just forewarning him should he even think of swapping them

... BTW, who constantly opens and closes their battery compartment? What do people keep in there?

I s'pose I'd better get back to work!!!

 

[DrKev]

Leigh joinned before you in 04

Wow, I really do need more sleep, eh?

 

[kbaim]

BTW, who constantly opens and closes their battery compartment? What do people keep in there?

Usually just car keys, some kleenex, and an apple. But thats just me.

 

[lchender]

Thanks for the welcome, DrKev! Although I joined in 2004, I hadn't been around in a long while. I even forgot that I had been registered here and attempted to register again! LOL

Thanks to everyone for your input. We'll see what my local store has to say. Hopefully this won't take a long time to fix as I am already experiencing separation anxiety from my guitar!