LUKE Piezo Sound Question

[JDouglee]

Hey, I have a Luke Piezo. It's great and all, but sound wise a little "dead" compared to my other Lukes. I'm wondering if this might have something to do with the fact the piezo & EMGs share the same 9 volt battery. I'm aware the saddles are different on a Piezo Luke, but not THAT different.

Should I:
a) Install an additional battery for the EMGs only?
b) Go with passive pickups?
c) Drop tune the thing & join a metal band?

What do ya think? Jon? Anyone?

 

[dwf1004]

C.

For the sake of logistics, you have replaced the battery, and found the results to be the same, right? (Just making sure everything's been covered before we get heavy into this, and find that that was the only issue! )

 

[JDouglee]

Oh yes

 

[JDouglee]

Actually I have a few guitars with EMGs, I definitely know what to expect sound wise. This one seems like it's perhaps not getting full voltage, altho it's output level is fine. It's sustain characteristics are sort of odd...almost like there was an impedance problem...

That's the best way I can describe it.

 

[Ali]

Hi JDouglee. Just wondering if you've experienced the tone problems before at all on a piezo Luke? And does it seem to be affecting all the tone? I'm a little concerned as I'm waiting for my own piezo Luke to arrive in January. If the problem is common, I'm tempted to drop the piezo from the spec and use teh extra cash for the deposit on an Axis instead...

 

[JDouglee]

Well, being that I have never heard any comments from Petrucci Piezo owners, I'm thinking it may very well be a battery issue. There was talk a long time ago of someone with a Piezo Luke adding a 2nd battery but I cannot find the thread.

I was hoping someone from EBMM would jump in, but it looks like I gotta figure this one out on my own. Having two other Lukes (non piezo), I know something is amiss...

As far as your Luke order, I can't really comment. I don't know if EBMM would custom fit an additional battery or not for you. Probably not.

So the question remains, do I cut up the guitar for a battery, or go passive?

 

[Ali]

Tough decision!

Do the Petrucci's have a different battery arrangement then?

I think it may be wise to take the safe option and delete the piezo. The Luke tone matters more to me as an electric than as a piezo acoustic. Given that it's a £300 option, that's 25% of an Axis

I'll contact my dealer tomorrow. As Derek has discovered mine isn't scheduled for completeion until January it should give time to change. If not then hell, I'll just go with the flow. But having 3 months less time to wait for the Axis would be nice

 

[JDouglee]

Tough decision!

Do the Petrucci's have a different battery arrangement then?

Yes, the main point is the Petrucci is passive, the battery powers the piezo. In a Luke the same battery powers both the piezo AND the EMGs. It's shared, and I'm wondering if the Luke EMGs are getting full power. I notice no tone change when switching between magnetic & the piezo, so the piezo may be powered all the time.

I'm not badmouthing the piezo tho, it sounds surprisingly good for a solid body. And the guitar plays well, I just want the electric tone to punch a little more.

 

[Ali]

Thanks Doug. I realised about the battery issue late last night after posting that

The reason I want the Luke is because of Lukather's tone. I just adore it. If there's any chance the piezo will change it then I think I'l delete the option. And don't tell Keith...I might go for Carbon Blue instead As I want a pacific blue burst Axis and an Oriental Blue Burst APX7, I think it'll match them better. Plus my next car is going to be blue as well

BTW, love the CD downloads...seriously good. I'll be placing an order

 

[kbaim]

Ali, all sales final!



You may not need/want another guitar after owning the piezo luke.

I'm selling my 2 axis supersports with piezo in the next few months. They're both fine playing and sounding guitars, but they ain't lukes. Ask Purplesport. He seems to be a recent convert.

Though my piezo luke did need a bit of fret filing on the bottom of the frets and a coat of wax on the neck to play more like my other Lukes.
KEITH

 

[kbaim]

:You may not need/want another guitar after owning the piezo luke.

I'm selling my 2 axis supersports with piezo in the next few months.
KEITH

That said, I am waiting on an Albert Lee

 

[lespaulreed]

I just sold my Petrucci w/piezo to finance my 2nd Luke limited edition in radiance red (go to Gbase to see it as it's still on there) and my envy greren limited Luke both have the piezo option and neither of them are as loud piezo-wise or sound as good tonally piezo-wise as the Petrucci.
I think it is because they share the battery with the EMG's.
Is it Parker that uses a double voltage to power their piezo's? I think I read that you just put 2 batteries in series and it doubles the power. Anyone know? Maybe you can hide 2 batteries in the electronics cavity or at least fit one battery there and run the wires to the existing battery compartment.

One thing about it, there is a difference in the way the piezo's sound from the Luke to the Petrucci and a bit of a volume difference for sure.

 

[JDouglee]

Interesting, thanx for sharing that.

BTW, love the CD downloads...seriously good. I'll be placing an order

 

[Ali]

Don't worry Keith. It's still a Luke. I started out wanting a Carbon Blue and everyone else persuaded me out of it. The VS is lovely, but it somehow just isn't me...hell, I even buy blue acoustics for heavens sake Everytime I think of the VS I think "did I do the right thing?" and everytime I think of the Carbon i just think "yes, that's me "!!!

I love the subtlety of the Carbon. Saw my first Carbon in the flesh last week and I have to say the photos of them don't do justice. Was half thinking of Blue Pearl but it's just too loud for me!

As for the piezo...well, I'm upgrading the acoustic soon anyway, plus I just can't risk compromising the Luke's electric tone. Strangely, and perhaps related, you never see Luke himself playing the piezo

 

[kbaim]

 

[Ali]

Keith, why on earth are you selling those gorgeous Axises (Axi/Axii?!!!)

You'll regret it...

 

[kbaim]

Keith, why on earth are you selling those gorgeous Axises (Axi/Axii?!!!)

You'll regret it...

I hope not. When I got 'em, I didn't know the Luke could be ordered w/piezo. And the emg tone fits my style better. That, and I finally bought new furniture for the first time in 10 years (holy crap the nice stuff is expensive!) and I still have to get the home studio up and running.

Besides, One of 'em is going to Koogs. He played it so effortlessly and with such sweet tone and singing sustain at least one of 'em will be in good hands.

I only had a chance to record 1 song with the piezo luke before the band broke up, but I didn't notice the problems JDOUGLEE brought up. Though I did notice the B string was not as loud as the other strings on piezo setting...but it was just a slight saddle adjustment.

Over the summer I played in another band but just used the piezo. Brought both an axiss ss and the luke and didn't notice a difference going thru PA.
The band felt my guitar sounded better than their acoustic with pickup.

I also bought a fishman eq+preamp. Maybe I'll end up keeping the one Koogs doesn't want. Who knows?
KEITH

 

[Ali]

Choosing which of those to keep would be like choosing which child to give up or keep

Both are drop dead gorgeous Personally I'd go for the blue burst but that's just me and my blue guitar thang The Tobacco is stunning as well...

Stop going on about piezos Besides, I'm now in credit to the tune of £400 (300 for piezo and 100 for the upcharge on the VS) which I have to decide what to spend The Axis I want has been offered to me for £1399 so that still leaves a grand to find. OR I could sell the Boss Gt6 and Marshall AVT150 for 300 each and use the cash and credit to buy a Line 6 Vetta II. Or I could do what the wife tells me and put it in our savings account

 

[kbaim]

Actually, I'm letting Koogs pick whichever one he wants.

...or maybe he was very persuasive in being allowed to pick the one he wants.


KEITH

PS
PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO PIEZO

 

[jongitarz]

Is what you are hearing happening in the magnetic/stereo jack? When you use that jack, the signal goes through the piezo pre amp. When you use the piezo/mono the piezo pre amp is bypassed, so there could be a slight change in the sound when using the Mag/Stereo jack. I hope this makes sense.

Jon