Help! Piezo for dummies

[TonyEVH5150]

I bought Warg Master's Silo, and it's the first guitar I've ever owned that has a piezo. Does anyone have tips on how I use it? Mono? Stereo? Which input do I use just for the mags??

I've ordered the piezo/mag splitter from Pete, and I'm getting an acoustic modeler pedal of some sort (either Boss AC-2 or Zoom A2).

Any tips you guys might have would be great. Thanks!!!

 

[Lou]

You can run it a few different ways. But since you are getting the splitter box you'd run a stereo cable out of the stereo jack into the splitter and then mags into your guitar amp path and the piezo into a PA/acoustic amp.

You can also run 2 mono cables and run each to a seperate signal path as above. Or using a mono cable in the mono jack will have both piezo and mags running into one amp.

 

[Spudmurphy]

^ yup just what he said

Do yourself a favour though and get an acoustic amp - it will blow your mind (and your wallet !)

 

[TonyEVH5150]

I've been looking at some acoustic amps while I was waiting on this one to show up. Probably not going to be looking at a very high price point - around $200. Ebay has had a few good ones pop up: Marshall, Laney. I don't have a need for a high wattage amp. The 50W Valveking I have is almost too much. I'm interested in the 30 watt range, and I 've read some good reviews on a few: Ultrasound, Marshall. I know there's alot of talk about AER, but there's no way i could afford one of those. Open to suggestions.

So if I want to run mags only (mono), I can use either of the two inputs???

 

[Mikey]

I can't tell you exactly.
Take a look at the MM-homepage. Tick your instrument at the instrument's section and open the diagrams for your guitar with the piezo option. You'll find a very detailed description.

 

[Spudmurphy]

To answer your question (I hope!) you can on an AL so I don't suppose yours will be any different. - _ I guess a Silo /piezo owner will chip in soon?

 

[Dead-Eye]

I've ordered the piezo/mag splitter from Pete, and I'm getting an acoustic modeler pedal of some sort (either Boss AC-2 or Zoom A2).

Aren't those to make an electric sound acoustic? My dad used to have the AC-2 but sold it before I got my piezo ball. With mag pickups it definitely didn't sound better than plugging the piezo into an electric amp.

 

[Marcus2]

Open to suggestions.

An affordable option is to try one of the Troubadour Acoustic amps made by Iban*z. They are reasonably priced and have gotten some good reviews.

I run my Petrucci mag output through a POD into a Tech21 Powerengine and the acoustic out through the Troubadour. When I combine the single coil sound with the acoustic sound, it's a sonic version of nirvana.

Good luck and have fun!

Marc

 

[TonyEVH5150]

Aren't those to make an electric sound acoustic? My dad used to have the AC-2 but sold it before I got my piezo ball. With mag pickups it definitely didn't sound better than plugging the piezo into an electric amp.

I wanted one just to give the piezo a little character. I also want some sort of effects to help add a little to the sound out of the piezo, without trying to run the piezo loop thru my other effects chain.

 

[Dead-Eye]

I wanted one just to give the piezo a little character. I also want some sort of effects to help add a little to the sound out of the piezo, without trying to run the piezo loop thru my other effects chain.

From the website, the Zoom seems to be the right choice in this case. The Boss is...well, not very good () and doesn't have effects if I remember correctly.

 

[Lou]

I wanted one just to give the piezo a little character. I also want some sort of effects to help add a little to the sound out of the piezo, without trying to run the piezo loop thru my other effects chain.

The EBMM piezo sounds great as is. I run mine thru a chorus and delay to enhance it a bit.

 

[dannymusic]

first, what a great looking axe. it was a steal too. I was certainly tempted. If it was a silo sp, it would've been mine.

personally, go for headroom, you'll be glad. POWERED wedge for me. JBL, Mackie, EV, Yorkville even behringer. You don't need notch filters and bajillion eq setting for a hybrid.

 

[roburado]

To run mags only, you have to use:

1) a mono cable in the mono jack, and turn the piezo volume all the way down by means of the piezo volume pot or a volume pedal.

or

2) TRS cable in the stereo jack and either turn the piezo volume down by means of the piezo volume pot or a volume pedal on the piezo signal path between the splitter box and the amp, PA, whatever.

 

[whitestrat]

The one reason why I don't have a Silo with piezo, and sold of the one I had, is that I much prefer the switching system that the JP6, 20th, Axis, and Luke have, rather than the 2 volume knobs on the Silo.

 

[roburado]

Yeah, I like the systems with a switch. I think Sigmunds Couch uses a footswitch on his piezo signal, or maybe, he uses the volume pedal. I can't remember.

 

[vqueiroz]

I have a silly question, I am planning to buy a Petrucci Piezo guitar, if I plug a mono cable into the stereo or mono output, would I be able to switch from mags pickups to piezo just using the 3way switch??
thanks

 

[TonyEVH5150]

I think I finally have the piezo figured out. Thanks for the tips!!!

Revamping my signal chain has my head spinning. I have two more pedals to buy. A EBVP jr, and a Zoom A2 (or A2U1). I got my splitter from Pete yesterday (thanks Beller's!!)

So my Mag signal is like this:

Guitar -> splitter -> ??? Volume Pedal -> Tuner (has a bypass switch when tuner is engaged) -> BBE Boosta Grande -> EB Wah -> MXR Flanger -> MXR Phaser -> AMP

My Piezo chain is going to be like this:

Guitar -> Splitter -> ???Volume Pedal -> Zoom A2 (or A2U1 - has an expression pedal that can operate as a volume pedal) -> Acoustic Amp to be determined later.

My dilemma now is: which signal path do I want to use the EBVP on?? I can't keep track of both volume knobs on the guitar. I'd rather leave them set where I want them and use a pedal to control one/both signals. It's a minute detail, but the piezo is blowing my mind!!! It's a great feature, and I like it. I'm just trying to figure out how best to use it.

I'm half wondering if I sould skip the piezo altogether and trade for a non-piezo Silo.

 

[dannymusic]

oh yeah. head spinnin'

actually. I gotta think I have one of the simplest setups. a EBMM piezo guitar, 1 GNX4 into powered EV wedge. The mags plug into the main section and the GNX4 has a rockin mic pre in that just kills with the piezo; which can go through the effects section. 1 cable. 1 trip from the car. 5 minute setup.

...oh, did i say it sounds great?!?

 

[roburado]

My Piezo chain is going to be like this:

Guitar -> Splitter -> ???Volume Pedal -> Zoom A2 (or A2U1 - has an expression pedal that can operate as a volume pedal) -> Acoustic Amp to be determined later.

You probably will need a DI box with a ground lift, or you're going to get ground loop hum. Then, your next thread will be another repeat of the multiple "noise with piezo" threads.

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/23101-dumb-piezo-question-yes-im-slow.html

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/21155-help-pretty-please-problem-my-new-john-petrucci.html

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/21176-stereo-cable-jpm-piezo-hum.html

 

[TonyEVH5150]

Since you've shared that piece of info, I doubt I will start yet another thread on noise. I do try the search function first.