Question: Piezo guitar owners

[JAMz]

Two questions for those of you with piezo equipped guitars;
1. What is your typical set up? Do most of you use a separate acoustic amp or just straight to the PA? I’m trying to get a consensus about what is the most common set up when it comes to the piezo, now since I’m getting a new JPX.

For some time I had the following setup and sounded great but it was a hassle to move/setup.

Taylor T5 -> Whirlwind AB box (A) to the electric rig (B) to a SWR California Blonde

I sold my T5 and SWR to the other guitar player, so I now play strictly electric. But when he does’t show up I’d like to be able to complement with some acoustic sounds out of the JPX.

2. Another question is, where I play I have only one PA channel assigned. I guess I’ll need to get some sort of two channel mixer so that I can send my SM57 tube amp signal plus my acoustic di or amp into the same PA channel correct?

 

[kestrou]

1. I don't play a crunchy amp (Fender clean that I dirty up with pedals - go ahead and throw stones, boys! ) - so I run both to the same amp and mike it.

2. Not going to be easy to get a mike signal to your amp to be the same level as a DI signal from your piezo pickup. I don't know what specialized box you'd need - so I'd try and get another channel on the PA!

kestrou

 

[Lou]

Direct to pa via via splitter box

 

[joe web]

Direct to pa via via splitter box

that´s the way to go!
but for better sound, add an fishman aura pedal to the signal chain.

 

[Spudmurphy]

My Mags to my tube amp, and my Piezo to the AER (and when necessary, I take a feed from the AER to the PA).

I use a splitter/EB6165 pedal.

 

[Eric O'Reilly]

Kestrou there is nothing wrong with that approach, i had a marshall jtm 30, which is a mid 90s combo marshall made, 30 watt 1 12 , a/b, but the clean channel was the best ive ever heard on a marshall, almost bassman like, or twin. So i would use it with a pod 2.0 or an old tube driver pedal, and it was great, the dirt channel was great on that amp too.

 

[Screamindv]

Stereo cable split. One side to stereo triaxis with G-System and 2 2x12 rectifier cabs. The other side to Fishman Aura Spectrum split to PA for FOH through XLR and 1/4 inch out to line 6 2x12 for stage monitor.

 

[Speros]

I'll probably get bashed for this for being a bit of a noob or whatnot, but I go straight into the amp, and chuck some chorus and delay onto it;

It doesnt sound bad, but totally aware it can sound better. Good start nonetheless.

 

[Skoorbdooh]

Unfortunately discontinued - the Fishman Powerblend is my favorite solution to this situation.
The signal chain is GTR →Powerblend → XLR → FOH with effects @ the board. The magnetic thru signal goes straight to the amp. The beauty of the Powerblend is that it has both XLR and 1/4 in. outs for the piezo so I can have a monitor on stage under MY control. It also has 3 band e.q. with a low cut that is very necessary if the FOH engineer does not mute your channel and you use the tremolo (it can happen).

There is another option available from Decibel guitars - The Magnetic/Piezo blend pedal | Decibel Guitars

 

[KevinUK]

This is another common problem I have, I have used through the PA but that leaves so much to the sound man to control and they don't always know best, I have tried a Fender Acoustisonic shoved on top of my main amp, but in a rock band I struggled with volume and now I use a mesa Mini rectifier amp and cab which has GOOD clean channel I just shove everything through that, yes the piezzo sound is a bit dirty but in my band dirty is good !!!