Question Would you consider peizo a "true" acoustic signal

[universe777]

If you like, I can record a couple samples tonight with my JP6 and JP7s. The piezo is one of the reasons I'm into Music Man guitars. Gotta have that 7 string acoustic sound

Thanks so much for the offer to record samples, I'll pass on that though. I have the bfr-jp, so I'm familiar with the awesome sound our ball's put out!

"Acoustic signal" is kind of an oxymoron in this context. The signal is electric, not acoustic (in the air).

Anyhow, the frequency bandwidth should be the same whether you're talking about a piezo or magnetic pickups. You'll have different overtones, etc. but in roughly the same spectrum.

Thanks Beej! you hit the nail right on the head - When I made that last post I couldn't think of the correct words to use when I was trying to define "acoustic" signal. Frequency Bandwidth...I think that's a perfect way to describe what I was getting at.

To reiterate, my interest in this topic stems from my discovery that Monster Cable makes an acoustic-optimized cable, so that's what piqued my curiosity.

 

[bkrumme]

To reiterate, my interest in this topic stems from my discovery that Monster Cable makes an acoustic-optimized cable, so that's what piqued my curiosity.

I don't think the acoustic "optimized" cable is going to give you much benefit. You're paying for the name and the gimmick on this one...

A good shielded cable is all you need.

 

[DrKev]

I just found this link, which raised a chuckle. I'm not saying there is any truth to it, and I wouldn't use it for a guitar cable but...

Do Coat Hangers Sound As Good?

 

[bkrumme]

I just found this link, which raised a chuckle. I'm not saying there is any truth to it, and I wouldn't use it for a guitar cable but...

Do Coat Hangers Sound As Good?

That's funny. Technically speaking, a copper coat hanger would be a better conductor than a Monster cable...so there may be something to that.

The problem would be with noise since it's not shielded and the possibility of grounding the circuit just by bumping into something.

 

[ShaneV]

I just found this link, which raised a chuckle. I'm not saying there is any truth to it, and I wouldn't use it for a guitar cable but...

Do Coat Hangers Sound As Good?

I've seen that before, always good.

Anyone remember in Vintage Guitar magazine a few years ago when they did the high end cable shootout? That was one of the most issues ever.

 

[azazael]

Personally I hate Piezo's.
Sound nothing like an acoustic guitar really.
On a MM its a good tonal option for blending and also for versatility but on acoustic guitars... horrible things.

My acoustic has a fishman aura and that just destroys any piezo system i've ever heard. I couldn't go back to brittle sound of piezo.

 

[bkrumme]

Personally I hate Piezo's.
Sound nothing like an acoustic guitar really.
On a MM its a good tonal option for blending and also for versatility but on acoustic guitars... horrible things.

My acoustic has a fishman aura and that just destroys any piezo system i've ever heard. I couldn't go back to brittle sound of piezo.

Makes sense considering the Aura is an "imaging" or "modeling" preamp. It's like plugging your electric guitar into a Pod Pro or Axe-FX and dialing in that "Les Paul through a cranked Marshall" tone when you're playing a Strat. You should get close to the same affect from the Aura stomp boxes as from the preamp in your acoustic.

 

[candid_x]

The capacitance in long cable runs makes your sound more midrangey, taking away some highs. That's not a bad thing- for distorted guitar sounds, it's all in the midrange. Lots of guys like the effect that long cable runs have on their signal. The ones who don't use low capacitance cable or buffers.

That's interesting. I've been happily using Mogami Gold for about 6 years, noticed a huge difference in my sound, very present and transparent compared to my old cables, which were of pretty good quality. I was going straight to amp with only 10' of cable, and I'd never heard a guitar/amp sound so transparent before. Then, couple years ago I started using a couple of pedals again, which added another 10' of Mogami to the chain, plus a Mogami pedal coupler. Indeed I have noticed that my overdrive midrange has really sweetened up with the extra 10'.

On the other hand, I received a free promotional (with Fender amp purchase)12' Fender GOLD "premium electric guitar cable" https://www.americanmusic.com/product.php?productid=828 in a fancy presentation box, which touts "3-Way plus Differential Cable Architecture" blah blah. While it appears stout enough to jump-start a car, the sound through it was thick and dark, which may be great for certain rigs, but it went back into the pretty box and awaits my son's birthday. One of his weekend bands is punk, they won't notice, lol.

(Just noticed that's the Platinum one. The Gold one is around 40 bucks.)