Piezo Size?

Fomhorach April 12, 2016 at 6:41am

I found some piezos that have a large circular price of clear plastic attached to them extending out the edges by about 1/4".
I haven't tried them out yet due to a lack of soldering equipment. Has anyone ever used this type before?

Skip Gilmore April 11, 2016 at 8:09pm

It seems to me that the larger the size, the more feedback.

Habanera Hal March 24, 2011 at 7:26pm

MichaelS Country Boy Guitars said:

I put in a shallow groove, but I don't glue down the bridge plate so I can still tweek the intonation if needed. I use brass bar also and steel bar and sometimes threaded rod. It all works. The slot holds the saddle nicely when played hard, some of mine have 'loose' tuning.

Wichita Sam said:
Mike, Hal,

I'm not sure that a slot is needed.... I regular use smooth bar (brass or stainless) on top of a smooth bridge plate. The tension of the strings hold it in place. The advantage is that you can do minor intonation adjustments (distance and angle) if there isn't a slot cut. Once you cut the slot and glue the bridge plate, you are stuck with what it is good or bad....

just a thought,

the best,

Wichita Sam

So far I have made my bridges with a slot for the saddle so it can be adjusted up or down, and left the bridge itself held in place by the spring tension.

I think all ideas ares good and I like trying new methods, always looking for a better way. Thanks guys!

MichaelS Country Boy Guitars March 24, 2011 at 11:33am

I put in a shallow groove, but I don't glue down the bridge plate so I can still tweek the intonation if needed. I use brass bar also and steel bar and sometimes threaded rod. It all works. The slot holds the saddle nicely when played hard, some of mine have 'loose' tuning.

Wichita Sam said:

Mike, Hal,

I'm not sure that a slot is needed.... I regular use smooth bar (brass or stainless) on top of a smooth bridge plate. The tension of the strings hold it in place. The advantage is that you can do minor intonation adjustments (distance and angle) if there isn't a slot cut. Once you cut the slot and glue the bridge plate, you are stuck with what it is good or bad....

just a thought,

the best,

Wichita Sam

MichaelS Country Boy Guitars said:

That is very simular to the way I do it and I think it would work well for you. The bridge piezo is much louder than in the boz, give it a try. On the top plate just don't cut the slot all the way thru so it won't hit the piezo.

Hal "PairsNPaint" Spalter said:

Okay, so like I said, I'm a visual kind of guy. If not placing the piezo inside the box, is this what is meant by "sandwiching" a piezo into the bridge? I'm assuming there should be some glue/caulk/insulation between the piezo and the saddle, is this correct.

Wichita Sam said:

Cutting piezos is simple... if they are prewired, just cut a strip down the middle (1/4-3/8") that borders the wires. use metal shears or if you can get away with it, your wife's kitchen shears.... don't twist as you cut....

Yes, you must relief under the bridge plate so that there is room for the piezo and the wire "bump" when the wires attached. Glue the metal to the face of the bridge's underside and then fill the void with something soft. (I used silicone caulk). then glue the sandwich together......

hope this helps,

the best,

Wichita Sam

Wichita Sam March 24, 2011 at 10:28am

Mike, Hal,

I'm not sure that a slot is needed.... I regular use smooth bar (brass or stainless) on top of a smooth bridge plate. The tension of the strings hold it in place. The advantage is that you can do minor intonation adjustments (distance and angle) if there isn't a slot cut. Once you cut the slot and glue the bridge plate, you are stuck with what it is good or bad....

just a thought,

the best,

Wichita Sam

MichaelS Country Boy Guitars said:

That is very simular to the way I do it and I think it would work well for you. The bridge piezo is much louder than in the boz, give it a try. On the top plate just don't cut the slot all the way thru so it won't hit the piezo.

Hal "PairsNPaint" Spalter said:

Okay, so like I said, I'm a visual kind of guy. If not placing the piezo inside the box, is this what is meant by "sandwiching" a piezo into the bridge? I'm assuming there should be some glue/caulk/insulation between the piezo and the saddle, is this correct.

Wichita Sam said:

Cutting piezos is simple... if they are prewired, just cut a strip down the middle (1/4-3/8") that borders the wires. use metal shears or if you can get away with it, your wife's kitchen shears.... don't twist as you cut....

Yes, you must relief under the bridge plate so that there is room for the piezo and the wire "bump" when the wires attached. Glue the metal to the face of the bridge's underside and then fill the void with something soft. (I used silicone caulk). then glue the sandwich together......

hope this helps,

the best,

Wichita Sam

MichaelS Country Boy Guitars March 24, 2011 at 8:02am

That is very simular to the way I do it and I think it would work well for you. The bridge piezo is much louder than in the boz, give it a try. On the top plate just don't cut the slot all the way thru so it won't hit the piezo.

Hal "PairsNPaint" Spalter said:

Okay, so like I said, I'm a visual kind of guy. If not placing the piezo inside the box, is this what is meant by "sandwiching" a piezo into the bridge? I'm assuming there should be some glue/caulk/insulation between the piezo and the saddle, is this correct.

Wichita Sam said:

Cutting piezos is simple... if they are prewired, just cut a strip down the middle (1/4-3/8") that borders the wires. use metal shears or if you can get away with it, your wife's kitchen shears.... don't twist as you cut....

Yes, you must relief under the bridge plate so that there is room for the piezo and the wire "bump" when the wires attached. Glue the metal to the face of the bridge's underside and then fill the void with something soft. (I used silicone caulk). then glue the sandwich together......

hope this helps,

the best,

Wichita Sam

Wichita Sam March 23, 2011 at 8:21pm

Hal,

Most builders are doing a 2 piece sandwich with a relief in the top piece to accomodate the thickness of the piezo.... Most often than not, I "sandwich" the piezo between a bridge plate that has the relief for the piezo and the top itself. That why you ge minimum thickness above the top.... Then you adjust the height of the bridge with the saddle (bolt, bar, corian)...

the best,

Wichita Sam

Hal "PairsNPaint" Spalter said:

Okay, so like I said, I'm a visual kind of guy. If not placing the piezo inside the box, is this what is meant by "sandwiching" a piezo into the bridge? I'm assuming there should be some glue/caulk/insulation between the piezo and the saddle, is this correct.

Wichita Sam said:

Cutting piezos is simple... if they are prewired, just cut a strip down the middle (1/4-3/8") that borders the wires. use metal shears or if you can get away with it, your wife's kitchen shears.... don't twist as you cut....

Yes, you must relief under the bridge plate so that there is room for the piezo and the wire "bump" when the wires attached. Glue the metal to the face of the bridge's underside and then fill the void with something soft. (I used silicone caulk). then glue the sandwich together......

hope this helps,

the best,

Wichita Sam

Habanera Hal March 23, 2011 at 8:05pm

Okay, so like I said, I'm a visual kind of guy. If not placing the piezo inside the box, is this what is meant by "sandwiching" a piezo into the bridge? I'm assuming there should be some glue/caulk/insulation between the piezo and the saddle, is this correct.

Wichita Sam said:

Cutting piezos is simple... if they are prewired, just cut a strip down the middle (1/4-3/8") that borders the wires. use metal shears or if you can get away with it, your wife's kitchen shears.... don't twist as you cut....

Yes, you must relief under the bridge plate so that there is room for the piezo and the wire "bump" when the wires attached. Glue the metal to the face of the bridge's underside and then fill the void with something soft. (I used silicone caulk). then glue the sandwich together......

hope this helps,

the best,

Wichita Sam

Edgel R Gillespie II March 21, 2011 at 10:33pm

I know, I just found the same deal for $0.99 and $11.00 shipping. It will be here in a couple weeks from Tywon. I did a search on the web for the parts and found it going for as much as $48+, so $0.99 was well worth the search. I did find someone to sell me the soft piezo strips with 4 elements at decent price along with the preamp setup too. Waiting to here back from them on a load purchase. Good hunten all 8-) Maximo

Habanera Hal March 20, 2011 at 8:51pm

I have had limited experience with piezos so my statement about the 2" example may not be completely objective. I will be using 1" units in my next few builds (because I just got some from C B Gitty) and I am curious about the rod-style units.

BTW, Edgel, that's a horrible price for that pre-amp. You can get the same one off e-bay for $13.00 shipped: http://cgi.ebay.com/4-Band-EQ-Pre-Amp-Piezo-plus-Pickup-Acoustic-Gu... You may also have a challenge fitting that curved frame onto a flat box. If you do it, please let us know how it comes out.

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Piezo Size?

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