What are the best sounding transducers. Our radio shack does not carry just the simple peizo part, and to get one there they are really expensive. So I get them where I can so far, alarm clocks are a good source, but most of the time don't know what I am gonig to get. So far I have found that the smaller the peizo element to me sound the best, but I have a larger one and it does not sound as good to me....as in...picking up any signal. So what are the differences to each peizo.....or is there a difference in sound, performance, etc.?
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After expermenting with different piezo disc's we found one that sounds excellent, We now make them and they are patent pending. If it was not pending for patent I would be able to tell you where to get the disc, but I would be fired and sued. Go to http://www.mojocbg.com/Amp-Pickups.php
I've got a couple of old smoke detectors lying around....
I have no trouble at my local radio shack finding these, I usually grab the "transducer element" jobs that go for a couple of bucks. These are items that they don't sell all that often, and thus may run out and not re-order.
I think you can still get the entire RS inventory on-line...
as for radio shack purchases, it can be hit or miss.. some carry the simple $2 one where you just crack it open and remove the disc, and others only carry the buzzer unit for $4 that you have to crack open AND remove the tone circuit as well. they both work fine, but it can be frustrating paying more than you should have to..
i've had luck with almost every piezo i've tried.. just with varying success. i think that, by far, the BEST piezos i've ever found were in smoke detectors. i used to work in a modular home manufacturing plant, and we'd get lots of crappy smoke detectors, several fails per case. i'd crack them open and harvest the piezo goodness inside. those things were WIDE. like two and a half inches in diameter, and they worked AWESOME. i've noticed that lots of "$1" stores sell cheap smoke alarms for $1, it may be worthwhile to look in to.
we just picked up a handful of xmas novelty musical ties from the dollar store, but i haven't harvested the piezos and tried them yet.
in my experience (and i've used harvested piezos for ALL my guitars, even the nice ones) the real trick is in the placement. even smaller pickups work well if they're closer to the bridge, where they'll detect better surface vibration.
also, surface contact is everything. i've used putties and glues, and it seems that a nice thin layer of super glue works best. it forms a flush surface adhesion across the entire disk and makes the pickup the most sensitive.
HOWEVER,
i've found that in my cigar boxes, the best way to mount them is to actually sandiwich them between the inner mounting block and the body of the box, about half way. but that method revolves around my neck mounting method as well.
Replies
I have no trouble at my local radio shack finding these, I usually grab the "transducer element" jobs that go for a couple of bucks. These are items that they don't sell all that often, and thus may run out and not re-order.
I think you can still get the entire RS inventory on-line...
i've had luck with almost every piezo i've tried.. just with varying success. i think that, by far, the BEST piezos i've ever found were in smoke detectors. i used to work in a modular home manufacturing plant, and we'd get lots of crappy smoke detectors, several fails per case. i'd crack them open and harvest the piezo goodness inside. those things were WIDE. like two and a half inches in diameter, and they worked AWESOME. i've noticed that lots of "$1" stores sell cheap smoke alarms for $1, it may be worthwhile to look in to.
we just picked up a handful of xmas novelty musical ties from the dollar store, but i haven't harvested the piezos and tried them yet.
in my experience (and i've used harvested piezos for ALL my guitars, even the nice ones) the real trick is in the placement. even smaller pickups work well if they're closer to the bridge, where they'll detect better surface vibration.
also, surface contact is everything. i've used putties and glues, and it seems that a nice thin layer of super glue works best. it forms a flush surface adhesion across the entire disk and makes the pickup the most sensitive.
HOWEVER,
i've found that in my cigar boxes, the best way to mount them is to actually sandiwich them between the inner mounting block and the body of the box, about half way. but that method revolves around my neck mounting method as well.
hope this helps!!!