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I would love someone to explain the pro's n con's in differences between a Piezo & magnetic pickup.

Posted by Penny Nelson on December 13, 2009 at 3:57pm
- and make it simple please for us budding builders... If you have a magnetic pickup under the strings does it pick up less noise from taps on the box etc? Why have I seen some 3 strings with what appears to be a two pole pick up? Does it still pick up from the centre string? So many questions...

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Replies

  • Penny Nelson December 14, 2009 at 3:27pm
    Thanks all, I am now educated.. :)
  • David L. December 14, 2009 at 1:48pm
    Hi,
    I did a quick video to show the tonal differences between magnetic and piezo pickups with and without a preamp.
    http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/comparing-cbg-pickups?xg_source...
    Hope you find it useful.
    Regards,
    David
  • Fergus Morris December 14, 2009 at 8:37am
    On my video you linked I don't think I actually showed the pure piezo sound but i did show piezo mixed with pickup output. On my bass, pure piezo sound is very scratchy and I never really use it. Probably just because cheap piezos do not produce good bass tones without a preamp, or maybe just because i don't have a bass amp. but I use the combination of pickup and piezo quite a lot and it gets some good unique tones.

    David Lloyd said:
    Hi Penny,

    The hardest thing to explain is the difference in sound - here are a few links showing some videos to try and demonstrate this:
    Up first is a video from Fergus Morris http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/paint-box-bass-guitar

    Then from youtube "Custom Crafted Cigar Box Guitar by D Guitars Miami" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S-sjiwlWiE&feature=related (only a little piezo action at the end).

    Check out http://www.cigarboxnation.com/page/how2play-1 by Shane Speal - a set of lessons which really shows what you can get out of a CBG and piezo (hidden away in the top toolbar under "free resources" - it took me a while to find it).

    Also of course you can listen to the free download christmas album :o)

    Regards,
    David
  • Paul Thorley December 14, 2009 at 5:02am
    Hey Penny, Magnetic pickups work because they create an electromagnetic field which is disturbed when anything metal moves within that field,( ie. steel guitar strings ) and that vibration creates a small electrical current which is amplified.
    Piezos, on the other hand, work by the vibration of whatever the pickup is attached to, like the guitar sound board. The piezo is a brass disc coated with crystal, and it's the crystal that creates the small electric current. The piezo will always reproduce the sound of the entire instrument while the electromegnetic pickup reproduces the sound of the STRINGS. . .
    In my humble opinion, the piezo gives that RAW DELTA BLUES sound, more earthy and "traditional" sounding. The electromagnetic pickups run the risk of sounding like any other store bought guitar. . .
  • David L. December 14, 2009 at 4:37am
    Hi Penny,

    The hardest thing to explain is the difference in sound - here are a few links showing some videos to try and demonstrate this:
    Up first is a video from Fergus Morris http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/paint-box-bass-guitar

    Then from youtube "Custom Crafted Cigar Box Guitar by D Guitars Miami" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S-sjiwlWiE&feature=related (only a little piezo action at the end).

    Check out http://www.cigarboxnation.com/page/how2play-1 by Shane Speal - a set of lessons which really shows what you can get out of a CBG and piezo (hidden away in the top toolbar under "free resources" - it took me a while to find it).

    Also of course you can listen to the free download christmas album :o)

    Regards,
    David
  • Penny Nelson December 13, 2009 at 4:22pm
    Thanks Fergus, that was really helpful.
  • Fergus Morris December 13, 2009 at 4:14pm
    Magnetic pickups shouldn't pickup much noise or taps on the box at all. The strings will usually be picked up if they are over the pickup regardless of where the poles are. Piezos are very easy to install, and cheaper than magnetic pickups, and will pickup taps on the box, but are liable to produce screaming feedback if you turn the amp up too much or stand too close, unless you have a preamp, which most "electro-acoustic" normal guitars have. They require power and are more expensive. Magnetic pickups require grounding to the bridge or tailpiece, and are much more controllable when plugged in. In my opinion pickups sound better than piezos without a preamp, i have made lots of things with piezos in (one with both piezos and pickups!), and find it to be a surprisingly good way to electrify things, given how cheap and easy it is.
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