[brandon6469]

Anyone out there using their Gretsch as an acoustic? Any recommendations or suggestions? I don't expect it to replace my Taylor, but was thinking it would add some versatility and I could use it as an acoustic on last minute song changes at church. I've already got a Compton bridge so I don't want to switch that right now. My Gretsch is a 5120.

[brandon6469]

Anyone have any thoughts?

[amx05462]

http://graphtech.com/products.html?SubCategoryID=87

[amx05462]

http://graphtech.com/products.html?SubCategoryID=14

imadding this among many other things to a dot studio. ive also used grsaphtech pickups on a line 6 variax.

[amx05462]

there are other options if youreally dont want to gchange the compton

[brandon6469]

I definitely want to keep my Compton. The electric tone is most important. Still really haven't found anything I like yet

[amx05462]

ive never done ot but i wonder if maybe one of them wire pickups used under the saddle on an acoustic might work under the base of the bridge.

something to think about anyhow.

[amx05462]

http://guitarfuel.com/Piezo_Pickup.php

something like this but under the base of the bridge

[jacodiego]

check out the boss acoustic simulator pedal. i have used one on and off with a varying degree of success, depending on your rig or needs this might float the boat.

[brandon6469]

thanks anx - for the price, that's worth giving a try. Definitely an option.

I've been looking at the K&K Pure Archtop and the K&K Pure mini as well. I'm leaning toward the Pure Mini because it seems it would e more feedback resistant, but I think I'd have to get it installed since it's under the bridge. I know I could do the Pure Archtop myself.

Problem is I've had problems finding sound clips. Anyone out thee using K&K?

[GretschGhost]

Originally Posted by brandon6469

Anyone out there using their Gretsch as an acoustic? Any recommendations or suggestions? I don't expect it to replace my Taylor, but was thinking it would add some versatility and I could use it as an acoustic on last minute song changes at church. I've already got a Compton bridge so I don't want to switch that right now. My Gretsch is a 5120.

I don't want to be nit-picky, but a piezo IS a transducer. Transducer basically means something that converts one form of energy to another form of energy. In this case, vibrations are converted to electrical current and back again once they reach the speaker.

If you want to get the actual acoustic sound of your 5120 you might try some of the LR Baggs solutions. There are saddle pickups, but it doesn't sound like the is the route you want to take w/your current bridge.

There are on-body piezos which are usually a flat, round disc that sticks to the inside of the top. If you combined these with the LR Baggs Anthem mic and/or an LR Baggs I-Beam you'd get a pretty decent acoustic sound.

The catch is that you'll need some way to control the volume, so you want to choose either something with a pre-amp (Anthem) or add one in some fashion.

[amx05462]

i cant say about all lr baggs products but i know the ones line 6 were using onthere variax guitars tend to break down after a while . if you check there site out youll see alot of complaints about this posted. and most people have switched to graphtech pickups and are happy with the results. againthis doesnt mean all there products are problematic.. but id look into it in depth before going with a lr baggs product. jmho.

[GretschGhost]

Originally Posted by amx05462

i cant say about all lr baggs products but i know the ones line 6 were using onthere variax guitars tend to break down after a while . if you check there site out youll see alot of complaints about this posted. and most people have switched to graphtech pickups and are happy with the results. againthis doesnt mean all there products are problematic.. but id look into it in depth before going with a lr baggs product. jmho.

We're talking about two completely different kind of pickups. The pickups I suggested are actually for acoustic guitars. If you want the acoustic sound of your guitar, that's the thing to use.

If you want to pickup the string sound using a piezo pickup, then you can use saddle pickups (like the Graphtech). LR Baggs makes saddle pickups for electric and electric-style bridges as well.

LR Baggs actually won pickup of the year in 2011 from various magazines including Premier Guitar and Acoustic Guitar for their Anthem system.


The real question is whether you want a "piezo sound" or the acoustic sound of your guitar. If you want the true acoustic sound, you need to use some type of internal pickup, like the Anthem mic. If you want mid range-focused, squawky piezo sound, use saddle piezos.

This would be a good option: http://www.guitarcenter.com/LR-Baggs...71-i1128124.gc

The catch is that you'll have to find some way to either A) install the jack and run a separate cable or B) rewire the jack to output to your current jack.

Here is another option: http://www.guitarcenter.com/LR-Baggs...34-i1527827.gc

The Anthem mic would work great, of course you wouldn't actually use the under-saddle transducer.

With any of these options you'll run into a few problems: you need a preamp if you have an active acoustic pickup, in which case you'll probably need the attached preamp to have a jig-rigged cable plugged into it then hardwired to your output jack and the volume control off until you want the acoustic sound, and if you use a passive pickup (not a good option) you'll need to hardwire it to the output jack in a way that takes the electric pickups out of the loop when it's engaged or allows you to switch between them as a passive pickup needs the ~12v of power from your amp.

Of course, none of this really makes much sense as an acoustic pickup will sound terrible through an electric amp (that's why they make acoustic amps - and no, they aren't the same thing).

I'd suggest just getting a decent acoustic guitar

[amx05462]

the thing is he doesnt want to loose the compton.

[GretschGhost]

Originally Posted by amx05462

the thing is he doesnt want to loose the compton.

In that case my suggestions of using an actual acoustic pickup would work, you'll just need to get creative with your wiring situation.

Many acoustic pickups have the preamp in the actual end pin jack, and this is also where the wiring comes together.

To avoid modifying an expensive pickup and to save some hassle, I'd do as I suggested before:

1) Install the entire system internally and run your volume/tone control (normally mounted just inside the sound hole on an acoustic) to the edge of one of your F-holes.

2) Take a short 1/4" cable, cut one end off and wire it to your output jack. Plug the other end into your preamp for the acoustic pickup.

3) Find some way of securing the preamp/end pin jack and 9 volt (sometimes the pickups include a neat little velcro'd pouch for this) to the inside of the guitar. Combinations of velcro (for easy removal) and stick-backed foam tape work wonders and help isolate the parts to prevent rattles and vibrations.


The downside is that you'll need to do all of this through the F-hole. If you can't fit the preamp through the F-hole then you could mount it behind the pick guard. This would keep it out of site, let you easily run the wires and the toughest part would be getting the actual pickup in the right position.

[Uncle Daddy]

Originally Posted by GCGhost

I'd suggest just getting a decent acoustic guitar

Could always stick an upright mike in front.

[brandon6469]

Thanks guys for all the suggestions. I have picked up a LR Baggs Para DI, which I plan to use as my preamp.

I'm leaning toward an internal mic, but I'm wanting to find some sound clips for the Pick-up the World piezo too and see what that's like. It looks so simple to install, it may be worth a try.

[polishbroadcast]

Originally Posted by brandon6469

Problem is I've had problems finding sound clips. Anyone out thee using K&K?

Yes but i wouldn't recommend it on a Gretsch. This is the Pure Archop on an oval hole archtop (first totally raw / direct, then with some EQ and reverb):
http://soundcloud.com/spiesteleviv/e...archop/s-g3nrH


The K&K is very accurate in reproducing how the guitar sounds acoustically. The Gretsch isn't very loud acoustically so you might end up amplifying more fretboard and body noise than you might expect. A bridge Piezo would give you more options to process the sound.

[amx05462]

Originally Posted by brandon6469

Thanks guys for all the suggestions. I have picked up a LR Baggs Para DI, which I plan to use as my preamp.

I'm leaning toward an internal mic, but I'm wanting to find some sound clips for the Pick-up the World piezo too and see what that's like. It looks so simple to install, it may be worth a try.

i tryed that on a few guitars and found that i would easily have a feedbac situation.