Favorite piezo system?

[cob]

I use the Graphtech ghost and it makes me quite happy! But the only other option I found was Fishman.

What other piezo companies are out there and which do you prefer?

 

[darren]

The big players are GraphTech, Fishman, LR Baggs and RMC.

I've owned a Parker Fly and currently have a Music Man JP7, both of which have piezo systems by FIshman. The Music Man system sounds fantastic. But to be honest, i think the GraphTech system blows it away in the sound quality... it just sounds more "natural". I'm guessing this is due to the GraphTech saddle material as opposed to the metal saddles of the Fly or the JP7.

 

[NegaTiveXero]

I'm quite partial to the Graphtech Piezo. It sounds amazing compared to the Fishmans I've heard (a Parker and a JP6).

 

[cob]

I love the fishmans in the JP7 but I'm glad other people agree with me about graphtech. I think you are right about the saddles. They are made out of a similar tusq material to the graphtech nuts, right?

 

[dudeinblack]

I'm hoping my favourite will be the Graphtech!
Does anyone know where I could get the 7 string saddles in the UK?
Or a the cheapest option to get them here!
Edd

 

[AK DRAGON]

I can't really comment on Fishman or Graphtec. Though I do like my L.R. Baggs Double Edge

 

[Ultraworld]

Whatever is in the Patrucci's. He gets an amazing piezo tone.

 

[signalgrey]

i usd graphtech on a project guitar and it sounded phenomenal. cant say much about the others sadly.

 

[Cheesebuiscut]

I just use Q-tuners and call it a day

 

[AK DRAGON]

Whatever is in the Patrucci's. He gets an amazing piezo tone.

From what I have read, it's a Fishman

 

[Esp Griffyn]

I've only had experience with Fishman piezos, but I love them. Graphtech might be able to get a more natural sound, but the fat, almost synthetic resonance of the Fishmans is what I love. Classic piezo tone.

 

[technomancer]

My order of preference goes

Graphtech - just sounds fantastic, have the system in 2 of my KxKs
Fishman - pretty good, I have a Fede custom Parker Nightfly with this system in it and had a JP7 with it for a while as well
LR Baggs - had a 2027 with this in it, sounded really thin and tinny and was unusable without additional processing IMHO

 

[Elysian]

I just use Q-tuners and call it a day

No magnetic pickup comes close to piezo


I naturally prefer Graphtech, they're a fantastic company to deal with, and sound quality is excellent, and latency on the midi system is very low.

 

[Cheesebuiscut]

You mustn't have used a Q-tuner equipped guitar through a decent tube amp then. Or an acoustic amp for that matter.

Only way I could describe it is "Its like someone put a microphone to your fretboard instead of signal going through pickups"

 

[-One-]

I love the fishmans in the JP7 but I'm glad other people agree with me about graphtech. I think you are right about the saddles. They are made out of a similar tusq material to the graphtech nuts, right?

I don't know that the TUSQ Nuts are made of, but the StringSaver saddles are made of self-lubricating teflon.

 

[technomancer]

I just use Q-tuners and call it a day

Nevermind

 

[eaeolian]

I just use Q-tuners and call it a day

Yes, we know you love your Q-Tuners. However, that doesn't really answer the OP's question, now, does it?

So let's stop posting this in every possibly related thread, OK?

 

[Cheesebuiscut]

whutchu talkin' bout? look at my posts I hardly post at all anymore yet alone spamming people with Q-tuners...

I was just being a smart ass anyway

(though these are probably the cheapest easiest alternative to actual piezo's)

 

[El Caco]

I talked to a guy who had an incredible direct acoustic tone recently and asked him what he was using. He attributed all credit to the Graphtec ghost preamp, he mentioned that the saddles were just some generic piezos, I'm not sure he even mentioned the name but he said the guitar really came to life when the graphtec preamp was installed and now he finds he uses the piezo's more than ever.

I have only used the standard Ibanez Double edge system, I have read some negative comments about these but they sound good to me. The performance varies a lot depending on what rig I play them through.