LoPro Edge w/ Piezo in 2024?

[youshy]

Already emailed LR Baggs about the saddles - they can do they, they still actually do them; emailed Gotoh if there's any chance they can do LPE saddles w/ piezo inserts, but that was a dead end (not surprisingly, licencing); spoke to Ibanez Germany guys this year about Piezo possibility in Spot Run guitars, and that's a no-go.

So, the question is - aside from finding a Double LoPro Edge equipped guitar, disassembling it, measuring the saddle and manufacturing it for my own needs, is there any other option to get a Piezo into an LPE in 2024?

 

[MaxOfMetal]

There was a guy down in Chicago doing Lo-Pro piezo conversions some years back, but I don't think he's in business anymore. It seemed like a fairly easy job if you have access to a mill.

His username was @shotgunn or something to that effect. He had a few detailed walk throughs with pictures, but those might be long dead.

 

[youshy]

I know he did the Edge Pro conversions, LR Baggs also confirmed that their inserts should just drop-in basically into Edge Pro.

It seemed like a fairly easy job if you have access to a mill.

That's where I'm at right now, I've spent the last few months trying to nail down any possibility to buy these, but I'll probably just pull the trigger on the cheapest guitar with DLPE (there's one on Reverb atm) and just get them milled from ground up. (Also thanks to odibrom for getting me to contact LR Baggs, their customer support is 10/10)

 

[swimrunner]

I'd just do Edge Pro with locking studs, seems like a lot less work

 

[odibrom]

I'd just do Edge Pro with locking studs, seems like a lot less work

THIS IS THE WAY.

@youshy find an EdgePro loaded guitar and mod it.

Allow me to justify my statement with the thread - https://www.sevenstring.org/threads/new-just-buy-a-used-prestige-day-ibanez-rg1527rb.352121/ (thread's pics are dead by now) and pics:

The guitar in these pics has exactly the same piezo tones as the original RG2027XVVs, RG2127 or RG7CST... since it's the exact same piezo product. Don't forget to have all piezos in the same phase (meaning all black or all white wires) for best mix with magnetic pickups. This guitar has also received more play time since these mods than my RG2027XVVs due to being lighter weight. It plays as good as any other.

In my opinion and experience, this is the best and easiest way to achieve the piezo+double locking trem within the Ibanez universe.

Find yourself a used RG1527 and mod it to your preferences.

Graphtech sells OFR saddles loaded with their Ghost elements and also complete assembled FRs (I think)... There's a substancial difference in the piezo tone between LR Baggs and Graphtech. I have guitars with both systems, but the LR Baggs are in floating bridges and the Ghosts are in fixed ones. I prefer the LR Bagg tone, but that also depends on the strings (how old they are) and personal mood of the moment...

 

[youshy]

Find yourself a used RG1527 and mod it to your preferences.

The RG15727 is already on the way (after the last conversation we've had), waiting when it'll get here, then back to the email with LR Baggs.

It's more about the "I want to have a LoPro Edge with Piezo". Is it dumb? Probably. Is it a black hole that will eat a lot of money? Definitely. But still, I want it!

 

[odibrom]

The RG15727 is already on the way (after the last conversation we've had), waiting when it'll get here, then back to the email with LR Baggs.

It's more about the "I want to have a LoPro Edge with Piezo". Is it dumb? Probably. Is it a black hole that will eat a lot of money? Definitely. But still, I want it!

I'll PM you 2 options in Europe I've been following... and one in Canada (Reverb)

 

[Lukhas]

It's more about the "I want to have a LoPro Edge with Piezo". Is it dumb? Probably. Is it a black hole that will eat a lot of money? Definitely. But still, I want it!

I'd know that; I blew two grands on a 2027X earlier this summer and I've spent more time looking at it than playing it. Note that if you're interested in the KJG mod, there are at least a few variants in how it's done. Mine when on single jack, piezo mode won't give any output if the magnetic pickup volume isn't open as well. I don't know if it's a quirk or how the mod works in general, but I wish it worked more like my 2120X (you can turn off magnetic volume in piezo mode and still have the piezo come out).

Actually I'd be fine with another brand aside from Music Man (I don't fancy selling kidneys for a guitar) doing it in a floating trem with dual jack output. I'm not holding my breath though; the Floyd Pro (low profile) itself already isn't that popular (to the point I suspect Broderick is the lone reason they're still made), so a Floyd Pro with a piezo sounds more like a unicorn. PRS did some with a Wilkinson-style trem at some point for the low, low price of a couple of kidneys...

 

[odibrom]

I'd know that; I blew two grands on a 2027X earlier this summer and I've spent more time looking at it than playing it. Note that if you're interested in the KJG mod, there are at least a few variants in how it's done. Mine when on single jack, piezo mode won't give any output if the magnetic pickup volume isn't open as well. I don't know if it's a quirk or how the mod works in general, but I wish it worked more like my 2120X (you can turn off magnetic volume in piezo mode and still have the piezo come out).

Actually I'd be fine with another brand aside from Music Man (I don't fancy selling kidneys for a guitar) doing it in a floating trem with dual jack output. I'm not holding my breath though; the Floyd Pro (low profile) itself already isn't that popular (to the point I suspect Broderick is the lone reason they're still made), so a Floyd Pro with a piezo sounds more like a unicorn. PRS did some with a Wilkinson-style trem at some point for the low, low price of a couple of kidneys...

The KJG mod is ONLY about swapping the ON/ON mini switch for an ON/ON/ON. It doesn't mess with the output jacks. More so, the mod itself is already sold/installed with the preamp if you buy it separately from LR Baggs. If your output jacks aren't working correctly, there's another problem with the wiring.

The 2120X is a completely different preamp, OEM also by LR Baggs and as so, no longer in production, while the Control-x preamp that equips the 2027XVV, the 2127X, the RG7CST or the 6 stringers from 2000 and 2001 is still being sold. I have guitars with both and prefer the Control-x preamp model by far...

If you need more info in this matter, ask away...

 

[youshy]

Thanks to @odibrom , there's an NGD coming this week!

 

[Lukhas]

The KJG mod is ONLY about swapping the ON/ON mini switch for an ON/ON/ON. It doesn't mess with the output jacks. More so, the mod itself is already sold/installed with the preamp if you buy it separately from LR Baggs. If your output jacks aren't working correctly, there's another problem with the wiring.

The 2120X is a completely different preamp, OEM also by LR Baggs and as so, no longer in production, while the Control-x preamp that equips the 2027XVV, the 2127X, the RG7CST or the 6 stringers from 2000 and 2001 is still being sold. I have guitars with both and prefer the Control-x preamp model by far...

If you need more info in this matter, ask away...

It's not a "problem" with the output jack really (tho' they're a bit loose). Just that when the switch is on piezo mode, if the magnetic pickup volume isn't open, there's no piezo output. Otherwise it works as it should: three modes, magnetic only/mixed/piezo only. It's a nitpick where I wondered if it's how it's supposed to be, but not a show stopper.

Thanks to @odibrom , there's an NGD coming this week!

"We will watch your career with great interest."