Do they even make these...

[GuitarEC]

Been a while since I last posted, but I think I have a great idea for a "Super-Strat"...

Essentially, I want to recreate the wiring options I did for my VIP I built in late '07, tailored for a Start guitar.  But not just any Strat - I'm wanting to build out a Start Double Neck (12 String High, and Floyd Trem 6 string low).

I'd like to set this thing up so the six string uses 2 humbucking pickups (single coil size, though) at the bridge and neck, with a single coil in the middle - the HB pick-ups can be tapped for a single coil sound via a push-pull pot.  But I also want to install a Graph Tech Ghost Floyd Rose Tremelo and pre-amp so I can also get a great acoustic sound.

As if that wasn't enough, I'd like to to a similar set-up on the 12-string neck electronically, but Graph Tech doesn't make ghost saddles for a 12 string bridge.

All that said, does anyone know if there are 12 string piezo pickups available for solid body guitars?

Many thanks,

Eric "GuitarEC"

 

[Alfang]

I love your idea, I don't know about the saddles,

I do know this, I bought a 12 string accustic about six months ago, I only use it to play one BonJovi Song, one pink floyd song, and one led zep.

It's fun to strum on, but I don't think I will build that double neck guitar that I've always wanted, because I suck as much on 12 strings as I do on 6.  But I like your plan, someone has to make what your looking for.

 

[Orpheo]

wel... I suppose its just 2x 6 saddles right? why wouldn't that work...

 

[OzziePete]

I had a little look around on AllParts, Schaller and ABM. No luck on a 12 string bridge with piezos for a solid body guitar.


No luck on the Gotoh website either...

 

[AndyG]

Been a while since I last posted, but I think I have a great idea for a "Super-Strat"...

Essentially, I want to recreate the wiring options I did for my VIP I built in late '07, tailored for a Start guitar.  But not just any Strat - I'm wanting to build out a Start Double Neck (12 String High, and Floyd Trem 6 string low).

I'd like to set this thing up so the six string uses 2 humbucking pickups (single coil size, though) at the bridge and neck, with a single coil in the middle - the HB pick-ups can be tapped for a single coil sound via a push-pull pot.  But I also want to install a Graph Tech Ghost Floyd Rose Tremelo and pre-amp so I can also get a great acoustic sound.

As if that wasn't enough, I'd like to to a similar set-up on the 12-string neck electronically, but Graph Tech doesn't make ghost saddles for a 12 string bridge.

All that said, does anyone know if there are 12 string piezo pickups available for solid body guitars?

Many thanks,

Eric "GuitarEC"

I think where you're running into trouble is the fact that all electric guitar piezo pickups have 6 individual outputs to the preamp, as opposed to an acoustic piezo pickup, which is a solid bar under the bridge, with a single output to the preamp.

Perhaps your best bet is to use an acoustic-style guitar bridge on the 12-string?   It may sound like a silly idea at first, but it COULD be made to work!

 

[tfarny]

I would also caution you - you want a 'killer acoustic sound' - I've never heard a piezo bridge on an electric that had a killer acoustic sound. Passable in a pinch, yes, maybe better than an acoustic modeling pedal (maybe), but definitely not killer acoustic sound unless you like quacky, super scooped, fizzy tone. I had the graphtech setup and eventually took it out because there was no situation in which the crappy piezo worked better than the great regular pups I had.
One alternative to the whole piezo idea is to get one pickup on each one a really lower-output vintage wound strat pickup and find a rig to play it super clean.

Overall this may be an idea that works better on paper than in reality - You are basically asking for four guitars in one (6 and 12 string electric and acoustic), and you're likely to end up with a less-than-ideal version of each.

Then again if you think this dude is cool, please ignore my advice.  :icon_thumright:

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Is that Micheal Angelo Batio?

 

[dbw]

Is that Micheal Angelo Batio?

Yes, it is.  You just ruined my weekend, Tim.  :kewlpics:

 

[tfarny]

Each neck has a movable permanent capo setup, it's like four steinbergers. Geek heaven = hipster hell.

 

[callaway]

I second the caution about the piezo pickups. Try out some guitars equipped with them first and make sure it's what you're looking for. The only electrics I have heard with a decent sound out of piezo pickups are semi-hollowbody guitars with heavy strings. Everything else (and I've owned one before) is just not good. You're fooled by the novelty for a while, but eventually you realize you've sounded horrible for however long it took you to figure that out.

I don't want to squash your dreams, but I just want to help you make sure you really want to invest in that.

Of course, if you want a twin neck, you can always go with a 12/6 twin neck and just install the piezo in the 6-string if you want.

 

[dexplosion]

OT a bit I guess but...
For those of you who used piezo bridges, were you playing through regular electric guitar amps, or were you playing through acoustic amps?
I agree through an electric amp, piezos aren't so great sounding, but I imagine a piezo equipped guitar through an acoustic amp wouldn't sound all that different to an acoustic/electric. :dontknow:

 

[callaway]

I owned a Parker Fly Classic for about 6 years. During that time I played the piezo bridge pickup through the following combinations:

1. Straight to a DI box and into a PA
2. Through a Pod on an acoustic sim
3. Into a Line 6 Vetta combo with piezo-tailored models, both direct to the PA and out of its full-range speakers

By far, the best sound was... well, none of them. They were all horrible. It sounds absolutely nothing like an acoustic electric. But you don't have to take our words for it, you are free to try for yourself!

 

[tfarny]

Try one before you base a whole build on it - but acoustics need to be built like acoustics in order to sound like acoustics.

 

[callaway]

What he said.

 

[stubhead]

Heck, I think acoustics with piezo pickups sound awful.... I can't figure it out, I saw bands like Yes and Zeppelin in big stadium shows and they miked up their Martins and they sounded fine. Then Ovation & Takamine came along, and very gradually, over the years, the "piezo quack" has become accepted as a musical noise. I can't listen to the Dave Matthews Band, because his guitar sounds so awful - he's a good writer, if he'd just buy a Strat and a Twin Reverb, in six months he'd be listenable... of course he'd lose his gimmick, playing 'band music' on an acoustic. Same thing with Monte Montgomery, all the tappy acoustic guys - if their tone didn't suck, I could appreciate their talent a good deal easier.
Tone MATTERS. It's never just "good enough".....

At the Grand Ol Opry now, a bluegrass band will come out - they'll have a microphone for the fiddle, banjo, bass and dobro - they all sound fine. And the guitarist will be quacking away on his Takamine, that gruesome plasticine Wal-Mart toy ukelele tone that makes my teeth hurt... 

And, the problem with solid "acoustic" electrics, and the reason so very few REAL guitarists play them, is that the piezo saddles also ruin your electric sound, and a good electric guitar is the best sound in the universe, this side of angels from heaven whispering sweet lies in your ears. (If you're hearing crap like that, you may be doing enough drugs to convince yourself that a piezo guitar sounds OK) otherwise:

Just say NO!

(Disclaimer: I should probably mention, I am prejudiced against piezo guitars, but - it's only because they suck)

Of course John Petrucci, Kirk Hammett & others play a quack solidbody on songs where they go back and forth, but then they put it away and get out their real guitar to play the rest of their songs - did you know that if you play hard on piezo saddles they'll BREAK?  And your whole guitar is ruined, not just the "acoustic" part....