Igor gets the Blues, The FrankenLab Reso Project.

[FrankenWashie]

Your piezo strip is obviously intended to plug into a preamp. So I'd either think about fitting an acoustic guitar preamp for the piezo, or else take the piezo output to its own jack (or you could fit a selector switch for piezo or magnetic output). There will only be two wires in the piezo lead, the ground/braid and the signal wire.

Without a pre-amp, the piezo will need to be fed into a pre-amp with an input impedance of 10Meg or more, in order to get a flat frequency response. So that means either a dedicated acoustic amp that has a 10Meg input, or an external acoustic pre-amp pedal.

So it may be best to fit a cheap pre-amp somewhere into the body. Hopefully with an adjustable volume output so that you can at least pre-set it so that you can set it to match the magnetic pickup output, which would then allow you to set a blend of magnetic and piezo sounds, for whatever you think sounds the best mix. So you could then run with a blend pot, master volume and tone (though tone is always optional).

thanks Simon, I may be limited by the body thickness, so I’ll need to see what is about.

[Singing Frog]

I purchase a shadow pre-amp(active) lead a few years ago to use with another guitar, quite expensive $80 for a lead, not sure if they're still available but this could be an option if space is an issue. Still available $126 on line.

[Simon Barden]

You can get endpin jack pre-amps, which you should be able to fit inside quite easily, though they don't have an adjustable volume control. The Graphtec Ghost pre-amp would be ideal, as it's designed for accepting both a magnetic and piezo input. It comes with a 'summing board' for summing individual Graphtec piezo saddle signals (such as Ghost saddles fitted to a Strat), but you can ignore that and just wire to the piezo input directly.

I'll link to the web page and the manual.

http://www.graphtech.com/products/br...e-56e990a16102

http://graphtech.com/docs/default-do...l.pdf?sfvrsn=0

It's not particularly cheap but it is compact and should fit inside the control cavity (maybe with a touch of enlarging). You can use the basic model and add the pots and extra switches yourself (you can solder the connections to the header pin arrangement) http://bmusic.com.au/index.php?main_...ucts_id=3481or there is a more expensive kit with the switches and a piezo volume pot included (you use your own magnetic pickup volume and tone pots). http://bmusic.com.au/index.php?main_...oducts_id=3482

Or you might find something really cheap on eBay you can modify.

[nitroburner1000]

You can get endpin jack pre-amps, which you should be able to fit inside quite easily, though they don't have an adjustable volume control. The Graphtec Ghost pre-amp would be ideal, as it's designed for accepting both a magnetic and piezo input. It comes with a 'summing board' for summing individual Graphtec piezo saddle signals (such as Ghost saddles fitted to a Strat), but you can ignore that and just wire to the piezo input directly.

I'll link to the web page and the manual.

http://www.graphtech.com/products/br...e-56e990a16102

http://graphtech.com/docs/default-do...l.pdf?sfvrsn=0

It's not particularly cheap but it is compact and should fit inside the control cavity (maybe with a touch of enlarging). You can use the basic model and add the pots and extra switches yourself (you can solder the connections to the header pin arrangement) http://bmusic.com.au/index.php?main_...ucts_id=3481or there is a more expensive kit with the switches and a piezo volume pot included (you use your own magnetic pickup volume and tone pots). http://bmusic.com.au/index.php?main_...oducts_id=3482

Or you might find something really cheap on eBay you can modify.

So to need a preamp that would make the piezo active, yea? So you would think the factory would include a small preamp and pre routed cavity to match or just send a passive piezo, am i correct?

[Simon Barden]

Have you let Adam know about all these issues? I doubt he's got time to read all the forum threads. It's not a kit PBG should be selling in its current state - certainly not as an 'everything included' kit.

[FrankenWashie]

I will do that Simon, you make a good point. The intent wasn’t so much to trash the kit as it was to highlight the workarounds. I can shall get an email off to Adam re the whoopsies I have found, though o may leave out the whoopsies I am in the process of creating.😁🤪

[Guvna19]

the frankenlab's attention to detail is inpirational to see, will be watching this build in awe. wise words from simon too

[Simon Barden]

At the very least it should be referred to as a kit for experienced builders only, with a need to purchase a few extra items to complete to your own taste.

[FrankenWashie]

So the unrecessed cover is now recessed, but still in need of a little finessing.


I was considering what to do about the pre amp, when I remembered something I had eBayed after getting inspired by Robin..



However this one won’t work as it is designed for a full bodied acoustic, and my Reso is a wee bit skinnier.
We shall continue to ponder.....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[Simon Barden]

This one Keith Walters found looks very thin, certainly thin enough to fit in the body, but it may be far too wide for the amount of flat real estate you have left.

http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au...l=1#post162786