How do I wire a Mini Humbucker and a piezo using one jack.

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Permalink Reply by Brendon Anderson on August 4, 2011 at 10:59pm

Sorry to bring this old discussion back to life, but I have a question...

 

In regards to a set up with one humbucker, one piezo, and a 3 way selector switch all on one jack... does the differing impedance actually damage the electronics?

 

Also, if you were to set up the humbucker and the piezo separately on their own individual jacks, would the differing impedance still be present?

 

Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Birmingham on August 4, 2011 at 11:08pm

     Brendon,,,, I have wired them both ways and each way works equally well....I have built both ways for Mike Hardwick....I will ask him for his input for his particular uses....

Jim

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Permalink Reply by Brendon Anderson on August 4, 2011 at 11:22pm

Thanks for your quick reply!

 

So do you build them without preamps?

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Permalink Reply by Jim Birmingham on August 4, 2011 at 11:27pm

Correct,,,,,I do not use preamps......I think David posted some drawings showing the actual wiring diagram....It is in with the posts re this subject.....If you can't find it I will see if I can dig one up.....If you go to one of the wiring sites just use one that uses 2 pickups with a 3 way switch....

Jim 

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Permalink Reply by mike hardwick on August 4, 2011 at 11:31pm

hello brendon.....my name is mike hardwick.....my good friend "mr jim" has custom built me 15 Cb guitars - all of which have different characteristics which we have discussed prior to building each........

 

here are a few of my thoughts on the double jack!!!!!!!!

 

i wanted a really nasty "mississippi" delta sound (somewhat overdriven with some break up).....but combine that with some sustain and really be able to pick up single notes that were picked and with slide!!!!!

 

so...........1) i used a humbucker through a small tube amp (clean channel) through a blues driver pedal........and 2) used a small solid state (loud) amp through the piezo pretty clean with some reverb for that old "sun studio" kinda echo slap back sound and play together using the volume controls on the cb guitar...........

 

this sound produces a really nasty sound with picking, sliding across all strings that i like, and yet, when you do some single string or single slide stuff........the piezo really kicks in and creates a clear sound with some resonance and you manipulate your amp for whatever effects on that amp you like (me - the reverb for the "sun" sound).....this sound produces an unbelievable tone

 

so, you can easily see that different amps and effects and even pedals can be used to make a variety of sounds with one guitar, but yep - you gotta use 2 amps....i would think 2 different kinds of amps with different sounds would deliver the greatest tone possiblities.....

 

i also purchased an acoustasonic fender amp, largely for using the piezo in the cbguitars to blend that "natural" sound from that amp that a piezo would produce, against another type of amp...in my case - a small epi valve special tube amp that i like quite a bit!!!!!!

 

i have 2 double jacks.....1) a red punch and 2 a pura punch....both produce totally different sounds re double jack

 

and that is the point of cbguitars...isn't it?????????

 

mike hardwick

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Permalink Reply by Brendon Anderson on August 5, 2011 at 12:02am

Haha yes every CBG is definitely a one of a kind guitar with a one of a kind sound!

 

So one question for you Mike... do you have any CBG's with a magnetic pickup AND a piezo, but wired into ONE jack?  If so, how do you like it?

 

And Jim... when using one jack, does the differing impedance of the humbucker and the piezo actually damage the electronics?

 

Thanks for such great info guys!  I really appreciate it!

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Permalink Reply by Jim Birmingham on August 5, 2011 at 12:15am

No,,,,,You will not Damage your electronics,,,,,I think Mike has about 10 or 12 wired that way......

Jim

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Permalink Reply by Brendon Anderson on August 5, 2011 at 12:20am

Alright that's great to know... another thing I have heard people do is use a blending pot to choose from the piezo and the humbucker... do you use those or do you use a 3 way selector?

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Permalink Reply by Jim Birmingham on August 5, 2011 at 12:25am

For two pickups I always use a 3 way switch....

Jim

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Permalink Reply by Brendon Anderson on August 5, 2011 at 12:51am

Alright well it sounds like you've cleared up all of my concerns... I greatly appreciate it!

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Permalink Reply by mike hardwick on August 5, 2011 at 10:54pm

hello again.......just wanted to let ya know that i have at least 10 "mr jim" cbguitars with tele switching!!!!  most have a piezo and a magnetic pick up arrangement....all work splendidly and have great but different tone qualities....not sure why but it seems like the depth of the box, age of the box, and or wood characteristics make as much a difference in the tone of the guitar as the electronic configuration.....

 

one last thing...i also have a mr jim guitar that has 5 (yes....five!!) way switching with 3 (no misprint....three!) pick ups.....1) a single coil, 2) a tex mex and 3) a humbucker.......that guitar is my baby and sounds awesome.....you can imagine the sounds i get from that one.......it is an old box that i affectionately call...."geezer".....

mike

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Permalink Reply by Brendon Anderson on August 6, 2011 at 1:10am

Haha the "Geezer" sounds awesome!  Well I have started on my next (second) CBG, it's going to have a piezo and a humbucker, with 3 way switching... I hope it turns out good!

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