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Permalink Reply by Paul Doug on June 2, 2009 at 4:52am

OK, I am sure the jack is hooked up correctly. As discribed by ets. When I strum, I do hear a small amount of what sounds like static ifrom the amp. The piezo does not indicate a short when tested with the ohm meter. Could I have put the piezo in a bad spot?

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Permalink Reply by Jkevn on June 2, 2009 at 6:56am

I've attached a couple of pics to show the difference between the types of jacks and plugs. Maybe it will help you troubleshoot a bit. The pic you have looks like the stereo version to me. If its wired right even a busted piezo should make a thump when you tap it. Pics are: mono jack, stereo jack, stereo plug, mono plug

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Permalink Reply by William H Bonney on June 2, 2009 at 1:15pm

Paul Doug said:

This is what it looks like inside. This cable says "Guitar Cable" on it.

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Permalink Reply by William H Bonney on June 2, 2009 at 1:18pm

Yea,from the pics that jack does look funky.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Doug on June 2, 2009 at 2:25pm

I removed the piezo from it's case. The jack package said mono, Maybe I need to go back to radio shack and talk to a different sales person. Piezo I in perminently. I think I will get a new everything and start over.

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Permalink Reply by Jkevn on June 2, 2009 at 2:38pm

You can use the jack you have without scrapping everything. If there is another lug to solder to on that jack, just move the red wire. Radio Shack has sunk to the level of glorified cell phone store so don't go by what that guy with pimples says...The picture with the cord plugged in sure looks like there are two points of contact between the jack & plug. Not a problem, it just has an extra contact that you don't need. Three bucks is three bucks.

Paul Doug said:

I removed the piezo from it's case. The jack package said mono, Maybe I need to go back to radio shack and talk to a different sales person. Piezo I in perminently. I think I will get a new everything and start over.

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Permalink Reply by Wade on June 2, 2009 at 3:08pm

Before soldering, save some time and just tape the leads to the plug and see if you get a sound out of it.

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Permalink Reply by weinerdog on June 6, 2009 at 5:48am

I apologize for hijacking this thread - hopefully Paul Doug got his sound issue figured out. I'm having the same issue. This is my third attempt at building, and the first one that actually seems playable. I'm a complete moron with tools, electronics, so I didn't even know about taking the piezo out of the housing. I tried that, and still nothing. Well, almost nothing. If I tap on the piezo I get sound through the amp, but otherwise it's just silence. Since the wires on those radio shack piezos are so tiny, I figured I'd try soldering the ends and then putting electrical tape over it. As you might be able to tell from the pix, my skills are a bit lacking...lol. I did try attaching it to the underside of the box with a piece of electrical tape, as well as just letting it hang freely inside the box while I strummed(just to test). Still nothing. Anyways, hopefully these few pix show what I'm trying to figure out. Any thoughts much appreciated. Also, this site is AWESOME. I pretty much just lurk, but the amount of creativity and skill in here is very cool, as well as the willingness of so many to help(Doc Oakroot, etc).

Attachments:

• cbg1.jpg, 43 KB
• cbg2.jpg, 36 KB
• cbg3.jpg, 45 KB

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Permalink Reply by Doc Oakroot on June 6, 2009 at 6:02am

Might just be the angle of the photo, but it looks like your solder joints at the jack are touching each other (or at least very close, which would make them a capacitor). If so, this would short out the signal.

But that can't be it if you're getting a sound when you tap on the piezo. How is the piezo mounted? It has to be attached to something that's vibrating - the air inside the box won't activate it audibly.

weinerdog said:

I apologize for hijacking this thread - hopefully Paul Doug got his sound issue figured out. I'm having the same issue. This is my third attempt at building, and the first one that actually seems playable. I'm a complete moron with tools, electronics, so I didn't even know about taking the piezo out of the housing. I tried that, and still nothing. Well, almost nothing. If I tap on the piezo I get sound through the amp, but otherwise it's just silence. Since the wires on those radio shack piezos are so tiny, I figured I'd try soldering the ends and then putting electrical tape over it. As you might be able to tell from the pix, my skills are a bit lacking...lol. I did try attaching it to the underside of the box with a piece of electrical tape, as well as just letting it hang freely inside the box while I strummed(just to test). Still nothing. Anyways, hopefully these few pix show what I'm trying to figure out. Any thoughts much appreciated. Also, this site is AWESOME. I pretty much just lurk, but the amount of creativity and skill in here is very cool, as well as the willingness of so many to help(Doc Oakroot, etc).

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Permalink Reply by Paul Doug on June 6, 2009 at 7:54am

No, Weinerdog, I still haven't gotten it figured out. Like we are dealing ithe TWO wires here, how hard can it be. I feel SOOO stupid!!! Anyway, when I get a chance, I'm going to get a different Piezo and cable. Someone here sales them.

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Permalink Reply by weinerdog on June 6, 2009 at 9:09am

Doc Oakroot - thank you! I've sort of got it figured out. I tried undoing my solder job, but it was a mess, so I just cut the wires and attached them to another jack by hand twisting. I was able to get sound, although I still couldn't move the guitar much or it would disappear. But it's obviously the connection to the jack that was the issue, so I need to solder a lot better and I'll be in business. I attached a pic of how I taped down the piezo - is it ok to cover the edges like that? Also, is soldering the only way to get the necessary connection? Here is a picture of the build so far. It's ugly, but I gotta start somewhere...lol.

Paul Dog - If I can(kinda) get it figured out, anyone can. I think part of the challenge for me is that those piezo wires are about the diameter of 3 human hairs, and when I globbed on the solder, it just made things worse. Let me know how it goes!

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• cbg5.jpg, 20 KB
• cbg4.jpg, 15 KB

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Permalink Reply by Doc Oakroot on June 6, 2009 at 10:45am

The tape is no problem, but it looks like you've got it on the back of the guitar rather than the top. That won't work very well, if at all. Tape it to the in inside of the top, right under the bridge - if can be off to the side so the carry-through doesn't interfere with it. (There are more sophisticated ways to position/mount the piezo, but that will work).

weinerdog said:

Doc Oakroot - thank you! I've sort of got it figured out. I tried undoing my solder job, but it was a mess, so I just cut the wires and attached them to another jack by hand twisting. I was able to get sound, although I still couldn't move the guitar much or it would disappear. But it's obviously the connection to the jack that was the issue, so I need to solder a lot better and I'll be in business. I attached a pic of how I taped down the piezo - is it ok to cover the edges like that? Also, is soldering the only way to get the necessary connection? Here is a picture of the build so far. It's ugly, but I gotta start somewhere...lol.

Paul Dog - If I can(kinda) get it figured out, anyone can. I think part of the challenge for me is that those piezo wires are about the diameter of 3 human hairs, and when I globbed on the solder, it just made things worse. Let me know how it goes!

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