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Rod piezo to string relationship

Do the number of ceramic spots on the rod piezo have to have a direct relationship to the strings? By that I mean, if I have a 4-string do I have to have a rod piezo with four ceramic spots and do the strings have to be directly above the rod piezo? When I build a bridge with a rod I normally do just that, but that got me to thinking. The strings rest on a brass rod which itself rests on the rod piezo. The vibration is carried throughout the rod and so why couldn't you have a 3-string piezo rod under four strings instead? Would you lose something in the way of volume or tone? Is it true that piezos will pick up the vibration directly above them more than the piezos further away from the string? Seems to me the vibrations are distributed evenly across the rod, but I'm no expert, so I'm hoping someone out there may have an answer.

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Permalink Reply by darryl kernaghan on October 27, 2016 at 12:29pm

You make sense in what you say Michael, and i suspect you are correct, but many feel that a string above the node is the way to go, i've only done rods with equal strings-nodes, so can't really answer as to if it's better or worse

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Permalink Reply by Michael Zack on October 27, 2016 at 3:39pm

Thanks for the reply. There is a cost difference between 3-string rod piezos and 4-string, so I guess I'll have to give it a test.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on October 27, 2016 at 1:32pm

I make mine with a Corian saddle that sits on the rod. I have the short 4 string sized rods, and I don't hear any difference, they sound pretty good to my ear.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Zack on October 27, 2016 at 3:40pm

Thanks, Dan. Do you use those on 6-strings, 4-strings, 3-strings? Have you tried cable piezos?

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on October 28, 2016 at 12:44am

I use them on 4s and 3s. I have not tried a 6 string yet. Never saw a cable piezo before.

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Permalink Reply by JL on October 28, 2016 at 12:07am

Piezo's pick up the vibration from whatever it touches, the crystal (ceramic) bit(s) spit electrons when vibrated. that's why you can hot-glue a piezo disk just about anywhere and it works. That's why clip-on tuners work on the headstock, small piezo in the clamp.

With a softer saddle, it could smiley-face on you ever so slightly and not make good contact on all the bumps. A good rigid flat-bottom saddle on a good rigid bridge with a flat groove out to work...