Acoustic/Electric guitar electronics


bunmiadefisayo
Registered User
Joined: 03/03/05
Posts: 162
bunmiadefisayo
Registered User
Joined: 03/03/05
Posts: 162
07/31/2006 1:47 pm
I am loathe to post a noob topic in this forum but i have no choice, i need the knowledge :).

I was wondering if any one could explain A/E guitar electronics as there are just a few things i dont understand. I thought that an a/e was just like an electric (minus the wood and all). On an electric doesnt the power come from a plugged-in amp? But on the a/e theres a battery compartment. So does this mean that even when plugged into an amp, i'll still need to have a battery for it to work? Thanks!!
# 1
Lordathestrings
Gear Guru
Joined: 01/18/01
Posts: 6,242
Lordathestrings
Gear Guru
Joined: 01/18/01
Posts: 6,242
07/31/2006 3:39 pm
The difference is in the pickups.

Most electric guitars use passive pickups that use the interraction between the steel strings and the pickup magnets to induce currents in the coils. This signal is what the amplifier works with.

An acoustic electric guitar usually has a piezo pickup built into the bridge. These pickups output is quite low. So these guitars often have a preamp built into them. Since this type of pickup directly senses the vibration of the bridge saddle, there's no need to use steel strings. They work just as well with bronze or nylon strings. Which is why this type of pickup is the most common type found in acoustic electric guitars.
Lordathestrings
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# 2

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