Why I'm Switching Out ALL of my Piezo Pickups // JourneyTek EP-001K Body Transducer

[@stevepethel6843]

The body transducer seemed warmer fuller. Great 3 reasons for your selection...it all makes logical sense .God bless you for sharing sir.

[@danlosgar9194]

First, you're flat picking style is awesome, body style transducing always sounds better to me and I'll soon be installing a JourneyTek System on an amazing 53 year old Epiphone OOO. Thank You!

[@linussantotomas1367]

I guessed no. 2 is the Journey pickup. It does sound more natural, but needs equalization to increase sharpness of the higher frequencies.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Well of course, because there is no way EQ adjustment built into the system itself. You're SUPPOSED TO use the EQ on your acoustic amp, PA system, or even a DI box.

[@poptart8690]

Hot take. I just got a guitar with piezo undersaddle pickups and I couldn’t be happier. I love that quacky, brassy tone.

[@robertb5415]

Listening through headphones I hear a big difference. The JourneyTek sounds more like the instrument. This is a good straight forward and informative video...thanks for putting it up.

[@crabbypaddy5549]

I now have both under saddle and an internal audio mic plus a JourneyTek EP-001K Body Transducer. That way I can mix in whatever nuance combination I prefer.

[@garytudor4655]

I have put 3 journey tek pick-ups in 3 Guild guitars over the past 10 months and they all sound great. I love them.

[@77guitarts22]

Both piezo+transducer mixed would give a more accurate and versatile sound for different amplification situations... I love the tunner built-in of a piezo preamp. The issue people will have with the passive transducers( that by the way can start from $5 up) , is that it needs a preamp to give volume and boost the sound. Not in all situations you'll have that...

[@imdaroger]

What I ended up doing was plugging the journeytek 2.5mm jack into the eastman preamp that came with my pch2gace and it worked for me. Im going to be trying this on a chinese Lr Baggs Clone in the future so I can have mic tones with the transducer.

[@paulc3960]

Hi Alex, I prefer the Journey Tek piezo to under-saddle. I have had used sound hole magnetic, then changed to under-saddle piezo. I am not satisfy with both, because they do not have string to string volume balance. Also, under-saddle pirzo produces 'thin' sound and I hsve to use an EQ to enhance the sound. Recently I watched youtube which introduces Journey Tek (it is much cheaper than K&K mini). I bought it and installed it last week. It is the best type of pickup that I have ever used. High volume, natural & nice sound, strings volume balanced. I used super glue gel to attach them. On my other nylon string guitar, I have put an ultrathin red under-saddle piezo. I tried Journey Tek on the nylon string, compared the sound of installed under-saddle. The nylon guitar sounds better with under-saddle pickup.

[@larrydering1598]

I did exactly this with my Taylor 814ce ES1 system. I hated it and had it replaced with no improvement. Then I installed a JJB soundboard transducer 3 pickup system. Major improvement. That's what I use today. No on-board controls.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Years ago I almost bought a Taylor 814. I ended up going with a Martin instead because I wanted an acoustic guitar without a ton of electronics in it... then I put an undersaddle piezo in at some point as I mentioned in the video haha. It feels good to be back to an acoustic instrument with minimal electronics inside.

[@johnwhite5818]

I think the under saddle would be better for playing with a noisy band . So you can here yourself in the mix, but having the other one would be better for just lead. Number 2 could probably use some mid range scoop for Solo guitar melody. So having both would probably be beneficial.

[@TheAT5000]

My opinion, the body transducer sounded like the Piezo would have if you turned the treble all the way down on it. Very muddy sounding. But it would be a good fit for blending with an internal mic with a high pass filter to help eliminate feedback. (Obviously the LR Baggs Anthem stage pro is the gold standard you aim for, but who has that much money to spend on their setup?)

[@jeffter2471]

looks like I am the odd duck. without a doubt 1 seemed nicer. and i was thinkintg that the undersaddle would actually blunt the noise. 2 seemed washed away. i have always wondered if saddle pickups actually kill tone a lil since they just add one more place to absorb string contact. but just goes to show sound is always personal taste.

[@chrislowmusic]

Best result I’ve gotten so far is a kk pure mini blended with a bringer cb100 pointed at the neck joint. Can’t do it on a loud stage, but the tone is fantastic.

[@Arwndr]

Hm.... Yes I get it right. 1 undersadle piezo, 2 soundtratsfer system. But... For me much beter sound goes from 1. 2 don't have those bright higher sounds. The best would be to combine them together, through the separate tone and volume knobs for each pickup. Than sound would be much more rich and variable. Thank you for comparison. I was looking for piezo for my electric guitar exeactly for that porpoise, add more bright sharp clear sound to bridge pickup, so sound could be more rich and full. Thanks ✨

[@michaelnielsen7406]

I have just installed a K&K Pure Mini transducer system in my Epiphone EJ 200, with a fantastic result, giving a clear, warm and natural sound! and you need no batteries as it is a passive system.

[@qddk9545]

It depends on the model, you can get a system with under saddle sensors and a dynamic microphone, that needs batteries. But that will give you two separate signals which is very good to work with with in the PA system.

[@__Rob]

Can this be used on the f-hole of a thinline telecaster or will it feedback with the electric pickups? Will this solve the problem of too much brightness and treble that electric piezos suffer from due to bridge placement? Or will it make it worse? I want a really mellow sound (my tele has a rosewood body).

[@neilsmith9473]

Fantastic demo. I'm due to buy an acoustic guitar and have now decided to go for the cheaper, standard non-electro version and fit a JourneyTek pickup. I'm also planning on buying an acoustic combined effects, preamp and DI unit, so the transducer makes a lot more sense. Thank you very much for the info.

[@peterzurich3330]

My guitar came with an under saddle piezo so I just added 2 of the quartz transducers wired in parallel with the under saddle and it works great. It´s important to experiment a bit though to find the best positions for the transducers.

[@LutherBuilds]

I just bought the Journey pickup from Sweetwater. I have previously installed a JJB 330 in my cheaper Takamine guitar and wasn't impressed with it. It might have been my poor installation in it. I'm going to be installing the Journey pickup in my Orangewood guitar.

[@zollyclaman]

huge difference. #2 was so much nicer. Just ordered a journey instrument that has their journeytek installed, thanks for this.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Congrats on the new guitar!

[@Mr.Goldbar]

Honestly both have their place, On their own I prefered the sheer brightness of the undersaddle which is why I still like them, but the best idea is to blend them together and with other systems too. the Journeytek sounds really dark and undefined, the K&K Pure Mini is a better transducer overall and I also liked the Taylor ES2. I do think the whole "undersaddle ruins the tone of the guitar" is a conspiracy, I've never heard any difference

[@Arwndr]

Same opinion. Much beter to blend them together. To get best of both. Kinda strange situation, when comparing goes one against another. Not always best idea. Some time there is possibility to get the best from both. And that one blended system that would be much better than any of parts separately.

[@petegaslondon]

Some post eq might them a bit more equal, as 2 sounds kinda muffley .. I figured 1 was the regular piezo - it's clean and accurate, so i can imagine why a studio would dig it - but the second sounds a bit more organic Thing is if you're getting the body resonances, does that mean feedback, in a heavily amplified situation? Maybe both have their place yours, A Bass Player ;)

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thanks for your thoughts Pete! I’ve been playing with these body transducers for half a year now and I haven’t found that they’re any worse with feedback than under saddle piezos. I rarely ever even used a sound hole plug too.

[@1sylvan1]

I agree that the JourneyTek sounds better! A more total, consistent sound on all strings. My guitar already has an under bridge piezo. Is there a problem with leaving that in place or should I remove that piezo pickup and shim the bridge? Thanks!

[@brianjones4026]

I think both with a level pot which could give control from one to the other, find that sweet spot for the space you are playing !

[@ramspencer5492]

If you're guitar has a preamp and you want to remove the undersaddle piezo, is it possibly to connect the Journey Tek to the existing preamp? I can't stand the piezo quack of an under saddle pickup.... But also interferes with the saddle against the bridge and the bridge plate.... It interferes with the resonance of your guitar, acoustically.

[@siyaram2855]

JJB Prestige 330 vs Journeytek EP001K What do you recommend? Please let me know. I am in the process of ordering... I have solid body OM.

[@Chricão-05]

You're right, I agree with you in everything you've said.

[@jesserodriguez7335]

The 2nd sound with the under bridge body transducer type piezo seems like it has a wider frequency reproduction. I can imagine what a good parametric eq curve & IR combo can do :)

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Yeah - much more authentic in my opinion

[@Studio42dotCom-Real]

Thanks for this video. I recently got a JourneyTek EP003 for ukulele. I like how the one you are using kinda tamed the top end. By putting it into a soprano ukulele, it removed the harshness and kept all the stuff I wanted. I debate if I get a second to put in a concert or go with my original plan of trying a K&K Aloha Twin. You've got me second guessing my working choice to install an under-saddle in a tenor. Approaching this from an engineering perspective, both pick-ups have sound quality characteristics I liked. The K&K has more upper end to it, allowing it to cut through a mix and yet could be tamed via some EQ settings. The JourneyTek was definitely more of one for a player who sits in the mix, taking up necessary space without bringing unnecessary attention to itself while still being very clear. I have other ukuleles I may choose to do similar upgrades to, so I might make different choices for more variety and A/B comparisons. Thank you. We really needed a video like this.

[@darrylday30]

I’ve messed with under saddle and the journeyTek. I’m not a fan of the under saddle sound but I’ve been playing a low end Taylor for a while and it’s got a side saddle(?) pick up which is a pretty good compromise.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Is that the Taylor ES2 system? I think that is actually decent and kind of similar to the JourneyTek. The piezo element is built into the bridge instead of attached underneath. Both I think are a step up from an undersaddle element

[@darrylday30]

⁠@@AlexPriceMusician Yes, my Taylor 214ce has the ES2. The contacts lightly touch the side of the saddle in three places instead of being squeezed under the saddle. I was sceptical at first but found less quack and more detail than a typical under saddle piezo. It’s not as warm and detailed as the JourneyTek sound board piezo on my other gutar but it’s just plug and play with little or no eq in most live situations. I don’t even bother with pedals, I just run direct. I play keys, sing and run sound in a four piece country/rock band so simple is better in my situation. JourneyTek still sounds awesome but I needed more eq and such on my other guitar to get it loud enough to keep up with a drummer. I didn’t try the JouneyTek in my Taylor. Maybe I should. BTW, nice playing!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

@@darrylday30 the JourneyTek will be slightly more feedback prone than your ES2 system and will do best with an external preamp - just something to consider first

[@darrylday30]

@@AlexPriceMusician What’s your favourite preamp?

[@ramspencer5492]

I'm curious about doing Journeytek with some kind of IR pedal that loads your own IR's... Into an acoustic amp... Have you done anything like that for a live rig? I haven't really seen any videos where people are using IR with an under bridge plate pickup through an acoustic amp for a good live sound.

[@CodyTerry-t8b]

I missed it... Which one was the under saddle... #1 or #2 Ok, I got it . The body trans is my favorite. ❤

[@klatenist]

I never found any amplified guitar with undersaddle pickup that sounds pleasant to my ears. Would like to be surprised one day.

[@clementnade972]

1 is obviously a piezo. Clear, but noisy and quacky. 2 sounds better, smoother, but the drawback is that it sounds muffled.

[@Bob-of-Zoid]

Both are piezoelectric elements, it's their location that is the issue here. 1 is an under saddle piezo, picking up way more string than wood vibes, and the ones stuck to the soundboard (2) directly is picking up the soundboard primarily.

[@JeuneLysOfficiel]

Really nice video ! From my point it might be very difficult to choose one or another because #1 is really bright, and #2 really muffled, so ideally it could be great to use the two together. Or... Just keep the piezo and record with a mic near the neck so it can be well balanced too !

[@FollowTheLion01]

Option 1 consistently sounded better to my ear. It was brighter, but without sacrificing the low end. It may be that in person listening acoustically the body pickups may sound more like the instrument, but I'm not there. To me, option 1 sounded better, which is counter to his argument in the video. Option 2 seemed to need an eq adjustment. But everyone hears differently and what it sounds like in person vs on someone's phone or TV is all quite different.

[@FollowTheLion01]

Additional note: I'm not saying I don't like the idea of the option of installing the piezo events wherever you like. I'm in the process of installing one of these with four elements and I'm searching around for the optimal locations for each on the top by ear and then installing them inside. So, overall, I agree with his point. It just happens that I preferred the sound of option 1 in his recording.

[@mtrooze]

It's easy to tell the difference. The undersaddle piezo (#1) has that annoying high-pitched crunch that sounds like your breaking a light bulb on the attack of every note.

[@Soldier1287]

I wonder if I can plug them into my existing onboard preamp. The stock piezo string pickup is plug-able. Just unplug lug and plug in the trandsucers. Same type of plug too

[@GertvanderDoes]

Darn. I prefer #1. The Journeytek is just way too dull. Really wanted to prefer it, I already have one on my desk to replace the ES1.3 in my Taylor 814CE. The expression system sounds alright at the nut and at the octave (12th fret), but it has this flutey overtone when playing mid-neck that bugs me endlessly. I've been youtube-ing for a solution for days but so many get so different results...

[@TheEdavies100]

Prefer 1 and I think that was the undersaddle piezo. The other one is too warm and no high end. Also 1 will cut through better, if it's in a band or solo. I could be wrong, but don't think I am. Let's continue and find out. 2 just sounds too rounded and dull to me.

[@diogenio]

I 100% agree. Listened to the two samples on a very high-end home stereo system. The #2 sounded terribly muddy, dull - and lacked all of the guitar's harmonic sparkle.

[@TheEdavies100]

​@@diogenio I was right after the reveal. 2 is just garbage, you could make 1 sound like 2 with hard EQ if you want, but no way are you making 2 sound anywhere near 1, even if you had the best EQ in the world.

[@raulands]

The journey tek sounds very nice, but would it sound even better/louder with a pre amp?

[@Herfinnur]

That is an enormous difference!#2 is missing a ton of high end, but #1 sounds downright disgusting, so I guess I'd go with #2 figure and figure out how to augment it somehow. Possibly with a soundhole mic.

[@roboticflamingo234]

The transducers are too bass heavy and one often suffers from feedback live in band situations. If I was going to use transducer I would use a blend of piezo and transducer. The K & K actually sounds very similar to the journey transducer btw. Piezo definitely sounds superior although it's always a compromise with any acoustic pickup system...

[@jonathanelser590]

I loved the under saddle pickup in this demo! Nice and bright. Sounds like my ovation. The journey tek sounds like it would be great for a song with vocals as it sounded super full. Great demo, I may have to get myself an Eastman that's a great sounding guitar.

[@MrBallynally2]

Every pickup system needs EQ. Each system has its advantages and drawbacks. UST is direct but quacky when forced. Under soundboard is less direct but holds up better under forced playing. So, my solution is having both installed and use a mixer to combine. I like the bass w the UST and the treble w the under soundboard so adjust specific eq..

[@muzishan95]

Hi @alexpricemusician I’m wondering if you can tell me - does the double sided tape work just as well as the super glue gel? Is there a preference of one over the other? Is there an affect on the pickup from either one? Like sound dampening or loss of tone or anything?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I’m sure the adhesive material in between the piezo element and the top of the guitar has some effect on tone, but I haven’t tried a direct A/B comparison.

[@Acoustic_Music-h6x]

Do you need a high impedance preamp with those? These sound better than the LR Baggs Hi Fi.

[@miltontuffpuff]

Hello, I have seen all your videos on transducers. Great stuff that you have there. I had a question, if I take a transducer pick up and cut the wire and connect it to the point where my earlier piezo wire was connected to a preamp system. What are the things to watch out and could it bear any credible results ? Since almost all my acoustic guitars have had preamp systems I wanna make use of them. So that any further fine tuning could be done like adding or removing highs/lows. Let me know what your thoughts are. Thank you 🙏🏾

[@001mladen]

IN EXISTING PREAMP, if you connect other pickup to it, your sound will depend on impedance of pickup you are connecting. If its too hot you will have a distortion sound from existing preamp. you can connect a pot to it and dial out the best impedance, then measure it and get a resistor of amount of Ohm (as measured) and connect it to cable of your pickup, then to preamp. I hope it helps (i have tried that on my guitar and now it works good) Cheeers!!!

[@miltontuffpuff]

Thank you so much for your time and the wise details you have shared. Really appreciate it. @@001mladen

[@billsexton8073]

My 2 cents. 1 was much deeper, 2 was warmer but moved right into my face. I'd go with 1 and EQ it a bit

[@jmitch6764]

I can see that you have more than one amplifier. So why did you not plug them both in? Why must it be either/or - when it can be both? And yes, the glass is always half full.

[@picksalot1]

@Alex - The difference between the 2 pickups is like night and day. Number 1 was the under-saddle pickups, and I think that type of pickup sounds nothing short of horrible - totally artificial. A couple of days ago, I wrote some extensive comments to your video called "Building a Classical Guitar / Nylon String Preset - Line 6 Helix." I wrote details about the Piezo I use on the inside of the guitar under the top, and slightly behind the bridge. Please take a look at those comments, as I think you'll find them useful. I have some additional comments below to supplement those. A few things about Piezo pickups attached directly to the underside of the top inside the guitar: 1. They can be very loud, which I think is a good thing, as that makes them easier to control. 2. Piezo pickup attached to the guitar as described in #1, will turn your entire guitar into a microphone. In a noisy environment, that can be a bad thing, and you'll have to find a may need to isolate your guitar from loud sound sources. In a (solo) recording situation, it can be a very nice thing in a good sounding room. Piezo pickups can even pickup the sounds of your hands touching the body of the guitar, etc. Good for tapping on the top, sides, etc. for percussive effects. 3. I experimented a lot with Piezo pickup placement, and probably tried about 30 different locations before settling on what worked best. Take your time finding a good location as it will be worth it. Some locations may be too boomy, some too thin, some too quiet or too loud, some balanced, and some unbalanced. With a fair amount of consistency, the best combination of good qualities I found for a "single" Piezo was behind the 2nd (B) string and about 1/4" behind the back edge of the bridge. On a brighter sounding guitar, a good location may be being the 5th or 6th string. 4. Single or Multiple Piezo's: I tried single and dual Piezo picks. I think that the single pickup sounded better, as there was no phase cancellation, but it was harder to find the "perfect" location. With 2 pickups, I got a little bit of phasing, not bad, and certainly manageable, but not as good as a single Piezo. 5. Sticking on Piezo: Lightly sticking it to the top with double-sided tape worked for me to locate the best location. I used a flashlight, mirror, and some tape to mark the outside of the body exactly where I wanted to place the pickup. That way I could easily replicate putting it in the exact same spot I wanted. Working through the soundhole it a little tricky. If you've stuck the Piezo to the top inside the guitar, you can shine a small bright flashlight right up against the top and see where it illuminates the inside of the top using a mirror. Then mark the outside of the guitar top with a piece of tape for reference. 6. When you've settled on where you want the stick the Piezo, press it firmly to the double-sided tape. The firmer the connection, the better tone you'll get - fuller, rounder, and louder. It took me a while to figure out the nuances, and I hope they make your experience easier. Thanks

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Great tips! In my experience with this body transducer compared to a normal undersaddle piezo, the undersaddle piezo can be turned up a bit louder without feeding back (not a huge difference though as far as I can tell) and the body transducer definitely does pick up noise. Yesterday I was recording and my headphone cable was taping against the body of the guitar, which was pretty noticeable.

[@indridcold4210]

If you want the absolute best performance from this type of pickup, get something like the LR Baggs beltclip preamp. The piezo needs a very high impedance preamp both to minimize noise and to keep the frequency response flatter as the piezo disks are nearly pure capacitors and putting that capacitance across the lower input resistance of a typical guitar or PA amp will roll off the highs.

[@diogenio]

Unless of course you are feeding the piezo into a TUBE amplifier, where the input tube grid presents a super-high impedance up in the megohm range.

[@bevandittberner3147]

great vid Alex.I just installed the journeyTek in my Fender acoustic and it sounds so awesome,I previously had a cheap transducer from amazon in that guitar and it was pretty bad.There was a huge difference with the two pickup samples back to back through my monitors and although the curve was actually pretty good on the Piezo (1) you could definitely hear the Quack of a good old Piezo pickup, its an aweful sound, but I will say that you probably should have eq. ed. the transducer to give an even better interpretation of the transducer as it was too bassy and the top strings b and e were lost in the mire.I found that with mine as well and had to add an eq to the chain.Quick question,I have a Thomas king ce acoustic with a fisherman pickup and tuner, could I swap out the piezo with a journeytek and put the transducer into the fishman where the piezo is connected?Thanks Mate,fairly expensive to get it to Aus but worth it.

[@MusicForLyrics1]

Thank you for this the 2nd one is better for sure

[@liammoynihan2187]

I'd like to add these to a future archtop build but want to add volume, bass, mid, and treble controls... what resistance potentiometers would you recommend?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I’m really not a great person to answer that question, but if I had to guess I’d say go with 1M pots like you would find on a bass guitar for the volume. If you want EQ controls, either source an active onboard preamp or use an external preamp like the Red Eye. amzn.to/3WTS5FI Leave this comment up long enough and I bet someone more knowledgeable will come along to clarify!

[@lancekirbycasalme7650]

1 sounds brighter and 2 sounds warmer. I don't know everyone's choice but for me, I prefer the JourneyTek.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Totally agree.

[@cugir321]

I put them in a Bedell....sounds like a million buck with a DOD EQ...need the line boost. Problem is if you chord hard and tap the top...it makes a ton of noise.

[@cameronstolhand7149]

Number two definitely sounds better but it would be best if you could blend the two. If you have soldering chops you can buy Piezo pickups for about $.50 a piece and experiment with wiring them in parallel and series. They sound A little louder wired and series. They also sound different.

[@danielbell4007]

I like aspects of both: 1 has more brightness and attack without a lot of low end body, 2 has more low end warmth with less bight and clarity. A blend of the 2 options would be almost perfect. At least listening on my phone. I’ll listen again later on headphones.

[@danielbell4007]

@Hezekiah Nathanael piss off scammer

[@MrBallynally2]

I agree. Use both and play to each strenght. I like the UST bass; elliminate the 'quack' and use the under soundboard for high freq and shave off some low mids which can be muddy..

[@ramspencer5492]

You don't mind the Piezo quack? I hate it so much! You can EQ the journey tek of you want more brightness....

[@marksr12]

Great video, what a difference. I guess I'm going transducer. Thank you.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Great video/demo. NEWS FLASH: they recently raised the price of the K&K Pure Mini from $100 to $150, which is utterly ridiculous and greedy, in my opinion. But the Journey Tek is still only $50 at this time. Up until a few weeks ago, I had full intentions of buying and installing the K&K Pure Mini in all 4 of my acoustic guitars, but 2 things happened to change my mind: #1........I recently discovered the Journey Tek on quite a few videos, and how it sounds every bit as great, or even better than the K&K. #2..........because of the recent greedy price hike from $100 to $150 for the K&K Pure Mini ( there is absolutely no other reason for such a high price hike, and BOTH the K&K and the Journey are using the same transducers made in Germany).......that would've cost me 600 DOLLARS to install the K&K in all 4 of my acoustics, vs only $200 for 4 Journey Tek systems.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I agree, $150 is insane for what any average person with soldering skills can buy and assemble themself for about $20.

[@southpawjay]

so...would the JourneyTek sound better/different if you didn't have the UST installed? You mentioned that the UST disconnects the vibration from the bridge and saddle. Could this be the reason the JourneyTek sounded blah in the video? It could definitely use an EQ adjustment to add some sparkle. Same goes with the UST was extremely bright and could've used an EQ adjustment as well. The point of the video was to show how good these body transducers can sound. The JourneyTek was as bassy as the UST was trebly. Mix both together and you'll be in the ballpark

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Not sure how much it would translate through a pickup, but acoustically there is a distinct difference. I could’ve EQ’d to make it sound better, but that’d just be dishonest. Check out any of the demos with my Eastman E20-OM. This JourneyTek pickup eventually ended up in that guitar and it sounded better than it did in this video, even without EQ.

[@sachachanyan]

1 sounds more useable. Brighter and clearer. It didn’t sound that bad.

[@sashabagdasarow497]

I liked the 1st sample much more than 2. I understand that number 2 might be richer in the information of what is the wood etc., but 1 just sounds much better and full.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Also cuts through a mix better than the JourneyTek. The best choice probably depends on what kind of music and playing situation you’re in.

[@Xavofthedead]

How does the JourneyTek compares to the Trance Amulet ?

[@TheP1800]

What is that classical piece called that you play at 4.52? :)

[@doncarly]

Hi Alex,super demo...sorry,what is the song from 4:27 ? please,,greetings,darko

[@TudorDragos]

you can hear that first is the piezzo!

[@leodileodileo]

One is piezo two is transducer, for the price transducer are Ok . But I will always prefer something like seymourduncan mag mic or le Baggs anthem. In case you have a piezo and transducer I will recommend to use them in combination , transducers for warm and body percussive and piezo for the attack.

[@dandeeand]

I'd like using both--blending them.

[@anselmoperesgtr]

Great sound! Is there much difference between the K&K pure mini? Would that also sound louder. I got the k&K recently but it didn't sound louder as I expected... Even with the pre-amp.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Just did a comparison a few weeks ago. There is a surprising different in tone, though not in volume. A passive piezo transducer won't give out much volume. A preamp can be very helpful. Check out the comparison here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHnXoJeFaL9pebM

[@mike_gray]

Nice. Are you still using double sided tape to install the xducers?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

The double sided tape works great and is non-permanent compared to the epoxy recommended by K&K and what most guitar shops would use to install this. I ended up removing this pickup a few years later and replaced it with the Fishman Rare Earth. It's still a fine pickup but at the end of the day I purchased this guitar to be a strictly live instrument so I needed something with a mic and something that fights feedback well.

[@Hope4unow-7]

Anyone familiar with Trance Audio Amulet M Phantom? I just ordered a Martin 000-28 and trying to forge thru all the info out there on pickup options. TIA

[@ZenithBound]

#2 Sounded a lot better!

[@DocHelliday]

I'm confused, why would the transducer system NOT need a preamp? Isn't just 3 piezo wired together stuck to the body?

[@ronniehughes9660]

Hi Alex. I was just wondering if you attached the sensors with gel or tape? I used the tape to help place the sensors and they still sounded a little dull. But after I removed the tape and attached with glue they sounded totally different and much brighter to me which makes finding the right location difficult with the tape as the tape muffles the sound to me.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Hi Ronnie - I just stuck them on there with the adhesive gel I was using. It rolls on like tape. I figured it definitely influences the sound but I like the warmer tone.

[@rjgesler2009]

I'm sold!

[@mutton_man]

How did you stick the journeytek on?

[@giovannibosiomusic]

Got it!

[@masonkanterbury3007]

Depends on the guitar. On my Alvarez, the matrix undersaddle pickup was a nightmare.

[@swooshtx]

I think it icomes down to personal preference. The journey body transducer sounds very dull in comparison to the Piezo under saddle pickup. The under saddle pickup seems to have a more full sound which I prefer. I'm actually wondering if your body transducers are installed correctly. Someone else demoed this same Journey system and it sounded much better.

[@siyaram2855]

EP001K and EP004K What is the difference?

[@daveschellenberg5894]

is the body transducer pickup more prone to feedback with live rock band? thx!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Yes, this pickup style is more prone to feedback. Basically turns the guitar’s body into a giant microphone. Undersaddles are superior at fighting feedback.

[@philblack5936]

2 is too muffled in my opinion. I wish there was a perfect option for live play. Microphone on stage with a band doesn't work too well 😅

[@greenwave792]

I got the Donner DSS-3 delivered to my door for 34.99, I have it stuck to the outside of my guitar. Trying to find the best spot???

[@AlexPriceMusician]

In general you’re going to want it pretty close to the bridge plate. The further away you get, the less output and more prone to feedback the pickup can be.

[@arataka57]

For me the best way to tell is by installing it on a nylon acoustic

[@stephanosphilippou823]

Both sound inadequate, but number 2 is definitely unusable as is. I don't understand why you would prefer the second one, if i understood correctly that you did.

[@diogenio]

I greatly preferred the under-saddle sound. It has a brighter sound, and one could hear the upper harmonics and fine details of the guitar string far better. To me, the Journey Tek was seriously muted and lacked harmonic detail and overtones. I guarantee if you put a good mic in front of the guitar, it would sound much more like the under-saddle pickup. With regards to the under saddle "sounding only like the strings, and not the guitar body" - nothing could be farther from the truth. The under saddle is sandwiched between the bridge and the guitar soundboard. Therefore, the vibrations it responds to are a direct result of how the soundboard reacts to the energy that is being transferred to it. Don't believe it? Make a test guitar with a soundboard that is 2 inches thick. Place an under-saddle pickup and see if it sounds the same as it does when it is installed on an acoustic guitar. It won't. Not even close. The thick soundboard is so stiff and massive that it will absorb nearly ALL of the energy the bridge is transferring to it. And guess what? This is EXACTLY what a solid-body electric guitar is - and why playing one acoustically produces only a weak, thin sound.

[@lawless_defendant]

Would this body transducer work on a nylon guitar?

[@JoeMama-ob4cr]

For me, 1 is MUCH brighter and clearer, which is my preference.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Actually the Piezo Pickups sound even better on Classical Guitars. Those Piezo Pickups could use improvements.

[@reginamirow8999]

Nice

[@dominickcruz7252]

Darn that dream!

[@rejuvenator8966]

I think the JourneyTek sounds dull as hell, and the piezo sounds bright and quacky as hell. Blend of the two would most likely sound best

[@damianchristie288]

in an ideal world no 2 sounds more true to pure acoustic they both sound like they have potential but it has been my experience the no 1 piezio type doesn't get lost in a live mix as easily therefore for live battle conditions i prefer a well eq d piezio

[@AlexPriceMusician]

A great point for sure

[@califaen5825]

Late to the Party ... here ... As someone new to the Acoustic PickUp "AfterMarket", I found the/your "Presentation" ... confusing ... i.e., you say you are "getting rid of" Piezo PickUps, yet JourneyTek calls the EP001K "Piezo" ... and NOT (Body) Transducer ... So, I'm guessing the EP001K is the Transducer-Piezo ? o_0

[@AlexPriceMusician]

@@califaen5825 it is a piezo pickup, but it attaches to the underside of the bridge instead of existing underneath the saddle as most terrible sounding piezos do. Using the shortened term “piezo pickup” in the title was for tagging purposes and making it easy to read as opposed to “undersaddle piezo pickup.” KZbin video titles need to be a certain length to display on all devices. A transducer is any device that translates sound waves to an electrical signal, such as a microphone or a piezo pickup (sometimes called a contact mic). Calling it a body transducer is common as it points out that the vibrations are being read through the top of the guitar instead of through the bridge saddle.

[@williamwarrenconkright3973]

sold on 2

[@rieljungeraldizo819]

1 is saddle pick up