Homemade Piezo

An acoustic guitar may be used with a piezo pickup.

Acoustic instruments produce a distinct, natural acoustic resonance, but sometimes they just aren't loud enough. There are a multitude of different pickups designed to help amplify the sound of acoustic instruments, and the piezo pickup is the preferred choice for some musicians. Basically a compact transducer, a piezo element can transmit the vibrations from virtually any acoustic instrument so they may be amplified electronically. Using a few basic tools, you can make a homemade piezo pickup.

Things You'll Need

• Soldering iron
• Piezo transducer
• Pliers
• Standard screwdriver
• Tape measure
• 22-gauge stranded wire
• Wire clippers
• Wire stripper
• Desoldering braid
• Solder
• 1/4-inch mono jack
• Reusable putty adhesive

Instructions

1. Plug in a soldering iron and allow it to heat up in its cradle for approximately 15 minutes.

2. Hold the piezo transducer with a pliers and pry the lid off with a screwdriver. Do not to sever the black and red wires coming from the transducer.

3. Remove the transducer from its case and discard the case.

4. Measure the desired length of 22-gauge stranded wire with a tape measure and cut it with a wire clippers.

5. Strip approximately 1/2 inch at both ends of the cut wire with a wire stripper.

6. Apply a piece of desoldering braid to the contact points of the transducer, and press the tip of the heated soldering iron to the braid. Repeat this process until the wires and solder are removed from the transducer's contact points.

7. Solder an end of the cut 22-gauge stranded wire to one of the transducer's contact points.

8. Solder the opposite end of the same wire to one of the contact points on a 1/4-inch mono jack. Repeat this process with the remaining wire and the remaining contact points on the 1/4-inch mono jack and transducer.

9. Apply a thumbnail-sized piece of reusable adhesive putty to the back of the transducer. The putty allows you to stick the pickup to an acoustic instrument and reposition it when necessary.

References

• The Fittells' Homepage: How to Make a Piezo Pickup
• Science Buddies: Make Your Own Piezoelectric Pickup for Acoustic Guitar
• Liutaio Mottola Lutherie Information Website: Constructing an Under Saddle Transducer
• Make Magazine: Naked Piezo Pickup for Cigar Box Guitar
• Cigar Box Nation: How I Do a Simple Piezo Pickup Including Tool and Parts Tips
• Fret Not Guitar Repair: Guitar Electronics Repair