Official Luthiers Forum!

SOS both my guitars are running without amps. I'm brand new here. HELLO FROM SKI COUNTRY USA... VAIL. I've had bad luck with all four of my classical guitar electronics. My Ibanez G850EC-NT electronics died a month after purchase. After Ibanez's replacement part sent to the dealer didn't work. Ibanez eventually replaced it with a brand new guitar, that lasted a year. I was out off commission for a month at least. I kind of gave up on fixing the electronics after someone at a bar cracked the side wall down near the jack in three places. I would like to trouble shoot it and or replace the preamp/pickup, but with what? I need more than a year out of guitar electronics.

My brand new Oscar Schmidt's electronics lasted a month and the dealer was cool enough to let me upgrade trade my dead guitar for slightly nicer brand new model OC11CE. The electronics went through the same life span as my Ibanez... worked long enough to expire the warranty with the company. The electronics are EQ-505R. That was the same shite that lasted a month in my first Oscar Schmidt.

1. a. Is either piece of junk worth trouble shooting? (I can't find any videos that apply to classical). My first priority is the Oscar Schmidt. b. If not, can anyone post a link for DIY troubleshooting and or replacement of electronics? c. with what models should I consider?
2. The stop cap fix of a sound hole pickup, has never fit the sound hole of classical (of any I came across) and even if it did, the nylon strings wouldn't pickup would they?
3. Would the all in one output jack/piezo pickup placed under the bridge with no interior wires work with nylon strings?, I figured probably not, passive pickups don't work with nylon do they?

Thanks for your help,
Starshipcommander

Welcome Starshipcommander,
You should give K&K a look. They're a fairly high output soundboard transducer so can be used passively, but they also have a external preamp which works quite well. They have an excellent sound also.

_________________
Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

I agree with Jim Watts, I replaced the expression system in an old Taylor I had with the K&K mini. It was passive and still way better sounding than the original electronics. I'm sure K&K makes something classical specific.

The crap that comes on many import instruments as a so-called pup is usually proprietary and when they go south, and they do.... other than board level replacement by dealers they are not worth the time and effort of even repairing.

You can check the obvious and as mentioned you can try to get a replacement but at the end of the day replacement with a stand alone pup system that is commercially available and well received and rated is usually advisable.

I second the K&K recommendation. Their stuff often does not look like it's ready for prime time, golf tees for installation..... etc. but tonally K&K is great. They have one now with a preamp that is installed in a hole in the side. I do wonder who they were targeting as an OEM replacement, anyone care to speculate?

Piezo pickups work just fine on nylon strings. The only type of pickup that does not work with nylon strings are magnetic pickups like humbuckers.

I also highly recommend K&K pickups. They even work fairly well without a preamp.

appreciate everyone that weighed in. I will check out K&K