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We all know the dilemma: archtop guitar electrics will buzz unless you shield them so good that the acoustic sound isn't as good or loud, but what about just making the guitar with an output jack straight from the pickup, which you can plug into a box that houses your volume/tone switches? I don't plan on ever building archtops regularly but I just thought of that and thought I'd share. What do you think?

Sounds like an outboard preamp. Many acoustic players use a combination DI/Pre. Works for them. I don't know about archtops, since I've never built one, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Will you get better sound than doing it the convetional way? Don't know. I know there are many electric builders who swear shielding alters or destroys tone. I'm not one of them. But hey, each to his own ideas/philosophy of building. If you can hear it, and/or hear a difference yourself, follow your instincts and do something about it. It's the individual build philosophy that makes guitars from one builder different from the other one. That's a good thing, IMHO. Try it and see. You just might surprise all of us.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

It'll still buzz; it's the pickups as much (or more than) the couple of extra inches of (hopefully shielded) cable associated with controls that are the problem.

hey ian, your idea might work,
but the noise, buzz, is usually associated with single coil pickups.
the humbuckers are a lot quieter.
i play lap steel, and have no controls on the weiss style,
and go thru a baggs d i box with vol and tone and more there.
sitting down is nice, so i can reach knobs.
for standing, i think baggs makes a clip on pre called the gig-pro.
the d i would work with a mag pick-up, i think......
i'll test it out and get back to you.
how about a volume pedal?
hey, do u mean buzz, or feedback?

I'm sorry guys I meant feedback. I forgot I even made this thread lol. Yeah I've just heard about this dilemma and haven't experienced it firsthand. Might just be exaggerated but it got me thinking anyway.