Help!... Acoustic-y, electric tech question

[UNCTaylorplayer]

Here's a brain-teaser for all those luthiers and techies out there:

Alright, here it goes...

I have an older Fender Telecaster Acoustic-Electric. (Not the Telecoustic, mind you, this one was an anniversary edition). Its very similar to a Gibby Chet Atkins, with a solid body, one f-hole, and blendable pickups. It has one Fender Lace sensor-ish pickup at the neck, and an active piezo in the bridge.

My problem is this: I'm getting very noticeable distortion from the piezo, along with an occasional pulsing, evenly timed "click". These aural anamolies show up through the amp. Not a bit of buzzing when you strum it unplugged, but when running with any piezo in the blend, its almost as if there is a ghost of a distorted electric running behind the acoustic sound. Confused, confused, confused. I replace the battery in the piezo a while ago, and that's when these problems started, but I don't see how putting in a new battery could cause all this. Any suggestions? I'm stumped. Thanks ahead of time...

Danny

[taylorplayer7]

I'd start in or near the battery compartment.
Could you have possibly broken or partially broken a connection by pulling on wires to install the battery? Did the old battery leak? Is the new one the correct battery?

[ljguitar]

Did you happen to check the voltage of the battery? Mine always went distor-to when the battery died.

[4Gtrs]

Assume you have the Nashville Power Tele (?) with the Fishman bridge.

+1 for Larry's advice. Sometimes even new batteries are bad. BTW, is the distortion on only one string? I've heard (on other forums) of problems with a single saddle wire breaking.

BTW, how do you like the Power Tele? I've never played one, although I did a bit of research into the similar Carvin AE185. I needed something versatile that I wouldn't need to lug two guitars to church. I ended up with a Hamer Duotone (Korean model), which has a mini-screwdriver adjustable 3 band eq (saddle is a UST type ribbon). It was all I could find out here.

[UNCTaylorplayer]

Hi 4Gtrs,

I actually don't have the Power tele. This one is almost exactly like the Gibson Chet Atkins Ac/el. Three knobs, solid body with faux f-hole, acoustic bridge with UST. Only difference is that it has a Lace sensor at the neck. Its an amazing guitar, especially for my uses.

1) for electric, it sounds great, the acoustic strings and neck pickup give a thick distorted tone, and...

2) I make regular use of a Line6 DL-4 for looping, and I can get nice acoustic tone and sharp body-percussion from the piezo. Basically, I get some nice drumbeats going on the body, and I don't want to have to worry about beating on my 812C. Solid body = drum away...

I got new batteries today, gonna try a few different brands. I'll drop an update soon. Thanks to everyone who gave suggestions!

Danny

[4Gtrs]

Danny,
Sounds interesting. Could you post pix?

[ibmindless]

I use this:



The two knobs are Volume and the Blender which blends between the piezo and the mini-humbucker. The guitar has a nice acoustic sound and the neck is nice & slim (1 11/16" nut). There is a 3-band equalizer on the side.

[CoupleOfAvenger]

Is it a telecaster thinline?

[UNCTaylorplayer]

Sort of a tele thinline... No pickguard, f-hole in standard "tele location", ... I'll get some pictuers up as soon as I can figure out how...

[4Gtrs]

Originally Posted by CoupleOfAvenger

Is it a telecaster thinline?

The regular thinline is much different, bolt-on neck, solid body except for the routed chamber where the F hole is located. http://www.fender.com/products/searc...tno=0137402321
Normally with two humbucker pickups and no piezo, and no equalizer. The bridge is the standard tele type, not a trapeze. The Nashville power tele that I thought UNCTaylorPlayer had adds a middle pickup (I believe all single coils) and Fishman power bridge.

[2000xl4x4]

It might not be the battery at all. I am thinking its the 1/4" cable you have that has a bad connection(sauder), or that one of the wires inside of the cable is bad. If its not the battery, try a new cable. Hope this helps.