Piezo Distortion?

mothwingdust Posted 2007-10-04 6:47 AM (#79403) Subject: Piezo Distortion? Joined: September 2007 Posts: 3 I have an interesting dilemma... While recording a few things tonight, I noticed that the sound of my recorded Ovation sounded a bit distorted..actually, "warbly" is a more accurate. It's a bit hard to describe. I have twelve years of recording experience and know my way around a DAW like the back of my hand. The levels are fine and I'm not overdriving anything. I've been playing guitar for almost twenty years, and have used piezo pickups quite a bit. Also, when I play my guitar amplified (CC44 with slimline pickup), I don't notice this phenomenon. Just when it's recorded. It's sort of like certain frequencies are fighting for position, but ultimately farting out. Has anyone else noticed this? I don't think the pickup or preamp is faulty, and I just put a new battery in. I was running through a Line6 GuitarPort and noticed this regardless of whether effects/compression were turned on or off, but it seems to occur mostly when I'm strumming fairly fast (not necessarily hard.) Is this a piezo quirk that I'm just now noticing, or is it something tweakable that I'm completely overlooking? I've gotten the same result whether recording directly into SoundForge or Cubase. I know piezo's tend to compress sound, so could it be a by-product of that? I'd post a soundclip if I had a place to host it. Any thoughts? Also, are the Ovation slim saddles 1/8" or 3/32" thick? I can't find my dial calipers and I'm thinking of getting a Tusq saddle. Paul Templeman Posted 2007-10-04 8:24 AM (#79404 - in reply to #79403) Subject: Re: Piezo Distortion? Joined: February 2002 Posts: 5750 Location: Scotland Easy to fix, forget the pickup and use a couple of good mikes instead. Beal Posted 2007-10-04 9:05 AM (#79405 - in reply to #79403) Subject: Re: Piezo Distortion? Joined: January 2002 Posts: 14127 Location: 6 String Ranch I think the saddles are 1/8 but you better check that with the calipers.