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How to clean Piezo Pickups?


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I'd recommend being careful about cleaning the piezo pickups on a Variax. I have found that my Variax Standard's clang tone has reduced somewhat over time. I'm thinking that's because the pickups are seating differently in the bridge, and maybe dirt and moisture has helped fill voids between the pickup and the bridge that I think contribute to clang tone. This is why I use the soft toothbrush. It gets the dust and dirt off the top, but doesn't put liquid of any kind down between and under the pick and the bridge. Something to consider...

 

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On 1/11/2019 at 1:12 PM, cruisinon2 said:

 

Well beneath the quote he did indicate that it "Also works on piezos."...

Sure didn't see that at the time I wrote the post. Wouldn't have not commented, otherwise.

 

But my apologies extended -- was just trying to help the OP get what he was looking for.

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  • 2 years later...

Notice that a majority of issues are the low strung. This is where you “palm mute”. On my Godin XTSA either my low A or E goes out. I believe my sweaty hands salts are causing this. 

 

 It is a pain but this is how I’ve fixed twice over many years.1)Remove strings 2)Remove back cover behind knob controls 3)Carefully unpack small bunch of cables. These goto the piezos. 4) Remove piezos and using the cables and NOT the  piezos, gently and carefully pull the piezos away from bridge. 5) Next fill cup with DISTILLED water and slosh the piezos in the water. Let them set and change water and slosh again. Do 5 times. We are trying wash away the salt from the hands.  6) Dry piezos with paper towels and hair dryer on warm.

 

Plug in guitar and gently tap each piezos. If one is not working clean it again perhaps using the water and a soft toothbrush.

 

7) Gently re-insert cable back in. 8) Attach piezos to bridge.9) install string and re-internate.

 

Pain to do but has worked twice for me. Next time I may paint piezo with clear fingernail polish.

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  • 5 months later...

Do you have to remove the piezos to clean them?  Can you Just clean the visible bit when you take the strings off? Iso alcohol and a cotton bud?

 

Just plugged in my 300 electric and found that the G string was cutting out. Tapped the bridge a few times and it seems to have come back.....

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" Do you have to remove the piezos to clean them?  " --- No, don't do that.

 

" Can you Just clean the visible bit when you take the strings off? " --- You could. But, using the method I posted earlier,

you don't need to take the strings off. I do this all the time when I service a Variax. Alcohol, cotton swab and canned air.

Work on the 300 electric as well.

 

Saddle acts as the chassis ground return. When dust and stuff gets in there, it can result in intermittent ground contact,

and intermittent signal.

 

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4 minutes ago, psarkissian said:

" Do you have to remove the piezos to clean them?  " --- No, don't do that.

 

" Can you Just clean the visible bit when you take the strings off? " --- You could. But, using the method I posted earlier,

you don't need to take the strings off. I do this all the time when I service a Variax. Alcohol, cotton swab and canned air.

Work on the 300 electric as well.

 

Saddle acts as the chassis ground return. When dust and stuff gets in there, it can result in intermittent ground contact,

and intermittent signal.

 

Thanks. :-)  Where did you post the method.  I can't see it.....:-(

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23 minutes ago, psarkissian said:

Here, up earlier, January 11, 2019. From a Knowledge Base post I prepped for the Admin,

and subsequent follow-up posts here.

 

I can't actually see a procedure. Am I missing something?

 

There's your article on how to clean pots but nothing about the piezos. I see your list of the ingredients but I can't see anywhere that tells me how to actually use them on the piezos.

 

Which part of the piezo do I clean with the alcohol?  All of it that is visible?  And do I generally spray the compressed air all around the bridge getting underneath etc?

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I had this issue and then used DeOxit D5. I must say, a small spritz of DeOxit on each piezo when I change my strings has kept it "running". When the strings are off, the DeOxit can get into the space between the piezo and the saddle. You are essentially doing the Alcohol thing but don't need the canned air. DeOxit is what all the "pro's use" Everywhere I've worked (I work with electronic stuff) there are cans of DeOxit always available.

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15 hours ago, brue58ski said:

I had this issue and then used DeOxit D5. I must say, a small spritz of DeOxit on each piezo when I change my strings has kept it "running". When the strings are off, the DeOxit can get into the space between the piezo and the saddle. You are essentially doing the Alcohol thing but don't need the canned air. DeOxit is what all the "pro's use" Everywhere I've worked (I work with electronic stuff) there are cans of DeOxit always available.

 

I love deoxit. I use D5 for switches and connections and F5 for pots and faders.  My guitar tech used to use servisol in pots and faders.....they went proper scratchy after a while.  I found that F5 restored them a little after this. The lube in it I guess.... I do find with pots with nice physical resistance (lots of grease in them??) F5 does make them spin a bit too easily. That might be good for some people I guess but I used it on a few things (mixers, controllers etc) and was a bit disappointed :-(  Anywho, got my alcohol, compressed air and D5 ready for the Variax.  Let's see what happens. 

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  • 4 months later...

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