What’s the trick to achieving some realism w/piezo via acoustic IR in Helix?

[boynigel]

From the guy in the video linked below, go to 6:45:  "Here's a piezo into a 3 sigma Audio Taylor IR. I’ve found them to be as good or better than my Taylor 414CE-R running direct [ES2]."

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfRc2F8H0uc&t=405s

 

Does anyone have any tips for getting some decent faux-acoustic tones via a piezo pickup into an acoustic IR loaded into the Helix, like the guy in the video? 

 

I have a few acoustic IR’s that I’ve tried in my LT and they all sound dull and plastic-y, no matter where I move the sliders on all the available IR parameters. 

 

Unless there’s been a quantum leap of improvement in piezo pickups since the time my 2008 Parker Nitefly’s piezo was designed, and the piezo in this guy’s PRS?  That said, my Parker’s piezo does NOT sound dull on its own, it’s all happening post-IR.

 

My signal chain:  Piezo into LT, then into IR, out to ProTools, out of my Mackie HR824’s.  Tried adding a clean amp block to see if it improved anything, but it didn’t.

[datacommando]

On 11/19/2025 at 5:07 PM, boynigel said:

Does anyone have any tips for getting some decent faux-acoustic tones via a piezo pickup into an acoustic IR loaded into the Helix, like the guy in the video?

Hi, Nigel,

 

As usual - a trawl through the older posts can be a big help.

 

Here ya go!

 

Peter Hamm has posted lots of stuff about using acoustic IRs, but he seems to no post over onthe Helix Facebook group.

 

Give him a shout!

 

Hope this helps/makes sense. 

 

[boynigel]

On 11/19/2025 at 7:57 PM, datacommando said:

Hi, Nigel,

 

As usual - a trawl through the older posts can be a big help.

 

Here ya go!

 

Peter Hamm has posted lots of stuff about using acoustic IRs, but he seems to no post over onthe Helix Facebook group.

 

Give him a shout!

 

Hope this helps/makes sense. 

 

appears to be more Variax-oriented, not for run of the mill piezos.  i'll try digging around

[datacommando]

On 11/20/2025 at 1:29 AM, boynigel said:

appears to be more Variax-oriented, not for run of the mill piezos.  i'll try digging around

Try this one. There’s a video.

 

@PeterHamm appears to be rather busy pushing his new Helix Stadium XL to the max DSP wise, judging from his latest posts over on Facebook, but you could maybe give him a shout directly.

 

Pax!