ctrl-x preamp with a regular piezo undersaddle pickup

[Tonedog]

Hi,

I've got a Hamer Duotone guitar that is about 12 years old. This guitar has 2 humbuckers in it, but has an acoustic style bridge / saddle, with an undersaddle pickup.

It has a preamp that is similar to the ctrl-x, but the way it is wired up ends up with some ground loop hum that I have not experienced in other guitars that use a ctrl-x.

I'd like to swap out the preamp for a ctrl-x and was hoping that I could use an element undersaddle pickup with the ctrl-x. The element has such a great sound. Is the element compatible with the ctrl-x? If not, do you have a piezo that is (or can you recommend one)?

Thanks,
Greg

[Caleb_Elling]

Hey Greg,
I've never used the Element with the CTRL-X before, but I've talked with a few customers who have tried it in situations similar to yours. The input impedance on the CTRL-X isn't ideal for the Element, but the adjustable gain should help a lot. Still, it may be difficult to match output levels between the mags and the Element. In the worst case, you may just need to lower the mag volume pot (if you have dedicated mag volume) in order to get an even blend.

I hope this helps.

[Tonedog]

Thank you Caleb.

Greg