Cole Clark steel string acoustic guitars are the only main stream acoustic to use a Spanish heel or integral neck construction. This means the neck is glued to the face along with the sides and the back so the neck is one piece all the way to the sound hole. On other guitars, the body is made then the neck attached, mostly with a bolt or dove tail join. Due to our method, the sound is unique. Cole Clark also has a carved top and back and uses a ridge system to join the sides to the top and back instead of kerfing. Cole Clark guitars are all solid timber using mostly native Australian tone woods that are largely sustainable.

Cole Clark PG3 pickup system.

Released in 2022, the PG3’s improved microphone for extreme highs, altered frequency filter between the mic and face sensor and new configuration between the face sensor and bridge pickup delivers our most advanced, dynamic and natural sounding plugged in experience yet.

The concept behind our pickup technology is best explained by comparing it to an audio system. A P.A usually consists of sub woofers, speakers and horns. Each component is designed to hear a range of frequencies they are best equipped to handle, with crossover points for frequencies best heard by the next component. Cole Clark uses the same philosophy, combining a piezo system for the bottom end, a patented face sensor for the mid range and a microphone for the top end.

Under Saddle Piezo

The piezo system utilizes 6 individual piezo elements suspended under the bridge saddle which we believe is the best and most dynamic type of piezo system available.

Face Sensor

We know that the face/top is the most important component to the sound of an acoustic guitar, so it makes sense that we utilize that tone when amplifying the guitar. We do this with our unique face sensor which is specifically designed for the mid range. We use a patented blend control which blends in the amount of face sensor required to go with the piezo sound or to completely replace the piezo in the mid range. This goes a long way in removing the ‘piezo quack’, delivering a more natural tone. With a maximum crossover point of 350hz, the face sensor cannot hear any frequency in it’s feedback zone, instead leaving those frequencies to the under saddle piezo.

Microphone

The third element is a condenser microphone for the top end. This microphone is set well above any frequency zone that could cause it to feed and is purely there to take the ‘ping’ out of the piezo if there is some piezo blended through at full range.

Controls

On your preamp you’ll find 3 knobs. Top centre is for volume, top left is a blend knob used to add or remove frequencies that the face sensor is hearing and top right is a separate volume specific to the microphone.

The FC (filter contour) button allows for effortless switching between the PG3 configuration and an improved version of it’s predecessor, the 3-Way. There is also a battery light and a highly effective EQ with sliders for treble, mid range and bass response.

Product Specifications

• All solid timber cutaway grand auditorium with internally carved top and back
• Made entirely from sustainable timbers
• Cole Clark PG3 pickup system
• Finish: Nitrocellulose (natural satin)
• Neck: Queensland Maple
• Top: AA grade Bunya
• Back/Sides: AA grade Silky Oak
• Inlaid timber binding and rosette.
• Bridge/Fretboard: She-oak
• Inlays: Timber snowflake
• Machine Heads: Grover
• Nut/Saddle: Graph Tech Tusq
• Strings: Phosphor Bronze 12-53
• Nut Width: 44mm/1.73″
• Radius: 12″
• Scale length: 25.5″
• Left handed version not available
• Cole Clark hardcase – Tweed
• Pickguard supplied in case