Need pickup installer recommendation is SoCal or SD

Hey all.

I have decided to get a MI-SI ACOUSTIC TRIO pick up installed on my ukulele.. But im pretty sure that I'm not gonna try it myself.. Specially on a Kamaka. So im turning to you guys for a recommendation for a pro installer in the SoCal or San Diego area. I called a local Sam Ash and the luthier there said he will do the install for $35.00. He's never installed one on an Ukulele but "He was willing to try"... Something about that I wasnt really too confortable with.

I'm gonna order the pickup from Elderly but havent yet... Wanted to find a place to install before doing so...

Thanks in advance for your help:cheers:

I'm in need of the exact same thing (Mi-Si install in a Kanile'a in SD). No way I would trust it to some guy from Sam Ash, especially with a gloss finish. I'll be interested to know what you find.

deach had a vid about that before, seemed pretty straight forward, lol.

Three's a crowd. Im looking for the same thing. If you find one Manuel let me know. I would love to install a pick up in a hf-3.

Bob Fredrickson is my guy for that sort of thing. He's the repair artist at (hold for effect) Sam Ash in Canoga Park. I've known him for some years. He is highly skilled.

Bob is not only a professional musician, but both of his parents are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Canadian Sweethearts, Lucille Starr & Bob Regan). So he's grown up surrounded by this sort of thing. He does a lot of studio work now and is glad to no longer be on tour.

Given the sheer numbers of guitars vs ukuleles, you are unlikely to find someone on the mainland with a ton of experience with ukulele near you. Oh, they are out there, just not by you.

Point being, it is hit and miss as to who is behind the counter. In the case of Canoga Park Sam Ash, it's a hit.

Roy Goode at Giacoletti music in Carlsbad (North County San Diego) is the man with PLENTY of experience installing pickups in the mainland. Give him a call:

Giacoletti Music
505 Carlsbad Village Drive, Carlsbad, CA, 92008
(760) 729-1335

http://www.carlsbadmusic.com

While you're there, enjoy the 100+ models of ukuleles in stock. Ric

ricdoug said:

Roy Goode at Giacoletti music in Carlsbad (North County San Diego) is the man with PLENTY of experience installing pickups in the mainland. Give him a call:

Giacoletti Music
505 Carlsbad Village Drive, Carlsbad, CA, 92008
(760) 729-1335

http://www.carlsbadmusic.com

While you're there, enjoy the 100+ models of ukuleles in stock. Ric

Click to expand...

Sweet I'll give him a call tomorrow


Thanks Bro

ricdoug said:

Roy Goode at Giacoletti music in Carlsbad (North County San Diego) is the man with PLENTY of experience installing pickups in the mainland. Give him a call:

Click to expand...

Thanks Ric...Giacoletti's was actually going to be my first call.

i know how to do it, but i cant for three reasons:

1. ive had dafamcallsmebj's ukulele here for 2 weeks for a pickup install but i still havent had time to get down to it.

2. i would feel too guilty digging into a kamaka or kanile'a. even if i know exactly what im doing.

3. its a lot of work.. well not really, but for an instrument like that it would triple the install time because of how careful i would have to be. so i just dont have the time to put into it knowing that i couldnt charge any of you to do it.


but... hahahaha...

i am in the process of rebuilding an imitation les paul. and i need parts:
humbucker mounting rings, both neck and bridge
mounting hardware for the pickup rings
tune-o-matic style bridge
2 control knobs
3-way on-on-on switch (les paul style)
2 strap buttons or strap locks


if you can help me out with some of this stuff, im sure i can help you out with your installation. none of that has to be new, just working... not broken... not worn out.

Don't know if your pick-up is any different than this one, but my husband installed two of these in my ukes in about 30 minutes. It was very simple and the instructions are very straight forward.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdLUDWoh-cE

salukulady said:

Don't know if your pick-up is any different than this one, but my husband installed two of these in my ukes in about 30 minutes. It was very simple and the instructions are very straight forward.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdLUDWoh-cE

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I saw that vid and it looks easy enough... I just wont be able to bring myself in attempting to drill a hole into the Ukulele... I'm worried that I might ruin it. So I want to take it to a professional.

Maybe I'll do a test run on the Kala one day

generem said:

I saw that vid and it looks easy enough... I just wont be able to bring myself in attempting to drill a hole into the Ukulele... I'm worried that I might ruin it. So I want to take it to a professional.

Maybe I'll do a test run on the Kala one day

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I watched my husband. Just make sure you have the uke solidly stabilized and use good sharp drill bits and a well charged drill, if it's cordless. Start with a small bit and then drill the big hole, doing that avoids the chance of splintering.

salukulady said:

I watched my husband. Just make sure you have the uke solidly stabilized and use good sharp drill bits and a well charged drill, if it's cordless. Start with a small bit and then drill the big hole, doing that avoids the chance of splintering.

Click to expand...

If you're going to do it yourself then use a sharp forstner bit, with a thin piece of wood clamped over the area you're drilling for good measure. The forstner bit is designed for clean edges and the piece of wood further forces the wood (and finish) around the edges of the hole to stay down.