JBB Electronics Piezo Pickup

wolfchs

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Hi all,

I recently purchased this pickup from http://www.jjb-electronics.com/PPS-100.html so I can plug in my ukes... the instructions look simple enough but I'm no handy-woman so I have a couple of questions:
1. Should i try this on my dolphin first before attempting on a higher end uke?
2. Has anyone drilled a hole on the dolphin? I believe it's some form of plastic so I wasn't sure if I will be successful or it would totally be deadly for my precious dolphin?
3. I was thinking of doing this on one of my other ukes as well, like my spalted mango or red cedar soprano, but have never drilled anything on a glossy surface like that so is there any reason why I should be afraid?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Mina :eek:
 
The only advice I have is to put blue painter's tape over the spot where you plan to drill. That seems to protect the paint and/or finish.
 
And when you done let us know how it sounds!
 
Maybe I'm not bold enough, but I wouldn't take a drill to any instrument unless I felt pretty confident of my skills. Installing a pickup isn't all that hard, but drill holes are forever.
 
there was a thread here awhile back. if you have the right kind of bit you are less likely to chew up the finish. I'd practice on some scrap wood before I even attempted it on a cheapie. I've done it on a Lanikai and it isn't hard, but I don't know if I'd risk it on any of my pricier ukes, and I've worked in a cabinet shop. You might ask over in the Luthier's lounge
 
I did it on mine. Used 3m double sided cloth tap for the transducer. It worked good for a while, but overtime it became slighty loose to create a buzz. Not noticibly loose but enough to cause an ennoying buzz. Overall fun to install and play with at home, quality i wouldn't set any high expectations. I have a misi on kamaka concert and it doeant compare. Although it is hard to compare a kamaka with a dolphin. Good luck.
 
One more note if you drill a whole in the dolphin in the middle of the butt is fine because itis very thin. But for other wood ukes you may need to off center the hole. Because the wood may be thicker in the direct middle. I sacrificed a Kala soprano to learn this.
 
These things do a great job.

http://www.amazon.com/16-Titanium-S..._5?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1346906992&sr=1-5

I use them for drilling out tuner post holes when I upgrade guitars from crappy oem to nicer sealed tuners.

31FhRZH5wHL.jpg
 
Thanks everyone for the responses. I installed it last night and it worked out pretty well I think, except for the fact that I kind of regret why I didn't place it in the "butt" of the uke/dolphin... cause I was following some that I saw that the jack was a little to the bottom right of the uke instead of straight on the bottom. (See photo below) Anyway, I just need to get one of those L shaped cables so it's not in the way when I'm sitting down and have the uke on my lap.
I'll post a sound sample when I get a chance. So far, I think the piezo picks up a lot of the noise, like my fingers sliding thru the strings and such... it might all be because it's a soprano size and the piezo was installed a little too close to the hole. This was all experimental to me anyway, and for $15, I think I've learned something.
Again, thanks for all your help! :eek:
IMAG0002.jpg
 
The Piezo should be glued near the bridge to pick up the sound of the strings or else it'll pick up a lot of the sound movement from your hand or arm as you've found out.
 
Thanks everyone for the responses. I installed it last night and it worked out pretty well I think, except for the fact that I kind of regret why I didn't place it in the "butt" of the uke/dolphin... cause I was following some that I saw that the jack was a little to the bottom right of the uke instead of straight on the bottom. (See photo below) Anyway, I just need to get one of those L shaped cables so it's not in the way when I'm sitting down and have the uke on my lap.
I'll post a sound sample when I get a chance. So far, I think the piezo picks up a lot of the noise, like my fingers sliding thru the strings and such... it might all be because it's a soprano size and the piezo was installed a little too close to the hole. This was all experimental to me anyway, and for $15, I think I've learned something.
Again, thanks for all your help! :eek:
View attachment 42679

Nice, now you can plug in next Saturday....
 
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