MiSi pickup install question or 2.

Hey everyone. This is my first time modifying an acoustic instrument, so there are a couple details that I'm hoping someone can clarify for me before I dive in to this over the weekend!

Instrument is a Kala SMHT

Just a couple questions:

1. For the endpin jack - I'm assuming it's okay to drill through the endgraft. The videos I saw were only on ukulele's without any endgraft. Just don't wan't the joint to separate or anything.

2. The bridge on a Kala doesn't leave much room for drilling at an angle (at least a 45° angle). My question is: How much of the saddle needs to sit on top of the pickup for proper performance? The saddle is 2" long, strings are 1/4" from each end. If I split the difference between the end of the saddle and the string so I can drill at somewhat of an angle, will that be sufficient?

I've attached a couple photos for reference.

Thanks in advance!

Re your points

1. Yes - drilling through the inlay is fine - cover with tape, drill pilot hole then main hole - will be fine
2. Not sure on your second point - when I have fitted - just drilled straight down towards end of the saddle and feed through

When I installed mine, I stuck a couple layers of masking tape around the area. Then I used a brad point bit which tends to scour the wood before it starts drilling to prevent blowouts.

As for the bridge, I took a sharp awl to mark the entry points in the saddle to try and reduce the chance of the drill bit walking when I start to drill. I used a Dremel with sharp drill bit just shy of the diameter of the saddle. Start entering the saddle perpendicular until the hole JUST starts then turn it roughly 45 degrees on both ends. Both holes were drilled so that they are the length of the saddle but not wide apart so that they were visible when the saddle is replaced.

Thanks for the responses/advice guys!

Trinimon - If I were to put both holes past the length of the saddle, that would leave some of the pickup exposed on either side of the saddle. Am I reading that correctly? Or should I max out the length under the saddle, but keep everything hidden?

Sorry for the trouble. Just don't want to drill incorrectly. Thanks again.

You'll want to have the pickup laying flat under the string positions for sure. I would be maximising the amount I could while still having it fully under the saddle. Don't know if you are aware about the inactive part of the pickup at the end. It's a common mistake to have that under the A string and not get any signal.

pektel said:

Thanks for the responses/advice guys!

Trinimon - If I were to put both holes past the length of the saddle, that would leave some of the pickup exposed on either side of the saddle. Am I reading that correctly? Or should I max out the length under the saddle, but keep everything hidden?

Sorry for the trouble. Just don't want to drill incorrectly. Thanks again.

Click to expand...

Sorry, i just reread what I wrote and you are right, the holes were spaced so that they would be covered by the saddle.

Allen said:

You'll want to have the pickup laying flat under the string positions for sure. I would be maximising the amount I could while still having it fully under the saddle. Don't know if you are aware about the inactive part of the pickup at the end. It's a common mistake to have that under the A string and not get any signal.

Click to expand...

That's an important point. If you are using a soft Baggs/MiSi UST, bury the leading 1/4" of the UST back through a second hole in the saddle slot.

Allen said:

You'll want to have the pickup laying flat under the string positions for sure. I would be maximising the amount I could while still having it fully under the saddle. Don't know if you are aware about the inactive part of the pickup at the end. It's a common mistake to have that under the A string and not get any signal.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice! Through my searching I did read about drilling a hole on the other end of the saddle to extend some of the lead past the stringed area. But I never read WHY it should be done, and why it's even important!

Trinimon said:

Sorry, i just reread what I wrote and you are right, the holes were spaced so that they would be covered by the saddle.

Click to expand...

Thanks again for the help and clarification!

Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:

That's an important point. If you are using a soft Baggs/MiSi UST, bury the leading 1/4" of the UST back through a second hole in the saddle slot.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the input! Ill be sure to install it that way.

Does everyone here normally taper the saddle base so it lays flat against the pickup? My saddle leans ever so slightly.

Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:

That's an important point. If you are using a soft Baggs/MiSi UST, bury the leading 1/4" of the UST back through a second hole in the saddle slot.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I got lucky when I installed a MiSi in my Pono baritone. I wasn't thinking about the dead end of the pickup I was just thinking about how much I hate it when I take the strings off on a couple of my ukes with USTs and the pickup curls up if the saddle is loose or removed. So, I drilled the extra hole just so I could tuck in the free end and not have it popping up.

Never thought about the soldered end being a problem - I wonder why they don't mention that in the MiSi instructions...

One other note OP - try to calculate where the holes will exit under the bridge plate. You don't want them to be through, or even right up against, a brace...Okay...two other notes...I cut a bone bridge saddle blank at the angle I wanted and laid that in the slot and pushed up against the drill bit to use as a guide. Worked pretty good.

John

OldePhart said:

Yeah, I got lucky when I installed a MiSi in my Pono baritone. I wasn't thinking about the dead end of the pickup I was just thinking about how much I hate it when I take the strings off on a couple of my ukes with USTs and the pickup curls up if the saddle is loose or removed. So, I drilled the extra hole just so I could tuck in the free end and not have it popping up.

Never thought about the soldered end being a problem - I wonder why they don't mention that in the MiSi instructions...

One other note OP - try to calculate where the holes will exit under the bridge plate. You don't want them to be through, or even right up against, a brace...Okay...two other notes...I cut a bone bridge saddle blank at the angle I wanted and laid that in the slot and pushed up against the drill bit to use as a guide. Worked pretty good.

John

Click to expand...

That's pretty much what I thought the additional drilling was for... as a way to better secure the pickup. Learn something new every day.

Grabbed my "mechanics mirror" or whatever it's called (small mirror on an old rabbit-ear antenna) to check it out before I drill. I don't have any extra saddles laying around, but I bet I could find something to use as a guide. Great idea!

I've posted these pics many times here. Hopefully it'll give you a better idea of what I'm talking about.
BTW, I very slightly radius the bottom of the saddle to ensure good contact with the UST.