Recently, I had a local shop install a Schatten passive under saddle pickup in my Kamaka Ohta San concert ukulele. I didn't realize, despite the Schatten web site being very clear on this, that the passive version of the UKE-1 UST pickup DOES need a preamp. Without it, the pickup sounds OK on my AER amp, but I had to turn it up to the point that I got a bit too much hiss. Fortunately, the same shop had one Schatten Mini Preamp in stock, so I grabbed it and then the pickup really sounded good and no hiss.
However, yesterday, the end pin jack came really loose from the inside (i.e. I could not tighten it from the outside). The Kamaka is too small for my hands to fit into the sound hole, so I could not do anything without the proper tools, which I don't have. I don't know how I would have been able to change the battery if I had gotten the active pickup version. Anyway, I had to take it back to the shop. They fixed for me at no extra charge while I waited.
They told me that I need to cut the slot in my strap a bit longer to fit more loosely on the end pin, though they did put Lock-tite on the end pin jack nut to help it stay tight longer. More about the strap in a moment. I was in a hurry because I had a lunch meetup to go to, so I just picked up my ukulele and ran. Apparently the shop did not check the operation of the pickup, because when I tried it this evening, it was weak and distorted. I tried my one other preamp that seems to work with this pickup, an Ultrasound DI-Plus, and it did the same thing, so I know it was either the wiring or the pickup. I printed out the installation instructions (one sheet) for this pickup from the Schatten site and followed the instructions for seating the pickup under the saddle. That fixed the problem, luckily.
However, I noticed that the first string (the A string) was quite a bit louder than the other three strings (high G tuning). It took 4 or 5 tries of loosening the strings, removing the saddle, and reseating the pickup in a slightly different position to finally get it back into balance. I suspect that unless I change strings one at a time so I don't have the saddle falling out, I will have this problem again. I guess this pickup is just extra sensitive to placement. Maybe they all are?
I do really like the Schatten pickup because it was relatively inexpensive (compared to LR Baggs) and it sounds nice and full and clear. My tenor uke has an LR Baggs active pickup in it that was installed at the factory, so there have been no issues with it.
About the strap, I used an Exacto knife to cut the slot that goes around the end pin longer. That not only worked well, but now it is easy to remove the end pin part of the strap and coil it under the head stock when storing the ukulele in its case. If you don't cut it too much, it stays on well enough when playing, yet slips off easily for storage. I leave the shoe lace tied around the head stock when storing the ukulele in its case.
Somebody in another thread mentioned being careful about having the leather of the strap touching the finish on the ukulele if stored from some period of time, so maybe this is a solution (at least for the 1/2" wide strap that Janeray suggested and that I am now using). I did this also on my tenor ukulele and it works the same way for storage. Both have hard shell cases that came with the ukuleles. I would think a soft case would have more room for larger/wider straps.
As for strings, right now I still have the original Kamaka black strings (low G) on that ukulele, and Aquila (high G) on my tenor ukulele. I ordered several sets of Aquila low G concert sets for the Kamaka, with the red low G string and the others apparently the same as in the set I have on my tenor. Those should be here in a few days, so I will try them hopefully this week. I do like the clear, crisp sound I get with the Aquilas, but they do seem stiffer to play than the Kamaka factory strings.
Anyway, I am still learning about various things ukulele (and will be for a long time), both in playing and maintaining them so maybe some of this will be helpful to some and old news to many others.
Tony
However, yesterday, the end pin jack came really loose from the inside (i.e. I could not tighten it from the outside). The Kamaka is too small for my hands to fit into the sound hole, so I could not do anything without the proper tools, which I don't have. I don't know how I would have been able to change the battery if I had gotten the active pickup version. Anyway, I had to take it back to the shop. They fixed for me at no extra charge while I waited.
They told me that I need to cut the slot in my strap a bit longer to fit more loosely on the end pin, though they did put Lock-tite on the end pin jack nut to help it stay tight longer. More about the strap in a moment. I was in a hurry because I had a lunch meetup to go to, so I just picked up my ukulele and ran. Apparently the shop did not check the operation of the pickup, because when I tried it this evening, it was weak and distorted. I tried my one other preamp that seems to work with this pickup, an Ultrasound DI-Plus, and it did the same thing, so I know it was either the wiring or the pickup. I printed out the installation instructions (one sheet) for this pickup from the Schatten site and followed the instructions for seating the pickup under the saddle. That fixed the problem, luckily.
However, I noticed that the first string (the A string) was quite a bit louder than the other three strings (high G tuning). It took 4 or 5 tries of loosening the strings, removing the saddle, and reseating the pickup in a slightly different position to finally get it back into balance. I suspect that unless I change strings one at a time so I don't have the saddle falling out, I will have this problem again. I guess this pickup is just extra sensitive to placement. Maybe they all are?
I do really like the Schatten pickup because it was relatively inexpensive (compared to LR Baggs) and it sounds nice and full and clear. My tenor uke has an LR Baggs active pickup in it that was installed at the factory, so there have been no issues with it.
About the strap, I used an Exacto knife to cut the slot that goes around the end pin longer. That not only worked well, but now it is easy to remove the end pin part of the strap and coil it under the head stock when storing the ukulele in its case. If you don't cut it too much, it stays on well enough when playing, yet slips off easily for storage. I leave the shoe lace tied around the head stock when storing the ukulele in its case.
Somebody in another thread mentioned being careful about having the leather of the strap touching the finish on the ukulele if stored from some period of time, so maybe this is a solution (at least for the 1/2" wide strap that Janeray suggested and that I am now using). I did this also on my tenor ukulele and it works the same way for storage. Both have hard shell cases that came with the ukuleles. I would think a soft case would have more room for larger/wider straps.
As for strings, right now I still have the original Kamaka black strings (low G) on that ukulele, and Aquila (high G) on my tenor ukulele. I ordered several sets of Aquila low G concert sets for the Kamaka, with the red low G string and the others apparently the same as in the set I have on my tenor. Those should be here in a few days, so I will try them hopefully this week. I do like the clear, crisp sound I get with the Aquilas, but they do seem stiffer to play than the Kamaka factory strings.
Anyway, I am still learning about various things ukulele (and will be for a long time), both in playing and maintaining them so maybe some of this will be helpful to some and old news to many others.
Tony
