Well done Sue. Nice solution to a tricky problem. Wiring up looked like trying to decorate the hallway through the letterbox. Nice to meet you in person last night. Thanks for the plectrum.
Hello! I recently fitted a Fishman Sonitone OEM pickup on my Yamaha Guitalele. What I like about is that the controls can be mounted under the soundhole. No need to cut out any wood on the side, just drill a 1/2" hole in the middle for the jack that doubles as a strap button as well. Only other holes drilled were under the saddle, or in my case, a bit on the side for the piezo ribbon come through the inside.
nice job Susan! I put a string thru the 3mm hole from the top, grab it thru the soundhole and tape the piezo to it. Then I can pull the piezo thru the hole. That way I don't have to pull the jack thru the hole.
Pretty similar to how I did mine, except I threaded cable from inside to save having to drill too large a hole in the saddle, and I used a minicraft mini jigsaw. I do wish I could have routed the saddle, because I could do with action a bit lower!
would have liked to hear more playing but i have to say that from what i heard the tone is very nice, didnt expect much but really got surprised at the end. nice video 👍
Personally, a few things I would have done differently is cut the input jack first. Before cutting I would have taken the drill grinder out of the base to cut so I could see what I was doing and do the same for the preamp/eq slot. Then moved on to drilling the hole in the saddle using the smallest drill bit possible. Then use the input jack slot and a strand of thin gauged wire taped to the pickup wire with a tiny curve at the end of the wire so I could fish it into the body using the input jack slot and catch the drilled saddle hole and pulled it through. That way you wouldn’t have to drill such a big hole on the saddle. All in all you did a good job.
Love the idea about moving strings across and adding a heavier low string, in order to get normal guitar tuning, and will try with my Guitalele... . Re: working installing/working inside the instrument, maybe borrow a child with small hands for a few minutes...
you could cut the tape along the drawn lines to get rid of some of the edges'raggednees; and impregante the edge of the wood with some thin superglue to reduce tearout.?
Educational and informative indeed and the end result looks neat enough... Yet I'm noticing a couple of things I would do differently at least after seeing this video. As Ad van Kuijk said, pulling the piezo with a string through a smaller hole would have left the bridge slot intact. Using the string trick might also have saved you from a couple of "Oops'" while trying to get the cord to the jack. Another thing is about the potential tearout. Pushing the file/rasp in a 90 deg angle will easily tear the outer edge. Instead, pushing the file at a lower angle towards the center of the veneer and then similarly pulling the file would leave the edges unharmed. Of course that would leave a ridge but that would be easily and safely finished. BTW the wooden pick you sent has been used as often as my other picks. Not as slick as the 1mm nylon ones I prefer but better than many plastic ones. Plus it affects to the tone which is useful at times.
+Bizman 62 Glad the pick worked out :-) some good points there. With feeding it from underneath, I'd have still had to have a 3.5mm hole (rather than the 4mm I ended up with) as the sleeve around the end of the pickup was the same width as the jack, and it had to come up through the hole due to needing the full width of the pickup. I'm not sure if that was intended as a 6 string pickup - it was the widest we could find without going to a full size acoustic guitar, which would have been too big. So what I'm saying is the hole would still have been visible even if I'd fed from underneath, although very slightly smaller - it wouldn't have been the 2mm hole it could have been with a longer pickup
Nice job. If I was to make 1 comment, shaving the bridge at the back of where the saddle sits so it was square to the body, thus allowing a 4mm drill bit to be used without showing. Then glueing a veneer to replace what had been removed from the bridge putting the saddle back to its original position.
very useful video, i will use the same method when i install mine when i get it for the holidays, i appreciate the information cause there's not much on this specific guitar and i probably wouldn't have done it since i would have messed it up :P thx tho
I know this might be a silly idea but why not next time use a feeder line like they do when wiring a house up you could then feed the line through the front hole and then once done pull it through the sound hole and tape the feeder wire to the thing that you wanted to push through, that way you would not need such a large hole for the jake plug at all. Sorry I am always looking for solutions to make any job easier or simpler 🤗🤗🤗
...or you could buy a Kremona KNA UK-1, install it in 30 seconds without drilling, cutting and filing the instrument and enjoy an equally beautiful sound... Oh, and it doesn't even need a battery.
I hate the way piezo robs guitar off of its sound. :( That tradition of cutting out wood on the sides should also pass away, imho. But thanks for sharing!
+Lexonn yes. I can see that you might have concerns on full size acoustics, but on this instrument I didn't notice any difference. I can't do an A/B comparison though.
why would anyone buy a guitalele and try to tune it down to normal ? they are made to be a to a...so one can fill out guitar group well...chop them like a mandolin in chording, hmmnnn
Can you do another video showing how it actually sounds?? thanks :)
I bought a Kala KA-GL Guitarlele, and was lamenting the fact that I didn't get the electric version. Thanks to your video, it's now fully electrified!
Well done Sue. Nice solution to a tricky problem. Wiring up looked like trying to decorate the hallway through the letterbox. Nice to meet you in person last night. Thanks for the plectrum.
+Myk Hough nice to meet you too Myk :-)
Hello! I recently fitted a Fishman Sonitone OEM pickup on my Yamaha Guitalele. What I like about is that the controls can be mounted under the soundhole. No need to cut out any wood on the side, just drill a 1/2" hole in the middle for the jack that doubles as a strap button as well. Only other holes drilled were under the saddle, or in my case, a bit on the side for the piezo ribbon come through the inside.
Those 1/2 Size Classical Guitar Strings are awesome quality, they sound great w/ a Pick
Nice work here Susie. Install looks great and it sounds fine.
I did the same a few years ago installing the Fishman Presys Blend preamp system on my Alulu guitalele.
This is fantastic!
nice job Susan! I put a string thru the 3mm hole from the top, grab it thru the soundhole and tape the piezo to it. Then I can pull the piezo thru the hole. That way I don't have to pull the jack thru the hole.
+Ad van Kuijk I've given Bizman 62 a full reply on that elsewhere in the comments. It's a good method, but the hole would still have been visible
Yes it is very talented skillful woman you are.
Pretty similar to how I did mine, except I threaded cable from inside to save having to drill too large a hole in the saddle, and I used a minicraft mini jigsaw. I do wish I could have routed the saddle, because I could do with action a bit lower!
Excellent video great idea to put a pickup etc on a Yamaha guitarlele.
I have just bought one and might give it a try following your excellent video.
👍🏾😍 good job Miss!
Very timely, I'm starting a new solid body nylon string build, so my installation will be easier!
That would like to see.
Nice work! My guitalele buddy has talked about getting it miked. Hopefully your video will pep him to take on the challenge. Thanks!
would have liked to hear more playing but i have to say that from what i heard the tone is very nice, didnt expect much but really got surprised at the end.
nice video 👍
Great job Susan xx
Great job.
Personally, a few things I would have done differently is cut the input jack first. Before cutting I would have taken the drill grinder out of the base to cut so I could see what I was doing and do the same for the preamp/eq slot. Then moved on to drilling the hole in the saddle using the smallest drill bit possible. Then use the input jack slot and a strand of thin gauged wire taped to the pickup wire with a tiny curve at the end of the wire so I could fish it into the body using the input jack slot and catch the drilled saddle hole and pulled it through. That way you wouldn’t have to drill such a big hole on the saddle. All in all you did a good job.
In guitaleles, what should i use? Guitar pickups or ukulele?
A set of 1/2 Size Classical Guitar strings work great & they have a Wound G like a Regular Steel String Acoustic Guitar set.
Love the idea about moving strings across and adding a heavier low string, in order to get normal guitar tuning, and will try with my Guitalele... . Re: working installing/working inside the instrument, maybe borrow a child with small hands for a few minutes...
you could cut the tape along the drawn lines to get rid of some of the edges'raggednees; and impregante the edge of the wood with some thin superglue to reduce tearout.?
+evanherk I think I'd be worried the superglue would wick under the masking tape, but cutting away the tape would definitely help
Educational and informative indeed and the end result looks neat enough... Yet I'm noticing a couple of things I would do differently at least after seeing this video.
As Ad van Kuijk said, pulling the piezo with a string through a smaller hole would have left the bridge slot intact. Using the string trick might also have saved you from a couple of "Oops'" while trying to get the cord to the jack.
Another thing is about the potential tearout. Pushing the file/rasp in a 90 deg angle will easily tear the outer edge. Instead, pushing the file at a lower angle towards the center of the veneer and then similarly pulling the file would leave the edges unharmed. Of course that would leave a ridge but that would be easily and safely finished.
BTW the wooden pick you sent has been used as often as my other picks. Not as slick as the 1mm nylon ones I prefer but better than many plastic ones. Plus it affects to the tone which is useful at times.
+Bizman 62 Glad the pick worked out :-) some good points there. With feeding it from underneath, I'd have still had to have a 3.5mm hole (rather than the 4mm I ended up with) as the sleeve around the end of the pickup was the same width as the jack, and it had to come up through the hole due to needing the full width of the pickup. I'm not sure if that was intended as a 6 string pickup - it was the widest we could find without going to a full size acoustic guitar, which would have been too big. So what I'm saying is the hole would still have been visible even if I'd fed from underneath, although very slightly smaller - it wouldn't have been the 2mm hole it could have been with a longer pickup
Nice job. If I was to make 1 comment, shaving the bridge at the back of where the saddle sits so it was square to the body, thus allowing a 4mm drill bit to be used without showing. Then glueing a veneer to replace what had been removed from the bridge putting the saddle back to its original position.
Interesting :) so how much would one have to pay to a pro to turn a uke into an electric one?
you are so cool I wish I could do that!
Great vid, very interesting. Thanks.
I know nothing about musical instruments ,but looked like a good job to me.
well done!!
very useful video, i will use the same method when i install mine when i get it for the holidays, i appreciate the information cause there's not much on this specific guitar and i probably wouldn't have done it since i would have messed it up :P thx tho
thank you
I wish you could do my as well 😅.., are you British?
Realy cool!!
thanks
Which Kala pickup did you use?
It says UK-300TR on the preamp
Can i buy it madam☺️
What is a name of that pickup that you are using and is it still sounding ok?
+Milos Grujic It’s a Kala. Still sounds good
I know this might be a silly idea but why not next time use a feeder line like they do when wiring a house up you could then feed the line through the front hole and then once done pull it through the sound hole and tape the feeder wire to the thing that you wanted to push through, that way you would not need such a large hole for the jake plug at all. Sorry I am always looking for solutions to make any job easier or simpler 🤗🤗🤗
Sounds like you could've used a router plane
...or you could buy a Kremona KNA UK-1, install it in 30 seconds without drilling, cutting and filing the instrument and enjoy an equally beautiful sound... Oh, and it doesn't even need a battery.
I hate the way piezo robs guitar off of its sound. :(
That tradition of cutting out wood on the sides should also pass away, imho.
But thanks for sharing!
+Lexonn I can't detect any difference in the sound
Susan, are you speaking of this particular instrument or all piezoed guitars?
+Lexonn yes. I can see that you might have concerns on full size acoustics, but on this instrument I didn't notice any difference. I can't do an A/B comparison though.
Oh, of course I've been speaking of real big guitars. :)
why would anyone buy a guitalele and try to tune it down to normal ? they are made to be a to a...so one can fill out guitar group well...chop them like a mandolin in chording, hmmnnn
But if you’re a solo performer reading music written for guitar...
Susan Gardener lol, how dare everyone have their own lives and opinions other than mine hahahaha jk love your videos Susie
bc some are using it simply as a travel guitar
A waste of YT space.