Now that the two holes are drilled you are almost ready to install the pickup, But first you must release the strings from the tuners so you can get inside, Also you must file or sand down the saddle to make room for the pickup that will rest under it in the slot in your bridge. Sanding it down on a belt sander is fast and easy but you don't want to go to fast and take off more than you should. How about measuring the pickup thickness for starters?
Here I measure the thickness of the flat Baggs pickup. It measurues at .030 and so that is how much I have to take off of the bottom of the saddle.
So I measure .030 on the bottom of the saddle
And carefully draw a pencil line just .030 up on the bottom of the saddle, Then take that to the sander, or put it in a vise and use a file to reduce the depth of that saddle until the pencil mark just disappears. Make sure it remains perfectly flat as it must touch the pickup equally across its length.
Now you are ready to install, but first you need two tools, Excuse the fuzzy photo but you need a dowel or a rod that firmly fits inside the hole at the end of the MiSi. I have a lucite rod that just does that. You will also need a couple of feet of very thin, flexible and mallible
wire. I use "1 oz." galvanized wire. copper or aluminum would also be fine as long as it is very thin, Also you need a bit of electricians tape
wire. I use "1 oz." galvanized wire. copper or aluminum would also be fine as long as it is very thin, Also you need a bit of electricians tape
Tape a loop in the coax cable as shown. You determine the size of the loop by holding the MiSi over the instrument and visualizing how much coax you will need to stretch from the installed device , up through the hole in the bridge, and entirely across the bridge. Loop any excess and secure it with the electricians tape.
Finally you are ready to install. With your left hand put the MiSi into the sound hole with its hole pointing toward the rear of the uke. You will have taken off the threaded strap button and set it aside. Now you must take off the nut and washer that fit over the recessed barrel of the MiSi. Slip them in the proper order over the dowel, or installing rod and with your right hand insert the rod into the rear hole of the uke to mate with the MiSi being held inside the uke. When coupling has taken place, slowly draw the dowel/rod out bringing the impaled Misi with it. You may have to repeat this move several times because you must adjust the barrel nut on the MiSi to be sure it protrudes far enough to fully engage the strap nut when it is threaded on in the final step. When you have it adjusted properly, bring it out the hole one final time and thread the washer and nut from your rod onto the MiSi and screw them up tight.Using a thin wrench, tighten the nut securely. Your electronic device is installed! Now for the Baggs pickup. That is for tomorrow's session.