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I have decided to put a piezo pickup to my present build. This will be an add-on, passive pickup.

I have a couple of the disk type that glue to the soundboard in my parts box. Two questions come to mind, where to glue it and what kind of glue to use.

I suspect that gluing it on the upper bout would have the least effect on the sound of the ukulele but might pick up the least sound. The double puka makes this location tricky.

I am leaning toward CA for weight but epoxy for adhesion to metal and strength.

Any opinions would be appreciated.

Bob

I am certainly no expert, but I've used them on a couple of builds to great success. In general the manufacturers suggest placing the disks under the bridge footprint. I know some people have experimented and seem to like putting one just north of the bridge foot on one side and just south on the other. No personal experience with that.

To affix I use gel CA, which is what K&K recommend in their installation instructions.

Would the added weight in the bridge area reduce the sound of an ukulele? Maybe I am over thinking this.

Bob

Looking at the soundboard, the falcate bracing lends itself to center above the bridge in between the main braces. I will install cross-grain veneer wide enough to glue the disc on for an inch and a half and then continue with my normal three quarter wide for the rest of the butt-joint.

Thanks for the advice.

Bob

YouTube has a good Robbie O'Brien video on installing a K&K piezo but the details are the same for any disc pickup. Mine is the one dollar type from Ebay and comes with double-sided tape. I will remove the tape and clean with varsol before using the gel-CA. He recommends installing them on the bridge-patch but that should be designed in early in the build.

Bob

I've never heard a piezo amplified uke which actually sounds like a uke. Loud, yes but ...

Unless you're playing with a band which prevents mics, a mic always sounds best. I use a large diaphragm condenser which does uke, vocals and anyone playing acoustically with me. Mic + stand etc is about the price of having a piezo fitted, less if you opt for a high quality piezo.

My opinion is to install what is "naturally" an ukulele pickup - LRBaggs Five.0.

Personally, I'd never glue any part of a pickup in, just in case it needs to be replaced.

Caveat: I'm an LRBaggs distributor, but only because I'm an LRBaggs fan.

Of course, if Fishman is more your style, the Matrix Infinity is an easy install.

I still haven't bought into the MiSi concept (and I don't like how they sound anyway), but that's another UST option.

I finally tested my pickup using a Roland Cube amplifier and I believe that it sounds good. The amp was set on acoustic and it just sounded a bit "bigger" but I was not that sure that it was actually on. I am pleased with the results although I doubt that I will use it that much.

The ukulele is Brazilian cherry (I think) from pallets or packing crates with mahogany sound board. I was planning to take this one to Honolulu this year but I like the sound and I may keep this one.

Bob