CONTENTS
•
Simple Jack active Battery-Free preamplifier
•
L.R. Baggs undersadle pickup
•
Power Charger
OVERVIEW
The Mi-Si Acoustic Trio Uke System for Ukulele features an active, battery-free preamp designed
specifically to work with the L.R. Baggs Ukulele pickup. The preamp for this system uses Mi-Si’s
custom piezo linearization scheme - allowing for the most truthful and accurate sound from the
pickup. All you have to do is power up for 60 seconds using the Mi-Si Power Charger, providing
you with up to 16 hours of performance time.
CAUTION
We recommend professional installation of this system. Installation instructions should be studied
carefully before proceeding. Mi-Si Electronics Design, Inc. will not be responsible for any damage
to the instrument or personal injury resulting from installation, improper installation or any
misuse of the product.
USE ONLY THE POWER CHAGER PROVDED IN THIS PACKAGE TO POWER UP THIS
PRODUCT! UTILIZATION OF ANY OTHER POWER SUPPLY OR MODIFICATION TO EXISTING
ONE MAY CAUSE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE SYSTEM AND WILL NOT BE COVERED BY
WARRANTY!
PICKUP INSTALLATION
Installation notes:
For optimum performance of the Element, the bridge slot must have a
clean, flat surface free of any debris or over-spray from the finish. The slot must be a minimum of
.125” (1/8”) deep, but we suggest a depth of at least .187” (3/16”) to avoid excessive saddle tilt.
The commonly-known 50/50 rule applies:
The amount of saddle visible above the bridge
surface (with pickup installed) should be no greater than the amount of saddle in the slot beneath
the bridge surface; otherwise the balance and output of the pickup may suffer.
Inspect the inside of the ukulele and note the position of the braces and the pickup in relation to
the saddle slot. Drill at either end of the slot on the side that will enable you to avoid all braces
as you penetrate the top, as shown in figure 4. Blow out the slot with compressed air and check
for remaining debris.
Important:
Round the inside of the hole where it meets the bottom of the slot with a small,
sharp knife or small file to avoid pinching the pickup as the saddle lies on it.
Feed the pickup into the slot from inside the ukulele with either side up. Inserting a toothpick or
similar object through the hole from the outside is helpful in finding the location of the hole on
the inside of the ukulele.
Important:
The fit of the saddle in the slot is the single most important factor in this installation.
It is crucial that the bottom of the slot and the lower surface of the saddle be flat to make even
contact with the pickup. The saddle should fit loosely enough in the slot that it can be pulled out
with your fingertips. It will then have a slight forward lean when the strings are under tension.
It is absolutely necessary to compensate for this slight lean by sanding a tilt in the bottom of the
saddle so it still sits flat on the pickup when the strings are at tension (see figure 5). If the saddle
is too tight, binds at all or is too loose, this will have a negative effect on the string balance and
output. Set the saddle in the slot, noting how much material must be removed to compensate
for the thickness of the pickup. Sand the bottom surface of the saddle on a belt sander until the
Mi-Si Acoustic Trio Uke • Owner’s Manual
www.mi-si.com
e x t ension
n o r m a l s a d d l e :
d r i l l f l o o r
s h o r t s a d d l e :
d r i l l s i d e w a l l
j e w e l e r ' s s c r e w d r i v e r
d r i l l b i t
pr op er saddle-pick up c on tac t
(saddle lean e xagger at ed)
T h i s v i e w d e p i c t s t h e b r i d g e a t a n a n g l e t h a t i s l e v e l w i t h t h e
top a n d p e r p e n d i c u l a r t o t h e s a d d l e s l o t . N o t e t h e r o u n d e d e d g e
w h e r e t h e h o l e h a s b e e n d r i l l e d .
s l o t
b r i d g e
d r i l l b i t
top
br ac e
fig. 1
fig. 2
fig. 3
fig. 4
fig. 5