CONTENTS
•
Align active battery-free preamplifi er
•
L.R. Baggs undersaddle pickup
•
Power Charger
OVERVIEW
The Mi-Si Align system features an active, battery-free preamp designed specifi cally to work with
the L.R. Baggs undersaddle acoustic guitar 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 8 hours of performance time.
The Align is the single most fl exible, compact and lightweight battery-free preamp currently
manufactured. The board is much thinner than more traditional circuit boards that are 62 mils
thick. It comes standard with active bass, treble and volume controls and can be installed virtually
anywhere within the instrument. For even greater fl exibility in installation the board could be cut
into three separate pieces, connected with wire jumpers. There are special pads provided on the
board to solder these jumpers.
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 CHARGER PROVIDED 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, fl at surface free of any debris or over-spray from the fi nish. 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 suff er.
Inspect the inside of the guitar 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 fi gure 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 fi le to avoid pinching the pickup as the saddle lies on it.
Feed the pickup into the slot from inside the guitar with either side up. Inserting a toothpick or
similar object through the hole from the outside is helpful in fi nding the location of the hole on
the inside of the guitar.
Mi-Si
Align
• Owner’s Manual
www.mi-si.com
extension
normal saddle:
drill floor
short saddle:
drill side wall
jeweler's screwdriver
drill bit
proper saddle-pickup contact
(saddle lean exaggerated)
This view depicts the bridge at an angle that is level with the guitar
top and perpendicular to the saddle slot. Note the rounded edge
where the hole has been drilled.
slot
bridge
drill bit
guitar top
brace
fig. 1
fig. 2
fig. 3
fig. 4
fig. 5
