K&k big twin internal installation

[mehrsam]

I use K&K pickups on all my other instruments and am very pleased with their performance, so I would like to install the Big Twin Internal in my son's Kentucky KM150S (A model, f holes). I'm comfortable enlarging the endpin hole to accept the output jack, but I'm wondering if there is a proven method to attach the piezo discs through the f holes to the soundboard. I'm considering taping the backside to a piece of 14 ga. wire, with a drop of cyanoacrylate glue on the piezo face, then carefully manipulating the wire and disc into the f hole and pressing it against the soundboard with my finger.

Anyone have any other methods? Unfortunately there is nobody within a reasonable distance that I would trust to do this for me (that won't charge a fortune).

[mythicfish]

Mark

Send a PM to Mando Medic ... he uses these and can help you out.

Cheers
Curt

[mehrsam]

Thanks, Curt! I'll do that.

[Robert Stubblebine]

Mark,
# # It's challenging to work through the f-holes at first but here's a few tricks that have helped me out. #A violin souind post setter is plenty stiff to press a transducer firmly to the underside of the top and can be formed readily to whatever shape you like. #After you've reamed the hole for the endpin jack put a light through the f-hole you're not working with and then you can look through the output jack hole to get a feel for how best to manipulate your tools. #Good luck - you'll figure it out!

[dr.jazz]

I've had these installed internally on several mandolins over the last couple of years. My install guy tells me that on some mandolins the disc is too large and protrudes through the f-hole by a mm or so. He has carefully sanded down the perimeter of the disc to get it to fit without issue. I should call K&K one day athe ask Deter to make the discs just that little bit smaller for these installations.

[Mando Medic]

I have found that using a coat hanger with one end bent and rolled into a dime size coil and the other end bent into a handle works well with double sided tape for positioning the K&K transducers. I first find the position for them on the outside and plug in. When I'm satisfied that I have the right place, I mark the area with a grease pencil. Then I put a small strong magnet on the outside spot. I use the coat hanger and go inside with another small magnet and find the interior spot over the outside magnet. Using the coat hanger again, I roll a pencil into it and go back inside and mark the area and then remove the magnets. Takes awhile, but it works when manuvering the coat hanger through the F or Oval holes and you're looking through the endpin hole. By the way, when I reinsert the transducers for installation, I put a drop of hot hide glue on the surface of the transducer. Gives me just enough time to get it in, move it to the mark and then hold it in place for about 3 or 4 minutes and it's done. Hope that helps. Kenc

[mehrsam]

Thanks, everyone, for all of your helpful replies.

I like the idea of using the small rare earth magnets to assist in locating and securing the discs, so I'm looking on eBay for the 1/4" or 3/8" diameter magnets. Once I have those in hand, I will install the K&K, replace the plastic nut with a bone or Tusq nut, replace the stamped tailpiece with a good quality cast one -probably an Allen, since I have a TR-2 on my OM- and put on a set of Ted Eschliman's Jazzmando JM-11 flatwound strings.

It all sounds like overkill for a low-end Kentucky mandolin, but my son likes it and we are curious to see how much hot-rodding will improve the overall tone and volume. And it gives us a chance to work on something together, which in itself is worth it.

I will post an after-action report here once the surgery is complete.