Fitting an Acoustic UST and EQ: DIY

[garthman]

Threads about fitting a PU to an acoustic guitar crop up fairly regularly on the forum. Some people prefer to use soundhole magnetic PUs, some prefer stick on bug type transducers, some USTs. Soundhole PUs and transducer bugs are often thought of as fairly easy for DIY fitting but many people are nervous about fitting UST and EQs because of the need to drill and cut into the body of the guitar. However, it is really quite straightforward especially if you have a little DIY experience and requires no special tools.

 

I recently fitted one to my 12 string so here are some step-by-step instructions and photos. I'm using a Belcat EQ-7580.

 

First find the best place in the body to locate the EQ. Use the EQ body to get the best fit on the curves of the guitar. Depeneding on model, EQs can be fitted in the upper or lower bouts - the one I am using is for the lower bout.

 

Sometimes the EQ will come with a cutting template - mine was bought off Ebay so I am prising off the foam gasket to make a template. They usually come off OK but be careful not to damage it. You can also make a template by measuring the internal dimensions.

 

Drawing out the internal dimensions of the template - make sure the gasket is square.

 

Score a line around the cutout to prevent the guitar finish cracking.

 

Drill small pilot holes just in from the four corners and follow through with a larger drill of a size large enough to accommodate a junior hacksaw blade (I used a 3mm bit for the pilots and an 8mm bit for the main holes).

 

Saw out the hole with the hacksaw blade. Take it slow and steady.

 

Sand the hole to get a nice even finish, use the EQ body from time to time to gauge fit. It should slide into the cutout with a snug fit.

[garthman]

Drill a hole in the end of the saddle slot for the UST - a 3mm bit usually accommodates the UST plug. You can drill through either the bass side or the treble side - I always use the treble side.

 

Drill a hole for the jacksocket. Depending on model, the socket can either be a strap jack socket or a standard side fitting socket. This one is a standard side fitting on and I am using an 8mm drill. Use a bit of dowelling to fish through the plug. It's the same principle for a strap plug - just take out the strap peg and drill straight through the end block of the guitar.

 

Fit the EQ body into the cutout and drill pilots for the scews. The screws will be small so use a very thin drill bit or make one by snipping the head off a panel pin

 

Plug the UST and jack leads into the EQ body - the plugs are different sizes.

 

The finished article.

 

You will, of course, need to take a little off the base of the saddle to allow for the thickness of the UST. Best thing is to use draw a pencil line on the saddle the same depth as the UST.

 

Good luck.

[DJ in FL]

Those last words sum it up for me...GOOD LUCK is what I would need to attempt that!

There are luthier who get paid to KNOW how to do this. Scares me when I scratch it, let alone drill holes in it. Scary...

[garthman]

 

Those last words sum it up for me...GOOD LUCK is what I would need to attempt that! There are luthier who get paid to KNOW how to do this. Scares me when I scratch it, let alone drill holes in it. Scary...

 

 

Gosh! I posted this years ago.

 

Yeah, well - luthiers charge you a lot to do it. And it's not a difficult job, especially if you are used to a little DIY. Just take it slow and steady and it works fine.

[WildWill]

Gosh! I posted this years ago. Yeah, well - luthiers charge you a lot to do it. And it's not a difficult job, especially if you are used to a little DIY. Just take it slow and steady and it works fine.

 

And a well-written instructional it is.

[garthman]

And a well-written instructional it is.

 

Thank you.