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I have a classical guitar, a very good one. But I want to use it with an amplifier, so I bought a guitar transducer.

Belcat EGT-202 (A good picture: http://www.hobgoblin-usa.com/local/product.php?ID=GR5843)

It says: "Mount the transducer directly beneath the treble side of the bridge, parallel to the saddle." (In the guitar shop they had no idea....)

What does that mean? What is the "treble side of the bridge"? "Parallel to the saddle"?

It has 2 pieces that should be glued somewhere. See picture!

"If a brace obstructs placement in this position, the transducer may be moved slightly..."

What brace... like one in the inner side of the body? Or the one that holds the bridge?

It would SO helpful if you would take a picture and use MSPAINT to show me where I should glue it (with red dots on some classical guitar picture). English is NOT my native language, so please help! Thanks! Edit my question if it is not general enough as I think this might be a relevant to others.

Edit: I took a picture of the manual: http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=am39kg&s=7 (Why does an external-only pick-up has a "internal mounting" instructions... oh wow.)

See my comments to this post for more pictures!

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2 Answers 2

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I believe you should mount it like the picture in the manual, with them on top of the bridge on either side. Ignore the written instructions, since they are probably meant for a single internal pickup.

"Parallel to the saddle" technically mean that it should be parallel to the little white bit on top of the bridge, where the strings end (this is circled below). This is angled with the right side slightly higher than the left in the picture below; your guitar should be similar. In other words, the pickups should be on this same angle. That doesn't really make sense, though. It probably is meant to mean "in the same line as the saddle", meaning that they should be on either side of it on the bridge. This is what the picture in your manual shows.

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  • I think you're probably right, Matthew. But I can't figure out what they must mean by their warning about a brace obstructing the placement. If the transducers are to placed externally, how could the braces obstruct them? May 31, 2011 at 18:47
  • @Edza No problem. I would definitely wait a few hours at least, unless you're really wanting to get started with playing; someone else might have a better suggestion. @Alex Yeah, that's why I think they just put in the wrong instructions.
    – user28
    May 31, 2011 at 18:48
  • It gots weirder, see the manual I uploaded in the edit. It plainly says "internal mounting"... but it's external-only pickup!
    – Edza
    May 31, 2011 at 19:00
  • @Edza That's totally bizarre, the instructions don't match the picture. It's too bad it would be difficult to test both external configurations (mine and the manual's) and see which works better. But, I've updated my answer again; I think you should go with the manual's picture.
    – user28
    May 31, 2011 at 19:15
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    If you look at the picture with the three color option in my first comment to the question (tinypic.com/view.php?pic=x4gc5v&s=7): I am going to go with red, because the green option is not going to hold. That part of my guitar is round and the glue is not going to be strong enough... but I dunno, I might try around and see how it sounds the best. Also I am not sure about the rotation... Thank you for all the help! I accepted your answer. :D
    – Edza
    May 31, 2011 at 19:26
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One eBay vendor indicated that the installation position could be tested using double back tape and maybe alternate positions tried since the front of guitars all vibrate with different nodals. After you decide on the position you like best, toss the tape and glue it/them in.

Also my own personal experience with two piezo devices it is the intent to have one on each side or each end of the bridge.

In one of my 5 string bass guitars the factory installed two devices, one almost between string 1 & 2 (favoring 1) and 4 & 5 (favoring 5). That is a good quality bass and their designers know a lot more about it than I do.

I know trying different positions is trying because of strings are in the way. I run into similar issues with electric guitars for other reasons and I hate losing the wind on the tuning machine posts almost as much as removing and reinstalling strings.

My easy fix involves a couple of heavy rubber bands, a heavy piece of string and a four patches of folded paper napkins or scraps of rag.

  1. Double loop one of the rubber bands around strings 1, 2 and 3 at the center of the sound hole and tie the string to it in a slip knot, firmly.
  2. Loop the cloth string around the back of the guitar using paper napkins or scraps of cloth to protect the corners of the body.
  3. Loop the second rubber band around strings m 4, 5 and 6 and run the free end of the cloth string through the loop.
  4. Tighten the string until it stretches the rubber about and extra two or three inches per side past the initial "slack" position and loop knot it. Be sure that your cloth or paper stays on the "corners" while you do this so the string won't damage the finish.
  5. Loosen 3 and 4, then 2 and 5, then 1 and 6 so that none go completely slack and stay properly wound on the tuning machine posts while the rubber band keeps them tight.
  6. Do your magic with the pickups and re-tighten the string progressively.
  7. Touch the cloth string with a marker so you know where the slip knots were.
  8. Remove the rubber bands and string, tune up and give it a try.
  9. Repeat as necessary until you like some particular position for the pickups.

May take a couple of tries and you have to believe me, the rubber band and string rig is faster and easier than rewinding used strings at the posts. It is also unlikely the strings will get too stressed at the post and break during or 10 minutes after you finish your work.

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