Roger Williams - Luthier

Fitting the Highlander IP-1 and 2 Pickups

First I use a cello-peg reamer to open-up the end-pin hole to 13.5 mm diameter (note the tape which acts as a depth gauge).  If an end-pin hole is not already present then I "spot" the centre and carefully drill a 6mm hole.  I ream this hole with a violin peg reamer until the larger reamer fits.  Highlander recommend drilling the hole to 13mm, but I prefer to ream a tapered hole as there is less chance of splitting the tail-block.  The tapered hole makes the next threading stage much easier.

The tapered hole is then tapped 9/16x12 UNC to suit the pickup/pre-amp. barrel.

I use a Dremel miniature router in a special fixture I made for this purpose, to rout the 1/16 in. round-bottomed groove in the bottom of the saddle-slot needed to house the pickup sensor.  Sometimes the bottom of the saddle slot needs to be levelled first.  This can be tricky without widening the saddle slot.

A small hole is drilled at an angle through the bottom of the bridge at both ends of the routed groove allowing the pickup sensor to be pulled though.  Placing the pickup sensor in a hole at each end of the saddle helps to avoid string balance problems.

The body of the pickup (on the right above) contains the pre-amp and socket, this is screwed into the threaded hole, and the two wires (pickup and battery) carefully untwisted.  I usually locate the battery, which is attached by two Velcro strips, on the back of the instrument, adjacent to a back brace but out of view from the sound-hole.

The sensor is passed through the holes drilled in the base of the saddle-slot and pressed firmly into the routed groove, firstly with a small block of wood the thickness of the saddle and finally with the saddle itself.  The strings are re-installed and tensioned lightly.  I measure the action at the 12th fret and adjust the final saddle height to obtain the required action.  Then I play it!  If all sounds well then OK, but sometimes an improvement in balance can be obtained by replacing a bone saddle with a new Micarta or Corian one.  Some players report a further improvement in balance by inserting a very thin strip of veneer between the sensor and the saddle.  Although I have personally never found this necessary.

There you are!  The finest under-saddle pickup money can buy, fitted and sounding great!.