LR Baggs Double Barrel - Manual (Page 2)

advised.
5. Do not use shims under the saddle or pickup as a remedy for string balance
problems or to adjust the action.
6. Failure to secure the loose end of the pickup under the bridge will produce
bizarre audio consequences and eventually ruin the pickup.
7. The quality of sound, output level, balance and feedback resistance are all
determined by how well the pickup mates with the saddle and the bridge.
Uneven or partial contact between the saddle and the pickup will cause a
boomy sound with low output, excessive body sensitivity and poor string
balance.
Installation:
1. Remove the strings from the guitar. To duplicate the string height exactly,
scribe a line along the front edge of the saddle where it extends above the
bridge. The line will later be used as a guide when removing material from the
bottom of the saddle to compensate for the thickness of the pickup (.025"
total).
2. Remove the saddle to drill the hole for the pickup. The drill bit needs to be
as large as the saddle slot will allow. Inspect the inside of the guitar and note
the position of the braces 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 figures 2 and 3.
3. Feed the pickup into the slot from inside the guitar with the yellow side up.
Inserting a toothpick or similar object through the hole from the outside is
helpful in finding the location of the hole on the inside of the guitar. Sand the
bottom surface of the saddle on a belt sander until the scribe line (from step
1) is just slightly above the bridge top. Finish sanding the bottom by hand. It is
best to do this against a machined flat surface with fine sand paper. Use a
straight edge with a strong light source to inspect the flatness of your saddle.
Important: The fit of the saddle in the slot is the single most important factor
in this installation. It is crucial that the bottom of the slot and the lower
surface of the saddle be flat to make even contact with the pickup. The saddle
should fit in the slot loose enough to be able to be just pulled out with your
fingertips. If it is too tight or binds at all, this will have a negative effect on the
string balance. Likewise, if the saddle is too loose, it will have a substantial
forward tilt when under string pressure, causing it to make poor contact with
the pickup (see figure 5) .
A saddle that fits correctly in the slot will have a slight forward tilt under
string pressure (see figure 4). It is necessary to compensate for this angle by
intentionally sanding a slight tilt in the bottom of the saddle so that when it
leans forward it sits flat on the pickup (see figure 3). The saddle material can
be a key element in curing string balance problems. This pickup responds
most favorably to a rigid saddle material such as Micarta or bone. Using softer,
more flexible materials may cause the outside strings to be lower in volume than the other strings.
If you are replacing the saddle, prepare the bottom of the new one as explained above (see step 3). Place it in the slot and scribe the same line on
the front of it like the original saddle. To duplicate the action, lay the old saddle on the new one, match up the scribe lines, and trace the shape of
the old saddle onto the new one. We recommend either bone or Micarta for your saddle. Softer materials tend to sound overly boomy.
4. Insert the pickup all the way into the slot, place the saddle on top of it and temporarily secure it with a piece of tape. Remove the backing from
the adhesive on the end of the pickup hanging inside the guitar and attach it to the bridge plate or the underside of the top as shown in figures 6
or 7. Be careful not to place the adhesive over the bridge pin holes.
5. Choose a location for the wire clip and secure the pickup wire.
5 . B A T T E R Y B A G I N S T A L L A T I O N
Stick the double-sided adhesive to an easily-accessible spot inside of the guitar. The battery can then be removed by opening the flap on the bag
and pulling out the battery.
A wire clip has been provided to secure the battery bag wire to the inside of the guitar.
6 . M I C R O P H O N E I N S T A L L A T I O N
The L.R. Baggs mini-microphone is designed to be positioned on the inside of the guitar, against the back and generally in the lower half of the
guitar. Figure 8 shows a recommended mic placement; use this as a starting point.
1. To position the mic, fashion a simple placement tool out of a wire coat hanger or a measure of 12- to 14-gauge copper wire. The tool should be
approximately 1 1/2 feet long and have a U shape at one end for lightly gripping the small foam block that houses the mic.
proper saddle-pickup contact
(saddle lean exaggerated)
improper saddle-pickup contact
(saddle lean exaggerated)
fig. 5
fig. 4
fig. 6
fig. 7