Specifications

Inside the instrument, make sure that the UST lead does
not touch anything. We do not recommend attaching the
“lead” wires of the UST to the instrument by any means.
This may cause excessive handling noise and resonance
that sounds like distortion.
Install the batteries and test the system before putting on
the strings. To do this, plug into an amplifier and then tap
lightly on the top of the instrument to make sure that you
can hear the pickup when you tap.
Another good test is to shake the instrument when plugged
into amplifier. If anything is loose or if the transducer's
leads are touching something you will hear it. This should
not happen.
8 TROUBLESHOOTING
8.1. No sound at all or intermittent sound
- Check the guitar cable and amplifier / mixer you are
using.
- Check that the battery is not discharged. If the sound is
noisy or distorted, replace the batteries.
- Check all preamp, output jack and battery box
connections
- Check that the transducer is inserted all the way and onto
the pin headers of the preamp correctly.
- Check that the plug is making good connection with the
output jack. It may be so that the output jack is not sticking
out far enough when the strap button is on. To check,
unscrew the strap button off and plug in to the jack. If the
symptoms go away the output jack needs to be removed
and the nuts adjusted so the jack sticks out further.
8.2. Loud hum
- Check to see that the connectors of the UST are inserted
with the two holes up. If these connectors are upside down
the system will work but it will buzz.
Check that the connectors are inserted correctly onto their
pin headers at the preamp.
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Install the strings and test the system.
Now play, keep it real and enjoy!
8.3. Resonance or distortion with some played notes.
After installation the UST pickup can have very high output,
enough to overdrive the B-Band preamp input, causing
distortion. The UST will lower in output, under pressure of
the saddle, in 1 to 3 days.
There are a couple places where a resonance can typically
occur with some notes, causing distorted-sounding output.
First, check that the lead portion of the transducer to the
preamp is not touching anything and that the battery or
output wires are not loose and thus cause resonance.
With the UST, another place, which in some cases has
caused resonance, is the UST hole from the saddle slot to
the inside of the instrument. Using a soft padding in it has
cured these problems effectively.
8.4. Imbalance, one or several strings sound louder or
quieter than the others (with UST)
If there's only a very slight imbalance, let the saddle
“shape” on the UST for a few days. The fault may be
repaired on its own. Users have reported that after three (3)
days the saddle has settled on the UST and the balance
becomes perfect.
8.5. Possible reasons for imbalance:
- The saddle or the bottom of the saddle slot is not flat.
- The saddle fits too loosely in its slot.
- The saddle slot might be too tight for the saddle to go in
all the way. Try pushing on the saddle firmly to seat the
saddle all the way down on the transducer.
- The saddle is too short.
- There is debris in the saddle slot.
- The angle of some of the strings behind the saddle is too
low or too high.
- The top of the instrument is bent.
- The pickup is not installed all the way to the end of the
saddle slot.
- If the material of the saddle is bone.
Bone is a natural material and the density and grain may
not be consistent. This may cause inconsistencies in the
way the sound is distributed making some strings louder or
softer than others. We highly recommend a manmade
material for the saddle.
B35
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6. INSTALLING THE PREAMP.
For the next portion of the installation, be careful not to
catch the pickup on anything as you work. Inadvertent
tugging may cause damage to the pickup or pull the
connector off the connections at the preamp.
For the B35, take the pickup and the output jack and
harness through the hole for the preamp and mount the
preamp.
Let the pickup and wire harnesses hang loose inside the
instrument. Install the screws for the preamp faceplate. It is
important that you have a good quality screwdriver to avoid
it slipping during tightening and thus scratching the guitar.
Be careful to tighten the screws properly. It may be wise to
tape the area around the preamp faceplate with masking
tape in case you slip with the screwdriver. Do not over-
tighten the screws as it may strip the screws, or crack the
side of your instrument or the preamp's faceplate.
For the B35 if the output jack is the type for side mounting,
install the output jack.
For the B35, if the output jack is the endpin type with strap
attachment, unscrew the strap attachment, the small
When the pickup is connected to preamp it is
recommended to test the systems operation at this point.
Insert the batteries and connect the output cable to
amplifier. You should hear it from the amplifier when you
tap on the pickup. Remove the batteries for the rest of the
installation.
nut and the small dress washer from the output jack. Make
sure that the large nut; lock washer and large dress washer
are threaded onto the jack almost all the way to the
opposite end of the output of the jack.
Next, test-fit the jack the endpin hole. It is easier to install
the output jack by using an ink pen (or something similar)
that fits into the jack.
Put the pen through the hole at the instrument where the
jack will go and with the other hand holding the output jack,
and that going through the sound hole, put the jack on the
pen and guide it through the hole of the instrument. Adjust
the large nut so that only the smaller threaded section
comes almost entirely out of the guitar. Put the dress
washer and the small nut onto the threads outside the
instrument. Tighten securely using an appropriate wrench.
Prevent the jack from rotating during tightening by inserting
a small Allen wrench into the holes of the end of the jack.
Install the strap attachment.
Be careful not to over-tighten it, it just needs to be snug.
7. INSTALLING THE PICKUP
Thread the B-Band UST up from inside the instrument
through the hole in the saddle slot. The UST pickup has the
EZ Hole-Through™ feature, which is a small hole at the
end of the pickup to make it easier to tread through the hole
at the saddle slot. Simply take an unwound steel string or
wire, make a small bend no bigger than the hole that the
pickup goes through. Put the wire through the
pickup hole from the top of the instrument to the interior
and attach to the hole at the pickup then pull the wire with
the pickup up through the hole.
Fit the UST all the way to the other end and bottom of the
slot. Then put the saddle in place.
Note! After installation the UST pickup can have very high
output, enough to overdrive the B-Band preamp input,
causing distortion. The UST will lower in output, under
pressure of the saddle, in 1 to 3 days.