BZ-1A Pickup

We recommend using a professional technician to install the pickup correctly. 

Place 2 х CR2032 batteries into the battery compartment located underneath the pickup by sliding them “+” side up under the metal clip. This is needed for operation.

Place the pickup mounting plate on the step at the end of the fingerboard, making sure it is centered between the strings and parallel to their height. With a pencil or marker, place a dot on the fingerboard where the hole in the mounting plate has been placed.

Drill a 2.3mm / 0.091” hole through the fingerboard where you’ve just made your dot. It will need to go all the way through the fingerboard.

Choose a convenient place for your output jack to be installed, most likely at the bottom of the bouzouki body. You’re going to be drilling there, so pick a spot where the wood is thicker near the endpin or where the tailpiece ends, or where the wood is double layered at the base of the instrument.  Do not pick an area where the thinner ribbed or laminated wood is—that won’t be thick enough to drill a hole that can securely hold the output jack. Remember, you'll want the spot to be in a place where the cable will be out of the player's way while plugged in. Place a dot where you'd like it to be with a pencil or marker. This is where you'll be drilling. 

Use a 9.13mm / 0.359” center point drill bit. This will guarantee drilling a clean hole and avoid the drill bit slipping and scratching the instrument. Drill a hole through the instrument’s body at the place you marked with a dot. 

Pass a thread or thin wire from the soundhole through the hole you just made. Make sure there is enough length on both sides so you can operate freely with it. You’re going to be pulling your output jack into the hole you’ve just drilled. 

Unscrew the nut and the washer from the female pickup jack. From the soundhole side, tie the thread or wire to the female jack.

Pull the thread from the body hole side to bring the tied jack to the output hole. Place the output jack into the hole. 

Place the washer and the nut on the outside of the jack and tighten. If needed, use pliers to hold the jack on the inside while tightening the nut on the outside. You may now remove the thread used to place the jack in the hole. 

Place the pickup mounting plate on the last fret and secure it with the supplied screw. Tighten well enough, so the plate doesn't move, but be careful not to overtighten it. The pickup will be near the center of the instrument's soundhole. There should be 3–4mm / 0.118–0.158″ of clearance between the pickup and the strings. To raise the pickup, add a shim below the mounting plate, carefully sand or file the stepped fingerboard area and re-install. Plug in and play.