ACOUSTIC GUITAR “STEALTH” PICKUP

The guitarist’s dilemma: You own a beautiful guitar but occasionally want to be able to plug into an amplifier. Knobs or pickups would only ruin the pristine guitar surface. I built a “Stealth” pickup which installs through the sound hole under the flat top. Totally hidden. The only clue is the audio socket on the body of the guitar and it’s barely perceptible as can be seen by the guitars in the photos.

Tools/ Materials

Thin wood- I used a paint stick

2 Piezo transducers (Available from electronic suppliers)

Female mono audio socket

Hook up wire

2 solder lugs

Soldering iron, solder

Wire cutter/ strippers

Drill with step bit

Small clamp

Epoxy glue

Fine tooth saw

Cut the paint stick into one 4” and two 1” pieces.

Epoxy the two 1” pieces to each end of the 4” piece but wedge a solder lug under each. Epoxy the two piezo transducers to the middle section.

When epoxy has set solder the red leads to one solder lug and the black leads to the other. Solder hookup wire to each lead and the other ends to the audio socket. (Red to the tip and black to the sleeve.)

After removing the guitar strings, epoxy the bracket to the underside of the flat top just below the sound hole .( Epoxy applied to the 1” pieces only) Clamp till the glue sets.

Drill a hole with a step bit on the lower right side of the body and fish the socket through with some stiff wire, fastening it with the supplied nut and washer. The pictures illustrate the build.

Re- string the guitar, plug into your amp and play. The sound is amazing as the transducers pick up the vibrations of the flat top.