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Thought I'd share a tip that works to remove K&K transducers. Got it from Marty Reynolds at The Podium in Minneapolis.
Put the guitar on it's side with the soundhole facing you and the neck clamped in the vise.

Using a syringe or dropper lay some acetone along the top edge of each transducer and let it wick into the wood of the bridgeplate. It'll wick all around the transducer but obviously you need control over the application.

Wait 20-30" or so, and work the transducer off. On two of them I found I could just exert steady gentle downward pressure on the chord and in about a minute they popped off undamaged.

I used a syringe with a long 25G needle and it gave good control and could be bent for easier positioning.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Great tip Terry.

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Thanks for the tip.

But i have two questions:

First:


Do you mean minutes or seconds? (I'm assuming seconds but just want to make sure. Don't know what " means...)

Second:
Why take the pickup off? Did it have a problem or was the customer unsatisfied with the K&K?


Thanks!

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

Probably CA debonder or Nitro methane will be a little quicker to get the CA soft. I also wonder why one would want to remove a K&K they are a great pickup, but I guess everyone has their favorites.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
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Actually Marty told me to use CA debonder which I didn't have. I always thought it was just acetone. Apparently not eh? I waited about 20 minutes. Sounds like it would have maybe worked faster with the actual debonder. I'll remember that.
The pickup was in the guitar of a profesional player that does 200+dates a year and it developed some noise after a couple of years. It had a pigtail with an 1/8" miniplug for a Sunrise he used sometimes in stereo. He was convinced it was the pickup and pretty much demanded a new one. That was the reason. All went well, he was very happy with the new installation but as it turned out the hum was probably in the stereo chord he was using to hook into his D-TAR. Oh well, it was a good learning experience and he paid for the new pickup.
I'm sure removal won't come up often but it's a good trick to have up your sleeve. I'm going to see if I can send the old pickup to K&K to be refurbished.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Ok, thanks for the extra explanations.

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

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