How to find the 'sweet spot' when installing SBTs

[Zhoken]

Heya all,

In my debate over K&K vs Dazzo for my new Boucher I've come across a few threads mentioning moving the Dazzo's around to find the sweet spot before the epoxy dries during the installation. This has me wondering: how one can check for the sweet spot without the strings on the guitar? There's something I must be missing.

Wouldn't the epoxy dry before you have time to re-string the guitar after installation? Those who have done an install themselves... Did you use something to hold the transducers in place to check for this alleged 'sweet spot' before gluing them in?

I'm game to try to install these myself (as the luthier's around my home town have never heard of Dazzo pickups and I don't know that they'll do the kind of fine tuning to get a proper install) however I'm perplexed at how to do anything but try to match whatever photos and videos Teddy has out there and hope for the best. And then be faced with having to potentially pry them off if I get an incorrect installation (which I've also read here people having to do this and I'm not so keen on that idea)

Any suggestions?

Thanks as always!

-Z.

[Vancebo]

Teddy does have one good video out there that details the installation process correctly. If you are unsure, call him. He wants, even prefers that people call him.

The process involves putting the low E string on and tuned to pitch. Allow the epoxy to begin thickening up 3 minutes or so. Assuming you have 5 or 6 minute epoxy. Put a thin dab on your pickup surface and the spot between you E and A strings. Plug in your pickup to headphones or amp or PA. Preferably the one you will mostly play through. Have the bridge pin for the A string in place as well. Both bridge pins will serve as a guide. Place the tip of the triangle in between those two end pins. The point is you will be able to slide that pickup back and forth trying to match the plugged in sound with the unplugged sound. The further away from the bridge pins you get the bassier the sound becomes. Do the same for your other pickup using your high E string and E and B bridge pins. Let you ear guide you. It is almost took proof if you trust your ear. Once you have them in place, check their positioning with a mirror for straightness and spacing, out your strings on and play. If you don’t like it, there is time to pop them off, wipe off the soft epoxy and try again. No harm done. I done this many times with many installs. People worry too much about the epoxy.