User manual FENDER ACOUSTIC MATRIX PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION

[. . . ] Enclose a copy of the original Bill of Sale as evidence of the date of purchase, with the product in its original packaging and a protective carton or mailer. FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS' technicians will determine whether the item is covered by warranty or if it instead has been damaged by improper customer installation or other causes not related to defects in material or workmanship. Warranty repairs or replacements will be sent automatically free of charge. If FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS determines the item is not covered by warranty, we will notify you of the repair or replacement cost and wait for your authorization to proceed. ® FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS® 340-D Fordham Road Wilmington MA 01887 USA Phone 978-988-9199 · Fax 978-988-0770 www. fishman. com 009-067-001 2-97 The four-band equalizer / preamp is the brain of the ACOUSTIC MATRIX PROFESSIONAL system. [. . . ] recommended string spacing: 2. 500" (63. 5 mm) GUIDE NOTE: The overall length of the Matrix pickup is 2. 700" (68. 58mm). We recommend a saddle slot length of at least 2. 875" (73mm). The actual sensing area of the pickup is 2. 670" long and can accommodate string spacings of up to 2. 500" (63. 5 mm). Poor string balance may result with string spacings greater than this. DO NOT trim the end of the pickups length as ground hum will occur. Custom pickup lengths are available from Fishman. MECHANICAL FACTORS AFFECTING PICKUP PERFORMANCE BREAK ANGLE There must be an adequate amount of downbearing pressure on the pickup in order for it to perform optimally. The pickup will "see" an acceptable amount of downbearing pressure when there is a 20° (minimum) break angle across the saddle. A pickup in a Guitar with less than a 20° break angle will often have string balance problems as well as poor tone. For such instruments, an adequate break angle can be realized by "ramping" the string slots or (in extreme cases) raising the saddle height and resetting the neck angle. THE 50/50 RULE For adequate coupling between string, saddle and pickup, we recommend that the saddle slot depth (with pickup installed) should equal no more than 50% of the total height of the saddle. PREPARE THE SADDLE We recommend synthetic materials such as Micarta or Corian as excellent saddle materials for the Acoustic Matrix. Organic materials such as bone or ivory are not as consistent and may result in poor string balance. Prepare a . 125" wide saddle (. 09375" for Narrow Format) The bottom of the saddle must be FLAT. Remove only enough material from the width of the saddle to provide a sliding fit in the slot. To test the fit, the saddle should slide easily in the slot, but should not fall out when overturned. To maintain your current action, the new saddle must be . 053" shorter in height (. 043" for Narrow Format pickups) than your current saddle. ADJUSTING FOR TOO DEEP A SADDLE SLOT If the slot (with pickup installed) measures more than 50% of the total saddle height, the pickup performance will often suffer. To correct for too deep a slot, place a wood shim under the pickup. Determine the proper thickness of the shim by subtracting 1/2 of the total saddle height from the slot depth (with pickup installed). Then, remove an amount of material equal to the thickness of the shim from the bottom of the saddle. PART I - PREPARATION Cont'd. PREAMP CUT-OUT For guitars with non-laminated sides, we strongly recommend gluing a thin plywood patch inside the guitar before cutting out the cavity. This will prevent cracking and splintering of the cut-out area during cutting, and provide adequate structural support for the preamp. Choose the preamp location on the side of the instrument. Note that the bezel has the ability to conform to most curved surfaces on standard size guitars. [. . . ] Adjust the volume of the preamp and your amplifier as desired. Using your ears as a guide, set the PHASE switch for proper phase relationship with the sound source (amps, monitors, etc. ). This relationship is most audible at louder volumes and will change from room to room and with your position on stage. SOLDER THE WIRE CONNECTIONS 1. Insert the pickup in the saddle slot then strip and tin the wire ends. [. . . ]