Blue Chip Music Technology AIX 110 Instruction Manual

BLUE CHIP

music technology

Installation

of the

Piezo-Pickup system

for

Konzert- / Westernguitar

Version : 5.00

BLUE CHIP

AXON GUITAR TO MIDI CONVERTER

Content

Installation of the Piezo-Pickup system ..................................... 4

Characteristics of the Peizo-Pickup System .................................................................................... 4

Description of the individual parts .................................................................................................. 4

Instructions for Installation .............................................................................................................. 5

Installation of the Piezo-pickup ........................................................................................................ 5

Installation of the Interface board ................................................................................................... 6

Powering up your piezo pickup system ........................................................................................... 7

Installation Hex Piezo Pickup with Interface Board AIX 110 for Concert- / Westernguitar

2

BLUE CHIP

PIEZO PICKUP SYSTEM FOR CONCERT/WESTERN GUITAR

AXON GUITAR TO MIDI CONVERTER

Interface Board AIX 110 with
13 pol output for AXON and
output for guitar audio signal,
including battery conector.

Batterie Halter

Am Interface Board AIX-110 können Optional die

UP / DOWN Tasten und das MIDI VOLUME Poti angeschlossen werden.

Siehe hierzu Anschlußschema letzte Seite.

79,2 mm

11,5 mm 11,5 mm 11,5 mm 11,5 mm 11,5 mm

72 mm

10,5 mm 10,5 mm 10,5 mm 10,5 mm 10,5 mm

UP/DOWN Keys MIDI Volume

can be added as an option. See last page schematic.

Plastic part for Piezo Pickup

Shild cable

lenghs
40 cm

Shild cable

lenghs
40 cm

2,6 mm

2,6 mm

5,6 mm

Left side 6,4 mm
Right side 5,6 mm

Piezo for
concert guitar.
Distance
between strings
11,5 mm

Piezo for
concert guitar.
Distance
between strings
10,5 mm

Hex Piezo Pickup for Concert and
Western Guitar

72 mm

10,5 mm 10,5 mm 10,5 mm 10,5 mm 10,5 mm

Shild cable

lenghs
40 cm

2,6 mm

5,6 mm

7,0 mm

Piezo for
western guitar.
Distance
between strings
10,5 mm

Installation Hex Piezo Pickup with Interface Board AIX 110 for Concert- / Westernguitar

3

BLUE CHIP

AXON GUITAR TO MIDI CONVERTER

Installation of the Piezo-Pickup system

Characteristics of the Peizo-Pickup System

Thankyou for choosing the Piezo-pickup system. This system was
developed especially for accoustic guitars and makes it possible
for you with the help of the Guitar to midi converter from BLUE
CHIP to play and control any standard midi synthesizers or moduls
from your guitar. The natural accoustic sound of your guitar will
not be affected and your pickup can still be used as a standard
audio pickup.

The big advantage above other Midi pickup systems is that your
is pickup is built into the bridge of your guitar and is totally invisible
from the outside. Aside from its esthetic value, the piezo system
effectively and accurately transmits signals from nylon strings that
are used, for example, classical guitars.

Description of the individual parts

Before you start with this installation, please check to make sure
all the parts are present, and you have thoroughly studied the
installation instructions.

1. Interface board AIX 110 with 13 connector jack, quarter inch
jack, battery connector, battery holder and material for mounting.

Installation Hex Piezo Pickup with Interface Board AIX 110 for Concert- / Westernguitar

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BLUE CHIP

PIEZO PICKUP SYSTEM FOR CONCERT/WESTERN GUITAR

AXON GUITAR TO MIDI CONVERTER

2. Optional ribbon cable for connection to control
elements (midi volume, audio volume, up/down
buttons)

Batterie Halter

UP / DOWN Tasten und das MIDI VOLUME Poti angeschlossen werden.

Am Interface Board AIX-110 können Optional die

Siehe hierzu Anschlußschema letzte Seite.

UP/DOWN Keys MIDI Volume

can be added as an option. See last page schematic.

Plastic part for Piezo Pickup

79,2 mm

11,5 mm 11,5 mm 11,5 mm 11,5 mm 11,5 mm

72 mm

10,5 mm10,5 mm 10,5 mm 10,5 mm 10,5 mm

72 mm

10,5 mm10,5 mm 10,5 mm 10,5 mm 10,5 mm

Shild cable

Shild cable

2,6 mm

Piezo for
concert guitar.

Left side 6,4 mm

Distance

Right side 5,6 mm

between strings
11,5 mm

Shild cable

lenghs
40 cm

Hex Piezo Pickup for Concert and

2,6 mm

lenghs
40 cm

2,6 mm

lenghs
40 cm

Piezo for
concert guitar.
Distance

5,6 mm

between strings
10,5 mm

Piezo for

7,0 mm

western guitar.

5,6 mm

Distance
between strings
10,5 mm

Western Guitar

Interface Board AIX 110 with
13 pol output for AXON and
output for guitar audio signal,
including battery conector.

3. Holder for the replacement of the bridge with
piezo-pickup.

4. Replacement bridge with 6-part piezo-pickup and
fixing material.

Instructions for Installation

Before you can make use of your new Piezo-pickup,
several adaptations to your instrument are necessary.
If you do not feel comfortable with doing this work
yourself, please let a guitar builder install the pickup
for you. But if you have any experience at all with
woodworking and soldering, you will have no
trouble mastering the task.

Installation of the Piezo-pickup

Place make sure that the replacement bridge is
suitable for your instrument. Because of string
position for example, some guitars, notably western
guitars, use arched bridges. Others use extra wide
versions (ie: classical guitars). There are several
versions of the replacement bridge available.

To assure a cleanly functioning pickup, exactness
of fit is essential. Hold the replacement bridge so
that the shielded cables point toward the neck of
your guitar, and lay it carefully over the old bridge.
The six strings of your guitar should now lie directly
under the middle of each of the six pickup modules
differentiated by notches. If this is the case, you may
begin with the installation. If the replacement bridge
is shorter than the original bridge, you will have to
fit it with appropriate wedges later. Mark the exact
position in this case with a piece of tape.

Installation Hex Piezo Pickup with Interface Board AIX 110 for Concert- / Westernguitar

5

BLUE CHIP

AXON GUITAR TO MIDI CONVERTER

1. Step

Remove the string and if build-in the
pickup system

2. Step

Preparing of the plastic pickup holder
and the Hex Pickup System

Pickup holder

This hole is done

Please make the
other holes as show

Hex
Piezo Pickup

Remove the strings from the guitar and carefully
remove the old bridge from its holder. Be careful
not to damage the holder. Hold the replacement
bridge alongside the channel in the bridge holder
and mark for the six drill holes for the cables. (One
hole may already be there from your previous
pickup.)

The holes should be made with a drill bit between

2.5 and 3 mm in diameter.

Next stick the pickup into the plastic holder and set
the complete bridge into the channel. It is important
that the bridge fits snugly and cannot be bent toward
the neck of the guitar. If the bridge is loose, use the
provided fixative and funierstrip to make it fit tightly.
Now remove the bridge from the channel and lay
the funier strip in first. If there is still a little play,
wrap a little scotch tape around the Funier strip until
the right thickness is reached. Replace the strings
and check to be sure each string is approximately in
the middle of each piezo element.

Installation of the Interface board

3. Step

Preparing for the Hex Piezo Pickup

Plastic holder for Piezo

The placement of the interface board with plate for
the 13 connector jack and the quarter inch jack
shoulc be in the relatively flat area of the side of the
guitar directly under the strap peg. In order to
prohibit damage to the finish of your guitar by
sawing and drilling, it is highly recommended that
the area right around the work area be taped off with
several layers of tape.

Hex Piezo
Pickup

Hold the connector plate over the area where it is to
be installed and mark the position for the four hoes
for the mounting screws. Draw the saw lines. The

Installation Hex Piezo Pickup with Interface Board AIX 110 for Concert- / Westernguitar

6

BLUE CHIP

4. Step

Mount the Hex Pickup. Please make
shure that the pickup can not move.

5. Step

Mount the strangs and adjust the strngs in
the middle of the Piezo elements.

AXON GUITAR TO MIDI CONVERTER

hole will be approximately 35mm by 49mm. Drill
the holes for the mounting screws. Drill holes at the
corners of the marked rectangle large enough for
the keyhole sawblade to pass through. Carefully saw
out the marked hole in the guitar body.

Pull the shielded cables through the hole and solder
them to the interface board according to the
illustration. Your pickup will be powered by a 9V
battery. Fasten the battery with its battery holder
(included) using the double-sided tape to an
appropriate place on the inside of the guitar body.
Think about the fact that you will later need to
periodically access the battery to replace it. (Battery
life can be prolonged by removing the plug from
the quarter inch jack when not in use.) Place the
interface board into position and fasten the connector
cover with the mounting screws.

37 mm

36,5 mm

35 mm

Powering up your piezo pickup system

Connect an AXON guitar to midi converter to the
the 13 connector jack or a quarter inch cable to the
quarter inch jack and then to an amplifier. If you
own an AXON which does not allow you to choose
between Pickup types, you will need to obtain the
software update. Set the GLOBAL parameter to
BCM PIEZO and test your new Piezo-pickup.

54,5 mm

49 mm

Installation Hex Piezo Pickup with Interface Board AIX 110 for Concert- / Westernguitar

7

BLUE CHIP

Battery 9 Volt

Hex Piezo System

6 shild cables to

the Interface

Board AIX 110

Place the battery holder at any possible place

in the guitar .

If you use the optional User Interface, plaese

use in this case the battery holder at the user

interface.

Interface Board

AIX 110

Audio

Output

13 pol

Output to

the AXON

wire

Isolation

Shilding

AXON GUITAR TO MIDI CONVERTER

string

string

B2

E1

string

string

G3

D4

string

A5

string

How to connect the interface board

E6

Isolation between shilding and
signal wire.

Shilding / Ground

Audio Signal

Volume / Send

Return

MIDI Volume Synthe

Key - DOWN

Key - UP

Guitar Audio Out

9 Volt + 9 Volt -

to switch (audio connector)

for battery on / off

AIX 110

Ground

to switch (audio connector)
for battery on / off

13 pol Output to the AXON

Installation Hex Piezo Pickup with Interface Board AIX 110 for Concert- / Westernguitar

8

BLUE CHIP

AXON GUITAR TO MIDI CONVERTER

string

E1

string

B2

string

G3

string

D4

string

A5

string

E6

How to connect the interface board

AIX 110

Isolation between shilding and
signal wire.

Shilding / Ground

Audio Signal

Volume / Send

Return

MIDI Volume Synthe

Key - DOWN

Key - UP

Guitar Audio Out

9 Volt + 9 Volt -

to switch (audio connector)

for battery on / off

13 pol Output to the AXON

Ground

to switch (audio connector)
for battery on / off

Installation Hex Piezo Pickup with Interface Board AIX 110 for Concert- / Westernguitar

9

BLUE CHIP

music technology

BLUE CHIP MUSIC GmbH
Industriestrasse 1
56283 HALSENBACH
GERMANY
Phone : [phone] - 8900
Fax : [phone] - 8914
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