Fender Fishman-Acoustic-Matrix-Natural Operation Manual

without feeding back.

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FISHMAN

POWER

JACK

9 Volt Battery

Pickup

Preamp

NO MORE THAN 50%

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No less than .100" (2.54 mm)

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EQUIPPED!

musicians in situations where the guitar needs to stand out and sound natural,
boominess and to provide extra brightness. The Natural II is recommended for
volumes on stage, especially full-size guitars with big bottom. It is voiced to control
The Acoustic Matrix™ Natural II is designed for instruments that are amplified at high

Natural II

full-sized instruments.
low to medium volumes, the Acoustic Matrix™ Natural I also works well with most
pickup is frequently the choice of finger-pickers and solo performers.When played at
complements all small bodied instruments such as concert/auditorium guitars. This
instruments with well balanced, evenly voiced top to bottom response. It
reproduction of their guitar’s acoustic tone. The Natural I was designed for
The Acoustic Matrix™ Natural I is the perfect choice for musicians who want accurate

Natural I

System).

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ICKUP

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INSTALLATION BY A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL REPAIRMAN IS STRONGLY

RECOMMENDED. FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

ANY DAMAGES THAT MAY RESULT FROM IMPROPER INSTALLATION.

The FISHMAN ACOUSTIC MATRIX™ is warranted to function for a period of One (1)
Year from the date of purchase. If the unit fails to function properly within the warranty
period, free repair and the option of replacement or refund in the event that FISHMAN is
unable to make repair are FISHMAN’s only obligations. This warranty does not cover any
consequential damages or damage to the unit due to misuse, accident, or neglect.
FISHMAN retains the right to make such determination on the basis of factory inspec­tion. Products returned to FISHMAN for repair or replacement must be shipped in accor­dance with the Return Policy, as follows.This warranty remains valid only if repairs are
performed by FISHMAN. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also
have other rights which may vary from state to state.

RETURN POLICY

To return products to FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS, you must follow these steps...

1. Call FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS at 978-988-9199 for a Return Authorization Number
(“RAN” ).

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Warranty repairs or replacements will be sent automatically free of charge.

5. 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.

340-D Fordham Road Wilmington MA 01887 USA

Phone [phone] • Fax [phone]

FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS, INC.

www.fishman.com

009-066-004 • Rev 4 • 5-00

UITAR

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integral Switchjack™ switching endpin jack (for use with the Fishman Blender
pickup may be wired (stereo) directly to the Acoustic Matrix™ preamp, thanks to our
years of use between battery changes. An onboard microphone or a second active

Installation of the Acoustic Matrix™ requires

incredibly long battery life. The preamp's extremely low current consumption allows
elongated shielding cap. The design features discrete transistors for low noise and

fine woodworking & soldering skills and should

The Acoustic Matrix™ preamp is a fully-buffered, miniaturized circuit; housed in an

be performed only by a qualified repairman.

The Preamp

Fishman Transducers will not be responsible for

any damages that may result from improper

the strings and top of the instrument.
saddle’s length, providing superb string to string balance, as well as sensitivity to both
of the pickup. This design allows the pickup to sense the motion of an entire guitar
Matrix™ transducer is a multi-layer arrangement of co-polymer strips that run the length

Please read these instructions carefully.

dynamic range that far surpasses all other known materials. The fully shielded Acoustic

For technical assistance, contact Fishman

material available exclusively from Fishman. This material exhibits a sensitivity and
The Acoustic Matrix™ under-saddle pickup is made with a unique co-polymer sensing

The Pickup

Customer Support at 978-988-9665 or

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installation.

[e-mail]

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Installation Guide

Installation Guide

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COUSTIC

Acoustic Matrix

Active Acoustic Guitar Pickup

Includes Installation Instructions for Models

Acoustic Matrix Natural I
Acoustic Matrix Natural II

Wide Format .125” (3.2 mm) Width
Narrow Format .094” (2.3 mm) Width

2.125” String Spacing

results.
recording console or direct box with excellent

Pickup Dimensions

acoustic or electric guitar amplifier, sound system,

WIDE FORMAT NARROW FORMAT

unparalleled. The pickup may be plugged into any

Width: .125" (3.17mm) Width: .094" (2.39mm)

The versatility and ease of installation are

Height: .053" (1.35mm) Height: .043" (1.09mm)

exclusive endpin-mounted, miniaturized preamp.

Length: 2.650" (67.3mm) Length: 2.650" (67.3mm)

state-of-the-art surface-mount technology in its

Sensing Area: 2.620" (66.55mm) Sensing Area: 2.620" (66.55mm)

The active Acoustic Matrix™ system employs

Maximum recommended string spacing for both formats : 2.500" (63.5mm)

the finest acoustic guitar pickup available.

NOTE:

The overall length of the Acoustic Matrix™ pickup is 2.650" (67.3mm).

Matrix™. We are confident that you will find it to be

We recommend a saddle slot length of at least 2.875" (73mm).

Thank you for choosing the Fishman Acoustic

The actual sensing area of the pickup is 2.620" (63.5mm) 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.
length as ground hum will be introduced. Custom pickup lengths are available
from Fishman.

Tools

• Plunge Router with 1/8" (3.15mm) cutter for Wide Format OR 3/32" (2.4mm)
cutter for Narrow Format • Caliper

• 400 Grit Sandpaper or Scraper • Soldering Iron

• Rosin Core Solder • Wire Strippers

• 1/2" Open End Wrench • 3/32" (2mm) Allen Wrench

• 15/32" (11.9mm) Tapered Reamer or .....Variable Speed Drill

Parts List

•

Acoustic Matrix™ Pickup

•

1/4” endpin-mounted miniaturized preamp

•

3 adhesive-backed plastic wire guides

•

Battery clip & screws

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Important

1. Both the pickup and preamp are integral components of the Acoustic Matrix™

system. Neither the pickup nor the preamp is meant to be used separately or in
conjunction with other pickups or endpin preamps. Degraded performance will
result from using the pickup or preamp with other systems.

2. Particular attention must be paid to the flatness and squareness of both the sad­dle and the saddle slot. Pickup performance and balance will be be greatly
enhanced by a properly fit pickup. If you are new to undersaddle pickup instal-

The Finer Points of Piezo Installation

lation,
www.fishman.com.

3. Handle the pickup carefully! Mishandling may result in ground hum or intermit­tent signal. Fishman Transducers will be in no way responsible for any damages
to the pickup that occur due to misuse or poor installation.

Mechanical Factors
Affecting Pickup Performance

Before you install the pickup, make sure the bridge and saddle are within our
recommended "safe zone" of usable parameters.

quate break angle can often be realized by "ramping" the string slots. In
extreme cases, where the break angle is much less than 20° and the saddle is
so low that it is nearly flush to the top of the bridge, the instrument probably
requires a neck re-set. In these cases, resetting the neck to a higher angle will
restore the saddle height and the string break angle required for good pickup
performance.

50/50 Rule

We have found that there is a critical relationship between the overall saddle
height and the bridge slot depth. For adequate mechanical coupling and pickup
balance, we recommend that the saddle slot depth (with pickup installed)
measures no more than 50% of the total height of the saddle. If the slot
measures more than 50% of the total height of the saddle, balance and/or output

F

ISHMAN

DO NOT

trim the end of the pickup's

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X-Acto

Saw
Center Punch
1/8" (3.15mm)Twist Drill
15/32" (11.9mm)Spade Bit Drill

(30 watt max)

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by Ken Parker is available at

Break Angle

For the pickup to perform opti­mally, there should be a 20° (mini­mum) string break angle across
the back of the saddle. An ade-

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level of the pickup may suffer. In these cases, add a hardwood shim under the
pickup. To determine the shim's thickness, subtract 1/2 of the total saddle height
from the slot depth. Then remove an equal amount of material from the bottom
of the saddle.

Exception to the 50/50 rule:

3/32" width) with exceptionally steep string break angle will generally perform
very well, even if the saddle slot depth measures more than 50% of the total sad­dle height.

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Pickups in bridges (especially Martin®style,

Prepare the Saddle Slot

A large percentage of string balance problems
with undersaddle pickups can be traced to an
unevenly cut or warped saddle slot.
Irregularities on the bottom or sides of
the slot can often prevent the saddle
from uniformly pressurizing the pickup.

For this reason, we strongly recommend that
before you install any undersaddle pickup, re-mill
an existing slot with a plunge router, jigged up in an
appropriate slot cutting fixture.

1. Rout a .125" (3.17 mm) wide saddle slot for the Wide Format pickup.
OR

Rout a .094" (2.38 mm) wide slot for the Narrow Format pickup.

2. Be cer tain that the bottom of the slot is flat. Deepen an existing slot only

enough to obtain a clean, flat surface.

Locate the Wire Hole

1. Locate the center of the wire hole no less than .100" (2.54 mm) from the clos-

est string.

2. Mar k the location where the wire will enter the saddle slot. Center the mark

between the walls (width) of the slot.

3. Dr ill a .094" hole.

4. Clear wood chips and foreign materials from the saddle slot.

5. Carefully inser t (do not bend) the pickup. The fit must be loose in the slot,

without binding on the sides or the ends of the pickup. If the ends of the pick­up come in contact with the saddle slot, pickup failure could result.

Prepare the Saddle

We highly recommend the Fishman Cleartone™ saddle for enhancing the per­formance of the Acoustic Matrix™. We also suggest synthetic materials such as
Micarta™ or Corian™ as adequate substitutes. Organic saddles such as bone or
ivory can not be recommended since these are not structurally as consistent as
synthetic materials and could produce poor string to string balance through the
pickup.

1. Prepare a .125" or 3.17mm wide saddle (.094" or 2.38mm for Narrow

Format). For adequate pickup performance, the bottom and sides of the sad­dle must be absolutely FLAT.

2. Remove only enough material from the width of the saddle to provide a slid-

ing 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.

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Pickup Signal

to IN pad

REV. 4.0

IN R

GG

Pickup Shield

to Ground ("G")

REV. 4.0

IN R

GG

2nd Pickup Shield

to Ring ("R")

2nd Pickup Signal

to Ground ("G")

Pickup Signal

to IN pad

Pickup Shield

to Ground ("G")

REV. 4.0

IN R

GG

Pickup Signal

to IN Pad

Microphone Signal

to Ring ("R")

Pickup Shield

to to Ground ("G")

Microphone Shield

to Ground ("G")

Zener
Diode

REV. 4.0

IN R

GG

.068 mF

Capacitor

Ground

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OLUME

20K Audio

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ONE

20K Audio

182

Remove

1.8K Resistor

1K

Resistor

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ISHMAN

Prepare the Endpin Hole for the Jack

There are two ways to widen the endpin hole to accept the preamp.

Slow and Safe

If you have the time, this is the preferred method. Remove the endpin and
widen the hole to size with a 15/32" (11.9 mm) reamer (available in the US
& Canada through Stewart MacDonald, 800-848-2273 part #4323).

OR ...

Quick & Clean

The objective here is to quickly drill out the endpin jack hole, with the endpin
or other suitable plug in place. You may remove a loose endpin and refasten
it in the endblock with cyanoacrylate glue before starting the procedure.

Note:

We do not recommend this method for instruments with brittle

ornamental veneers (ex: abalone) around the endblock.

1. Apply masking tape around the endblock area to protect the instrument.

2. Locate an X-Acto

the endpin.

3. Center punch a guide hole in the center of the trimmed endpin.

4. Dr ill a 1/8" (3.2mm) pilot hole through the endpin.

5. Line up a 15/32" (11.9mm) Spade bit in the pilot hole and begin drilling.

Maintain a perpendicular plunge in relation to the instrument. Use steady (but
not heavy) pressure, especially as the drill exits inside the guitar.

6. To avoid damage to the instrument, let the drill come to a complete stop
before removing it from the hole.

Solder the Wire Connections

1. Unscrew the shielding cap to access the preamp circuit board.

2. Str ip 1/4" off the outside jacket of the pickup wire. Tin both the inner con-

ductor and the ground wire.

3. Thread the pickup wire through the shielding cap.

4. Thread the pickup wire through the center strain relief hole, then solder the

signal wire from the pickup (hot wire) to the pad marked "IN" on the preamp
circuit board. Solder the ground wire from the pickup (shield) to the adjacent
pad marked "G" on the preamp circuit board. (See Fig 1) Do not over heat
the solder pads! Doing so may lift the pads from the circuit board.

5. Fasten the shielding cap to the jack. Be careful not to allow the shielding cap
to come in contact with the end of the circuit board.

6. Lock the shielding cap to the first large hex nut.

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saw blade 1/16" (1.6mm) away from the body and saw off

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Pickup & Electret Microphone

(use with the Fishman Blender System)

Note:

specific wiring instructions (color coding).

Additional Volume & Tone Controls

Figure 1

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Before you install a microphone, check the manufacturer’s

(8.7mm) outside the guitar's body for proper fit.

Fit the small dress washer and nut over the end of the jack, then insert a 3/32"
Allen wrench through the small hole on the end of the jack. Tighten the nut
with a 1/2" open-end wrench while holding the jack in place with the Allen
wrench. Thread and hand tighten the strap button.

Note:

With the strap button in place, the end of
the jack should protrude slightly, so that when a
plug is inserted, it will snap securely in place.

Attach the Battery Clip

We recommend that you attach the battery clip to a small piece of hardwood
approximately 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 1/2" (4cm x 4cm x 1.1cm) thick. Mark the screw
hole locations on the block using the battery holder as a template. Drill the screw
holes using the 5/64" (2mm) drill. Attach the battery holder using the two supplied
1/4" screws. Attach this assembly to the inside front block (neck block) using either
wood glue or a gap filling cyanoacrylate such as Loctite®Black Max™.

Important!

capacity to grip the battery at all times, we strongly recommend that you remove
the battery when shipping your instrument. FAILURE TO REMOVE BATTERY
COULD RESULT IN DAMAGE TO YOUR INSTRUMENT. Fishman will not be held
responsible for any damage incurred to instruments from a loose battery.

Tr

Although the supplied battery holder should provide adequate

oubleshooting

Symptom Cause Solution

Saddle is not completely seated. Push the saddle down over the weak strings.

Bottom of saddle is uneven or out of square with its sides. Check bottom of saddle for flatness and squareness.

Debris in the saddle slot.

Improper saddle fit (too tight or loose).

Weak string

or strings

Saddle material.

Not enough downbearing pressure on saddle.

Uneven or belly up saddle slot.

Wire hole too tight.

Pickup binding in saddle slot.

A set of adhesive backed clips has been provided to secure the pickup cable
and battery leads inside the guitar once the endpin jack has been installed.
Remove the plastic film from the back of each clip to expose the adhesive.
Secure the cable/clips to the kerfed lining of the guitar.

Specifications

Power Supply: 9 Volt Alkaline battery
Battery Life: Natural I - 6,000 hours

Natural II - 6,000 hours
Maximum Output Voltage: 4V peak to peak
Output Impedance: Less than 5kOhm
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 94 dB
Discrete Component Design: FET low noise class A

input stage, bipolar class

AB output stage

All specifications subject to change without notice.

Remove debris from the saddle slot.

Make sure that the saddle has a sliding fit in the slot.

Do not use bone, ivory or other organic materials

for the saddle material. We recommend the

Fishman Cleartone™ high-performance saddle.

Sculpt the bottom of the saddle to compensate for depth

differences in the saddle slot or re-rout the saddle slot.

The saddle slot must be .125" wide for Wide Format and

.094” for Narrow Format. Rout the slot to the correct width.

Follow the 50/50 rule.

The wire hole must be .094" diameter.

Two Pickups

Optional Stereo Wiring

The Fishman Switchjack™ switching endpin jack is integrated into the Acoustic
Matrix™. A variety of stereo wiring options are available for pickup+microphone
or pickup+pickup:

Fasten the Jack in the Endpin Hole

Follow this sequence when installing the endpin jack:

1 - Preamp / Shielding Cap

2 - 1st Large Hex nut

3 - 2nd Large Hex Nut

4 - Large Dress Washer

5 - Star Washer

6 - Guitar End Block

7 - Small Dress Washer

8 - Small Dress Nut

9 - Strap Button

The jack should protrude at least 5/16" (7.9 mm) and no more than 11/32"

Hum

Thin or weak signal

Pickup

intermittent

or dead

Improper saddle fit (too tight, resulting in poor s/n ratio). Check saddle for sliding fit in the slot.

Weak downbearing pressure due to low string break angle. Observe the 50/50 rule. Ramp the string slots if necessar y.

FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS

340-D Fordham Road Wilmington MA 01887 USA

Phone [phone] • Fax [phone]

Torn pickup shield. Examine the pickup. Replace pickup if the material is torn.

Unshielded jack. Fasten the Shielding Cap to the jack.

Pickup binding in wire hole

(wire hole too small or misaligned).

Pickup binding in saddle slot.

www.fishman.com

®

Align or widen pickup wire hole.

Widen or lengthen pickup saddle slot

to accommodate the pickup.

009-066-004 • Rev 4 • 5-00