Fishman NATIONAL STYLE RESOPHONIC GUITAR PICKUP User Manual

Installation Guide

Pickup Installation

National® Style
Resophonic Guitar Pickup

• For single cone instruments with National® biscuit-style
bridge assemblies

• Installation instructions for Passive and Active Models

Thank you for choosing the Fishman National® Style Resophonic Guitar
Pickup. It is our wish that you are completely satisfied with this product. If
you have any questions or comments, we would like to hear from you. Please
contact our customer service department at www.fishman.com

®

This pickup fits single cone instruments with National
assemblies. Not for Dobro

Wiring Options: visit www.fishman.com for updates to this manual.

Warning!

Installing the National Style pickup in a guitar is a simple procedure,
but we recommend this job only if you are an experienced guitar repair
technician. Please read and understand all these instructions before you
install the pickup.

Fishman Transducers, Inc. will not be responsible for damage to the guitar
or personal injury due to installation, improper installation, use or misuse
of the product.

®

style biscuit bridges.

biscuit-style bridge

1. Remove the strings and the cover plate. Unscrew the biscuit from the
cone.

2. Drill a .094” (2.4mm) hole in the cupped side of the cone, about 3/8”
(9.5mm) below the rim. Remove any burrs from the hole.

3. Examine the bottom surface of the biscuit with a straightedge. If the biscuit
is warped sand it flat.

4. Clean off any dust or debris from the bottom of the biscuit and apply a thin
bead of woodworking glue around the edge.

Plugging In

Passive Pickup

For clean, noiseless sound, use a high quality low capacitance instrument
cable with metal plugs. For consistent sound into a variety of audio inputs,
we recommend an outboard acoustic instrument preamp between the pickup
and your amplifier or mixing console.

Active Pickup

With the active pickup, you won’t need an outboard buffering preamp, so you
can get great sound when you, plug directly into any available audio input
(instrument amplifier, DI, mixing console, soundcard, etc.).

Active Preamp Specifications

Power: 9V alkaline battery
Battery Life: 11,000 hours
Maximum Output Voltage: 4 Volts peak to peak
Input Impedance: 2.5 Meg Ohm
Output Impedance: Less than 5k Ohm
System Gain: 3dB
Signal-to-noise Ratio: 94 dB
Discrete Component Design: FET low noise class A input stage,
bipolar class AB output stage

Because we continually improve our products, the specifications and information in this
manual are subject to change without notice.

5. Line up the ends of the saddle with the notches in the brass disc, on the
side of the disc opposite the pickup element

6. Affix the biscuit to the disc and wipe off any excess glue. Double-check the
alignment between the notches in the disc and the ends of the saddle. Clamp
for several minutes. (over —> )

Pickup Installation, Cont’d.

Pickup Signal

to Tip

Shield to

Sleeve

2 3 4 5 6

1

2 3 4 5

1

Me tal Bo dy In str ume nt Ja ck Loc ati on

Wo ode n B od y I nst rum ent J ack Lo cat ion

1 - 3/8” Nut

2 - 3/8” Star

Washer

3 - Guitar Body

4 - 3/8”

Dress Washer

5 - 3/8” Nut

1 - 15/32” Nut

2 - 15/32”

Washer

3 - 15/32” Star Washer

4 - Guitar Endblock

5 - 3/8”

Dress Washer

6 - 3/8” Nut

REV. 2.3

PJ FISHMAN

+

G

IN

R

-

Pickup Signal

to "IN"

Pickup Shield

to Ground ("G"

)

7. Thread the pickup wire through the hole you drilled earlier.

8. Fasten the biscuit/pickup assembly to the cone. Tighten this screw just

enough to prevent the biscuit assembly from freely rotating on top of the
cone. Do not over tighten the screw or you may short out the pickup!

Jack Installation Where to Locate Jack?

Metal Body Instrument

For a metal instrument with a stick that runs the length of the body into the
tailblock, we recommend that you place the jack on the treble side lower
bout. Use a center punch at the chosen location and use a sharp 3/8” (9.5
mm) brad-point drill. For best results, use a drill press and clamp the
instrument securely to prevent the drill from wandering or distorting the
shape of the hole.

Wooden Body Instrument

For most wooden instruments, locate the jack at the endblock, centered
below the tailpiece. Drill a 3/16” (4.8mm) hole and enlarge it to 15/32”
(12mm) with a 15/32” tapered reamer. Note that if the instrument has a ring
(“soundwell”) inside the sound chamber, you may have to drill through it to
accommodate the jack.

9. Remove the barrel from the jack and thread the pickup wire through it.

Passive Pickup

Solder the center wire to the tip terminal and the shield wire to the
sleeve terminal.

Active Pickup

Thread the pickup wire through the strain relief hole at the end of the
circuit board. Solder the signal wire to the “IN” pad and the shield wire
to the “G” pad. Be careful not to burn the solder pads! If the pads are
overheated, they may lift off the circuit board.

10. Fasten the shielding cap to the jack.

Battery Installation
for the Active Pickup

You may locate the included battery clip on any flat surface inside the
instrument. Clean the area where you plan to mount the battery clip with
denatured alcohol, remove the release film from the sticky-back adhesive
and firmly fasten the battery clip inside the instrument. Battery life is approx.
11,000 hours. Under normal conditions the battery will last several years
between changes.

A set of adhesive backed clips has been provided to secure the pickup wire
and battery leads inside the guitar. Remove the plastic film from the back
of each clip to expose the adhesive and fasten to the sides or back of the
instrument.

Fishman Transducers, Inc.

340 Fordham Road Wilmington, MA 01887

www.fishman.com

514-000-015 Rev A 3-05