Fishman POWERBRIDGE PICKUP User Manual
Powerbridge™
Stereo
Instrument Cable
to Stereo Input
Magnetic
®
F
Stereo Output Jack
(Tip/Ring/Sleeve)
Stereo "Y" Cable
Powerbridge™
Signal
(Ring)
Pure
Magnetic
Signal
(Tip)
®
TUNE-O -MATIC
PICKUP
POWERBRIDGE
•
Drilling Template
•
Stereo jack
•
Shielding foil
•
2 Height adjustment bushings
•
2 Height adjustment wheel/posts
•
Tune-o-matic Powerbridge™ Pickup
ISHMAN
System Components
• Stereo Jack
Parts List
tech@fishman.com or 978-988-9665.
technical assistance, contact Fishman Customer Support at
Powerbridge™ User's Guide that accompanies these instructions. For
help you decide how to integrate it with your guitar, please read the
Gibson electric guitars. You will find several wiring options available. To
We are excited to now offer a Powerbridge™ that is compatible with many
• Instrument Cable
Thank you for choosing the Fishman Tune-o-matic Powerbridge™ Pickup.
Depending on how you want to set up your Powerbridge™ system, you can use
one of the following three instrument cables (available from your Fishman
dealer).
1 - Stereo "Y" Cable
installation.
This will split the Powerbridge™ and magnetic pickup signals and send them to
responsible for any damages that may result from improper
separate amplifiers or other destinations (PA, recording devices, etc.).
by a qualified repairman. Fishman Transducers will not be
Installation of the Powerbridge™ should be performed only
P
OWERBRIDGE
(included)
(not included)
™ P
A 1/4" stereo output jack is
provided with your
Powerbridge™ Pickup. It is an
essential component to the
Powerbridge™ System.
With it you can send piezo and
magnetic pickup signals to
separate amplifiers. The
magnetic pickups are wired to
Tip, and the Powerbridge™
Pickup is wired to Ring.
ICKUP
I
NSTALLATION
NOTE: For best results, use a "2-pair" premium stereo cable (available
through your Fishman dealer) with separate shielding for both the
Powerbridge™ and magnetic signals.
G
UIDE
3 - Mono Instrument Cable
If you want to blend the magnetics and the Powerbridge™ together on the guitar,
you'll need the Fishman Powerchip™ (an active mixing circuit). Plug a standard
mono instrument cable into a Powerchip™ equipped guitar and you can mix
piezo and magnetic signals, right on the instrument.
Powerchip™
Powerbridge™
Important!
™
Mono Instrument Cable
Magnetic
G
UIDE
L
IMITED
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 Powerbridge™ Pickup 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.
FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS, INC.
340-D Fordham Road Wilmington MA 01887 USA
Phone 978-988-9199 • Fax 978-988-0770
GIBSON is registered trademarks of Gibson Musical Instruments Corp. with which Fishman Transducers
Inc. is not affiliated.
www.fishman.com
W
ARRANTY
009-078-005 • Rev 3 • 4-3-02
NSTALLATION
I
ICKUP
™ P
I
NSTALLATION
P
OWERBRIDGE
G
UIDE
™
ISHMAN
POWERBRIDGE
PICKUP
TUNE-O -MATIC
DIRECT REPLACEMENT FOR THE GIBSON™ “NASHVILLE”
UNE-O-MATIC BRIDGE
T
®
F
Without a Fishman Powerchip™: A mono instrument cable will short out the
Powerbridge™ Pickup, but your magnetics will function exactly as they did
before you installed the Powerbridge™.
Stereo OutputJack
(Tip/Ring/Sleeve)
2 - Stereo Instrument Cable
Both magnetic and piezo signals can be
sent through a single stereo instrument
cable to our PowerBlend pedal. With
the pedal, these signals can be either
combined to a mono output or split to
separate outputs.
Mono Instrument Cable
Powerbridge™
Magnetic
• Basic Passive Setup
Stereo outputs
The simplest way to get the Powerbridge™ Pickup up and running is to wire it
and the magnetic pickups to Tip/Ring outputs of the supplied stereo jack. A
stereo "Y" cable or a standard stereo cable can then carry the two signals. From
there, all mixing and blending functions will be performed offboard the
instrument. A Fishman Powerblend pedal is especially suited for offboard
blending/mixing with this passive setup.
For a passive setup, you don't want to tie the Powerbridge™ and magnetic
pickup wires together at the guitar's mono output jack. This may seem like a
good idea, but it won't work. If you connect the piezo and magnetic outputs, you
will experience a loss of tone and a very bizarre and un-musical interaction
between the Powerbridge™ and magnetic pickups.
Continued on other side
250K - 300K
Audio Taper Pot
Sleeve
Ring
Tip
1500 pF1500 pF
330 K820 pF
Magnetic Signal
Optional 3-Way
Selector Switch
Mag
Both
Piezo
O
N
O
F
F
O
N
Stereo
Output
Jack
F
®
Powerchip™
Mono Instrument Cable
Magnetic
Volume
Sleeve
Powerbridge™
Ring
Tip
Magnetic
Signal
Stereo Jack
Optional 3-Way
Selector Switch
Mag
Both
Piezo
ON ONOFF
Stereo Output Jack
(Tip/Ring/Sleeve)
Electric Guitar Amp
Active
D.I.
PA / Recording Console
Pure Magnetic Signal
(Tip)
Powerbridge™ Signal
(Ring)
FILE HERE
Under-side of Humbucking pickup
ISHMAN
P
OWERBRIDGE
™ P
ICKUP
I
NSTALLATION
G
UIDE
Wiring Instructions
Continued from other side
Magnetic and piezo pickups operate on different electrical platforms. Magnetics
are "inductors" and piezos are "capacitive" devices. The solution is to
electronically isolate or "buffer" the two signals with the Fishman Powerchip™.
Passive Setup
• Active Setup - Powerchip
With our onboard Powerchip, you can mix and combine both the Powerbridge™
and magnetic pickups (on the guitar) and plug right into a single channel guitar
amplifier. You can also instantly split signals by simply changing to a stereo
cable or stereo "Y" cable.
See the Powerbridge™ Users Guide for the Powerchip™ description.
Active Setup
Bridge Installation
•
Installation of the Fishman Powerbridge™ should be performed only by a
qualified repairman. Fishman Transducers will not be responsible for any
damages that may result from improper installation.
Although several different styles of tune-o-matic bridges exist, the Fishman tuneo-matic Powerbridge™ Pickup will replace many original equipment bridges with
little or no modification to the instrument. The most common tune-o-matics are
the Gibson Nashville and ABR-1 models.
• How to determine which bridge you are
replacing
A Nashville bridge is easy to visually identify by the .472" (12 mm) diameter
bushings that are press-fit into the guitar's top.
An ABR-1 bridge will always have threaded posts that are fastened directly into
the top (or ebony base, in the case of archtop) of the instrument. An ABR-1 also
has a single retaining wire that spans the length of the bridge and holds the
intonation screws in place.
• Installation Procedure
1. Remove the existing bridge. Identify what style tune-o-matic it is. (see above)
2. If the old bridge is "Nashville" style, no fitting will be necessar y. If the old
bridge is the "ABR-1" style, we recommend that you replace the height
adjusters with the ones included in the Powerbridge™ kit. Fill the old holes
and use the included drilling template to locate new holes for the heightadjuster bushings.
3. Position the bridge so that the wire exits on the treble side.
4.
Wire Routing -
(like a Les Paul), then you can easily route the wire through the lead pickup
cavity. Remove the bezel and make a notch in the plastic (using a round
jeweler’s file) in the gap between the metal pickup housing and the screw
hole closest to the high E string saddle. Then route the wire through the into
the control cavity.
For hollow body instruments (like ES-335), you may also run the
Powerbridge™ wire through the treble-side f-hole.
For solid body instruments (like many SG's) with no mounting bezel for the
mags, you can either run the wire under the pickguard or drill a hole directly
under the bridge into the control cavity.
If the guitar has mounting bezels for the magnetic pickups
• Preliminary Notes
To prevent 60 Hz hum, the entire Powerbridge™ Pickup signal path should be fully shielded.The control cavity, jack cavity, and any non-conductive
surface to which the controls are mounted (such as a plastic pickguard) must be shielded with adhesive-backed foil or conductive paint. The
shielded cavities should then be grounded.
For complete hum prevention, the included stereo jack should also be shielded. To do this, we've included a piece of shielding foil. Note that one
side is insulated. After you have soldered the wires to the jack, roll the foil into a tube so that the insulation is on the INSIDE and surround the
stereo jack with the tube. Connect the foil side of the tube to ground by soldering it to the shielding of the Powerbridge™ Pickup wire or to a jumper
that is connected to any ground.
If your instrument has active magnetic pickups (requiring an onboard battery), you will need a special 9 Pin Switching Jack (Fishman Part Number
ACC-PBR-9PJ), available through your Fishman dealer.
• Wiring Options
There are several different ways to wire the
Tune-o-matic Powerbridge™ Pickup - choose the
option that best suits your needs ...
Powerbridge™ & Magnetic Pickups
wired directly to a Stereo Jack
1. Connect the Powerbridge™ signal wire directly to
the Ring terminal on the supplied stereo jack.
2. Connect the Powerbridge™ and magnetic grounds
to the Sleeve terminal.
3. Connect the magnetic signal wire to the Tip
terminal.
Passive V olume
for the Powerbridge™
This circuit that is easily assembled from "stock" guitar
pots and components available at any electronics
parts retailer.
ou will need:
Y
• 250 k (or 300 k for long shaft Les Paul®) audio taper
pot
• 330 k resistor
• 820 pF capacitor
• 1500 pF capacitor
This network will attenuate the Powerbridge™ so that
it better matches levels between magnetic and piezo
pickups. You can expect a 14 dB (nominal) decrease
in Powerbridge™ output with this circuit.
NOTE: Optional 3-Way Selector Switch -
desired, a single pole, double throw (spdt) 3-way switch can
also be added for piezo/magnetic pickup selection. Use a
switch with an ON-OFF-ON orientation (no, this is not a
misprint)
NOTE: Active Onboard Blending
A Fishman Powerchip™ (not included) must be installed if you
wish to blend/mix piezo and magnetic signals onboard the
instrument.
FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS
340-D Fordham Road Wilmington MA 01887 USA
Phone 978-988-9199 • Fax 978-988-0770
www.fishman.com
If
®
Direct Wiring
Passive Volume
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