Fishman PREFIX PREMIUM User Manual

FISHMAN PREFIX™ PREMIUM

Minimum 2.250"

(57.15 mm)

Clearance between

Top and

Back Braces

Soundboard

Back

Shield to

Sleeve

Red Wire

to Tip

Black Wire

to Switch

White Wire

to Ring

23 4 5 6 71

PREAMP INSTALLATION

WARNING

INSTALLATION BY A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL REPAIRMAN IS STRONGLY
RECOMMENDED. FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
INSTRUMENTS DAMAGED DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION.

1. Choose the flattest possible location for the preamp on the side of the

PARTS

• (4) ½ " self-tapping screws • (2) 3/8" self-tapping screws

• Two plastic backing plates • Plastic latch insert

• Plastic logo insert • Endpin jack with hardware

• Preamp cutout template • Prefix preamp

• Acoustic Matrix Pickup (may be pre-tinned)

• Adhesive backed wire guide clips

TOOLS

• Detail sander with attached 2.5" (63.mm) diameter saw blade, or flex shaft
tool with 1" (25.4 mm) diameter cutting wheel, or router with 3/16" (4.76 mm)
cutter

• #43 (.089", 2.25mm) drill • #32 (.116", 2.95mm) drill

• Soldering iron (30 watt max) • Rosin core solder

• Wire strippers • #1 Phillips screwdriver

• 1/2" open end wrench • 3/32" or 2 mm Allen wrench

• 2.4mm (3/32") slot head screwdriver • 15/32" (11.9 mm) reamer or:

• Variable speed drill • Center punch

• 1/8" twist drill • 15/32" (11.9 mm) spade bit drill

• X-Acto miniature saw

2. Attach the enclosed cutout template at the desired location. and cut out

3. Drill the four outside preamp mounting holes with a #43 drill (.089",

OUTPUT CABLE/ENDPIN JACK WIRING

PLEASE NOTE: For instruments with solid wood sides (especially maple),
we strongly recommend that you glue 2.5"(63.5mm) x .5"(12.7mm)
plywood patches in the areas inside the guitar where the screw holes will
be drilled. Doing so will prevent the area around the mounting holes
from cracking or splintering and will strengthen the side of the
instrument at the cutout.

instrument. The flattest and most comfortable location for the player is
often at the upper bout, just above the instrument's waist and well below
the shoulder. Note that the bezel will bend just enough to conform to the
curved sides of most standard sized instruments.

CAUTION! When mounting the Prefix Premium on solid wood instruments
with highly curved sides (such as small bodied acoustic-electrics),
exercise extreme caution when choosing the preamp location. A highly
curved mounting surface may cause the preamp to bind against the
mounting bezel or in worst cases, may cause the wood to crack around
the preamp mounting holes.

the cavity for the preamp. We have found that a Fein Pneumatic Detailing
Sander (part# MOx6-25), with a 2 ½" diameter saw blade (part# 6-35-02­096-02-3) to be an excellent choice for cutting out the preamp cavity.

2.25mm) drill . Drill the smaller holes on either side of the latch with a
#32 (.116", 2.95mm) drill.

PREPARE THE INSTRUMENT

I - Widen The Endpin Hole to Accept The Endpin Jack

There are two methods to widen the endpin hole:

1. 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" (11.9mm) reamer (available in the US &
Canada through Stewart Macdonald, 800-848-2273 part #4323).

2. Quick and Clean

The objective of this method is to quickly drill out the endpin jack hole, with
the endpin or other suitable plug in place. If the endpin is loose, remove 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 (for example: Abalone) around the endpin hole.

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

2. Locate an X-Acto saw 1/16" away from the body and saw off the endpin,

nearly flush to the instrument.

3. Centerpunch a guide hole in the trimmed endpin.

4. Drill a 1/8" pilot hole through the endpin and endblock.

5. Line up 15/32" 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.

II - Cut Out the Preamp Cavity

PRELIMINARY WARNING: The Prefix

Premium preamp will only fit in
guitars with a clearance of at least 2
1/4" (57.15 mm) between the top and
back braces, at the point where the
preamp chassis swings inside the
instrument.

OR

IMPORTANT NOTE: To ensure full pivot action for the preamp, remember
to leave an extra 3" (76.2mm) of slack when you decide the output cable's
final length..

1. Determine the proper length for the cable, then if necessary, strip and tin
the output wires.

2. To gain better access to the terminals on the
endpin jack, gently bend back the Strain
Relief/Sleeve tab, before you begin to solder.

Jack Connections

• Red wire to Tip (short
terminal)

• White wire to Ring
(middle terminal)

• Black wire to Switch
(longest terminal)

• Shield wire to Sleeve
(strain relief)

NDPIN JACK INSTALLATION

E

Follow this sequence when installing the endpin jack:

1. Large hex nut

2. Large dress washer

3. Star washer

4. Guitar end block

5. Small dress washer

6. Small dress nut

7. Strap button

Once you put the jack through the endblock, fit it so that the larger diameter
threads sit just below outside surface of the guitar. After fitting the small
dress washer and the dress nut over the end of the jack, insert a 3/32" (or 2
mm) Allen wrench (or suitably sized screwdriver or rod) through the cross
drilled hole on the end of the jack. Tighten the dress nut with a 1/2" open

FISHMAN PREFIX™ PREMIUM

Microphone Position

Upper Bout

Microphone Position

Lower Bout

Preamp

Control Panel

Preamp

Control Panel

Foil Sheilding

Trap Door

Pulled Back

Tr ap
Door

Terminal

Block

Slot

Preamp

Battery Case

9 Volt Battery

STEREO / MONO

Stereo / Mon

Switch

Microphone

Trim Control

MONO CABLE

Microphone & Pickup

Signals

STEREO "Y" CABLE

Tip

Pickup

Ring

Microphone

PREAMP INSTALLATION - CONTINUED

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 can snap securely in place.

PREAMP

INSTALLATION

There is a second outer bezel included with your Prefix Premium preamp.
The Prefix Premium will need to fit properly on many different shapes and
sizes of guitars. It is for this reason we have included 2 choices of outer
bezels. Choose the correct bezel to fit your instrument. If you have a very
curved section between the waist and shoulder on your guitar, choose the
pre-curved bezel. If you have a fairly straight surface to mount your preamp,
choose the flat bezel. Choosing the correct bezel will ensure a proper fit
when the preamp is installed.

Instructions to change bezel:

1. Remove the 2 pivot screws located on each side of the preamp bezel.

2. Remove outer bezel from preamp.

3. Insert correct bezel onto preamp.

4. Re-attach 2 pivot screws.

PICKUP INSTALLATION

1. Insert the pickup in the saddle slot (follow specific installation

instructions as outlined for the Acoustic Matrix pickup).

2. Carefully pull back the foil "trap door" on the preamp (located next to the
output cable) to expose the terminal block.

9. Angle the preamp 90° from the bezel and insert it in the cut-out.

10. Put the four 1/2" screws in the outside corners of the preamp and fasten

them to the plastic backing brackets. The larger of the two brackets
goes under the preamp latch. Do not over tighten.

11. Snap in the the plastic inserts over the screws. The insert with the
Fishman logo fits on the bottom of the preamp.

To keep the wires inside the guitar from rattling, secure them with the
included adhesive backed clips. Attach the wire guide clips to the sides or
the kerfed lining of the instrument.

SETUP

Battery Compartment

Pull the small tab at the top of the
Prefix Premium Blend toward you. The
body of the preamp will swing out,
revealing the battery compartment.
Observe the polarity marks on the
battery clip and install a fresh 9V
alkaline battery accordingly.

Stereo Blender Setup

Microphone Trim Control - A small
circular potentiometer is located on
the underside of the preamp just
below the battery compartment. This
is a "set it and forget it" control. Use it
to initially calibrate the microphone
balance in relation to the pickup. Set
the Blend slider to the center position
and with a small slotted screwdriver,
adjust the Trim Control until both the
microphone and pickup levels are
balanced to your taste.

Mono/Stereo Switch

3. Punch through the perforated slot in the trap door with the pickup wire

and thread it through the foil.

4. Insert the hot pickup wire (inner conductor) in the left side of the terminal
block, marked "IN".

5. Insert the pickup ground wire (shield) in the right side of the terminal
block, marked "GND".

6. Tighten down the screws on the top of the terminal block with a 2.4mm
(3/32") slot head screwdriver.

7. Replace the foil trap door by gently tucking it back into the preamp, just
below the battery clip.

8. Microphone Placement -

underside of the soundboard where the base of the microphone will attach inside
the guitar. Remove the plastic release film from the microphone base and adhere
it to the soundboard.

Use a rag and some denatured alcohol to clean the

MONO STEREO

A small slide switch, located on the underside of the preamp (across from
the Notch control pot), lets you choose between mono and stereo operation.
Leave the switch in the Mono position when you use a standard instrument
cable.
If you wish to split the pickup and microphone signals for separate external
processing (such as with a Fishman Blender), move the switch to the Stereo
position and use a stereo cable or a stereo "Y" cable to carry the two signals
to separate destinations. In the stereo mode, the pickup goes to the tip
output and the microphone sits on the ring output.

Fishman Transducers

340-D Fordham Road Wilmington MA 01887 USA

Phone [phone] • Fax [phone]

www.fishman.com

514-000-001 • 8-13-03