Fishman PRO-M20-0MA Users Manual

®

M-200 Professional Mandolin Pickup

Thank you for your purchase of a FISHMAN product. Please read
these instructions carefully. If you have any questions or problems,
contact our

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997788--998888--99666655

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or at

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The FISHMAN M-200 PROFESSIONAL Mandolin pickup

comes embedded in a high quality GIBSON™ style adjustable
mandolin bridge. The fully shielded pickup system may be
non-destructively mounted on the instrument. No additional
holes or alterations are required for mounting.

PARTS LIST

• Mandolin Bridge with Pickup Implant

• Mandolin Bridge Bottom

• 1/2” Diameter Jack Clamp

• #5 Washer

• 1/2” Wood Screw

• 1/4” Carpenter Jack

IMPORTANT

When mounting the pickup on the instrument, be careful in handling the wire
at the base of the element. Be sure NOT to pull pull on the wire because,
if damaged, the pickup will become useless. However, once the pickup is
mounted in place, the M-200 is sufficiently protected and you can expect
years of service.

2

Limited Warranty

The FISHMAN M-200 PROFESSIONAL MANDOLIN 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.

F

340-D Fordham Road Wilmington MA 01887 USA

Phone [phone] • Fax [phone]

ISHMAN

T

RANSDUCERS

www.fishman.com

009-020-003 • 3-01

®

Installation Guide

M-200 Professional Mandolin Pickup

M-200 Professional Mandolin Pickup

INSTALLING THE PICKUP

1. By trial, determine whether the top of this bridge is compatible with the

base of the existing bridge on the instrument. If so, you may place the fur­nished bridge top onto the existing base and discard the furnished base.

Should the top of the furnished bridge and the existing base not be com­patible, use the furnished base. Have a qualified repairman fit the fur­nished base to the instrument.

2. When profiling and notching the top of the bridge, you may safely

remove up to 1/8" (.125") of wood without damaging the sensing ele­ment. (See Fig.1)

FIG. 1

3. Remove the screw at the bottom of the tailpiece and replace with the

supplied screw, washer and jack/clamp assembly. Fasten the assembly
securely.

INSTALLING THE CARPENTER JACK

After fitting the pickup to the mandolin, locate the jack to the right of the
bridge (See Fig. 2) and tighten it with the enclosed chinrest key (See Fig. 3).
Be careful not to scratch the side of your mandolin.

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M-200 Professional Mandolin Pickup

FIG. 2

The AG-125 / AG-094 can also be plugged into inputs as low as 1 MΩ with adequate
results; the bass frequencies will be slightly rolled off.

Preamps

We strongly recommend using a 10 MΩ , impedance matching, buffered preamp in
conjunction with the pickup.

A matching preamp will:

1. Realize the full frequency response potential of the pickup.

2. Permit long cable runs (after the preamp) without signal deterioration.

3. Allow precise volume and tone shaping with dedicated EQ.

4. Ensure compatibility with virtually any instrument level audio input available.

FIG. 3

PERFORMANCE TIP

Due to the typically high tension of the E strings, you may notice a low fre­quency "thump", especially when tremolo picking on these strings. This can
be remedied by applying an equalization cut at 75 Hz.

PLUGGING IN

Due to the nature of passive pickups, the type of cable you use and the input you plug
into will affect the quality of your sound.

Instrument Cable

Cable lengths over 10 feet (before preamp) will cause audible high frequency loss.
Use a high quality, low capacitance shielded cable. This will ensure minimal tone
coloration and hum. Using fully shielded metal plugs will also help eliminate hum.

Kinds of Audio Inputs

Because of the lack of standardization for high impedance audio inputs, special
attention should be paid to what you are plugging into:

The AG-125 / AG-094 will sound best when plugged directly into an input with a 10
MΩ impedance; the full frequency response of the instrument is reproduced.

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Musical Instrument Amplifiers

Most musical instrument amplifiers (at least 1 MΩ input impedance) will yield useable
results. Acoustic instrument amplifiers have a 10 M
the pickup.

Direct Boxes

You can plug the AG-125 / AG-094 into an "active" direct box (1 MΩ to 10 MΩ input)
with very good results. Using a passive direct box will sound weak and thin.

PA / Recording Consoles

Professional PA and recording consoles have a much lower input impedance than
what is acceptable for the AG-125 / AG-094 ; you will need an impedance matching
preamp. Plugging a passive piezo pickup into a mixer without an impedance matching
preamp will sound harsh and thin.

M-200 Professional Mandolin Pickup

Fishman Transducers manufactures a complete line of compatible
preamps, all with 10 MΩ inputs:
POWERJACK - Miniature Endpin Preamp
MODEL GII & BII - Outboard Acoustic Instrument Preamp
AGP-2 - Onboard Instrument Preamp
PRO-EQ II - 4 Band Acoustic Instrument Preamp
PRO-EQ PLATINUM - Outboard Acoustic Instrument Preamp / EQ / D.I.
DUAL PARAMETRIC D.I. - Fully Parametric Two Band Preamp / D.I.
ACOUSTIC / BASS BLENDER - 2 Channel Pickup / Mic Preamp
POCKET BLENDER - 2 Channel Pickup/Mic Preamp

Ω

Piezo input, ideally matching

5