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i M I X
I N S T A L L A T I O N M A N U A L & U S E R ' S G U I D E
4 8 3 N . F R O N T A G E R D .
N I P O M O , C A 9 3 4 4 4
W W W . L R B A G G S . C O M
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
1.Package Contents
2.Overview and Cautions
3.Strapjack Installation
4.iBeam installation: pin bridge guitars
5.iBeam installation: non-pin bridge guitars
6.iBeam installation: classical/nylon-string guitars
7.iBeam removal and repositioning
8.Element installation
9.iBeam gain control
10.Finishing the installation
11.User's guide (with controls diagram)
1 . P A C K A G E C O N T E N T S
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(one) iMix preamp with pre-attached battery clip |
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(one) stereo pre-wired strapjack harness |
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(one) iBeam bridge plate transducer |
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(one) iBeam mounting fixture kit (not included with the iBeam Classical) |
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(one) Element undersaddle transducer |
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(one) Remote Control II soundhole controller |
fig. 1 |
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(one) flat cable for Remote Control II |
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(one) Battery Bag |
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(four) self-stick wire clips |
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(two) extra iBeam adhesive strips |
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2 . O V E R V I E W A N D C A U T I O N S
The L.R. Baggs iMix is an onboard stereo mixer that combines the iBeam bridge plate transducer and the Element undersaddle pickup with an alldiscrete, class A, internal preamp. The system includes a soundhole-mounted volume/mix control (the Remote Control II) and our Battery Bag.
We recommend that this system be installed by a professional dealer/installer. We do not provide installation advice or support for home or hobbyist installations. Installers: please read the instructions carefully before
proceeding. We will not be responsible for any damage to the guitar or personal injury resulting from installation, improper installation, use or misuse of the product.
The iBeam fits x-braced guitars with at least three inches of flat open space directly under the saddle (see figure 1). Verify that this requirement is met before making any alterations to the guitar.
If the space is too small to accommodate the iBeam, do not cut the iBeam to fit a tighter space.
The preamp requires a 9 volt battery, which is not included in this package.
There is a small slit under the iBeam cap about 1/2" from each end of the pickup. Do not poke anything into the slit.
The peel-and-stick adhesive is the best way to adhere the iBeam. It will hold the iBeam quite firmly, but will allow the pickup to be safely removed at a later time. The use of any adhesive other than the provided self-stick pads is not recommended and will void the warranty.
Avoid unnecessary creasing or hard bending of the Element pickup.
Installation overview: The recommended installation procedure is to begin by installing the strapjack and plugging it (along with the Remote Control II) into the correct preamp sockets. Following that, the iBeam should be installed, connected and tested to ensure optimum placement. Then the Element should be installed, connected and tested to ensure proper sound and string balance. The preamp's gain setting should then be adjusted so that the iBeam's level matches that of the Element. Finally, the preamp, Remote Control II and Battery Bag should be adhered to the guitar and all wires should be secured with wire clips.
Each pickup should be installed and tested as if it were the only source in the system. Perfecting the sound of each pickup individually will
provide the most rewarding overall blend when you finally turn the mix knob to 12:00 and hear the two sources together.
3 . S T R A P J A C K I N S T A L L A T I O N
Drilling the strapjack hole: For proper installation, this jack requires a clean 1/2" hole in the tail block of the instrument. If the guitar lacks this hole, start by placing a piece of masking tape on the outside of the instrument over the drilling area (to avoid chipping the finish), drill a small pilot hole in the tail block and then follow with a step drill.
Remove the strap ring, retaining nut and one washer from the end of the jack. There should still be one star locking washer, one flat washer and a nut remaining on the jack. Bring the jack down through the soundhole into the body and insert it into the pre-drilled hole in the tail block. Using the internal nut (be sure to include the flat and star washers), set the proper depth that will allow the entire smaller threaded section to protrude from the instrument (see figure 2).
With the jack in place, lay the remaining washer over the threads and attach the external retaining nut until it’s tight. Finish by attaching the strap ring (it should cover the retaining nut and washer). Asserting too much pressure may crack the finish. Now bring the preamp into the guitar (do not adhere it yet), connect a battery, and plug the strapjack cable into the "output" socket. Then proceed to the appropriate iBeam installation instructions in the following sections.
4 . i B E A M |
I N S T A L L A T I O N : P I N |
B R I D G E |
G U I T A R S |
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4.1 General positioning guidelines: The iBeam is a highly sensitive pickup; therefore, placement and the unique characteristics of the instrument are critical factors in producing the outstanding results of which the iBeam is capable. A few millimeters in any direction can have profound effects on the quality of the sound. Because every guitar is different, we can tell you approximately where the pickup should be placed, but we can not provide an exact specification.
The iBeam is designed to attach to the bridge plate directly under the saddle line and generally parallel to the saddle, with the attached peel-and-stick adhesive. Good results should be consistently had by attaching the pickup as shown in figure 3. However, because every guitar is unique, you may be rewarded by searching for the optimum location.
In general, placing the iBeam directly under the saddle will provide the greatest sense of immediacy, impact, snap and “string” sound. Offsetting the pickup either toward the sound hole or toward the bridge pins in the area shown in figure 4 will increase the amount of “body” in the sound and generally have a more mellow and homogeneous tone with less midrange. We have often achieved our very best results by placing the pickup as close to the string ball-ends as is practical and offsetting it about 1 to 2 mm toward the treble side of the saddle.
An alternative location that has often worked well, provided the x-braces are wide enough, is to offset the pickup toward the front edge of the bridge plate.
4.2 Pin bridge installation (initial placement):
1.Assemble the mounting fixture.
2.Remove the strings from the pin holes.
3.Reach inside the hole and feel around under the bridge to be sure the bridge plate is free from debris and obstructions. If you are unsure, stick a mirror inside to inspect this area.
4.Place the stationary rod of the mounting fixture in the high-E bridge pin hole and adjust the movable rod laterally in the slot until it drops into the low- E bridge pin hole as shown in figure 5. Tighten the nut to secure the movable rod.
5.Place the adhesive dots on the fixture over the saddle (see figure 5), one on each side of the big slot. Remove the adhesive backing from the dots and position the iBeam over the fixture in the desired location. Stick the iBeam to the adhesive dots on the fixture as shown in figure 6.
6.Remove the fixture and iBeam together from the bridge and remove the adhesive backing from the bottom surface of the iBeam.
fig. 2 |
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tail |
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smaller threaded section protrudes
fig. 3: primary location
fig. 4: alternative mounting area
fig. 5
7.Insert the fixture holding the iBeam into the guitar. Find the high and low E- string bridge pin holes with the rods on the fixture.
8.Insert the rods into these holes and then elevate the fixture straight up until the rods just poke out of the holes about 1/2". Grasp one of the rods from the outside of the guitar and hold it. Do not pull up yet. While holding the one rod, let go of the fixture inside of the guitar and grab the other rod on the outside of the guitar.
9.Now pull straight up on the rods as shown in figure 7 to elevate the iBeam until it contacts the bridge plate. Tug up on the rods to secure the pickup.
10.Pop the fixture off the iBeam inside the guitar and remove the fixture.
11.Press up firmly along the top surface of the iBeam, especially on the ends, to secure it. It’s a good idea to press down on the bridge from the outside of the guitar as you press up on the iBeam from the inside to equalize pressure and avoid cracking the top. Wiggle the iBeam front to back a little as you press.
12.Restring the guitar, connect the iBeam to the preamp's "iBeam" socket and plug into your amp or PA. Connect the Remote to the preamp's "remote" socket, turn the mix wheel completely to the iBeam, and test the pickup placement. If the sound is satisfactory (see below for a definition of this), secure the wire with a wire clip and turn to the Element installation in section
8.If the sound is unsatisfactory, see section 7. Do not test the pickup placement without firmly securing the adhesive. Without completely securing the pickup, the sound test will produce unreliable results.
The optimum location will deliver a sound that is focused and tight, with proper string balance and good presence. It will capture enough of the string resonance to be articulate, but will be mellowed by a full and strong body resonance. Ultimately, it will accurately capture the distinct tone of the instrument. An unsatisfactory location will often be characterized by a woofy or nasal tone, poor string balance and a high sensitivity to feedback.
5 . i B E A M I N S T A L L A T I O N : B R I D G E G U I T A R S
5.1 General positioning guidelines: The iBeam is a highly sensitive pickup; therefore, placement and the unique characteristics of the instrument are critical factors in producing the outstanding results of which the iBeam is capable. A few millimeters in any direction can have profound effects on the quality of the sound. Because every guitar is unique, you may be rewarded by searching for the optimum location. With non-pin bridge guitars, it is unlikely that the first selected spot will be ideal.
N O N - P I N
fig. 8
This top-down view depicts the bridge with the saddle removed. These pin hole locations apply to all non-pin bridges.
saddle slot
bridge
fig. 6
fig. 7
iBeam
drill pin hole here
bridge
In general, placing the iBeam directly under the saddle will provide the greatest sense of immediacy, impact, snap and “string” sound. Offsetting the pickup either toward or away from the
sound hole will increase the amount of “body” in the sound and generally have a more mellow and homogeneous tone with less midrange.
5.2 Non-pin bridge installation (initial placement): Installation on non-pin bridge guitars requires that you remove the saddle, drill a small hole in each end of the saddle slot, and insert guide pins to act as a reference when locating the iBeam. The hole locations will correspond to the small slots in the bottom of each end of the iBeam (see figure 8). A good starting place is to drill the holes so that the iBeam will be centered under the E strings. You will need an inspection light, inspection mirror, drill, 1/16" drill bit, matchsticks or toothpicks, and a short pencil.
1.Drill a 1/16" hole through the bridge at both ends of the saddle slot. If the guitar already has a hole in the saddle slot for a pickup, you may be able to use this as one of the holes. The minimum distance between the holes should allow the notches in each end of the iBeam's base to nest over the protruding matches or toothpicks that you will insert as a reference to place the iBeam.
2.Press the matches or toothpicks into the holes until they just protrude (1/16" to 1/8") into the guitar. These will act as locating pins for determining the iBeam's placement.
3.Remove the adhesive backing from the iBeam and, holding the iBeam between your thumb and two middle fingers, use your index and little fingers to locate the matches.
4.Hold the iBeam at a slight angle away from the inside of the guitar top, and, using the slot in one end of the bottom of the iBeam, locate one of the protruding matches. Rotate the other end of the pickup until you find the other protruding match with the other slot. Then very lightly press the adhesive against the bridge plate with just enough pressure to hold it in place.
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