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Topic: Installing Rare Earth pick-up in old Oahu |
Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 24 Mar 2006 6:37 am |
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Hi folks!
In a few days I will receive a Fishman Rare Earth humbucking pickup that I got off eBay for $100 ($19 dollars more than I paid for the guitar it is intended for). 
I chose this pickup for my 1930s Oahu round neck after recommendation from several forumites, and now I thought I could perhaps turn to these helpful people for advice on the best way to install the pickup.
I would rather not do any drilling in the guitar for the endpin jack - what are the options for leads and plugs that doesn't look temporary and messy, and isn't unstable? How have you installed the Rare Earth in your Oahus (or other guitars)?
Any advice would be much appreciated!
Thanks, and have a nice weekend!
Fred |
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Keith Cordell
From:
San Diego
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Posted 24 Mar 2006 7:20 am
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| The instruction sheet that comes with the pickup will give you multiple options for installation. If you don't drill the endpin it will have the cable hanging out though, not very attractive. |
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Bill Blacklock
From:
Powell River, British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 24 Mar 2006 7:43 am
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Fred,
I have a fishman neo-d in my old Oahu. I put a female end on the pickup line and just leave it in the guitar when its not being used. The line just hangs out the sound hole when its plugged in, it seems to stay out of the way just fine. Its not a very professional looking set up but I just couldn't bring myself to drill a hole in the old guitar.
Sorry about the delay in getting your bracings off to you. There all made and sitting up in the shop. The hardest part for me is always getting to the post office. Cheer's Bill |
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D Schubert
From:
Columbia, MO, USA
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Posted 24 Mar 2006 5:12 pm
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| After fooling around with the cord-in-the-soundhole for a while, I broke down and put in an endpin jack. Much more convenient. |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 28 Mar 2006 12:48 am
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Thanks everyone! I think I will opt for no drilling at the time being.
The pick-up arrived from New York yesterday, and I tried it out briefly this morning. There seems to be some problem with the pick-up, as it produces hiss on a level I think is unacceptable (this is the humbucking version). I tried it on two amps - first on my Microcube, where a digital-ish hiss/decay made it sound awful, and then on a Marshall Valvestate 100W combo, where the hiss was less prominent, but still very annoying.
Could this be a case of old batteries? The fact that the hiss problem sounds pretty different on the two amps leads me to believe that it is probably a problem with the signal strength, rather than a fault with the pickup itself, or is this conclusion pure nonsense?
I will get some new batteries and try. In the meantime, has anyone else experienced this problem with a humbucking Rare Earth? How do they sound when the batteries start failing?
Another thing, that I find it pretty annoying that the seller did not mention, is that the small cork pads are missing. Has anyone got any tips on how to make replacements?
And Bill - thanks so much for the bracings! Don't worry about the time you take to post them.
Thanks!
Fred[This message was edited by Fred Kinbom on 28 March 2006 at 12:51 AM.] [This message was edited by Fred Kinbom on 28 March 2006 at 12:52 AM.] |
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Keith Cordell
From:
San Diego
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Posted 28 Mar 2006 4:07 am
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| You can replace the corks with nosepieces for eyeglasses available at your drugstore. The hiss you get is almost definitely batteries. |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 29 Mar 2006 12:58 am
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Thanks Keith!
Unfortunately, fresh batteries made no difference. I've tried two different leads, and two different amps.
Microcube:
On the "amp" settings, the gain produces a hissing decay (very digital sounding). It only hisses when there's signal from the strings. On the "acoustic" setting a constant trebly hiss is present. Even with both gain and volume cranked up, the amp doesn't produce much more volume than the natural volume of the guitar.
Marshall Valvestate 100W:
Even on this 100W amp, the volume is suprisingly low from an active pickup. A constant hum which I find too loud to be acceptable is present.
I tried to move the pickup closer to the strings, but the hiss remains.
What shall I do? Has anyone had similar problems with a Rare Earth humbucker?
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Fred |
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basilh
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 29 Mar 2006 4:02 am
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It sounds like the 'op amp' has gone down !!
I had one where the coil went open circuit..
I don't think you'll get much joy from the company's returns/repairs dept.
I threw mine away after it only being 14 months old.
It wasn't a straight humbucker 'though, it was a 'Rare Earth Blend'
It's very hard to beat an SM-57 and some form of anti-feedback control like a 'Shark' or a 'Sabine Solo'
JMHO
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| Steel players do it without fretting |
 
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Keith Cordell
From:
San Diego
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Posted 29 Mar 2006 5:29 am
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| Since you got it on Ebay I'd return it. It is clearly defective, mine was a great sounding unit and never had any of those issues. |
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D Schubert
From:
Columbia, MO, USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2006 11:33 am
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| I have a couple of these, and noise has not been a problem -- with MicroCube, Fender, or Peavey amps. Besides the Oahu, I have temp-mounted these on other guitars -- several Martins, a Blueridge, and an ancient Yamaha. |
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Loni Specter
From:
West Hills, CA, USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2006 1:23 pm
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Mine only hisses when I play a wrong note
Send it back! |
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Bill Blacklock
From:
Powell River, British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 29 Mar 2006 7:45 pm
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Hey Fred,
The fishman "neo-d" I use on my Oahu is very weak and I have to raise it up closer to the strings to get any sound out of it.
I just put a thicker peice of cork under the clamp. As much as I like my old Oahu its pretty hard to justify a Sunrise pickup in my $80. e-bay treasure.
Basil's right,Oahu's mike very well with an SM57. |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 4 Apr 2006 2:35 am
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Thanks everyone! I'm shipping it back to the seller and I'm on the lookout for another one. The seller will refund the pickup and all shipping, but I'm still £26 down on customs charges.  Thanks again for the advice! |
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Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
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Posted 4 Apr 2006 5:20 am
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I use a Baggs M1 in my Lazy River weissenborn, it's the most natural sounding soundhole pickup I've tried so far (never tried the Rare Earth though, only Sunrise and Duncan MagMic). Warm nice sound and very feedback resistant..
Steinar
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"Play to express, not to impress"
www.gregertsen.com
Southern Moon Northern Lights
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