Fishman matrix hum help

[Pnewsom]

I had the Natural system too. The wires are held in with two set screws. You have to remove the preamp from the guitar, remove two external screws that hold the cover in place. Inside the are two set screws that hold the negative and positive leads. Just loosen them and remove the wires of the old pickup. Reverse procedure for the new sensor. Couldn't be easier.

Quick tip for getting the pre amp back in its hole in the guitar: insert a pen or slim object into the hole from the outside of the guitar, and with the other hand holding the preamp inside guide the point into the jack. You can then easily guide the jack right into the hole. Much easier than fishing a wire.

[guitom]

This is surely an older Matrix system which most definitely requires soldering.

[Pnewsom]

Oops, my mistake! I was confusing it with my Infinity pre-amp. sorry about that.

Good call Gitom.

Easy soldering job, if you choose to do it yourself. Just be sure to tin the wires first so that you get a good connection.

[pieterh]

Well what do you know, I found a temporary solution!

I got a strip of copper tape from a luthier friend but that didn't work as one side of the tape is of course adhesive - thus making the shielding contact with ground worse, not better.

Today I tried something else - a thin strip of regular kitchen foil. It works! Ok, there is a minute hum still but as this disappears to as good as zero when the amp is connected to a grounded power outlet this should be ok for tomorrow's gig.

I'm not relying on this as a long term fix but it'll hopefully give me a little breathing room until my Taylor comes back or I get a new Matrix UST!

Thanks for all the tips and advice over the last week or so. There you have i though: damaged shield on a UST? Re-shield with kitchen foil!

[Pnewsom]

Great news, and clever improvisation! Good luck on the gig!

[martingitdave]

I just fixed my Matrix UST where the red foil shield had been damaged from a replacement saddle install. I used aluminum foil after scratching my head a few minutes. Then, I decided to search and see if anyone had done something similar. And, here I am! Did your foil hold up? Did you end up replacing the UST? My system is under warranty, so I can probably ask for a replacement.

[pieterh]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

I just fixed my Matrix UST where the red foil shield had been damaged from a replacement saddle install. I used aluminum foil after scratching my head a few minutes. Then, I decided to good search and see if anyone had done something similar. And, here I am! Did you foil hold up? Did you end up replacing the UST? My system is under warranty, so I can probably ask for a replacement.

It did hold up and worked well for a while. In the end I removed the whole system and fitted a K&K Pure Mini under the bridge plate instead. As I almost always use an external preamp (aforementioned Pz-pre) then the onboard was not needed anyway, nor is it compatible. I am very happy with the new setup, so much so that I have it in two other guitars and have installed two more for friends.

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by pieterh

It did hold up and worked well for a while. In the end I removed the whole system and fitted a K&K Pure Mini under the bridge plate instead. As I almost always use an external preamp (aforementioned Pz-pre) then the onboard was not needed anyway, nor is it compatible. I am very happy with the new setup, so much so that I have it in two other guitars and have installed two more for friends.

Thank you. Since this is a factory Aura system, I don't expect to remove it from the guitar. So, I'm hopeful that the fix holds. The UST is cheap enough to replace if necessary, I suppose.

[pieterh]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

Thank you. Since this is a factory Aura system, I don't expect to remove it from the guitar. So, I'm hopeful that the fix holds. The UST is cheap enough to replace if necessary, I suppose.

The pickup element itself doesn't cost all that much and is readily available as a replacement part. It is real easy to replace these days, the element's wires are connected to either the Aura unit or the end pin jack using a couple of screws to secure them. Mine was the older version which needed soldering to the preamp's circuit board.

If yours is a Martin with the factory fitted Aura system it will probably be a bit more awkward but I would imagine it is still an easy job to replace the element. Make sure you get the right width for your saddle slot though, they come in narrow (3/32" or 2.3mm) or wide (1/8" or 3.2mm) widths.

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by pieterh

The pickup element itself doesn't cost all that much and is readily available as a replacement part. It is real easy to replace these days, the element's wires are connected to either the Aura unit or the end pin jack using a couple of screws to secure them. Mine was the older version which needed soldering to the preamp's circuit board.



If yours is a Martin with the factory fitted Aura system it will probably be a bit more awkward but I would imagine it is still an easy job to replace the element. Make sure you get the right width for your saddle slot though, they come in narrow (3/32" or 2.3mm) or wide (1/8" or 3.2mm) widths.

Thank you. I'm going to call today and see what they suggest. I'd rather not have to leave it with a repairman.

[pieterh]

I don't blame you! Like I said, most Aura connections are easy but the Martin one may be more awkward.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by pieterh

I don't blame you! Like I said, most Aura connections are easy but the Martin one may be more awkward.



Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Will do! Calling them shortly when they open. I had another Retro with the Aura system a few years ago and that one had a bad preamp. The replaced it twice and it still was problematic. This, fortunately, is a simple matter. I need the guitar his weekend for a few performances.

[pieterh]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

Will do! Calling them shortly when they open. I had another Retro with the Aura system a few years ago and that one had a bad preamp. The replaced it twice and it still was problematic. This, fortunately, is a simple matter. I need the guitar his weekend for a few performances.

It's a good job the kitchen foil solution works as a short term fix then!

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by pieterh

It's a good job the kitchen foil solution works as a short term fix then!

Spoke to Fishman. They recommend against the foil fix. It won't hold long term and might color the sound. It's ok for now, however.

For a small nick he recommended shielding paint. I'll try that. Otherwise, I need a new UST. The good news is that it is not soldered. The bad news is that I need to remove the entire system to get to it. :-(. I'll try the paint. If it doesn't hold, then off to a Martin repair dealer.

[jonfields45]

I think in the minds of the AGF that if you can hold your nose and use a UST, that there is something better about the Matrix, compared to the Element, for its impact on the acoustic tone of the guitar. I would contend both are made from polymer piezo materials and neither is hard like bone or Tusq or even Micarta, and how can they really be any different in this regard. Apparently Gibson and McPherson feel the same as I do. I'm am also slightly prejudiced towards the Matrix over the Element, but I've never had both installed in the same model guitar for a reasonable test. All that said all my guitars have (Mi-Si) Elements :~).

The Matrix is a custom build up of polymer piezo material in a thin rectangular form where one conductor is the base the piezo material is mounted on and the other is the shield that it is wrapped in. That thin shield material is fragile.

The Element is standard coax with likely the same piezo polymer insulator. In un-flattened form it is normally embedded in asphalt so that traffic lights can know if there is a car waiting and should change state. It is tough stuff. The outer shield/conductor is that good old braided wire that you find in all coaxial cables. Baggs' flattens a bit of it out for the UST part (as does most others). Highlander leaves it round and you have to shape the saddle bottom. I prefer the Element because it is bullet proof (as you might expect for something cars drive over). You can ignore that 45 degree drill instruction and they still work fine (I'm not recommending that). It is a very practical design!