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twangman - Posted - 09/14/2008: 02:28:38
I recently had a local luthier, who I assumed had knowledge about resos since he's been selling and adjusting a few in his shop, install a Fishman undersaddle pickup in my Beard E. The bridge inserts were installed in a Beard adjustable spider.
I strummed in and checked that everything seemed ok when I picked it up, but when I came home I discovered that the tone has been dramatically altered with no overtones at all and poor sustain, especially on the first string. I've heard some comments on the TUSQ inserts altering tone, but not this radical. Taking it apart I found out that the cone screw had been overtightened and the bottom of the cone had buckeled upward.
The luthier clearly had no understanding about proper reso set-up and now I've decided to fix this myself. First, will I be able to get a good tone out of the FIshman saddles and adjustable spider combo or are the saddles supposed to kill the overtones in order to avoid feedback? The inserts do not make as much contact with the adjustable spider as they do in a regular bridge. Is it likely that I would achieve a better tone if I fit the inserts into a regular #14 spider?
Can the tone and sustain problems be the result of the damaged cone?
/Nicke W
Beard Guitars - Posted - 09/14/2008: 08:22:30
First...
A bent cone must be replaced. There is no way to check the pickup install without a good cone.
If the problem is still there after replacement..Then my real recommendation is to send it to one of a handful of people that know setup and Fishman installation. I suggest you _NOT_ remove additional material from the insert. Once you remove too much you-can-not-go-back!
I know this sounds "harsh". I get calls daily from "self installers" and "guitar techs". I've seen a bunch of these installations, several of which "toasted" the pickup, others got the pickup to work and buggered the acoustic properties of the guitar. Browse Reso-Nation for the horror stories.
I hope your solution is relatively painless. Call me at the shop and I'll try to help.
h
Howard Parker
Beard Guitars, LLC
howard@beardguitars.com
301-733-8271
Edited by - Beard Guitars on 09/14/2008 08:25:08
MitchC - Posted - 09/14/2008: 08:30:56
Nicke, if at all possible, get it in to Beard and have it done right ?
twangman - Posted - 09/14/2008: 09:00:53
Thanks for your replies. Howard, I also sent an e-mail to parts@beardguitars.com, so if you read that you don't have to reply to it.
I'm afraid sending the guitar to Beard isn't an option, since I live in Sweden and the shipping costs and risks involved would be too high for me.
While we're at it: I notice in some pictures of the bridge inserts, including the video clip with Stady Phillips, the TUSQ part of the saddles are white while mine are black. How come? Are there any differences?
/Nicke
Edited by - twangman on 09/14/2008 09:01:18
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