Jack socket, to drill or not

Subject: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: Chris Amos
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 01:59 PM

PA s and amplifiers are becoming more common in the venues that I play in, so I decided that it was time to get a pick-up.

I have gone for a Fishman Rare Earth single coil, thinking that this will cause fewer problems than contact mikes. My problem is that I don't want to have MBM (my beloved Martin) drilled to fit the jack socket, this leaves me with the problem of how to fix it to the guitar, am I being too precious about this?, will it affect the value of the guitar? how have other people dealt with this conundrum?

Chris

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 02:25 PM

Just go ahead and have it drilled. You have a strap button there already, so it's not like you are vandalizing virgin territory.

Presumably you stand to play, so you have already altered YBM by having a strap button fixed somewhere in the vicinity of the neck joint, (unless you are one of these sixties folkies who prefer to attach the strap to the headstock).

One thing to look out for. When you have the job done, make sure that the hole is drilled the correct size, and then threaded, and that the operative doing the work doesn't just drill an oversize hole and screw on a nut inside. I had that happen to me and it caused no end of trouble.

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: Leadfingers
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 02:41 PM

Murray is obviously assumimg you are going to have a socket/Strap button combination , rather than a jack socket fitted elsewhere.I would go along with that myself - I have an Ashworth under the bridge transducer on my 1970 D35, with a strapbutton socket fitted by a
qualified Luthier. I have the same arrangement on my Docherty mando,
fitted by Terry Docherty on build.
One thing I am not sure about - The pickup - It sounds like an electric pick up ( I do NOT know the model) but why put an Electric Pickup on a GOOD acoustic, rather than a transducer,which will give a better acoustic sound.
Incidentally I have also used Microvox to very good effect , but you
are liable to some feedback problems if you want to be TOO loud.

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 02:51 PM

Leadfingers, I.ve used a Rare Earth on my Lowden and my Martin and the sound is superb - a far more 'natural' and 'acoustic' sound than I get from my under-saddle transducers (also Fishman). Don't know how they do it but those guys at Fishman came up with a hell of a product there. The only reason I stopped using the Rare Earth is that I hated to see it across the soundholes of two beatiful guitars - it was a kind of heresy to mar their appearance. But they sounded great!
Johnny

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: Johnny in OKC
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 04:01 PM

Depends on where you a putting the hole.
Fer Christ sake, NOT on the soundboard.
YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT, but just to be sure.

Love, Johnny

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: Chris Amos
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 03:07 AM

And just what is wrong with having your strap tied to the headstock?




Sniff! sixties indeed.



I chose the Fishman because several other musicians in my area have fitted them and I was astonished at the sound. Presumably being a single coil it takes the signal directly from the strings but some how it reproduces some of the acoustic qualities through the speakers.

Thanks

Chris

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 03:31 AM

Hey Chris,
My Rare Earth is the twin-coil type, switchable to single-coil. Using the switch can help with clarity, depends on your amplification. The Fishman blurb says that it's the combination of materials and the design of the pickup that give it the amazingly natural sound. (Trust me, Leadfingers, it's NOTHING like a strat or an LP!). I had the jack-socket installed in my guitar (Lowden O25 and Martin J40) and there's no drilling if you put it through the endpin hole - the existing hole just needs reamering out to accept the bigger diameter of the jack (if it's already drilled, enlarging the hole in the end-block won't do any harm - that's my philosophy).
I'd recommend that, unless you're a very good DIY-expert, you get it done by a GOOD guitar technician.

The downside is that they look a bit ugly fixed across the soundhole. Also I kept clouting the pickup with my thumbpick and making a 'clunk' through the PA, so I relented and got Fishman active transducers fitted (the ones with the little pre-amp on the jack-socket). I use a Fishman Pro-FX outboard for EQ, and with a little care can get a nice, reasonably natural, sound.

Johnny :0)

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: Leadfingers
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 06:34 AM

Thanks for the info on the Fishman Johhny- I dont think I will have
my set up ripped out to replace with the Fishman , but its always nice to hear of other options for the future.

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 12:45 PM

Nae problem Leadfingers. It's very much a personal thing I guess, and the most important guy to please is yourself. I don't like the look of Rare Earths (hence my change to transducers) but they do sound nice. Not trying to convert anyone, just set down my own experience.
All the best,
Johnny :0)

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 04:42 PM

Drill ye tarriers drill.

But I am not keen on the rare earth, and think they do indeed sound like electric guitar pickups.

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 05:12 AM

Is there enough room underneath the pickup (when it is fitted) to have a THIN layer of double sided tape. 3M make some very good adhesive tapes. You can always use a little spirit to remove the old adhesive when you need to renew the pad.

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: GUEST,Dave W
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 05:12 PM

Doesn't ANYONE out there make a 1/8" jack socket that fits a Martin hole without drilling/reaming? I thought Barcus Berry made one back in the 80's, but I can't find such a thing now!

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: DonMeixner
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 05:17 PM

Dave,

No reason you can't order an amp wire with one end 1/8 and one end 1/4. The smaller end is not very sturdy however and will be a constant cause for irritation. I had one for my autoharp pick up and it was constantly breaking. The standard is 1/4" and they are available everywhere.

I have considered having chords made up with XLR's on one end and a 1/4" on the other just for those few times I need to work with big sound systems.

Don

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: mooman
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 06:28 PM

1/8 jacks and sockets certainly are available from good suppliers but aren't often supplied with transducers or pickups. I have often fitted them for customers who don't want a standard jack or on smaller instruments. I installed one on my current classical and also on the F5 style mandolin I used to have. With suitable cables and the usual precautions there should be no problem.

I know this is purely aesthetics but I don't think I could bear a soundhole pickup across a beautiful acoustic.

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: Leadfingers
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 07:33 PM

And dont forget that Maplins (UK) and Radio Shack(USA) do ALL sorts of
of readimade converters - 1/4 jack to XLR and vice versa etc !!

Subject: RE: Jack socket, to drill or not
From: GUEST,Dave W
Date: 28 Jan 05 - 04:59 PM

Look into the Fishman Rare Earth Blend with internal goosneck mic. I use it in my 1976 Martin D-28 at 75% mic and 25% pickup. It sounds just like the guitar itself only louder. I had my jack installed by an authorized Martin service center. Only cost $40, came out perfect, and preserves the Martin warranty.