installing latest Fishman dobro pickup

David Cook · From: Florida, USA

Is this something I can do myself

Thanks

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Assuming you mean the Nashville pickup like this:

Depends on your level of experience, confidence, tools on hand etc. Some players are comfortable with it, some not.

Also depends on what else you are planning to do. If you're upgrading parts and components at the same time, you might consider have a proper squareneck spider bridge technician perform the operation and do a proper setup.

It will require wiring the jack, routing the wiring under the cone, slotting the saddles and adjusting the height and intonation. The saddles are the pickup, so if one goofs, it's shot.

I can do it, but I'm poor... or cheap. I have a bit of expertise with spider bridge resos too.

Most suggest changing the spider to an adjustable saddles model or drilling and tapping the current one so that the saddle height can be properly adjusted...

www.stewmac.com has some helpful spider bridge setup info, but nothing that deals with the pickup install.

Here's an earlier thread concerning this operation. Maybe some insight there: http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=192970&highlight=install+fishman+nashville+pickup

Here's a look at the install from fishman. Scroll down to 2nd diagram: https://www.fishman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/514-300-004_rE.pdf

Mark Eaton · Posted 21 Nov 2017 10:56 am

Good synopsis from Jerry.

With the pickup retailing for about $210, it's an expensive mistake if you screw it up.

I look at it like when I attempt to do my own plumbing repairs in my home as opposed to calling a real plumber. If I take on a project and it requires an entire Saturday whereas a pro plumber might have it done in a couple hours, though I get frustrated, cuss, and am on the verge of throwing tools but I actually succeed, then I become happy. Because now I know what to do and the next time this particular procedure comes up I'm confident I can pull it off, and in about half the time or less.

There there's the project where I just flat out fail, and I would have been better off calling the plumber and forking out the dough in the first place.

So I go into any project I haven't done in the past which is normally best left to professionals with a certain amount of fear and trepidation.

That's why I had Todd Clinesmith do the final installation of the Nashville pickup on my resonator, including the Schoonover modular spider. Too many stories out there of botched jobs since this pickup hit the market about eight years ago.
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Mark

Niels Andrews · From: Salinas, California, USA

I agree with Mark. Paul Beard installed mine and is not an easy project. One thing I would point out is you need to buy the Jerry Douglas Aura pedal to get the real benefit of this pick up.
I thought playing it through my Telonics TCA 500 with a dobro emulator, I could sneak by. Wasn't over joyed with the results, bought the aura pedal and don't want to put it down. You have to hear it to believe it. There is a good demo on Peghead Nation that Mike Witcher does you might enjoy.
Cheers
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Good Stuff like Zum S-12, Wolfe Resoport
MSA SS-12, Telonics Combo.

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