User Guide

end wrench while holding the jack in place with the allen wrench. Thread and
hand tighten the strap button.
NOTE: With the strap button in place, the end of the
jack should protrude slightly, so that when a plug is
inserted, it can snap securely in place.
PREAMP
INSTALLATION
There is a second outer bezel included with your Prefix Premium preamp.
The Prefix Premium will need to fit properly on many different shapes and
sizes of guitars. It is for this reason we have included 2 choices of outer
bezels. Choose the correct bezel to fit your instrument. If you have a very
curved section between the waist and shoulder on your guitar, choose the
pre-curved bezel. If you have a fairly straight surface to mount your preamp,
choose the flat bezel. Choosing the correct bezel will ensure a proper fit
when the preamp is installed.
Instructions to change bezel:
1. Remove the 2 pivot screws located on each side of the preamp bezel.
2. Remove outer bezel from preamp.
3. Insert correct bezel onto preamp.
4. Re-attach 2 pivot screws.
PICKUP INSTALLATION
1. Insert the pickup in the saddle slot (follow specific installation
instructions as outlined for the Acoustic Matrix pickup).
2. Carefully pull back the foil "trap door" on the preamp (located next to the
output cable) to expose the terminal block.
3. Punch through the perforated slot in the trap door with the pickup wire
and thread it through the foil.
4. Insert the hot pickup wire (inner conductor) in the left side of the terminal
block, marked "IN".
5. Insert the pickup ground wire (shield) in the right side of the terminal
block, marked "GND".
6. Tighten down the screws on the top of the terminal block with a 2.4mm
(3/32") slot head screwdriver.
7. Replace the foil trap door by gently tucking it back into the preamp, just
below the battery clip.
8. Microphone Placement -
Use a rag and some denatured alcohol to clean the
underside of the soundboard where the base of the microphone will attach inside
the guitar. Remove the plastic release film from the microphone base and adhere
it to the soundboard.
9. Angle the preamp 90° from the bezel and insert it in the cut-out.
10. Put the four 1/2" screws in the outside corners of the preamp and fasten
them to the plastic backing brackets. The larger of the two brackets
goes under the preamp latch. Do not over tighten.
11. Snap in the the plastic inserts over the screws. The insert with the
Fishman logo fits on the bottom of the preamp.
To keep the wires inside the guitar from rattling, secure them with the
included adhesive backed clips. Attach the wire guide clips to the sides or
the kerfed lining of the instrument.
SETUP
Battery Compartment
Pull the small tab at the top of the
Prefix Premium Blend toward you. The
body of the preamp will swing out,
revealing the battery compartment.
Observe the polarity marks on the
battery clip and install a fresh 9V
alkaline battery accordingly.
Stereo Blender Setup
Microphone Trim Control - A small
circular potentiometer is located on
the underside of the preamp just
below the battery compartment. This
is a "set it and forget it" control. Use it
to initially calibrate the microphone
balance in relation to the pickup. Set
the Blend slider to the center position
and with a small slotted screwdriver,
adjust the Trim Control until both the
microphone and pickup levels are
balanced to your taste.
Mono/Stereo Switch
A small slide switch, located on the underside of the preamp (across from
the Notch control pot), lets you choose between mono and stereo operation.
Leave the switch in the Mono position when you use a standard instrument
cable.
If you wish to split the pickup and microphone signals for separate external
processing (such as with a Fishman Blender), move the switch to the Stereo
position and use a stereo cable or a stereo "Y" cable to carry the two signals
to separate destinations. In the stereo mode, the pickup goes to the tip
output and the microphone sits on the ring output.
FISHMAN PREFIX™ PREMIUM
PREAMP INSTALLATION - CONTINUED
Microphone Position
Upper Bout
Microphone Position
Lower Bout
Preamp
Control Panel
Preamp
Control Panel
Foil Sheilding
Trap Door
Pulled Back
Tra p
Door
Terminal
Block
Slot
Preamp
Battery Case
9 Volt Battery
STEREO / MONO
Stereo / Mon
Switch
Microphone
Trim Control
MONO CABLE
Microphone & Pickup
Signals
STEREO "Y" CABLE
Tip
Pickup
Ring
Microphone
MONO STEREO
Fishman Transducers
340-D Fordham Road Wilmington MA 01887 USA
Phone [phone] • Fax [phone]
www.fishman.com
514-000-001 • 8-13-03