of the instrument. An unsatisfactory
location will often be characterized by a
woofy or nasal tone, poor string balance
and a high sensitivity to feedback.
6 . i B E A M
I N S T A L L A T I O N :
C L A S S I C A L G U I T A R S
6.1 General positioning guidelines:
The
iBeam is a highly sensitive pickup;
therefore, placement is a critical factor in
producing the outstanding results of
which the iBeam is capable. A few
millimeters in any direction can have
profound effects on the quality of the
sound. In short, because each guitar is
different, we can tell you approximately
where the pickup should be placed, but
we
can
not
provide
an
exact
specification. With classical guitars, it is
also unlikely that the first selected spot
will be ideal.
The classical iBeam has a tunnel in the
center of the pickup designed to clear
the middle fan brace. The tunnel is wide
enough to allow for some lateral movement of the pickup.
We suggest that you initially position the pickup so it is laterally centered over the brace and that the entire pickup is offset towards (and parallel
to) the tie block by 2 to 5 mm. The idea is to blend the direct string sound with the sound of the body. The more centered the pickup is under the
saddle, the more string drive and "snap" the sound will have. Offsetting the pickup towards the tie block or even towards the sound hole by a few
millimeters will allow more body sound to mix with the string sound. If you desire more presence from the bass strings and wish to mellow out
the high strings, center the pickup under the bass strings and angle it so the center of the pickup's high string end is either in front or behind the
saddle line by some amount. The reverse angle will have more presence for the high strings and less for bass. If you find that the small E string
does not have enough level, offsetting the pickup laterally towards it will increase its volume.
6.2 Classical installation (initial placement):
Most classical guitars are fan braced. The most common bracing is the Torres pattern with 5
longitudinal braces. The iBeam is notched in the middle of the pickup to straddle the middle fan brace and will fit most Torres-pattern-braced
guitars. Classical bracing patterns vary, so before you proceed, check to ensure that there is a total of 3" of clean, flat area between the two
braces on both sides of the center brace under the bridge (see figure 9).
Note: Do not trim the edges of the pickup if you do not have space between the braces for the pickup. This will both ruin the pickup and void the
warranty!
Installation on classical guitars requires that you remove the saddle, drill a small hole in each end of the saddle slot, and insert guide pins
(matchsticks or toothpicks work well) to act as a reference when placing the iBeam. The hole locations will correspond to the small slots in the
bottom of each end of the iBeam (see figure 8). A good starting place is to drill the guide pin holes so that the iBeam will be centered under the E
strings. You will need an inspection light, inspection mirror, drill, 1/16" drill bit, wooden matchsticks or toothpicks, and a short pencil.
1. Drill a 1/16" hole through the bridge at both ends of the saddle slot. If the guitar already has a hole in the saddle slot for a pickup, you may be
able to use this as one of the holes. The minimum distance between the holes should allow the notches in each end of the iBeam's base to nest
over the protruding matches or toothpicks that you will insert as a reference to place the iBeam.
2. Press the matchsticks or toothpicks into the holes until they just protrude (1/16" to 1/8") into the guitar. These will act as locating pins for
determining the iBeam's placement.
3. Remove the adhesive backing from the iBeam and, holding the iBeam between your thumb and two middle fingers, use your index and little
fingers to locate the matches.
4. Hold the iBeam at a slight angle away from the inside of the guitar top, and, using the slot in one end of the bottom of the iBeam, locate one of
the protruding matches. Rotate the other end of the pickup until you find the other protruding match with the slot in the other end of the iBeam.
Then very lightly press the adhesive against the bridge plate with just enough pressure to hold it in place.
5. Once you have tacked the pickup into place, insert an inspection mirror into the body to check the placement of the pickup. After confirming
that it is located correctly, remove the guide pins and press firmly with a little rocking motion over the surface of the top of the pickup to secure
it to the bridge plate. Be sure to apply an equal downward force to the top of the bridge when pressing up from the inside to prevent damage to
the guitar.
6. Plug in and test the pickup placement. If the sound is satisfactory (see below for a definition of this), secure the wire and proceed to the Battery
Bag installation (section 8). However, with classical guitars, it is likely that the results will be less than optimum at this position. If this is the case,
we encourage you to experiment with alternative placements (see section 7).
Do not test the pickup placement without firmly securing the adhesive. Without completely securing the pickup, the sound test will produce
unreliable results.
The optimum location will deliver a sound that is focused and tight, with proper string balance and good presence. It will capture enough of the
string resonance to be articulate, but will be mellowed by a full and strong body resonance. Ultimately, it will accurately capture the distinct tone
of the instrument. An unsatisfactory location will often be characterized by a woofy or nasal tone, poor string balance and a high sensitivity to
fig. 9
alternate placement
range (light gray area)
saddle
(dark gray area)
iBeam default position