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Post subject: Fr50ce resonator low pickup volume
Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2018 1:27 pm
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I have an FR50CE resonator guitar equipped with the stock fishman piezo pickup. There's lots of volume playing unplugged but I can't get much playing plugged in from the piezo. The second telecaster pickup plays normally. Is there a setup problem or is this normal?


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Post subject: Re: Fr50ce resonator low pickup volume
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 12:02 pm
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A word of caution here: piezo systems are delicate, so be careful - and if you doubt your skills, take the instrument to a qualified guitar shop for check/repair/setup.

First thing to check with everything Fishman related: test with a new battery. (Actually, that applies to every active system on any guitar/bass/other instrument.)

IIRC, that model has a pickup in the resonator cone; this type (or its Fender-OEM model): https://www.fishman.com/products/series ... ic-pickup/
Check that the screw in the center of the cone is properly (= gently but snug) tightened.

And some Fender/Fishman preamps (e.g. Powerchip) have a trim system to balance the piezo/magnetic pickup volumes - check if you find instructions for your preamp's model on the support pages: https://support.fender.com/hc/en-us/art ... -s-Manuals

Edit while writing: Checked for a parts list, found this:
Quote:
1 Fender Telecaster® Single-Coil (Neck),
1 Fishman® Powerchip™ and Resonator Pickup (Bridge),
1 Volume (Tele® Pickup),
1 Tone (Tele Pickup),
1 Volume (Piezo Pickup),
Stereo input jack allows splitting of pickup signals

That'll add one more thing to check; the stereo jack. :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Fr50ce resonator low pickup volume
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 12:29 pm
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Thanks for the advice. I actually thought it had a spider type pickup like in this link: https://www.fishman.com/products/series ... ic-pickup/

if there is a preamp/trim system, how is that accessed? There's no panel in the back so I'm assuming I'd need to remove the grill in front.


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Post subject: Re: Fr50ce resonator low pickup volume
Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 12:39 am
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Rock Star
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That's the SOP with resonators.
The procedure is shown here, although it's a non-CE version. As usually with youtube instructional vids, keep the sound off and skip to the parts you need...


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Post subject: Re: Fr50ce resonator low pickup volume
Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:22 pm
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I took it apart and you were right about the style of pickup. There was a spliced wire that may have been touching the cone plus the output jack was really loose. It seems to be working much better now although it probably could still use a preamp.


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Post subject: Re: Fr50ce resonator low pickup volume
Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 1:14 am
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Rock Star
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The Powerchip is a preamp, a built-in PCB in the second (piezo) vol control. Did you check if the trimmer in its backside can be adjusted to raise the piezo volume?
Fender's user guide here: https://support.fender.com/hc/en-us/art ... _Guide.pdf


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