L.R. Baggs iBeam: Installation Manual & User's Guide
Contents
1. iBEAM PASSIVE INSTALLATION MANUAL amp USER S GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS Package contents Overview and cautions Strapjack installation iBeam installation pin bridge guitars iBeam installation non pin bridge guitars iBeam installation classical nylon string guitars iBeam removal and repositioning User s guide CON ADU AUN PACKAGE CONTENTS One One Two One iBeam pickup with strapjack self stick wire holder 2 extra adhesive strips 1 pin bridge mounting kit not included with the iBeam Classical _ od 2 0OVERVIEW AND CAUTIONS The iBeam is a high quality transducer that features fidelity comparable to professional studio microphones It attaches securely and non destructively to the bridge plate via a simple peel and stick installation These instructions pertain specifically to the passive iBeam To install the iBeam active system which includes an internal preamp refer to the instructions contained in the iBeam Active package We recommend that this system be installed by a professional dealer installer We do not provide installation advice or support for home or hobbyist installations Installers please read the instructions carefully before proceeding We will not be responsible for any damage to the guitar or personal injury resulting from installation improper installation use or misuse of the product The passive iBeam must be used with a high gain high impedance prea2. shown in figure 3 However because every guitar is unique you may be rewarded by searching for the optimum location In general placing the iBeam directly under the saddle will provide the greatest sense of immediacy impact snap and string sound Offsetting the pickup either toward the sound hole or toward the bridge pins in the area shown in figure 4 will increase the amount of body in the sound and generally have a more mellow and homogeneous tone with less midrange We have often achieved our very best results by placing the pickup as close to the string ball ends as is practical and offsetting it about 1 to 2 mm toward the treble side of the saddle An alternative location that has often worked well provided the x braces are wide enough is to offset the pickup toward the front edge of the bridge plate 4 2 Pin bridge installation initial placement 1 Assemble the mounting fixture 2 Remove the strings from the pin holes 3 Reach inside the hole and feel around under the bridge to be sure the bridge plate is free from debris and obstructions If you are unsure stick a mirror inside to inspect this area 4 Place the stationary rod of the mounting fixture in the high E bridge pin hole and adjust the movable rod laterally in the slot until it drops into the low E bridge pin hole as shown in figure 5 Tighten the nut to secure the movable rod 5 Place the adhesive dots on the fixture over the saddle see figure 5
3. one on each side of the big slot Remove the adhesive backing from the dots and position the iBeam over the fixture in the desired location Stick the iBeam to the adhesive dots on the fixture as shown in figure 6 6 Remove the fixture and iBeam together from the bridge and remove the adhesive backing from the bottom surface of the iBeam 7 Insert the fixture holding the iBeam into the guitar Find the high and low E string bridge pin holes with the rods on the fixture 8 Insert the rods into these holes and then elevate the fixture straight up until the rods just poke out of the holes about 1 2 Grasp one of the rods from the outside of the guitar and hold it Do not pull up yet While holding the one rod let go of the fixture inside of the guitar and grab the other rod on the outside of the guitar 9 Now pull straight up on the rods as shown in figure 7 to elevate the iBeam until it contacts the bridge plate Tug up on the rods to secure the pickup 10 Pop the fixture off the iBeam inside the guitar and remove the fixture 11 Press up firmly along the top surface of the iBeam especially on the ends to secure it It s usually a good idea to press down on the bridge from the outside of the guitar as you press up on the iBeam from the inside to equalize pressure and avoid cracking the top Wiggle the iBeam front to back a little as you press fig 3 primary location soundhole low E underside of top bridge pl
4. the wire with the wire clip and turn to the user s guide section 8 If the sound is unsatisfactory 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 feedback 6 iBEAM INSTALLATION CLASSICAL GUITARS 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
5. to allow for some lateral movement of the pickup alternate placement fig 9 range light gray area 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 saddle sound If you desire more presence from dark gray area 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 iBeam default position 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 var
6. acement 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 8 1 general positioning guidelines for a rough definition of this proceed to the preamp installation instructions section 10 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 9 6 Plug in and test the pickup pla
7. ate fig 4 alternative mounting area lowE underside of top boundaries 12 Restring the guitar and plug in Now test the pickup placement If the sound is satisfactory see below for a definition of this secure the wire with the wire clip and turn to the user s guide section 8 If the sound is unsatisfactory 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 feedback 5 iBEAM INSTALLATION NON PIN BRIDGE GUITARS 5 1 General positioning guidelines The iBeam is a highly sensitive pickup fig 8 therefore placement and the unique characteristics of the instrument are This top aown View depicts ine Origge with critical factors in producing the the saddle removed These pin hole locations outstanding results of which the iBeam is apply to all non pin bridges capable A few millimeters in any direction
8. can have profound effects on the quality of the sound Because every guitar is sadale slot iBeam unique you may be rewarded by searching string sound Offsetting the pickup either toward or away from the sound hole will for the optimum location With non pin increase the amount of body in the sound and generally have a more mellow and homogeneous tone with less midrange drill pin hole here bridge guitars it is unlikely that the first selected spot will be ideal l bridge bridge In general placing the iBeam directly under the saddle will provide the greatest sense of immediacy impact snap and 5 2 Non pin bridge installation initial placement Installation on non pin bridge guitars requires that you remove the saddle drill a small hole in each end of the saddle slot and insert guide pins to act as a reference when locating 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 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 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
9. cement If the sound is satisfactory see below for a definition of this secure the wire and proceed to the user s guide 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 feedback 7 1BEAM REMOVAL AND REPOSITIONING The adhesive used to secure the iBeam is very strong Once you stick it down it will increase its grip over about a week s time If you wish to experiment with placement it will be easier before the adhesive develops its full strength To experiment with placement begin by outlining the pickup in its current position with a pencil this will act as a reference of the initial location Next place three fingers along the length of the back side of the pickup Pull firmly with even
10. e insured by using a high quality full range PA For home use you can plug the iBeam through one of our outboard preamps into your home stereo using a 1 4 connector to RCA plug adapter Use the Aux In and put your stereo in mono mode Be careful to ease the levels up to avoid blowing out your speakers eardrums or windows 8 1 Adding a second pickup The passive iBeam comes pre attached to the tip of our Strapjack Plus If you wish to add a second pickup you may easily do so by soldering the plus and ground wires to the ring pin and ground tabs respectively The two passive signals from these pickups can then be run down a stereo cord into an outboard mixer such as the Mixpro When adding a second pickup it is best if the impedance and level of both pickups are similar to minimize crosstalk The output of the iBeam is high impedance and can be paired passively with other high impedance pickups like the LB6 and Ribbon Transducer Even though magnetic pickups are relatively low impedance and will bleed into the iBeam channel the amount is often inconsequential and most magnetics will work well passively with the iBeam For pristine results add the magnetic pickup to the iBeam Active System or use a Buffer Jack phatom powered Mixpro accessory to buffer the iBeam at the guitar 8 2 Equalization A mild mid cut of approximately 6dB around 1K is usually beneficial to the iBeam s sound Both the Gigpro and Mixpro with the controls set at 12 00 have th
11. 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 matches 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 Restring the guitar and plug in Now test the pickup placement If the sound is satisfactory see below for a definition of this secure
12. is mid cut built in The iBeam is sensitive to low frequency variations from one guitar to the next and a variable low cut as found on the Gigpro and Mixpro is especially helpful in optimizing the low end response without the need to turn down the bass and thin the sound out unnecessarily LR roo ka 483 NORTH FRONTAGE RD NIPOMO CA 93444 PHONE 805 929 3545
13. mp we do not recommend plugging directly into an amp or PA with this product Any of our outboard preamps will fulfill this requirement the Para Acoustic D I or Feedback Master are particularly recommended for their ability to control feedback in loud playing environments The iBeam fits x braced guitars with at least three inches of flat open space directly under the saddle see figure 1 Verify that this requirement is met before altering the guitar in any way There is a small slit under the iBeam cap about 1 2 from each end of the pickup Do not poke anything into the slit The use of any adhesive other than the provided self stick pads is not recommended and will void the warranty 3 STRAPJACK INSTALLATION 3 1 Drilling the strapjack hole For proper installation this jack requires a clean 1 2 hole in the tail block of the instrument If the guitar lacks this hole start by placing a piece of masking tape on the outside of the instrument over LR Fragen 483 N FRONTAGE RD NiIPOMO CA 93444 WWW LRBAGGS COM fig 1 fig 2 smaller threaded section protrudes the drilling area to avoid chipping the finish drill a small pilot hole in the tail block and then follow with a step drill Now proceed with the installation 3 2 Installing the strapjack Remove the strap ring retaining nut and one washer from the end of the jack There should still be one star locking washer one flat washer and a nut remaining o
14. n the jack Bring the jack down through the soundhole into the body and insert it into the pre drilled hole in the tail block Using the internal nut be sure to include the flat and star washers set the proper depth that will allow the entire smaller threaded section to protrude from the instrument see figure 2 With the jack in place lay the remaining washer over the threads and attach the external retaining nut until it s tight Finish by attaching the strap ring it should cover the retaining nut and washer Note that asserting too much pressure may crack the finish Then proceed to the appropriate iBeam installation instructions pin bridge non pin bridge or classical nylon in the following sections 4 iBEAM INSTALLATION PIN BRIDGE GUITARS 4 1 General positioning guidelines The iBeam is a highly sensitive pickup therefore placement and the unique characteristics of the instrument are critical factors 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 Because every guitar is different we can tell you approximately where the pickup should be placed but we can not provide an exact specification The iBeam is designed to attach to the bridge plate directly under the saddle line and generally parallel to the saddle with the attached peel and stick adhesive Good results should be consistently had by attaching the pickup as
15. pressure towards the soundhole until the adhesive A Guid A EE aan Bian Seer gives way Rock it up onto one edge and then lift up one end to pull the adhesive away from the bridge plate Do not pull up on the cap Because the Beam relies on a clean connection with the guitar body we do not recommend reusing the adhesive instead use a new strip alternate placement fig 9 range light gray area De EEEE oe ELTI ee oo oo EET ee Le To remove the adhesive from the bottom of the pickup roll it off like carpet After tacking the new pad to the bottom of the pickup use the edge of a pencil to press saddle the adhesive firmly to the pickup We ve dark gray area included two extra pads in the kit and extra pads are available in packs of 10 for 5 00 Be sure to inspect the bridge plate for any adhesive residue before you reposition the iBeam iBeam default position Now reposition and test the pickup Remember that moving the pickup towards the saddle will increase presence and string response while away from the saddle will increase warmth and body response If the sound is satisfactory secure the wire and continue to the next section If not continue repositioning the iBeam as needed until you find the proper location 8 USER S GUIDE We recommend that the iBeam be used with a high quality outboard preamp such as the Para D I Feedback Master Gigpro or the Mixpro if a blended system is desired Best results will b
16. y 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 pl
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