Re: Fishman pickup problem
That sounds like a real hassle! From what you've described, I would check the connection of the wires at the piezo. IDK without having it in my hands, it's always so hard to troubleshoot online! It seems like you have plenty of output when you're holding the piezo? Then I would start there and move backwards. Usually, the output jack is to blame, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Maybe the leads going into the pickup are pinched and shorting out?
Re: Fishman pickup problem
Ok thanks I will check all the connections real well and if I seem to get nowhere, I always have the option of installing a newer system. Yeah troubleshooting is a not real easy online, I was just hoping to stumble across someone that had already been thru my particular issue. For this system there is a whole other syndrome they typically go thru when they fail. This particular one is an SST system Ibanez and from what I have read my problems will likely not end here. to replace with the exact match is way out of the price question for me $165 (for stock thru Ibanez) or less than $20 for a complete new setup (Ebay from China where they are made anyway). I only paid $75 for the guitar and it's a great acoustic right now. So I guess I'll play around with the connections and see what is in store for this guitar.
Re: Fishman pickup problem
Honestly, if you bought the guitar for $75, then I wouldn't really worry about "original"... Sounds like a "player's guitar" and not a collectible. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but we're talking about an Ibanez, not a Pre War Martin or vintage Gibson or something like that.
Re: Fishman pickup problem
Absolutely a player not a collector by any stretch just an everyday Ibanez single cutaway. I just have the habit of trying to keep it all as it came if I can. I have no qualms about upgrading it, and will likely do so. Before I stumbled across this one I was seriously considering putting a Fishman system in an old classical I have, it sounds beautiful and I really didn't want to chance it changing by me cutting a hole or two in it.
Re: Fishman pickup problem
Does this sound right? I replaced the strings (I broke the G string messing with it), and all I had laying around was an old set of cheap electric strings. I got it all tuned in and plugged in just out of curiosity, and low and behold the pick up works just fine. I looked at the strings I replaced and noticed like a plastic or nylon coating on them. So I'm really not sure whether I just got lucky and if that was all there was to it, or if somehow I bumped something just the right way and now it's fixed (temporarily). I'm going to go get a much heavier set of strings and hope for the best for now, but if that is sounding like a possible issue as to why it wasn't working please let me know I'd appreciate it.