Fishman M-200

[beerhunter]

I recently purchased a Fishman M-200 mandolin pickup with a carpenter jack for my Epiphone MM-50. #I'm finding that the jack won't tighten down enough to stay on. #I was at a jam last night and compared the thickness of my mandolin to several others and they seemed to be the same.
Has anyone else had that problem? #and, if so, what did you do? #added a spacer?

[david blair]

Hey beerhunter,

You probably just have to work those sides together (each one gradually) to make it fit. Mine works, but I removed the clamp and taped it to my tailpiece until I have time to hard wire it to the end plug/strap button system. You could also tape it to your strap?

The pickup sounds pretty good, no?

[beerhunter]

Hi David,
I haven't gotten to hear the pickup, yet, as I wanted to install it all at once, correctly. #Consequently, I haven't started. #Also, however, I received an answer to my query from the Fishman help desk. #They stated that some mandos are thinner (mine?). #He said he would send me shorter turnbuckles, free of charge. #I'll take 'em up on it. #that should do it.

[wichitamando]

My mando teacher had problems on his Weber because it had radiused corners. I don't think the Epiphone has bound corners so that probably isn't the issue. I've got the M-200 on my Kentucky KM380 with no real issues. Every few weeks I have to retighten the turnbuckles but that's about all.

[Ray(T)]

I had the same problem fitting the carpenter jack to my "vintage" Ibanez "F" - i.e. kept dropping off - especially with a lead attached to it which, if you're not careful, could rip out the wire from the pickup itself.

I put it down to the profile at the edge of the mandolin body. On my Holoubek the curve of top and back flatten out to meet the sides at a right angle which, I would imagine, would be fine for a carpenter. On the Ibanez, the flattening doesn't happen and the angle is slightly greater than 90 degrees - i.e. a slight taper towards the side - making it possible to pull the jack off as it won't tighten down squarely. My solution was to make some profiled cork shims which could be stuck down with double sided tape. I say "was" because I 've never actually got round to doing it! Good luck.

[mandroid]

Hardware, find a Viola chinrest clamp, they're wider than the violins , so the hardware will adapt to thicker mandolin bodys,
blue-tack [for bulletin boards] makes a removable adhesive, that may help stick the carpenter block to the top, without damaging the finish, so the clamp doesnt have to work so hard.
theyre like a turnbuckle, the sleeve/tube is threaded both Rh and Lh threaded thats how it draws the 2 parts together.
unthread entirely, and start threading, tightening sleeve with little pin tool, both pieces together and that will start at maximum width.
some clear shrink tube over the sleevenut keeps installation process from scratching the sides.

[mandowilli]

I had the same problem on my Flatiron festival F. My solution was to buy some cork with adhesive backing at the craft store and place it where the larger part of the carpenter jack meets the mando top.
This solution also gives the added benefit of a softer contact with the top and less chance of the jack imprinting it.