Soundboard transducer and internal cable noise

[wayfaringstranger]

I'm looking for some suggestions for dealing with silencing cable rattle inside a mandolin after installing a soundboard transducer pickup. I installed a JJB pickup in my mandolin (essentially the same setup as a K&K twin) with a tapastring jack. Works and sounds great, except there's some slack in the internal cabling that smacks against the top when I move. And since the transducer turns the top of the mandolin into a giant microphone, it makes a lot of noise.

Anyone had any luck figuring out how to immobilize those internal wires? So far I've come up with these ideas, but hoping someone here has already had success:

1) Cutting the wires short and resoldering to the jack to take out some of the slack (there's not much to begin with, though)

2) Using a little tacky putty to secure the cables against the back if I can figure out how to get in through the F holes to do that effectively.

3) Using EQ to cut out more of the low end and standing really still when I play.

Thanks!

[lenf12]

[QUOTE=wayfaringstranger;1732468]Cutting the wires short and resoldering to the jack to take out some of the slack (there's not much to begin with, though)/QUOTE]

Sounds like the way to go imo.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Marty Jacobson]

Those are all good options. Before doing anything else I would use tacky putty to stick it against the side near the treble f-hole so you're not fighting gravity. That will also act a bit like strain relief, and you are not going to impact tone since it's on the side. Sometimes instruments are so dusty/dirty inside that the putty doesn't hold well. A q-tip and a tiny drop of water should allow you to clean that up if needed.
Sometimes you can also finagle a tiny zip tie in there, and by creating a loop to take up the slack, you can get it so it nearly never hits the top or back.

[pops1]

Simply remove the tapastring jack and, while looking inside with a mirror, twist the jack so the wires twist and tighten up and don't touch the top. Has worked for me many times.

[amowry]

That's what I do, just twist the jack gently as I tighten the nut to take up any slack.

[kkmm]

I had same problem with a piezo on top sound board of my violin. Solved by securing cable with electrical tape (ala tacky putty).

[707erich]

Do what pops1 said first, put a twist or loop in the wire; it’s worked for me.

[MontanaMatt]

The twist is how Bruce Weber dealt with excess cable on my pickup installation.

[pops1]

Just twist enough for the wires to clear the top, you don't need to tighten them excessively. I do it in all installations, guitar or mandolin.

[Explorer]

I've done both the twist, and/or masking tape to fasten the wire to the bottom or side.

[Wrnchbndr]

This can be a real pain and having only the F- holes as access makes it difficult. Fishman provides stick-on clips for their preamp installs. These are actually quite good as they are the type that are the metal “bendy-type”. They work really well if you prep the place where you’re gonna stick ‘em by cleaning the wood with denatured alcohol.
Or, you can strategize on the best way to cut the cable to the perfect length. Damn, you gotta be careful.

[wayfaringstranger]

Thanks, all. This was super helpful. A little scary taking up as much slack as I did and cutting the wires so short, but that plus the twist trick did the job.