infoncundible - Posted - 04/04/2011:  16:18:37

Hello everyone, greetings from Spain.

I bought a used pickup rare earth, and I've noticed missing the blue steel shim, anyone have any idea how to replace it with something easy to get? It is possible any piece of metal? what thickness should be, and surface? How is the best way to stick it to the head? Some glue or double-sided adhesive tape?

thanks guys!

Poisoned Dwarf - Posted - 04/04/2011:  16:46:58

Fishman sells cheap replacements online

Poisoned Dwarf - Posted - 04/04/2011:  17:01:27

Fishman sells cheap replacements online

infoncundible - Posted - 04/04/2011:  17:09:32

I suppose it can be cheap if you live in USA, but surely sending to Spain for a piece of metal is very expensive and very slow, so just look for an alternative!

hum - Posted - 04/04/2011:  17:38:30

A razorblade works fine - just cut to size and use a little superglue to stick to bridge.

Edited by - hum on 04/04/2011 17:39:27

infoncundible - Posted - 04/05/2011:  05:07:00

Thanks, Hum!!! I'll try with the razorblade, but still I have doubts about the glue that I can use, I would not like to risk burning the head...
by the way, you stick to bridge or head?

Trewq36 - Posted - 04/05/2011:  07:39:30

Stick it to the bottom of the head, just under the bridge.

And I would use Silcone glue. Won't get too hard and easily removed with a razor.



Never Play the Same Thing Once....yoR

Edited by - Trewq36 on 04/05/2011 07:39:51

DantheBanjoMan - Posted - 04/05/2011:  15:47:01

I've heard a piece of tape measure works well.

hum - Posted - 04/05/2011:  15:52:09

I stick the shim on the middle leg of the bridge - then I can just swap bridges if i don't need to use the pick up as I prefer to use a shure clip on mic these days - I'd rather do that than stick it to the head.

infoncundible - Posted - 04/06/2011:  17:06:08

bumblecrow - Posted - 04/08/2011:  11:08:10

You can always use clear tape and tape the shim to the underside of the head.  thats what i did, sounds great, no real noticeable difference in tone.

MTBanjo - Posted - 04/08/2011:  12:10:27

That's how mine is too. 3M double sided sticky tape.

Of topic...but out of curiousity, I'd like to know if everybody puts theirs right under the middle foot of the bridge. I installed mine with the help of a local instrument shop (Greg Boyds), and he put mine just maybe a half inch in front of the bridge, towards the neck. I haven't messed with it since, but it sounds good to me. I'm just wondering where he came up with that method (personal experience, maybe?), if everyone else puts theirs directly under the bridge.

PeterJ - Posted - 04/08/2011:  13:59:26

I stick mine on the underside of the head, right under the middle foot. It's a little percussive sounding there, but that actually sounds good through the p.a.

I think the current Rare Earth instructions say to put the shim a bit in front of the bridge. I haven't tried that. I have the older, non-Rare Earth version, and the instructions saif to put it under the middle foot. It doesn't change the acoustic tone, as far as I can tell.

bumblecrow - Posted - 04/08/2011:  14:13:55

Mine's a bit in front, maybe 1/2 an inch.  Tone's great there too!