Fishman Prefix acoustic guitar pickup and over heated 9 volt batteries

I make mistakes often but usually I don't admit it. But I thought others could learn from my mistake and maybe avoid a guitar disaster. Here is my story...

I was preparing for a small gig, this usually requires replacing my strings, batteries, and tighten things down. Months if not years had passed since I changed my 9 volt battery in my Taylor 514e acoustic and since I had the battery in stock, I thought, let's be safe and change the battery. The lighting in the work room was dim as the sun was going down and I was using ambient sunlight to illuminate my small project. I didn't pay close attention to replacing the battery and since it fit in fine I (wrongly) thought I had completed that aspect of my preparation. Then I replaced my strings like I've done a thousand times before. Everything was fine and I was excited with anticipation of my fresh new guitar set up and new battery.

Now it was time for me to test out my guitar and hear the new set up. I plugged the guitar into my amp and strummed it and found that there wasn't any sound coming out of the amplifier speakers. I checked my guitar lead, the amp, made sure my pedals were plugged in and the volume was up on the Fishman controller as well as my amp. After doing some brilliant deductive reasoning, I managed to check my 9 Volt battery that was in the Fishman control panel. Here, I learned that I had a surprise in-store for me because when I touched the battery located inside the Fishman Prefix control unit, I found that the battery was heating up - That heat or condition is called Thermal Runaway. My mistake was that I installed the 9 volt battery in backwards where the battery negative side was in contact with the Fishman controller positive side.

It is difficult to clearly see the polarity signs - Even with a flash!

I broke some of my own rules during this set-up. The following are a few common sense rules to follow.

• Always have a Battery powered flashlight handy and use it to illuminate things you cannot see well.
• Never put in a battery without being overly cautious about the proper polarity.
• Make sure the battery is new. Buy batteries from a store that had high traffic.
• Make plans and prepare in advance so that you will have enough time to do a proper set-up.

Which side is positive or negative? Use a flashlight to help you see your work piece.

Lastly, I generally prefer acoustic guitars without pickups because  when recording there is no substitute for a high end external condenser microphone by Neumann or AKG. However, if I must use an on-board pick up, I prefer a unit that leaves the guitar body unmolested or without holes. The pictures on this page are of a Taylor 514 circa 2000-2001 and it's a fine instrument and the Fishman does work well, so well that I prefer it to the newer electronics on the latest Taylor Expression system.

In conclusion, if your battery is heating up then it is extremely probable that you have installed it backwards!  Learn from my mistakes and be cautious when installing batteries in anything!

Listening post - What is inspiring me this week? April 2014

Don't have much time as life, work and practice eat away at my time bandwidth.

This week I get a little nostalgic and a few old favorites. I blow the dust off some records you might recognize and unwrap a few new albums you might like to try. The selections this week aren't too too eclectic but might be some that you've haven't heard in a while. I hope you enjoy this weeks choices!

UFO  - Strangers in the night. Really one of the best live albums of the 80's. Michael Schenker plays well and is even playing better now!

The Beatles - Revolver - Taxman, Good Day Sunshine, Eleanor Rigby, and She said She said - Nothing on this album sucks.

Howlin Wolf - Self taught, went back to school to learn to read, natural business man and surrounded himself with people like the wonderful and talented Hubert Sumlin. Buy the Chess recording! Listen and learn as this is paradoxical music in that it's old but sounds brand new.

Yes - Classics album - Starship trooper, Long distance runaround, And you and I, Wonderous Stories, and I've seen all good people send very positive messages in their virtuous music.

Tommy Castro and the Pain Killers - The Devil you know, Greedy, Second Mind songs make for a rockin blues album that is probably one of Tommy's best. Tommy is a real time hard working blues guitarist. I've witnessed his playing first hand and one of the best things about his shows is that you feel like you are a part of the band and not just a member of the audience. The Bay Area is proud of Tommy Castro!

Los Straight Jackets - Yeah, so they wear wrestling masks and have moves like ZZ Top. This is a great band. To me they are sort of TruckerSurferBluesbilly music. They play music you've heard before but not as an eclectic amalgamation. Listen to: The Casbah, Pacifica, Wrong Planet, Tsunami, Cavalcade and you will not be disappointed. They have cool guitars as well!

Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Rosetta Nubin) - Born 3/20/1915

Happy Birthday to The Godmother of Rock and roll who was born today 99 years ago. Whew! Seems like yesterday to some people. Part sermon, part gospel, part rock and roll. Rosetta was immensely popular and successful. Go to the biography channel to read up on her life. By all means watch her biography if you have the chance. Or check out wiki here.

Rosetta must have known guitars well as I've never seen a picture where she was holder a inferior instrument. I think she might have been able to run circles around some guitar aficionados.

Sadly, diabetes took Rosetta at an early age of 58.

She certainly played expensive guitars! Here she plays a 1952 Gibson Les Paul Gold Top.

You need to check out songs like; This train, It didn't rain to name a few. See here playing a 1963 Les Paul Custom.

Happy Birthday Rosetta!

Listening post - What is inspiring me this week?

What inspiring music am I listening to this week? Well, let me tell you! If I haven't told you before then I'll tell you now! I am all over the musical map! I have been working more on chord melody while also banging me head... Can't help it. Sound and tones are just too much fun and infinitely interesting. The fascination with music is never ending and every thing I hear is essential tuition.

So, enough of the blogger poetry. What is spinning on my player?

Queens of the Stone age - Like clockwork! This is beyond description. Sortof progpunkbluesfolkmetal!
Queens of the Stone age - Songs for the Deaf! See above
Eric Clapton - From the Cradle - Eric's version of a lot of old blues.
Buddy Guy - Rhythm and Blues. Fun fun fun with lots of guest. Buddy plays fast!
Duff Mckagan's Loaded  - Dunno if Duff realizes that he is a game changer?!
The Beatles  - "Re-release" Yellow Submarine, With the Beatles, Beatles - Past masters, Hey Jude, and Help! - It's THE BEATLES FOR GOD SAKE!
North Mississippi Allstars - World Boogie is coming! Some of the best musicians around.
Wes Montgomery - Smokin at the Half note! Buy it. This album is a classic. Just like Kind of blue by Miles Davis.
The Eagles - Yep, these guys make hits and the girls love their music! Besides - Joe Walsh is in the band!
Neil Young - Neil could hang it up and rest in our historical collections but he has brass balls and is going to fight injustice and bad tone! Go Pono!
Bill Monroe - They said he died but his music is immortal and Blue Grass has some of the fastest pickers ever.
John Mayer - Born and Raised. I didn't want to like this album but I surrender! Though he fights hard to be a huge DB there is no denying his talent. But John, ghetto passes aren't transferable.
The Stooges - I can't lie. The sudden death of Scott Asheton inspired me. I love Search and Destroy. But you really need to view Iggy Pop and the Stooges at Austin City Limits!

RIP -Scott Asheton!
The Bang Girl Group Review - I got their first album. Totally reminds me of Motown. Check them out!

The Rides - Can't get enough - And I can't. This a great album. Steven Stills shows why he is badass and Kenny Wayne Shepherd absolutely slays Muddy Waters - Honey Bee.



Blues Breakers John Mayall with Eric Clapton - Classic album. If you play guitar you need to listen.

Paul Butterfield Blues band - Michael Bloomfield rips it up. Another tragic loss..

Now. Shut up and play your guitar!

Buying Guitars; take your pick!

Finding a inexpensive, well made, rare wood guitar is no longer possible and similar to finding the perfect wife/husband - Smart, Good looking, rich - pick two! So pick two and consider yourself lucky if you obtain those objective: well made, rare wood is fine BUT you can bet the instrument will not be inexpensive!!!! That is no longer possible with the economics of modern instruments where the production cost, material cost, shipment cost, and other untold miasma controls the end product of a fine instrument.

On a positive note; low cost guitars are well made and help students advance quickly.

On a personal note: my parents wouldn't buy me a good guitar until I proved that I was interested and that this hobby wasn't just another one of my brief learning experiences. I received a classical guitar for Christmas and was given lessons. It was my responsibility to practice and take care of my instrument. Obviously I am still smitten with the instrument.

Walter Trout Needs a New Liver!

** Update: Walter received a transplant. He is doing better but he was seriously ill; recovery is slow, complicated, and just plain tough. Please put some positive thoughts out to Walter as he fights his way back to good health. Thank you for reading this post and doing what you can! 


Most working musicians do not have health insurance. Most. However, Walter Trout does have health insurance but due to his the nature of his illness he cannot work and his insurance will not cover all the costs of recovery. He cannot tour currently so he hasn't any income but while he is in the hospital - money is being drained from his family. He needs the musical community to help. I don't know Walter but I doubt he would ask for help but if he doesn't get help then the music will stop and a lot of people will suffer. I am donating what I can and you might want to do a good deed and throw down some cash yourself!
I think most of us do not think about our own mortality until it's too late but when you get sick, the bills, collectors show up before you are out of the hospital. Unfortunately, health is a business just like show business. The hospital is a great place to leave but facing ever mounting bills sucks.

Please donate! Go here to donate!

Thank You!

Gibson releases Government Series

Gibson finally got it's wood. The bottom line is that Gibson did something illegal and that fact is public knowledge. Ultimately Gibson paid a $300,000 settlement. Innocent or not, you be the judge. Their story was that they were unfairly targeted by a hostile anti business oriented government. This recent raid wasn't the first, the first raid was in November of 2009.

So, in a sort of thumb their nose move; Gibson has released a Government series of guitars. The idea proved to be successful, I doubt you can find one of these instruments at any shop currently and the asking price will probably be greater than most can afford, especially since the primary caveat is that the fingerboard is made with recovered rosewood that was seized by but later returned by Federal Customs agents. Nevertheless, it's a part of history and some people will covet these instruments.

Personally, I'd like to see the Gibson Les Paul Custom fret board to be made of Ebony. Now the finger board is made of Richlite which I  do not prefer (you might like it - test and determine!). Some Gibson Les Paul standard fingerboards are torrified maple. Custom Specification link. Try out the guitars before and judge for yourself. We have to be responsible when harvesting wood. Rare wood will drive up the cost. So beware, gone are the days of rosewood and ebony at reasonable prices.

I am glad Gibson is moving past this hiccup in otherwise a hallmark trade name that has been one of the most enduring trademarks since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.