Fishman Matrix Infinity VT Wide

I have a Taylor 314 from 20 years ago, a wonderful guitar. I ordered and with only an amateur's knowledge of these things, installed the Fishman Infinity VT in less than an hour (instructions for self-installation are not included, but are on the Fishman website). I also have a very good boutique 80 watt acoustic amplifier which I usually use for jazz and the first strum downstroke with the Taylor connected was magical (all settings to middle). Such a zing. The tone setting (from flat to scoop) is more than cosmetic and the switch which sets bass response too. Obviously I have not tried all the competing products, but they will have to be very good to beat this one. The Fishman reputation says it all. I have no regrets at all with my choice. I do suggest that before you buy, you read the installation instructions: there is information in there which - among other things - will help you decide if you need the wide or narrow piezo. All instructions are very clear and unambiguous.

I have installed these on 4 different guitars now, and they all sound incredible. So good in fact that I am starting to replace working pickups on other guitars just to improve their performance. The sound is full and rich, with the tiny tone switch between the volume and tone dials giving a slight change of presence, almost like a bit of sparkle and air, and a subtle bass boost. The output volume is at a good level too. Some systems are very quiet or too loud, but Fishman set this to a pleasant middle area that responds well with everything I run the guitar into. Natural acoustic sound without the “quack” of many lesser quality piezo systems. Inside the preamp are two additional switches that can affect the tonal character, but after experimenting with different settings I found my favorite was just the default settings. Another nice feature is that you can replace your rear strap pin and make it your input jack if you’re setting up a guitar that has no previously installed pickup. Pro tip: use some masking tape on the hole and drill it slowly with smaller bits, slowly widening the hole with larger bits each time to prevent accidental cracking. Slow and steady will give you good results, so don’t rush. Also mark your bridge saddle before inserting the piezo so you can file it down and maintain the same action after installation. You may need a few repeat sandings of the saddle to get it right where you want, so be patient. It will be well worth the effort once you hear the results.