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Fishman Ellipse Matrix Blend Acoustic Pickup and Preamp System - Narrow Saddle Reviews

Acoustic Guitar Pickup/Blending System - Narrow

The Fishman Ellipse Matrix Blend acoustic pickup/preamp system puts the amazing capabilities of the Acoustic Matrix system onboard your guitar! The Ellipse Matrix Blend combines the world's best-selling undersaddle pickup with the Ellipse Blend to give you incredible tone at your fingertips. A flexible gooseneck condenser microphone and volume, blend, and phase controls give you the sparkling, transparent sound and control of an Acoustic Matrix pickup with the unique and expressive character that a microphone provides. Now you don't have to compromise your onstage sound! Once installed, the Ellipse Matrix Blend is nearly invisible. Available in Wide and Narrow configurations.

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$319.95

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Highest Rated Reviews

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Great pickups!!

By Bradley Hyatt from Hilliard, OH on February 2, 2022

Well, the installation is a little tough for a moderate luthier, but the outcome is outstanding!! The sound for a live group is just unbelievably good. I've played it now in both of our church sanctuaries and both sound guys were very impressed!! Just the piezo change is really good, but the mic is great too. Blending seems to work well. So happy, it makes my $600 Takamine sound like a $2,000 Martin in live situations! Thanks!!

1st Fishman Pre-Amp/LOVE IT!!!!

By Robert E Trice Jr from Rockwell, NC on January 29, 2020 Music Background: Local professional

I just installed my first Fishman pre-amp in a 2011 Boucher Wild Goose cutaway dreadnought. Wow, didn't realize it was that old. It came with an L.R. Baggs I-Beam Mix. I never really liked the preamp. I have other L.R. Baggs preamps like the Anthem that I like a lot, but not this one. It sounded thin and just could never get the adjustments on the pc board to get it where I wanted it to be and sound. I began to search all the different models, K & K which I LOVE and Fishman were the only one's I thought were worthy of such a great sounding guitar. Then it hit me!! A Strat or Tele sounds great thru a Fender amp so why wouldn't a Fishman acoustic preamp sound great thru a Fishman amp; I use a LoudBox Performer. After all, don't they test and use their amps to voice their preamps. Ordered one from my man Devin and I was right. I sounds amazing. Set the voice switch to the right place and will try it out this Friday at a awesome 5 Star restaurant. Thanks Fishman and Devin. Bob Trice

Fishman Ellipse Dual Source Pickup

By Victor from Princeton on February 17, 2018 Music Background: Pro Musician

I had the system professionally installed in a Cordoba F7 Paco nylon string guitar and could not be happier. The crisp tone from the under saddle pick up is great and when I blend in the microphone I am to achieve a very realistic tone that"s easy on the listeners ears. I also use the Fishman Platinum Stage DI to shape my tone. When used together it"s a fantastic and rich clean sonic tone. Thanks Fishman.

Great Investment of Your Acoustic Guitar

By Steve from Ordered from Sweetwater on January 2, 2017 Music Background: Semi-Professional

Purchased the FEMB to replace the pickup in my Takamine 12 string guitar. The TK-40 just quit working and needed a good one to replace it. It took me some time to research online and finally decided to take a chance the the Fishman Ellipse Matrix. Had it installed professionally and after a week I had it back home. When I plugged into the PA system, my first thought was this sounds good. From the mic setting to the under-saddle pickup, you get a beautiful sound. Now, my Takemine sounds absolutely 10 times better than what is sounded when the TK-40 was the main source of sound. Would I recommend the FEMB, absolutely! If you play acoustically, whether solo or in small group, take a chance on it and you will be quite pleased. Finally, my representative from Sweetwater took time to ask techs whether the Narrow would fit into my guitar and his help greatly influenced my decision to purchase the product. What other online music store will treat its customers in that manner?

Fantastic

By Jon-Nolan Paresa from Sacramento, CA on November 2, 2016

I have one on my HD-28 and placed the pickup on another Martin Guitar. Only one word. Fantastic!

Best Pickup I have ever owned

By Peter Morrison from Ca on January 29, 2014 Music Background: Music lover..

I am extremely pleased with the sound quality of this pickup. I have owned four Fishman Matrix pickups prior to this and this is far superior. I just had this installed on my 2001 Martin HD 28. Wow. Very balanced and natural sound. This is a total winner in my book. With the mic only blend it truly sounds like a micro-phoned guitar. I think the blend between the two sounds perfect. Check this one out!

Absolutely Awesome Product!

By Gregory Ginter from Nashville, TN USA on February 22, 2011 Music Background: Hobbyist, FOH engineer, Personal Guitar Enthusist

This is an absolutely awesome product. I had it put in my acoustic so that I run it through a sound system in a live environment. I am blown away by the sound that comes from this system. My guitar sounded good before I put in this system but it really shines with this installed. Every time I play, I plug it in , even if I am just practicing. Installation was easy and involved cutting a hole in the pickup and widening the end hole.

Good mic, inaccurate instructions

By Trey Yancy from Dallas on December 29, 2016 Music Background: Corporate media producer, occasional weekend gigs.

This is a great pickup. The placement of the mic matters. I noted that when I received it, the mic did not resemble that in the photo or the instructions (one with a head that can rotate for balancing the bass response). The mic on mine is cylindrical versus a side-positioned barrel. I had to move the mic around a bit because when my guitar guy installed it, he swung the mic away towards the back of the guitar. It was very boomy until I played a bit with the placement, achieving a nice tone for the mids.
The instructions also refer to a switch for going between flat and bass boost, but I could not find said switch. What you get are a blend slider for piezo vs mic (with a center indent), a volume slider, a phase button and a mic trim set screw.
I am running this through an Aura Spectrum and using the FX loop with a couple of pedals, which work quite well.

Excellent

By LAW from Pennsylvania on July 12, 2015

I originally replaced a faulty OEM pickup system in my Taylor 414CE with a Baggs Lyric system. For the record, I could not dislike any musical product more than the Baggs. Scooped sound and very feedback prone--regardless of my PA and/or amp settings. The guitar was essentially unusable in any live situation. Decided to ditch the Baggs and went with the Ellipse Matrix Blend. Absolutely love it! As the name implies, you can blend the microphone with the under saddle pickup to achieve virtually any mix you want. Because the microphone is in the sound hole (and not in the body cavity like the Baggs), feedback issues are minimal and, when they do arise, very controllable with the Fishman system. I would highly recommend this unit. Fisherman products are stellar in terms of sound quality and resistance to feedback.

Fishman Ellipse Matrix Blend - Narrow

By Mike Soffa from Fond du Lac WI on September 22, 2013 Music Background: Pro Musician

This unit was easy to install, though I did not receive instructions in the package - I had to go online to access installation instructions. It was everything that it was cracked up to be - it provided a true, clear reproduction of the Gibson J-200 acoustic guitar without the need for excessive use of an equalizer. I was very pleased.

Fishman Rocks Again

By Victor from Princeton on April 9, 2011 Music Background: Pro Musicain

I installed this pickup in my Cordoba F7 Flamenco guitar, It was a easy install and sounds great like it should, Its not a mic in the sense of what you get when your in a studio, however for playing live and wanting to be able to capture the sounds of the taps/glopes on the body of the guitar you need more than jus the piezo pickup. I will probably use the Fishman Aura at times. For live paying a great set up. Mark Magdichx 1265 was a great help at SW. Thanks

Fishman Ellipse Matrix Pickup

By Jerry Hildabridle from Burnet, Texas on July 2, 2010 Music Background: Hobby for 50 years

I purchased this pickup for my Martin D-35. It was very easy to install, except for boring the almost half inch hole to accept the jack. I danced around that for an hour. Next time will use a step drill which is easier to control. It stated that a professional should install the product, but when I saw the installer, there was no way I was going to let this clown do the work. I use a PA system instead of an amp, the sound is great. I am planning to buy another to be installed in my D12-35.

my installation experience

By Tom from Houston, Tx on August 23, 2012 Music Background: Musician

You definately need to download installation instructions from Fishman website because there's not much info in the box. I'm pretty handy so I had the tools and background to do the installation. If you're not a bit of a crafstman, take it to someone who is, as you will be drilling holes in your beloved guitar. I installed this in a 40 year old Ventura 12 string. I'm glad I selected the Narrow pickup as my bridge was only 3/16" thick and this fit comfortably at the bottom of the slot. The mag pickup easily reached beyond the top and bottom E strings so I get full response from every string.
Drilling the hole for the mag pickup wire and drilling out the strap button hole were the only scary parts.
The rest was cook book per the instructions.
It works great....still playing with the balance between condenser mic, mag pickup, and mic location. There's so much sound coming out of a 12 string anyway that it complicates things a little. I play in a group and have been using a premium (but non-adjustable) mag pickup in the sound hole for the last 10 years, so the increased flexibility is totally fun.
It is invisible and easy to access for volume and balance adjustment. The trim pot on the mic doesn't seem to have much effect...still fiddling with it. Bass is great if you want it and easy to turn down if you don't. A low battery light would be a nice feature. Keep a spare batt in your case.
Cheers

Ellipse Matrix is just okay

By PocoStevo on December 20, 2015

Neat idea but...
* notch filter button and sometimes other pieces rattle when I hit certain notes.
* didn't fit my Taylor 324 without some modification (make sure it works in your guitar)
* Microphone is flimsy - wont stay where I put it.

Sound is okay, but difficult to figure out exactly where the mic should be positioned. too close and it clicks from the pick hitting the strings. Too far and it is less effective.

I have another guitar that has a mic in it which is more fixed and just works better.

I had originally asked about the LRBaggs Anthem and the salesman thought this would be better at a better price. I am really, really sorry I didn't go with my first instinct. The shop that installed this told me that the Anthem would have been a lot better.

Threw Mine in the Garbage

By Sweetwater Customer on July 18, 2022

Mine was a first generation Ellipse. Never could get the mic to work. Always distorted and never could position it right. Got rid of it and went for the K&K Pizo with an external stomp box. Way cheaper and a reliable sound.

Trust Me Don't Buy This!!!

By Nick from Riverside, Ca on January 12, 2022 Music Background: 50 years of performance based RandR.

If you like feedback then this is for you. I've tried to adjust this piece of CRAP every way from Sunday. I even had a luther take some time to figure it out - "NO LUCK". If I would of stopped and thought about putting a microphone inside a box, then turning up the gain, I would of come to the conclusion this was a stupid idea. However, I must say the newer Matrix without the microphone is a winner. Good Luck!

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