Kinman Jazzmaster Hx User manual

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Install Guide for Kinman Jazzmaster Hx pickups Jan-17
Rev-0
Fore-notes and Cautions:
1. Avoid cutting the hookup cables.
Preparation before install:
Rest your guitar on a bench top with 2 ~ 3 layers of toweling or blanket to avoid scratches.
Remove strings, completely. Remove the pickguard and the bridge or tape it down.
IMPORTANT: Make a sketch of the connection points of both pickups. Remove the old pickups
by de-soldering their wires from their respective solder points. First refer to: CAUTIONARY
SOLDERING TIP on page 2.
Installing your new pickups.
Mounting screws & Tube springs: Unpack the new pickups, insert the 4 long mounting screws
(not provided) through the 4 small holes on the sides of the cover. Push the silicon rubber tube
springs (provided) over the ends of the screws that protrude out the other side, these springs will
fall of if the pickup is held level so keep it at right angles to the floor. You will also notice the
pickup has a tendency to fall out of the cover, holding it at right angles to the floor will make the
install far easier and reduce the risk of accidentally dropping the pickup onto the guitar.
NOTE: The tube springs for the pickups are cut to provide just the right amount of support. Short
springs for the neck pickup and long for the bridge pickup. Remove the original black rubber
sponge packing blocks under the pickups. If the tube springs fail to provide enough support
navigate on this Install Guides page to the Jazzmaster section and click >No Pickguard install:
Mounting pickups without pickguard, direct to wood.
Installing the Neck pickup: Orient the pickup so the tallest magnet is under the D 4th string.
Hold the guitar at right angles to the floor (on the workbench in normal playing position) and put
the pickup (also held at right angle to the floor) into the cavity. The hook-up cable should be
under the middle of the pickup exiting at the top, not outside the mounting screws. Make sure the
4 mounting screws are aligned with the screw holes in the cavity floor. Turn the screws so they
enter the holes and secure the pickup.
Once secured, lay the guitar onto it's back again. There are several wires/cables lying across the
floor of the cavity under the neck pickup, arrange these to prevent damage by the mounting
screws.
Push down onto the pickup keeping the top surface parallel with the cavity floor, simultaneously
advancing the screws (one by one) into the floor of the cavity. The screws should be relatively
easy to turn, if you feel too much force is require back the screws out and start over as they might
have missed the socket and be trying to make a new hole into the virgin floor.
Turn the screws until the pickup is in approximate working position (height or distance from
strings).
Bridge pickup: Repeat the operation (above 3 paragraphs) for the bridge pickup except the
hook-up cable can hang from the pickup and not be under it. Also there are no cables under the
pickup to consider as there is with the neck pickup. Orient the pickup so the tallest magnet is
under the D string.

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Soldering the connections: Do not remove or change existing original wiring other than the
hook-up cables of the pickups. To solder the connections position the guitar back down on the
bench top. Arrange the Kinman hook-up cables in a neat orderly fashion, avoid cutting them
shorter. Hold the wire that is to be connected next to the connection point, no need to warp it
around. Apply a drop of fresh solder to the connection point and make sure the new wire is taken
in by the flow of new solder. Hold the iron in contact for about 2 seconds to allow a good solid
connection to form. Ensure the wire does not move about while the solder is cooling.
CAUTIONARY SOLDERING TIP: when soldering hook-up wires do so with minimum of time to
avoid excessive heat traveling to the Red inner insulation sleeve (which can be damaged by
prolonged exposure to excessive heat and create a short circuit).
Poorly done soldering can cause bad sound, no sound, excessive buzzing (RF noise) and loss of
tone so read ‘Soldering Tips’ in the Install Guides section of our website
http://kinman.com/techsupport.php
DO NOT TAMPER with these
types of tags fixed to wood as
the connection to underlying
shielding will be permanently
damaged.

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Connecting the neck pickup to the slide switch.
Connecting the Bridge pickup to the Slide switch:
Solder the Blue wire to the
middle terminal of the Slide
Switch where the original
pickup connected to.
Solder the Ground wire to the
existing solder point that other
Black wires are connected to.
a) Solder the Red wire to the
upper terminal of the middle
Slide Switch where the
original pickup connected to.
b) Solder the Ground wire to the
existing solder point that other
Black wires are connected to.

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Completing the install.
Lay the guitar on it’s back and replace the pickguard. Check to make sure the wires and cables
are nestled in the right place. Install a new set of string. One at a time tug the strings to seat
then securely into the tailpiece and pull them through the holes in the shafts of the tuners. Pull
tight then retract the string approximately the same distance that separates the tuner shafts. Kink
the string around the edge of the hole and commence winding the string around the shaft,
keeping tension applied to the string with one hand. Wind until there is a light tension on the
string, this allows easy positioning onto the bridge saddles and nut grooves. Finish by tuning to
pitch then stretch the strings by tugging at the 12th fret area several times (stretch about 25 to
30mm from center resting position), retune to desired pitch.
A good starting point is to adjust the bridge pickup so there is a gap of approximately 2mm
between the pole and the underside the two E strings when the strings are fretted at the 14th fret.
The pickup will twist and seesaw somewhat because of the position of the four adjusting screws
so re-adjust the bass and treble screws several times until the desired gap is established on both
sides and the surface of the pickup is parallel with the strings.
The neck pickup can be similarly adjusted but with gaps of 2.5mm between the poles and the
underside the two E strings.
Plug into your favorite amp but before you cut loose contain your excitement for a few moments
(it’ll be well worth it) and select the bridge pickup and play a slow succession of notes running
across the fretboard from low string to high string. The notes should all have same loudness, if
that’s not the case adjust the mounting screws to achieve a good balance between the low strings
and the high strings. Repeat for neck pickup. Players often overlook this step but I assure you
that spending a little time to do this properly will reward you with superb sound.
Adjust the output of the neck pickup to be balanced with the bridge pickups by again using the
height adjusting screws, as described previously.
When all works as intended you are ready to play.
This is not the end of the adjustment phase, all Kinman pickups are very sensitive to
adjustment and the Jazzmaster pickups are no exception. I encourage to experiment with the
adjusting screws and see what happens for there will be hidden delights awaiting you there. You
will find there are numerous combinations that yield subtle changes in tonal texture and perhaps
you’ll find a sweeter spot, one that hits your spot perfectly.
Never underestimate the impact amplifier controls and outboard effects can have on the sound of
a pickup too. Before you begin it's a good idea to start with a clean slate. Don't try to adjust your
new Kinman pickups using your previous amp Eq and Fx settings. I suggest you set the tone
controls to 12 o'clock (position 5 on the knobs) and dial the adjustments in from there, adjusting
the Eq controls only after you get the best result from the pickups. The amp controls will then just
fine tune the basic correct pickup adjustments. Don't be afraid to use the amp controls, that's
what they are there for. If your sound needs more or less brightness simply turn the treble control
up or down. Same for Mids and Bass.
The moment you’ve waited for:
Now let loose and be inspired …. I wish you a heck of a lot of fun, stimulation, enjoyment and
satisfaction exploring your new sonic horizons. Don’t forget to take it soft n slow sometimes as
you will discover the many wonderful sonic nuances these Jazzmaster pickups have to offer.
Best wishes …. Chris Kinman.