Fernandes Sustainer. Is it junk, or did I get it Wrong?

[Trev57]

I recently purchased a Fernandes Sustainer FSK-401 kit to install in my DK2. I did all the routing stuff, and drilled new holes etc. But I cannot get this thing to work. Everything else works. The 5 way switch deactivates when I switch the sustainer on, all 3 pickups work when I switch it off. The mode switch does nothing. The sustainer control makes a little noise when I turn it fully counterclockwise, and the thing I think may be odd is that the LED light on the circuit board is on all the time when the guitar is plugged in. I read somewhere that the sustainer works if you switch it on even when the guitar is not plugged in (bit of a battery waster if you ask me) so this makes me suspicious that something is not right. When I did the routing and drilling, I did it so that I would not have to disconnect any soldered joints, which would make installing and removing really easy and (laugh) trouble free.
Has anyone else been through this, or can anyone help?
Thanks.

[rjohnstone]

The FSK-401 kits are pretty straight forward.
The unit should not power on if the cable is unplugged.
If it does, it has the wrong jack installed or the jack is wired wrong.
Can you post pics of the installation?

[Dreamland_Rebel]

i have a fernandes Revolver pro with sustainer and it takes some getting use to.

- LED on when plugged in.
the input jack is wired as a master on/off switch so that unplugged disconnects the battery. so you can leave the sustainer switch on and not drain the batt when unplugged. (kinda like EMG's)

-pickup switch doesn't work when sustainer is on.
when the sustainer is ingaged the pickup switch is bypassed and only the bridge pickup is active. (the neck driver vibraites the strings magnetically while the brige pickup reads the signal - therefor the neck pickup cannot read the signal because its sending instead of recieving, thus rendering the pickup selector useless.)

-Harmonic mode.
the mode switch toggles between normal, and harmonic mode. during regular playing you will not notice a difference untill you let a note sustain for a while. then the note will morph into the 5th harmonic + 1 octive. the time between letting a note sustain and the 5th harmonic morph is dependant on the intesity control knob. you will also have a blend control knob that controls the amount of the normal sustained note vs. the harmonic.

if you have any more questions please be specific and i'll do what i can to answer.

[Trev57]

I cannot post pics. Sorry.

I understand about the pickup switch, and am convinced that that part of the system is working, because when I switch the sustainer on, I only get the bridge pickup.
The harmonic mode switch and the blend control do nothing, because I am not getting any sustain at all. I got a hint of it at one point, but only on the low e string. I have gone through a pack of new batteries to confirm that it is not a weak battery. I have adjusted the pickup heights as close as they can go to the strings.
I don't really know what else to do. I have emailed Fernandes, but I don't hold out much hope for help from there to be honest.

[MartinBarre]

I don't know anything whatsoever about these things, but it seems there's two options:

1) It's broke
2) You wired it wrong.

[Trev57]

Have you considered the 3rd option? It sucks?

[rjohnstone]

Here's what I'm trying to understand.
The FSK-401 kit is pre-wired and requires very little work, short of routing to fit the board, to install it.

Was this kit new or used when you bought it?
Also, don't set the strings to close to the sustainer driver or the humbucker or it won't function at all.
There's a sweet spot for them and instructions for setting it should be included in the kit.
It's between 1/4" and 1/8" IIRC. Been a while since I've installed one.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

about an 1/8" on the driver but the bridge pup can be set around standard.

check your wiring. and the mini trim pots on the circut board. also check the manual pdf on fernandesguitars.com

my sustainer works just fine but it took me reading the manual and adjusting the mini trim pots on the circut board.

you could just have 2 wires backwards or something.

[Trev57]

It is tough to really see in this photo, but here is a link to the rear cavity.

http://s244.photobucket.com/albums/gg17/Alienlefty/?action=view&current=DK2rearcavitiesmodified.jpg

I have been able to get it to work a little. The manual (micro print page) recommends between 1/32" and 3/32" string heights from the pickups. This is dificult because you have to set these with the strings pressed down at the 24th fret, otherwise they bottom out. So you have a higher string height for all other fret positions getting progressively worse towards zero.

This kit was new when I bought it. I routed for the battery box and drilled a slotted hole to push the battery connector through so that I wouldn't have to disconnect anything. I had to make a soldered connection for the middle pickup, because they don't provide and extra clip, but this works fine. I wanted to use a Seymour Duncan Humbucker, but when nothing worked at all, I switched to the Fernandes as a process of elimination.

I want it to work (Hell, I have routed the guitar now) so I will keep plucking away - pun intended - and see if I can get some better results.

Typically, how long does a battery last?

Thanks for the help. Trev.

[Trev57]

Just trying another picture method.

[Trev57]

Well I finally figured out the picture thing. Talk about banging your head against the wall! Now I can glue pictures all over the forum.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

when using an SD pickup switch the ground and hot wires. i have a JB in mine and it works great. it just has to be wired backwards or normal is harmonic mode and HM is normal.

as far as batts lasting, i've never let mine run out. i don't leave the guitar plugged in, and if i'm using it in the studio i go ahead and change the batt. the manual should say how many hours its supposed to last. i can't remember. my guess is a little longer than a stompbox.

btw what bridge is that?

[Trev57]

Ibanez Cosmo Pro.