GK-3 install on an Ibanez RG 2550

Started by frummox, July 14, 2015, 05:55:11 PM

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frummox

Been reading this forum's posts to figure out a way to install a GK-3 on my Ibanez RG 2550. The GK-3 will fit between the Ibanez/Dimarzio bridge pickup (no ring) and the Floyd Rose style bridge but I'm concerned about adjusting the pickup height (haven't bought the pickup yet). From the bottom of the 6th string to the pickguard is 3/8" where the GK-3 would be. In the Roland install manual for the GK-3 (page 20) the pickup is measured at 3/8". Under the diagram an asterisk says this: "with yokes at maximum height". Does this mean that the pickup can be adjusted downward? If I can't adjust it downward the pickup will hit the strings. Another member recently posted a number of interesting third part attachments to mount the pickup on rather than screw it into the pickguard but most of them seem to depend on having either a pickup ring or a non-tremolo guitar. Other than double sided tape (which I don't like) the only option seems to be screwing it into the pick guard as long as the height can be adjusted.

The radius of the neck on the Ibanez RG 2550 is sort of flat. Don't think I saw anything about this in the manual but I believe another member said the radius of the pickup can be adjusted. Does anyone know how?

There is not a lot of space between the strap pin and the cavity for the Floyd Rose tremolo. I did a paper mockup to size to see how the controller would fit in that space. The controller is maybe 1/16" to big. If I can hang it a bit near the strap pin it would completely clear the cavity. Is there a way to adjust the controller a tiny bit downward if i use the roland holder hardware to mount it on the strap pin?

Thanks for any and all help!


Elantric

#1
Review the GK-3 Patent  - has a cross sectional side view of the GK-3 Hex PU

The center "Radius adjust screw allows the height of the  GK-3 Hex PU's center pole pieces to be lowered to roughly flush with the top of the GK-3 PU's metal PU housing.


When there is a tight fit due to limited space between top of the guitar and bottom of strings (where you want to install the GK-3 Hex PU) - consider swapping the GK-3 for a gently used GK-2A - these have lower height
read
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=downfile&id=41


Mrchevy

#2
See diagrammed image for orientations.

1. If you turn your GK3 mockup clockwise from the ORANGE AXIS to the RED AXIS, that is how it will sit on the guitar when using the GK3 strap pin mounting bracket.

2. The GK3 control will set 3 1/4" from the tail edge of the guitar in towards the bridge.

Re-orientate the GK3 controller to these 2 parameters and that will show you were it will actually sit when mounted with its bracket. The pickup height you'll just have to check real close with a ruler (mm) to see how that will fit. with the flatter neck radius, the center height is what will be crucial, but you only need 1mm clearance between string and pickup when the string is fretted at the closest fret to the neck pickup.
You can also shim the neck since it is bolt on, to give it more backward pitch, which you would then have to raise the bridge slightly, giving you additional height and clearance. This is common to do with strats.

http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/19686-guitar-shop-101-how-to-shim-a-bolt-on-neck?page=1

hopefully this will help.
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Epi Les Paul Standard
Gibson SG 50's prototype
Squire classic vibe 60's
Epi LP Modern
Epi SG Custom
Martin acoustic

Princeton chorus 210

GT100
GR-55
Helix LT
Waza Air Headphones
Boomerang III

And, a lot of stuff I DON'T need

Mrchevy

Also, I don't think this is the exact model Ibanez but should give you a better idea of the set up.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Epi Les Paul Standard
Gibson SG 50's prototype
Squire classic vibe 60's
Epi LP Modern
Epi SG Custom
Martin acoustic

Princeton chorus 210

GT100
GR-55
Helix LT
Waza Air Headphones
Boomerang III

And, a lot of stuff I DON'T need

frummox

Thanks for the reply Mrchevy. I just measured the distance from the edge of the tremolo cavity on the Ibanez to the edge of the guitar near the strap pin. (the Ibanez in the video has a lot more space below the bridge-strat style tremolo) Its exactly 3 3/16". This means the controller is 1/16" too big and will overlap the cavity by 1/16" of an inch. It might just clear the Floyd Rose mechanism. Is there any way to nudge the controller downward 1/16" using the strap pin mounting hardware?

Mrchevy

#5
At 3 3/16" you would actually have 1/16" extra, but I would consider that a margin of error so it would be close. You can move the controller down closer to the bottom and mount it with double stick tape without the brackets or install a second strap pin lower and use the mounting bracket. I relocated/added a second one on my Martin acoustic centered but closer to the top of the guitar. It's a $1,600 guitar. Some don't want to do such mods to a more expensive guitar. If it were a really expensive collector guitar, I'd think twice but most musical instruments in general don't carry great resale value anyway. Do you want to set the guitar up to do and play the way you want, or are you concerned about resale value? If the latter, then just buy a second guitar to mount the GK3 system to. It can be mounted and set up on that guitar without permanent mods but you just may not be able to use included brackets. Do what you have to, to make it your guitar and play and enjoy OR, put it in a safe as an investment and get maybe 50% of what you paid for it in 10 or 20 years. My Les Paul Custom cost $4000 new 7 years ago. I would not do any permanent mods to that one but I'd be lucky to sell it off at $2500 right now. One other note, I never use my GK3 selector switch so for me, as long as the GK3 controller didn't hit the tremolo, I wouldn't be concerned about it being real close.
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Epi Les Paul Standard
Gibson SG 50's prototype
Squire classic vibe 60's
Epi LP Modern
Epi SG Custom
Martin acoustic

Princeton chorus 210

GT100
GR-55
Helix LT
Waza Air Headphones
Boomerang III

And, a lot of stuff I DON'T need

frummox

Thanks for the reply mrchevy. I was zoning out on the measurements and didn't realized I had an extra 1/16"!! It also occurred to me a small shim could be added between the instrument strap pin and the bottom piece of the controller attachment to slightly move the controller away from the tremolo cavity. The instrument is sort of a project instrument so I'm not concerned about resale value, just getting the GK-3 to work properly (I recently had a Fernandes sustainer pickup installed on it). Elantric's post (THANKS ELANTRIC!) might solve the potential problem of the pickup being too close the strings if I can use the adjustment screw to lower the pickups for string 4 and 5. I'm thinking (hoping) the pickups for strings 1, 2, 5 and 6 will have enough clearance as the pickup is curved. This Ibanez has a sort of mirror,  very thick pickguard so the holes for the pickup would have to be drilled carefully as not to crack that thin strip of pickguard between the bridge pickup and the bridge. A tech suggested a more radical solution which I thought might be risky--to slightly route the area under the GK-3. A lot of interesting alternate ways to install the GK-3 in the post below by Tony Raven but unfortunately I don't think any of them would work on this instrument.
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=15076.msg107717#msg107717