Two GK guitars on VG99?

Started by Meltdown, June 09, 2009, 05:07:10 AM

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Meltdown

Hi,

Is there a box somewhere which allows for 2 gk equipped guitars to be connected to the VG99?
On stage i use 2 gk guitars, one for backup.
I'd like the backup guitar to be connected as well so when i break a string i can change guitars without the hassle
of changing the cable.

Cheers from Holland  ;D
Visit my website!
http://www.tachyonmusic.com

sixeight

As far as I know this can't be done. The Roland US-20 only works the other way. I guess somebody just has to build one. After all it is only a switch...

Where are you based in the Netherlands? I live in Drachten.


Meltdown

Hi fellow Dutchie  ;D
I live in Purmerend.

I know i can build one with relays but it's time consuming.
It seems strange that no commercially available solution is out there.
Visit my website!
http://www.tachyonmusic.com

Elantric

#3


Just a FWIW - there are new Multiple Guitar  / to Multiple 13pin processor selector switches in this area of the forum

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?board=174.0




aliensporebomb

Very cool device.

Now let's have the reverse: one guitar into FOUR VG-99s.

One would have bass and strings, another would have 12-string acoustic and brass synth, the third would have some kind of solo voice
with massive processing on the B side and the fourth VG-99 would be there for looks but could be called on for additional voicings.

Total overkill but think of the possibilities!
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

big_jan

I contacted Klaus and here is his reply to me:

Yes I can ship to Singapore. Payment would be best via paypal.

Unfortunately I have no switcher on stock.
I do a revision of it and I plan to finish next series end of January.
I will inform you, when I have finished it, than you can decide/order again.


Best regards,
Klaus

gumbo

OK, I'll start by saying that I HAVEN'T tried this (yet!)...

..on another forum I correspond with a couple of guys who have become good friends over the years...some time back I posed the same question to them about 2 guitars into one synth (in my case a GR30) and one of my friends suggested that a way to achieve this (as a sort of GK A/B  Box) would be to capitalise on the fact that with the GK-equipped guitars that I use getting their power via the GKC (cable), a simple method would be to have both guitars completely connected with the exception of the power conductor.

In a simple bit of circuitry inside a project box, one would then have two 13-pin (IN) sockets, with all their conductors connected to another 13-pin (OUT) socket....with the exception of the power conductor, which would be switched alternately between the two (IN) sockets via a SPDT footswitch mounted on top of the box...

...plug guitar A into (IN) socket #1, plug guitar B into (IN) socket #2, plug another 13-pin lead into the (OUT) socket and then into (in my case) the GR30.

The theory then being that only the guitar to which the power circuit is energised (via the stomp-box switch on top of the unit) will be the one that will produce a signal to send to the synth...the other guitar will stay physically connected on all its other conductors but will not be able to send a signal.....

On the face of it, I can't see why this wouldn't work in a situation where one WASN'T dealing with on-board power circuitry within the guitars...although the obvious variation-on-a-theme would then be to also have an on-board isolation switch to disconnect the battery in the guitar that wasn't being used...

I haven't got around to trying this out yet because I have had to spend the last year-or-so on another build project that has periodically driven me nuts...but it is on my list of things to play with, as this 'problem' project also has a GK and will ultimately put me in just such a situation when I take all this cr@p on stage and try to make it work in a live situation.. :o

If anybody can tell me whether they think this will or will not work, I'd be REALLY grateful  ....if you think there really IS something in this, maybe it could solve everybody's problems for a fraction of the price and hassle.....(project box, three 13-pin sockets, stomp-box switch, wire & solder....plus a couple of LED's if you want to get fancy)

Look forward to a reply from someone....
...Cheers (& Happy New Year!) from Oz...




Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

Vic1iful

I know this is a little OT, but since you have this skill, is it possible to make a 13pin wireless system? TIA

musicman65

Switching power is an interesting idea. The circuits would be parallel so the circuit impedence would be affected as well as having more live cabling to pickup noise. Also the mag pup signal routed via 13 pin would need to be disconnected or the active guitars tone might be altered....assuming mag pups are used.

I would be interested in how this works.

bd in tn

gumbo

OK...

...Now "this skill" doesn't (yet!) extend to wireless systems for the 13-pin people of the world (although I will admit that it's been in the back of my mind for a long time).... ;D

..interesting point about the mag pup signal, though, BTW....and thank you!...my response to that would possibly be to find a DPDT stomp box switch and wire the thing up so that as you switched the power to one guitar, you disconnected the mag signal from the other...not an impossible feat by any stroke of the imagination.. ;)

...then the mind goes further to think that something like a 4PDT stomper (which I believe does exist) would probably give one the ability to shunt a few things sideways as one switched the power...

I think I will definitely give this a 'go' next year when the dust settles on these other projects.... :o


....all comments welcome here...still interested to see/hear what everyone thinks about this....particularly if it prevents me from performing a MythBusters explosion in the process ;D


Cheers from Down Here
Gumbo
Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

Vic1iful

"....particularly if it prevents me from performing a MythBusters explosion in the process "

LOL, That's what would hapen if I tried it. 2 different setups to concider as well. Some that use Piezo set up their mags seperatly out of a stereo jack, some run the mags through the 13 pin and the stereo jack.



gumbo

Well Folks...

an update without an update..I have (!) located a 4PDT stomp switch and bought two of them ...so this will go ahead this year..

...unfortunately an electronic percussion project has become inserted in the list and will have to take a bit of priority, but "maxx play46" is the eBay seller with the switches if anyone is interested in experimenting while they wait for me to get my act together... ;D
Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

viscous99

Hi Gumbo!
Thanks for the welcome.
I too am contemplating building a two into one 13 pin merge box. I remember reading on another forum that this box, in theory, would work. I've ordered the parts (hard to find) except for the switch. I've trawled the net looking for multiple point foot switches but can only find DPDT ones. I've even considered HDMI switching boxes as HDMI is 19 pin.
I was thinking of switching both the negative and positive pins with a DPDT switch so that there is no leakage of voltage back thru the splitter box to the "inactive" guitar.

I'm in no way an electronics expert, but I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron. Just don't want to blow up my expensive toy.

Cheers
Viscous

gumbo

Vis...

See my reply to your other post..

Gumbo
Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

redlock



http://www.klausschock.com/Products/products.html

I am thinking of getting one from Klaus.
Does anyone actually have one and how do you find it?

cheers

drjoness2001

I would be very hesitant to try the experiment of connecting the two guitars together, then just swapping the power.

Generally speaking, I follow the rule of:

1) It is easy to passively connect one output to many inputs

2) Sensitive electronic gear can be damaged by passively connecting multiple outputs to one input

Even if it works the first time, you may find your input circuitry damaged over a short period of time. At a minimum, I would at least put 680 ohm resistors on each output to help provide some isolation. Even better, check out the 4066 quad bilateral electronic switching chip. Each chip can be configured as a DPDT switch, so 3 chips could handle the string inputs, then two more chips could be used to route the S-vol, guitar, and GK S1/S2 signals.

gumbo

Fair comment...and no-one likes the prospect of the smoke actually getting out of the box....   :o


FWIW,  Viscous99 (and some others) have made it work by using an A/B switchbox intended for selecting parallel printers....  there is more information around on that exercise, via a forum search..

...effectively it switches ALL 13 conductors + the screen simultaneously, if you set it up correctly...

Regards,
Gumbo
Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

redlock

ummmm... Thanks guys. I think I'll leave it till someone builds a more suitable box.

Still wonder if anyones using one though?


billbax

#18
Hi,

Yes it is possible to run two, four, or even eight GK guitars on one v-synth.  All you would need is an electronic switch or multiplexer with a clock.

If you were to sync the GK13 audio inputs with the v-synth outputs, then you would be able to have separate guitar outputs.

That's the theory, but it's much easier than you would think.

Bill

www.separate-strings.co.uk

redlock

Thanks Bill.

I don't suppose you make one do you?


billbax

#20
Hi Redlock,

Designing a multiplexing interface for a v-guitar synth?? It would basically be along the same lines as Gibson's DarkFire multiplexing system...six separate string signals down a single core cable.  It's a simple enough circuit in principle, but for me it probably would end up as a 4 week design job, just making sure everything was right. Also for all that time spent, not sure what the business model might be.

Perhaps Elantric might have some thoughts on a design.

Bill

www.separate-strings.co.uk

redlock

It's just a switcher I'm looking for so I can leave all my GK guitars plugged in, thanks anyway Bill.


billbax

#22
Hi Redlock,

Misunderstanding here, as you would be able to keep both guitars connected to a v-synth with such a system.  You could even have two guitarists playing at the same time, and have separate audio outputs.

If you wanted to do a simple two guitar switch on a v-synth alone, then I think someone has already mentioned it here using relays and a footswitch.

The multiplexer device concept would allow you use several guitars with a v-synth at the same time.

Bill