Guitars with built-in magnetic 13-pin?

Started by carlb, July 27, 2017, 02:44:59 PM

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carlb

I bought an old Roland-ready strat on eBay, but it's kind of a dog.

I'd like to get a really good instrument with built-in magnetic 13-pin: I need an instrument to tame the GP-10 alt tuning "warbles."

What are the choices available?
ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker


carlb

Thanks much!

I've found a Parker Nitefly used with built-in GK for not too many $$. In good shape, and I hear good things about Nitefly guitars.

Very lightweight apparently which should be great for my back, as I like to stand at gigs if I can.

I'll ensure it's setup optimally (tips welcomed), then try it with the dreaded open-alt-tunings. Hopefully, 'control-alt-salute' the GP10 warblies!
ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker

Majiken

Take what you need, put back a bit more, leave the place behind you better than it was before :-)

www.majiken.rocks


Pete1959

#5
That Explorer puts my parts Strat to shame...

Squire Surf Strat with internal GK3 kit.
Warmoth reverse maple neck.

aliensporebomb

I always keep an eye out for 13-pin capable guitars.  Saw what I thought was a Godin strat-styled guitar with trem and hex out but upon closer examination it was dual quarter inch jack output and USB connectivity!   Better luck next time.

That explorer is a beauty. 
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

Elantric

#7
Quote from: aliensporebomb on August 01, 2017, 02:15:34 PM
I always keep an eye out for 13-pin capable guitars.  Saw what I thought was a Godin strat-styled guitar with trem and hex out but upon closer examination it was dual quarter inch jack output and USB connectivity!   Better luck next time.

That explorer is a beauty.

Godin does make a model like that  - the Godin Freeway SA
http://www.godinguitars.com/freewaysa05.pdf
http://www.godinguitars.com/godinfreewaysap.htm
but ( like Carvin / Kiesel guitars,) that model employs ghost piezo saddles with high adjacent string cross talk

Kevin M

Quote from: carlb on July 28, 2017, 02:49:35 PM
Thanks much!

I've found a Parker Nitefly used with built-in GK for not too many $$. In good shape, and I hear good things about Nitefly guitars.

Very lightweight apparently which should be great for my back, as I like to stand at gigs if I can.

I'll ensure it's setup optimally (tips welcomed), then try it with the dreaded open-alt-tunings. Hopefully, 'control-alt-salute' the GP10 warblies!

Parker made some nice ones. Check eBay (or your favorite alternative) for good deals on them.

carlb

The guitar came yesterday. Today, I've tried it out. Action's too high, floating tremelo is a pain when tuning. Not a bad guitar, I do like the bridge hardware vs. Fender strat bridges.

Plugged it into the GP-10, spun the GP-10 PU input to GK. No difference I can tell between GK-1, GK-2, and GK-3 settings. Can someone enlighten me?

So, the part we're all interested in: Warblies on alt tunings?

Very, very little. I'd say 95% of the issue is just gone. That was with DADGAD, open G, open A, open G-flat, any of the GP-10's alt tunings. And this setup may not even be great - cable-side of GK pickup isn't flush with the pick guard.

Of course, turn down the volume, and you hear the acoustic string response beating against the electronic string's alt-tuned output. But that's a different issue. The "warblies" are the GP-10 fluttering on the detuned frequency of a string in a ringing chord. I'm hearing very little of that with this guitar. And I'm hearing very little of that, even with dreaded open harmonics ringing across all the strings.

This tells me I need to have my guitars reworked. No more piezos, not even the RMCs.
ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker

Rhcole

How about that. I have the battleship-sized Antares on order because I wanted better pitch shifts. I had stopped using the GP-10 for shifts beyond 12 string due to the warbling.

aliensporebomb

Someone show me a "good deal" on a Parker with built in GK like the white one pictured here and I'd be a happy camper.

I've rarely ever had issues with this on my GK guitars but the reasoning why might be down to fundamental playing technique - I don't rest my hand on the movable tremelo bridge to play - as doing so causes slight pitch detunes you can hear.  But I've found other reasons it can happen.

Some warbles come from the string being too close to the GK pickup and hitting the housing or possibly too far away.  I know there can be an electronic reason too.  But my patch I released for the GP-10 I call "Pod's Eno-Esque Organ" pitches the strings way out of guitar range and if
you hear my demo it basically sounds fine and is based on one of my VG-99 patches:

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=21433.0

For technique while playing GK systems with extreme pitch shifts to the sounds I either anchor my pinky on the pickguard while I play while picking or rest my hands on the strings lightly to mute unwanted strings ringing out. 

Rhcole: Battleship sized?  How big is that thing?  I might have to just impulsively order one.

My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

Rhcole

ASB, I can't locate dimension specs anywhere. But, it visually appears to be at least 20" wide, maybe up to 24". It's also pretty deep. It would go great with your FC-300 and Boss looper. You could get exercise jogging while performing live.

carlb

I still have mine, I believe it to be about the size of Milwaukee. OK, I exaggerate. Mmmm ... Madison.

I sure hope Roland/Boss have decided to make the VG-1000 or a GP-99 and are nearly ready to release it.
ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker

Rhcole

Sweetwater just notified me that they have shipped the ATG-1. Apparently the delivery date is ambiguous as the pedal will occupy two different time zones throughout its delivery.

Kevin M

Quote from: aliensporebomb on August 06, 2017, 06:21:57 AM
Someone show me a "good deal" on a Parker with built in GK like the white one pictured here and I'd be a happy camper.
.......

What would you consider to be a good deal on that white one?  Just curious. :-)

billv055

I think the best answer to this question is to first find a guitar you really, really like  to play,  then install a gk3 internal kit.  For me if the neck or the base tone of the mag pickups is wrong,  it won't get used.

aliensporebomb

Quote from: Kevin M on August 07, 2017, 07:56:59 PM
What would you consider to be a good deal on that white one?  Just curious. :-)

That's the problem - with something like that they were always insanely expensive between $2 and $6 grand.  I could never justify that kind of price for a single guitar.

I was trying to google used prices to get a baseline but so few were made I have no clue.  Try me!
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

Kevin M

Quote from: aliensporebomb on August 08, 2017, 01:44:51 PM
That's the problem - with something like that they were always insanely expensive between $2 and $6 grand.  I could never justify that kind of price for a single guitar.

I was trying to google used prices to get a baseline but so few were made I have no clue.  Try me!

Well....unfortunately I'd have to get well in that range you mentioned to justify parting with it. It is an amazing guitar, but, i can understand anyone being hesitant to spend a ton on a guitar. I search all the time for it just to keep up, but never see any. Probably a two edged sword in that respect.

aliensporebomb

Yeah.  In my own case just trying to stay out of divorce court!   But, realistically I'm keeping my eyes out for any and all deals.  The Roland Ready strat I have is okay and plays better than most of those but it doesn't come close to my graphite reinforced neck Jackson Soloist with GK3.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

Rhcole

#20
What about some of the alternative mag hex pickups such as the Ubertar http://www.ubertar.com/hexaphonic? I had a phone conversation with Paul Rubenstein last year, he was incredibly knowledgeable and a nice guy to boot. And he was willing to make whatever you want.

It seems instead of paying $4k for a used Parker with Hex, why not get a very good $1500 guitar and drop a humbucker-sized magnetic hex pickup into one of the slots? Or a single coil, for that matter...

http://www.ubertar.com/hexaphonic/products.html


admin

#21
Quote from: Rhcole on August 09, 2017, 10:17:48 PM
What about some of the alternative mag hex pickups such as the Ubertar http://www.ubertar.com/hexaphonic? I had a phone conversation with Paul Rubenstein last year, he was incredibly knowledgeable and a nice guy to boot. And he was willing to make whatever you want.

It seems instead of paying $4k for a used Parker with Hex, why not get a very good $1500 guitar and drop a humbucker-sized magnetic hex pickup into one of the slots? Or a single coil, for that matter...



Or locate an old stock "SoundGarage" Gk hex PU Kit

Check out FFata's SoundGarage Hex PU equipped guitar

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=16533.0

and Aure's




SoundGarage Strat Kit

More details
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=11104.msg81033#msg81033


GuitarBuilder

+1 on Cycfi Research.  Very high quality.
"There's no-one left alive, it must be a draw"  Peter Gabriel 1973

admin

#24
Quote from: GuitarBuilder on August 10, 2017, 08:39:08 AM
+1 on Cycfi Research.  Very high quality.

But still tough to actually acquire  - limited availability



The high end 13 pin adapters are never in the store

https://www.cycfi-research.com/?orderby=price-desc

Contact Joel de Guzman for availability
http://www.cycfi.com/author/djowel/