Carvin SH-575 rewired for GK-KIT-GT3

Started by carlb, October 26, 2017, 03:02:33 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

carlb

My 13-pin pickup journey continues!

First I had the Ghost system built stock into the Carvin (now Kiesel) SH-575. But the piezo elements on that aren't shielded, resulting in buzzing for many patches, and really bad buzzing if you rest your palm on the bridge.

So, had that modded to RMC electronics and Hex saddle pickup. Much better, and still a "stealth hex pickup," which was nice. But ... a few years down the road, and corrosion in the saddles (or some-such) is causing the grounding/shielding to become open-circuit.

Put a GK3 + control wart on, and wow. Nicer tones, better alt tuning (fewer warblies), and no hums or buzzes on the difficult patches. But, looks bolted-on, which of course it is.

So, ordered in a GK-KIT-GT3, and had a local luthier put it in. The SH-575 has plenty of room for electronics, so the only wood routing was for the pickup cable feed-through. Very inexpensive for the job, and looks nice.

Gig tonight, but I'll wait: never change things out before a gig! Pickup is reverse mounted, so I'd need to change a global setting or settings on every patch to accomodate the reverse mounted hex pickup.

Luthier did a great job, nicely spaced, and with a bit of tubing on each mounting screw to bring the height up to 1mm spacing from strings to hex poles.

I'll post again sometime this weekend when I get a chance to really try the new setup out.

Next, get the other Carvin, an SH-475, rewired with a GK-KIT-GT3.
ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker

Elantric

#1
Quotecarlb wrote>

Carvin SH-575 rewired for GK-KIT-GT3

My 13-pin pickup journey continues!

First I had the Ghost system built stock into the Carvin (now Kiesel) SH-575. But the piezo elements on that aren't shielded, resulting in buzzing for many patches, and really bad buzzing if you rest your palm on the bridge.

So, had that modded to RMC electronics and Hex saddle pickup. Much better, and still a "stealth hex pickup," which was nice. But ... a few years down the road, and corrosion in the saddles (or some-such) is causing the grounding/shielding to become open-circuit.

Put a GK3 + control wart on, and wow. Nicer tones, better alt tuning (fewer warblies), and no hums or buzzes on the difficult patches. But, looks bolted-on, which of course it is.

So, ordered in a GK-KIT-GT3, and had a local luthier put it in. The SH-575 has plenty of room for electronics, so the only wood routing was for the pickup cable feed-through. Very inexpensive for the job, and looks nice.

Gig tonight, but I'll wait: never change things out before a gig! Pickup is reverse mounted, so I'd need to change a global setting or settings on every patch to accomodate the reverse mounted hex pickup.

Luthier did a great job, nicely spaced, and with a bit of tubing on each mounting screw to bring the height up to 1mm spacing from strings to hex poles.

I'll post again sometime this weekend when I get a chance to really try the new setup out.

Next, get the other Carvin, an SH-475, rewired with a GK-KIT-GT3.


Great overview of the hex PU situation

QuotePickup is reverse mounted, so I'd need to change a global setting or settings on every patch to accommodate the reverse mounted hex pickup.

I advise modify the GK PU Wiring  - so all your GK Processors can accept the normal GK-3 setting

details

GK-3 - Electrical Mod for reverse mounting the pickup
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3365.0

Rhcole

Carlb,

Still loving your Carvins? With the internal kits you could use virtually any guitar. That's a freedom that would be hard to pass up for me.

Imagine a chambered guitar like a Gretsch Powerjet (not too pricey or collectible but a great guitar) fitted. Yum!

Rhcole

Carlb:

"Here I come, I'm comin' to GIT YA!"- J. Hendrix  ;D

carlb

#4
MUST REMAIN STRONG ... CARVINS ARE FINE ...

Secretly jonesing for an ES Les Paul. Things weigh like 6 pounds!!

Seriously, the Carvins stay in tune and don't break strings, and play exceptionally well, and now have Duncans in them. Dang, it's hard to fault the them.

But yah ....

Steve, thanks for the heads-up for reversing the pins on that connector. Brilliantly simple idea, and allows for maximum compatibility of guitars and 13-pin processors that I might use.
ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker