GK-3 PU Mounting Rings - allow Reversible GK-3 Installation.

Started by Elantric, January 23, 2008, 07:15:18 PM

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Elantric

Custom GK Mounting Rings - No drilling required

http://stores.ebay.com/Gotta-have-It_Specialist_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ8QQftidZ2QQtZkm








Hi there,

Before you read on, consider this ... how much will two empty screw holes in your guitar body reduce its value by ?? £12 ?? me thinks more !!



Now have a look at this ....

An adaptor plate for permanently or semi-permanently mounting a Roland GK-2A pick-up to a guitar.  The idea came about from a problem I encountered converting an Ibanez JS100 to Roland GK operation. The pick-up simply didn't fit .. the gap between the existing (humbucker)pick-up mount and the tremolo was/is too small. This adaptor plate shifts the existing humbucker towards the neck by about 4mm (not really enough for any noticeable tone difference) ..... then creates a solid flat platform for the mounting of the GK pick-up.

You have the further options (and advantages) of being able to use an aggressive adhesive to attach the GK to the plate without the worry of damage to your guitar's finish. The adaptor plate has two short slot/holes that line up with the holes from your existing humbucker mount (NO DRILLING). Two further holes are provided for the mounting of your existing humbucker .... (NO SOLDERING) . As stated previously the plate provides a firm and stable base to adhere the GK pick-up to.

NEW FEATURE ....The GK pickup can be fixed (screws) permanently to the plate using shim washers to achieve the correct height. AND NO DRILLING INTO YOUR GUITAR BODY !!!

NEW FEATURE ... The adaptor plate now has very short slotted mounting holes to allow for fine adjustment across the string path to ensure pick-up poles align with strings.

The adaptor plate is precision cut from Stainless Steel, and finished with a light brushed grain.  The plate can be spray painted using a suitable undercoat.

The distance from the strings to the guitar body must be 11mm minimum (GK =7-8mm thick + 1.5mm thick plate total 9.5mm) for this modification option to be valid.

If you have encountered the same problem as me (mounting a GK) or if your just after very good REVERSABLE conversion ...you'll find this plate will seem to be "worth it's weight in gold".

Happy bidding and good luck ..... any questions ???? don't be shy !!

Brilliant photo's of Jackson installation supplied by my customer.... Now that's the spirit of Ebay ... thank you !!

prongs_386

Hi I am just wondering what is the width of the plate alongside the pickup closest to the bridge? My guitar has about 8mm of space in between the pickup and the floyd rose.

Also I noticed in the images that on the mount there are the holes to atach the gk too.. but there wern't holes in the mount for the bridge side screws to go back in. so it would only have the two screws holding it down. It says there is no drilling into the guitar body.. but surely you have to drill through to get the screws to hold down the actual pickup.

Thanks for clearing any of this up in advance, I would really like to avoid any routing on my guitar and your mount seems perfect :)

Bermanator

Yes, the customer's installation photos show that the 4 original pickup plate mounting holes did not align with the new mounting ring and that two new holes must have been drilled into the guitar to mount it (that defeats the benefit of the thing since he could have drilled two holes to mount the GK directly!).

The inventor should include his plate dimensions on e-bay to see which type of pickups it's compatible with.

Suggestion:  why not drill a few more holes in the mounting ring to (hopefully) line up with the original drill holes to really avoid drilling into the guitar ???

Elantric

 I own a few of these  - they still require good DIY skills - might as well fab your own

They may not fit some china / Epiphones.


Look close - count the 4 mounting holes.

Elantric

I realize this pic is missing 2 mounting holes - it does not accurately depict the actual product - must have been a pic of a prototype.



rdl001

For Strats, Try this one out -This Roland GK adapter plate works just great - I have converted 2 guitars using the Ebay purchase below, my buddies love it too, so simple retrofit for minimum cost.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161035481152?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1586.l2649


greekjgg

So I have a "few" guitars. I use my GK3 on all of them. I have both internal and external. I use Floyds so space is limited between the Humbucker and Floyd but the gap varies depending on my guitars. Typically I use the 2 sided tape option to mount (I use a much stronger tape, not the stock tape that comes with the GK3. However, I'm always mounting and then I have to "tweak" the spacing between the strings and PU which is hard to do on either the "taped" version once attached or the GK plates that are CRAZY expensive ($60usd) depending on how you mount it. I like to tinker and I created this little guy so far.

1. Just over 1/8 in thick or 2.12 MM
2. You can mount this UNDER your normal humbucker trim ring but STILL adjust the height of your GK3.
3. This version has the height of the GK PU added to the bottom basically. I am working on another for my other guitar where the trim on the bottom of the PU Ring is replaced with the height of the GK3 (basically the same as the $60 version on ebay.
4. I have some special nuts on order to test so that you can tweak on the fly w/o tools needed but they should work fine and look aesthetically like part of the mount.
5. I have a "clear" product in mind that could be painted

Ultimately I'm testing thickness. This thickness seems thin enough that it won't impact the Hum Trim Ring but I've seen various thickness and sizings just in the "hum trim ring" along as there is no standard size it seems?

I like the thin version but I'm also playing with a thicker version that could be the Hum Trim ring and GK3 adjustable plate together.

Thoughts? Opinions? Likeable?
Setup:
Homemade EVH Frankenstrat with built in GK3
GR55
Rocktron Talkbox
TC Helicon Voicetone C1
Tech 21 Power Engine 60

Elantric

In my experience its tough to create a "one size fits all" GK PU mounting solution.

Good luck and I look forward to your results!

datsunrobbie

If I were to make such a thing, I'd cut the side that is closest to the neck off and make the mounting holes slots instead of round holes, so the plate can be moved closer to the bridge. Please pardon the really bad mspaint hack job

greekjgg

I had considered that option. I'm sorta of going for "ascetics" as well. If it was strictly a thin piece that mounted under the Hum PU Ring your mod would be cool. If it was the Mount and the Hum PU ring together I might think it wasn't "pretty".
Setup:
Homemade EVH Frankenstrat with built in GK3
GR55
Rocktron Talkbox
TC Helicon Voicetone C1
Tech 21 Power Engine 60

greekjgg

Quote from:  Elantric on November 22, 2013, 12:02:19 PM
In my experience its tough to create a "one size fits all" GK PU mounting solution.

Good luck and I look forward to your results!

Agreed! I started based on my own "wants". I've often overpaid for things because I'm impatient and I know the market drives price up or down. The $60 plate is just a bit much for all that it is. IF I did this for more than just me, we're talking maybe $30? and more "functional" and quicker since I'm in the U.S. I have a buddy with a CNC. He made me a template to test cut based on the pic I posted. If its 1 or 2 models I may do it. I'm not messing with "Strat" or "Les" versions. The other option I see that may be the "everybody else" option is just the size of the GK mount. The "pen sized" plastic piece that comes with the GK3. I might do that but thicker so if you mounted with adhesive you could still adjust the height once installed. The adhesive I use is pretty darn strong but doesn't damage the finish on the axe.
Setup:
Homemade EVH Frankenstrat with built in GK3
GR55
Rocktron Talkbox
TC Helicon Voicetone C1
Tech 21 Power Engine 60

vtgearhead

Quote from: Elantric on January 23, 2008, 07:15:18 PM
Custom GK Mounting Rings - No drilling required


This vendor has vanished from eBay stores.  Does anyone know if the adapters are still available?

Elantric

QuoteThis vendor has vanished from eBay stores.  Does anyone know if the adapters are still available?
Ebay search on "Roland GK Mount"

Here is the seller I always used.
http://www.ebay.com/usr/peteroni


http://www.ebay.com/itm/230382219884





http://www.ebay.com/itm/261112301703

vtgearhead

Quote from: Elantric on December 13, 2013, 07:55:04 AM
Ebay search on "Roland GK Mount"

Here is the seller I always used.
http://www.ebay.com/usr/peteroni

Thanks!  I really wish he would publish a dimensional drawing so I could eliminate the guesswork as whether it will fit my JTV-69.  I've seen the photo of your install, but the picture on eBay suggests that the ring is too wide on the neck-ward side to clear the pickguard. 

Elantric

The plate on my JTV69 required a lot of rework, grinding, filing because I wanted a 100 % reversible GK3 installation and the stock ebay Humbucker GK3 mounting ring was too wide on  several axis .

The reason these ebay GK mounting rings cost so much is due to being made of high quality stainless steel.

Smash

I bought a humbucker surround GK mount exactly like you're proposing over a year ago from ebay was no good for my Ibanez S470 unfortunately.

The guy is still selling them but has also introduced a very neat single coil version as well

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pickup-mounting-plate-Roland-GK-2A-GR33-VG88-/230382219884

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pickup-mounting-plate-Roland-GK-2A-GK-3-GR33-VG88-Strat-/261112301703

vtgearhead

i picked up one of the humbucker style stainless mount rings, not sure if I was going to use it on my Variax JTV-69 or PRS Custom 24.  On both instruments, it places the hex pickup outside Roland's recommended 20mm max spacing from the bridge pieces.  Indeed, the GR-55 calibration cannot even be set for distances greater than that amount.

What effect is this likely to have on tracking?  Or, is this distance more an issue for the COSM modeling? 

Elantric

Roland recommends the divided PU distance not to be more than 20mm away from the bridge setting mostly to minimize adjacent string crosstalk. For example if you play blues, and bend strings wildly , if the Roland PU is place too few away from the bridge,  the G string  is likely to enter the magnetic flux region of the adjacent D or B string divided PU pole piece, this crated massive warbling if DSP Alt tuning mode is engaged. Roland wants you to enter the PU distance and scale length of your instrument because the COSM Modeled PU tones for the Strat model (with its three virtual single coil tones) rely on the divided PU receiving known vibrating string harmonic content at specific string lengths to accurately model the expected tone when COSM Guitar Modeling is activated.
some background reading
http://www.till.com/articles/PickupResponse/
http://www.davidhazy.org/andpph/exhibit-vibrations.html


I have a highly modified version of this stainless steel HB ring  on my JTV-69, My main goal was not to void the Line6 warranty, so I needed a GK-3 install that was totally reversible, so I could return it to stock should I need warranty service, Frankly if i had to do it over again i would have fabricated my own, which would be wider and place the Roland GK-3 PU closer to the bridge. But I have no issues myself - I just set the Gk distance setting to mX (20mm) for all strings and Scale length to "ST" (Strat) since the JTV-60 shares the 25.5" scale length of the Fender Strat.

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3434.0

pytheus

DO NOT PURCHASE THE GK-3 MOUNTING PLATE FROM
http://www.ebay.com/usr/peteroni

Though an elegant solution, his interior dimensions are incorrect on *ALL* sides.  It would have saved so much time to have fabbed my own rather then painstakingly correct his mistakes in stainless steel.  I had considerable and decent communication with him before and after, and he stated he would change the dims and send me some more since I purchased three.  And, of course, all I got was lip service and then the silence of flakiness. 

Thumbshifter

This has been a great thread. I have a home-made (rear routed controls) Strat I just dropped off to the luthier for a GK3 installation. I've been thinking about it since then about what controls I actually use on my (surface mounted) other GK3 guitar. I never use the three way switch, so I don't need that, but the up-down buttons I do use some times, so I was thinking of not having a three way switch for the synth/guitar choice and having my old guitar's existing three way switch turned into an up/down momentary S1/S2 switch and just use the two volumes for relative controls.

If that sounds like it makes sense, then I'll get back to my luthier pronto!

Cheers
Chipps

joo1

Google translator:
Hello. I have to sell a few circuit boards. I made for myself and a few for sale. Price very low :)
http://www.ebay.pl/itm/252660852022?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649


admin



QuoteI made my own plate with a 3D printer to attach to the escutcheon screw for Roland's GK-2 and GK-3. I made it because there are some models such as Paul Reed Smith that can not be attached to the tune O bridge. The yellow parts in the 1st and 2nd photos are the self-made parts. We will ship in black or white. Please note that the surface is rough because it is made with a home 3D printer. If you have something you would like to make with a 3D printer (plastic), please contact us from the question column. * Some items can be made and some cannot. It may take several days to ship.

https://www.mercari.com/jp/items/m25490870125/

Tape

Has anyone attempted to make a strat gk3 mount with a 3D printer? I want to use one on my strat but in reverse with Elantric's wiring trick, which means the ebay mount wouldn't work (and I have no way to grind it if the dimensions don't come out right).

AAT65

I bought the hum bucker GK-3 mounting plate from peteroni on eBay since I wanted to fit the GK-3 to my PRS SE245 while leaving space between the GK-3 and the wrapover bridge to be able to still change strings. He supplied the plate very quickly, but I did have to make a slight modification -- in my case the opening for the humbucker is not wide enough for the pickup covers which I have fitted to the SE245 (I think it would have been fine for naked bobbins).

Peteroni supplies washers to stack up for raising the GK-3 height, suggesting you use up to 5 at each end. In my case that would have been inadequate as the strings are about 15mm off the body at the bridge. I also didn't want the GK-3 hanging suspended from the ends only. So I used the Roland-supplied plastic spacers and double-sided tape between the mounting plate and GK-3, but also drilled holes through near the ends of the spacers so I could use Peteroni's supplied nylon bolts & nuts to attach the GK-3 securely.  It maybe isn't 100% clear from his listings and photos, but the nylon bolts go through the plate from underneath, through whatever spacers you require, then through the GK-3, where they are secured with nylon nuts. The nylon bolts are then cut to length.

I've suggested to him that a reverse-mounting version would also be useful (it would need the countersinks for the bolt heads on the other side but no other changes). If he does that I'll buy another one and flip the GK-3, even if I have to do some grinding on the inside of the hum bucker cutout again.