Godin Freeway SA

Started by foolevil, October 14, 2008, 06:10:33 AM

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foolevil

Heres my Godin Freeway S.A. laying on my livingroom mat.
Its been for with me for a month and it is just sweet. I mean it is pretty good.

When it came it had 09-46 strings which are too llight, I usually have 011 or 012.
I had 011-52 strings on it and strange but... it was no more a strat. All twang was lost.
I quickly changed stainless steel 11-48. Maybe a bit too "Rollings Stones -72" for some others but for me its perfect.

I have two other guitars with external GK-3:s but this one is so good I think I might sell them.
I guess I get 85 % my VG-99 sounds fine or even better from this Godin.

Actually, having internal hexa mic means A LOT.

I have on Schecter C-1 GK-3 and I played basslines with it... with my hand
dampin the low E, laying on GK. I almost broke that GK playing couple of days.

Right, this Godin has whammy. Having palyed it three hours straight now with *medium light" whammy use I can tell you this
is one of those rare ones that keeps tune pretty nicely. If it goes out of tune its usually less that 1/4 note and with *normal whammy* use
it stays tune well. Normal and medium whammy use mean you dont use it up-down tremolo or too often full down.

Well now what its like?
Guitars own microphones are pretty good so I mix them with VG-99.
When I had VG-88 I mixed guitars mic sounds to hexa VG-88 cause... I never get ballsy enough sounds from VG88,
they were always missing "something in the middle". Now I use Godins own mics – sometimes for same reason, to get more twang or more attack  – but also
to get perfect phase-out or phase-in sounds, theyre really nice.




WROOM!

foolevil

Freeway SA minus points.

It has piezo mic in bridge with has tremolo. Trem is one of things I bought Freeway for.  Bridge mic it is very sensitive to everything that happens down there.
When I have certain distortion and compression tremolo strings come very alive.
I talked with guitar tech guy who said he could insall sort of of condom well tube anyway onto those  to dampen that noise.

One of the beautiful things with vg-99 is to have complete sound with no unwanted noise,
no hum, no clicks or whatever.


WROOM!

clearlight

#2
Anyone have a Godin Freeway SA?

Im thinking of ordering one......i heard the tracking is sweet and since the ghost system is like 300 and this guitar is like 700 it looked like a good deal

ed
My Music
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GUITARS: 2x RG1521, 3x RG321 w/gk, Rg721 Fretless Modified, AmStd FatStrat w/gk, various others....
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VGUITAR Stuff: VG99, FC300, RC5-

doha1696

#3
Hi, I've just had my new Freway SA yesterday. I thought things would be much better with the graph tech saddles but.... I'm a bit disapointed...

The first problem is that it seems to be impossible to cut the guitar sound... even when the output jack is not used... (only the 13 pin cord is used). No guitar sound should be heard on the third position of the 3 way toggle but there's a sound... and I can't cut it, guitar volume knobs are unusable....
Second problem is that most of my sounds (made with my Musicman GK3 equiped) get noisy. I also have a lot of larsen on high gain patches...
Third problem, I thought midi synth tracking would be much better... Wow..... it's quite impossible to play my synth sounds, it doubles notes or doesn't track anything...
I have the 1.04 VG99 firmware with Piezzo choices.... but it doesn't seem to be very efficient....

Sure I'm not using the Godin as I shoud do... Are there particular things to know to make it sounds good ?

Bye

Dominik
Dominik Hardy

http://fret-time.com

Brent Flash

There are threads on this site that seem to agree that if you reduce the string sensitivity you will get better results. You may want to do a search to see if you can find more information. Sorry, I don't know where they are.

doha1696

I just read all things about piezzo pu here but didn't find answers about the way the Freeway goes on sounding even when the volume knobs are on 0... I also thought people should have used Godin Freeway too and had experiment solutions o this model....
Dominik Hardy

http://fret-time.com

bob e

I don't have a Godin, but had smilar issues with my Brian Moore w/RMC.  Have you tried adjusting the GK settings in the VG?  Be sure the S1, S2, and vol knob are assigned properly.  Take your time adjusting string sensitivity.  I keep my settings low enough that when I bash the strings the meter reads one block short of max.  Of course, patch levels may need to be increased if you lower string sensitivity significanly.  Also, sometimes a factory reset is required when all else fails...but back up your presets first!

Bob E.

doha1696

Thanks, I'll try what you say and I'll tell you...
Dominik Hardy

http://fret-time.com

doha1696

Lets talk about my Freeway experiences... I did different things.
Really made various tries in the VG 99 parameters. I considerably lowered the GK string sensitivity by trying not to exceed 30. The result was a better tracking and quite a good feeling playing synth sounds. I used the piezzo G function. In guitar to midi, my settings are : Feel 1, Hold 1, pitch off...
The problem is that these settings are not stables... Sometimes, everything's OK, sometimes not, notes become impossible to play, tracking is horrible and so on... Don't understand, nothing has been changed on the VG and the guitar seems to decide the moment when it's nice to play or not......
In an other way, I also changed my settings on my Luke GK3 equiped. I lowered string sensitivity too and the result was really good. Just one thing I don't understand, on 12th fret, second string sometimes bugs... synth sustain's cut and there's no sound... only at this place... strange...
Dominik Hardy

http://fret-time.com

tbuechse

Hi,

my Problems with the Freeway SA and the VG 99 is that it sounds if it has too much gain. The Clean sounds are a little crunchy now.
Thanks for help
Best
Tim

jvguitar

Quote from:  doha1696 on July 03, 2010, 11:27:04 PM
Really made various tries in the VG 99 parameters. I considerably lowered the GK string sensitivity by trying not to exceed 30. The result was a better tracking and quite a good feeling playing synth sounds. I used the piezzo G function. In guitar to midi, my settings are : Feel 1, Hold 1, pitch off...
The problem is that these settings are not stables... Sometimes, everything's OK, sometimes not, notes become impossible to play, tracking is horrible and so on... Don't understand, nothing has been changed on the VG and the guitar seems to decide the moment when it's nice to play or not......

Dominik, I used to experience some of your problems with my Freeway SA. I've purchased a piezo subsonic filter from RMC for the VG-99, which solved most of the problems I had with the Freeway. MIDI tracking is better now. However, in my experience, no single MIDI setting that can fit every playing technique. I use different settings for different needs like soloing or playing arpeggios, etc.

tbuechse

Hey Domink,

same with me. I can´t mute the MIDI signal with the 3 way switch, nor controlling MIDI Volume with the Freeway SA.
Would be nice to have more information on that

Thanks
Best regards
Tim


Quote from:  doha1696 on June 26, 2010, 11:51:53 PM
Hi, I've just had my new Freway SA yesterday. I thought things would be much better with the graph tech saddles but.... I'm a bit disapointed...

The first problem is that it seems to be impossible to cut the guitar sound... even when the output jack is not used... (only the 13 pin cord is used). No guitar sound should be heard on the third position of the 3 way toggle but there's a sound... and I can't cut it, guitar volume knobs are unusable....
Second problem is that most of my sounds (made with my Musicman GK3 equiped) get noisy. I also have a lot of larsen on high gain patches...
Third problem, I thought midi synth tracking would be much better... Wow..... it's quite impossible to play my synth sounds, it doubles notes or doesn't track anything...
I have the 1.04 VG99 firmware with Piezzo choices.... but it doesn't seem to be very efficient....

Sure I'm not using the Godin as I shoud do... Are there particular things to know to make it sounds good ?

Bye

Dominik

howefan

I have a Freeway SA and have finally worked through many of the problems:

1.  Buy and install the RMC input filter jack.

2.  Set string sensitivities to 5 to start.  Different patches may require different settings, but this is a good starting point.

3.  Play with the piezo tuning option on the VG 99.  I have my Low set to -10, and High to +10.  Different patches may require different settings, but this is a good starting point.

4.  Try different things in the Guitar To Midi Patch area.  Make sure you are playing in "Poly" mode.  Try "Play Feel" at 1 and "Chromatic" at 2, but play around to meet your playing style.

tbuechse

Hey Howefan,

thank for your reply. I checked out a lot now with the Godin SA and the VG 99. Would it be an approvement in terms of faster tracking when changing the built in 13 pin connector to the RMC Subsonic filter. I can´t compare the vg99 to Axon MK 100 or GI 20. Do you have some experience on that. My highest interest is fast  tracking for writing scores and arranging with Logic Pro Instruments.

Best regards
Tim

howefan

My MIDI tracking improved very significantly with the RMC input filter board.

I don't have experience with the MIDI systems you mentioned.  My previous system was a Yahama G10/G10C, which had excellent tracking, as it was designed as a guitar-like MIDI device, but it generated no guitar sounds (all strings were G strings).

The G10 was my basis for comparison, and w/o the RMC board I was 50% as good as G10.  Now, I would say I'm 95% as good (sometime patches a little less, some patches a little more).

Note that the you still use the 13 pin connector with the RMC input filter board.  You have to replace the 13 pin jack in the VG 99.  Here is a link to Part 1 of a 4 part series which describes:



If fast tracking is extremely important, I'd check out one of the Ztar models by Starr Labs.  Like my older G10, these are designed to be guitar-like MIDI devices, but don't generate guitar sounds. 

http://www.starrlabs.com/

mariogag

Guys,

I bought my freeway about 3 years and I actually sent it back to Godin (then shipped to Berlin USA) as I was complaining about the same problem, highly noticable when you use a High Gain patch.

After 4 weeks later Goding finally ship it back with a "everything works perfectly" answer, even if I had described my test requirements.

I then decided to challenge this and sent an e-mail director to a tech support at Graphtec and the answer and solution to
this is known:

a) The freeway only used the hex module of the Ghost system. It doesn't use the second module which capture the acoustic
    sound from your guitar.

b) There is a connection between the two modules when both are used, which is not the case with the freeway.

c) The solution to this is simply to solder a jumper between Point xx to the ground.....I had to do this not on one but on
    two different modules......and it works!!

Unfortunately I didn't keep a copy of the fax that was sent so I can't share it so this means that you'll have to contact graphtech to get the 2 points where the jumper needs to be solder.....sorry....:(

Now if I had just been luckier in having graphtech to change their supplier for the "crappy 13 pins female GK connector they are using (I compare it to the ones used by Roland/RMC (I use the 3 types of connectores and they ARE BUILT differently, making the ones used by Roland/RMC better...thus making them less susceptible to "grrrerch" when you tape the GK cable need the conector on you guitar)

Anyway...time to go back to the GR-55 to pout together patches.

M



Quote from:  doha1696 on June 26, 2010, 11:51:53 PM
Hi, I've just had my new Freway SA yesterday. I thought things would be much better with the graph tech saddles but.... I'm a bit disapointed...

The first problem is that it seems to be impossible to cut the guitar sound... even when the output jack is not used... (only the 13 pin cord is used). No guitar sound should be heard on the third position of the 3 way toggle but there's a sound... and I can't cut it, guitar volume knobs are unusable....
Second problem is that most of my sounds (made with my Musicman GK3 equiped) get noisy. I also have a lot of larsen on high gain patches...
Third problem, I thought midi synth tracking would be much better... Wow..... it's quite impossible to play my synth sounds, it doubles notes or doesn't track anything...
I have the 1.04 VG99 firmware with Piezzo choices.... but it doesn't seem to be very efficient....

Sure I'm not using the Godin as I shoud do... Are there particular things to know to make it sounds good ?

Bye

Dominik

tbuechse

Hi,

just wondered the possibilities on how to setup the freeway with vg 99. Last time in a rehearsal i had all three potis of the guitar assigned and all three pickup positions reacted like heaving a pickup switch. Back home iI could not find that preset again. Hmmm.

Fact or fiction?
May be thers somebody out to give me some helpful information on how to configere the potis and switches to control the vg. I have problems as well to switch between the guitar input and MIDI Signal sent to the vg. How does the vg toggle between them?

Thanks very much

howefan

With the Freeway, you can just use the 13 pin cable to hook-up to VG 99.  One mini-toggle switch on the guitar will change patches on the VG 99.  The other mini-toggle switch chooses between 13-pin output, normal (1/4") pickup output, or both.  If only using the 13 pin cable, choose either both or 13-pin output.

On the VG 99 if you are using the computer based Editor, click on the "Detail" for each COSM guitar model.  On the screen that appears you can adjust the COSM guitar modelled volume and the normal pickup (Freeway magnetic pickup) sound (the normal pickup sound is usually defaulted to zero volume).  These controls are on the bottom left corner of screen.  Or you can adjust similarly from the VG 99 panel.

MIDI is a separate issue.  You have to enable it on a patch-by-patch basis.  If using the Editor, click on "Detail" for the Guitar To Midi box (upper right corner), and then a new screen will appear.  Click on the top empty box called Guitar To Midi.  Box will turn pink.  Now Midi is sent out VG 99.

johnf

#18
Hi:
    I recently purchased the Roland GR-55 and need some advice in setting up the unit to work with my Godin Freeway SA guitar.

What PU type should I use?

What scale type?(Godin Freeway has 22 frets)

Do I need to adjust the bridge distance?

What string sensitivity should I use?

Are other adjustments required?

Regards,
John

Dunny Daw

#19
John,

I can only answer a few of your questions, I haven't sorted a lot of this myself.

From the specs for the Freeway SA (I don't have one), it has 25-1/2" scale, standard Strat scale, so the scale is ST.  (Scale is not the number of frets, it is the distance between the nut and the bridge, or more accurately measured by two times the distance from the nut to the 12th fret.)

It has a Ghost 13-pin pickup system (by Graph-Tech, I think), so it would be a Piezo G.

I don't think you have to adjust the bridge distance - that only applies for a GK-pickup, which is mounted some distance away from the bridge.  For an integrated piezo pickup, which is part of the bridge, there is no bridge distance adjustment.

All the above is spelt out better on page 10 of the manual.

String sensitivity varies, for GK-pickups it seems to be a lot lower than the piezo pickups, judging from posts I've read.  You just need to follow the instructions in the manual to see what is best.  I think mine finished up between 67 - 75 or so, but don't take much notice of that.

There are also posts about adjusting, Nuance, Velocity, and how much change it makes, but I haven't done that yet.

Also, you should select the Outp (what amp you connect to) - unrelated to pckup, but important.

Regards

gregjon

#20
I have the same guitar [Godin Freeway SA with a Graphtech Ghost Piezo Hex PU] and I was ready to give up on the GR-55 until I tried this setting I got from here (but I sure can't find where it was...)
----------------------------------------------------
My personal setup, with a Godin Freeway SA:
GK SETTINGS
"PU"
PU type ;  PIEZO G
Scale :  ST
PU phase : NORMAL
PU direction : NORMAL
S1/S2 position : NORMAL
MORM PU gain : 0 dB
PIEZO TONE  LOW  :    0
PIEZO TONE HIGH  :   +7
"DIS"
20.0 mm all strings
"SEN"
0  all strings, except 6 E (first string)
"VEL"
Velocity Dynamics :  5
Play-Feel         :  3
Low-Velocity Cut  :  6
"NUA"
Nuance Dynamics   :  5
Nuance Trim       :  5
"DOW"
Shift   :   0

This works with my PCM stuff very well.
You might want to tweak if for your models.

I recommend saving this as one "guitar PCM" and then another version (with maybe some sensitivity)  for models.

This all really shocked me that it works at all with Zero sensitivity, and it makes no sense to me.

Gregjon
Fender 50th Anniversary Strat with GK3 pickup.
Godin Freeway SA
Godin Multiac Nylon SA
Fishman Triple Play
GR-55
GR-20
SUGS Selector
RFX Midi Foot Control Pedal
Ipad Air, Apps: Bias, Jam Up Pro, Flying Haggis, Tone Stack, Audiobus, Garage Band,

wstagner

#21
The Godin calib info was posted somewhere by Kennis Russell. ;D

Elantric

#22
Just to review the basics,  the GR-55 String Sensitivity adjust is NOT a Volume Control, with zero output at a setting of "0".

Instead, think of the  GR-55's String Sensitivity as a Trim control, with "0" being the lowest range ( which is ideal for high Output Piezo type Guitars.)

Richard McClish at RMC pickups recommends setting the RMC Piezo pickup string sensitivity to "0" and then adjust to taste, and Ghost Piezo pickups users should try the similar advice, with specific details posted above.



and for RMC Piezo users, be sure to read the specific details for GR-55 RMC Piezo "GK" Settings   here:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3965.msg26797#msg26797

tekrytor

I have a Godin Freeway SA. It tracks great so far on the GR-55, but I've only had my GR-55 a few days. It tracks pretty good without any tweaking so far. I did set it for Ghost PU though on my second outing with it. It didn't seem to make a difference, not better nor worse. About the same from what I can tell, but absolutely no problems, artifacts, etc. Very clean.
SY-300/BeatBuddy/VoiceLive 3/GR-55(v1.50)/33/1/50/700/VGA-7/V-Bass, Yam-G10, GPK-4, DIY X-Bee HighlyLiquidCPU "Cozy-Lil-Footie", FCB-1010, other MIDI stuff, Godin Freeway SA and various other GK equipped controllers, Sonar X1, Audacity, KXstudio, Misc devices

minouche

I have one and don't use it anymore.
Impossible to play GR300 sounds, and many ghost notes with PCM sounds.

Besides, the graphtech piezo is only used by the GK system. You can not have acoustic piezo sound with the regular jack output.

The only good things about the freeway are that it is a comfortable instrument and that acoustic COSM sounds are better than with the GK3.