GK-3 - Mods - Distance to string, radius mods, potting

Started by Elantric, February 25, 2008, 09:09:59 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Mauri60

Quote from:  Elantric on November 12, 2015, 07:04:28 AM
its a huge mis information  from marketing folks around the world who suggest that the type of hex PU on your guitar impacts the guitar to MIDI  latency speed. Remember their job is to sell you new products. (and I would remember name of who ever told you this wrong information for future reference )
I still prefer the old Yamaha G1D - which is same as Axon AIX-101 magnetic hex PU. 
Compared to a GK-2A, There will be no reduction in latency using a GK-3  or any other 13 pin system
(Piezo)
Hi Elantric, i keep his name for a couple of months, but unfortunately,after a Linux update, i lose some thunderbird folders.
i know also their sell strategy, but if we don't have enough acknowledge about products like GK3 or another gear, we may have trust in someone! i don't have specific competences for discriminate what is it right or not with these products, don't you think?
anyway this is not a tragedy, is it like buying my gr55 with GK3 included :) and in case of failure i may ever replace it with my GK2 ;) sorry for another question...
you wrote about a GK2A but i have an oldest GK2, they may be compared themselves?
thanks mate.
Nothing is impossible,if someone else will do for you.

Elantric

#126
The older GK-2 is rumored to not employ hum- canceling PU design, which may render more 50/60hz noise compared to GK-2A / GK-3

we compare them here


Magnetic Hex Pickup Comparison
mag_hex_PU_Study_1305182.pdf
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=downfile&id=41

Mauri60

Quote from:  Elantric on November 12, 2015, 03:52:51 PM
The older GK-2 is rumored to not employ hum- canceling PU design, which may render more 50/60hz noise compared to GK-2A / GK-3
we compare them here
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=2500.msg63555#msg63555
Hi, this have a sense certainly. Maybe i may try to roll back my hex pu's and try to recognize
differences :D
about this i found a FAQ official Roland website here:
http://Roland.com/support/article/?q=faq&p=GK-3&id=1832145
Nothing is impossible,if someone else will do for you.

Elantric

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=15590.msg111473#msg111473



Re: Musicman JP Majesty w/GK-3
« Reply #13 on: July 19, 2015, 07:38:49 AM »

Update!  it was bothering me that I could not use the whammy bar to push notes up without touching the pickups.

I disassembled the GK-3, as shown in https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=1527.0, and then removed the little plastic part that makes the pickup rise with the screw.
The result is not as pretty as the raw GK-3, but it works like a charm, see for yourself

DUNCANRIGBY

#129
I've fitted a GK kit to my Steinberger Spirit, but the existing string spacing on the Mag Hex bar is bigger than my actual string spacing on bridge... I can't align the bar with each string centring on each pickup.

i have not opened the bar to see what the construction actually is and move the pickups into alignment.

If anybody knows of replacement MagHex bar or has pictures of the internals of a gk3 MagHex unit could they post the pictures in this thread.

Elantric



stevemp

#132
I just wanted to follow up a previous discussion with pointing out an issue with the GK-3.

The previous discussion was moved here...

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=10028.0


The GK-3 seems to be too curved for some guitars even at the flattest setting.

There is no way to get the same distance between the pickup and the strings for all strings on my Parker PM-20 Pro.  The high E string is always further away due to the excessive curve of the GK-3.

So the high E string is always picked up significantly weaker than the other strings.

This seems to me to be a design flaw. 

Yes, you can adjust the sensitivity on your device but you can't always reach a reasonable compromise.  For example I can't get things set to work properly on my GR-1.  It is impossible to achieve a functional balance.

Are there any other 13-pin pickups that allow for a flatter radius?

Alternatively I guess I could but a Graphtech system with the saddles and Hexpander but then the guitar has to be significantly modified.  Plus it is fairly expensive.

Has anyone else encountered this issue?

Elantric

#133
start here
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=410.0


and here
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=41

Many folks mounting magnetic Hex Pickups for the first time wonder why their new Mag Hex pickups's  magnetic Pole pieces do not align directly under the strings.   (Roland GK-2A, GK-3, Yamaha G1D, Axon AIX-100, PU-100, Fishman Tripleplay, etc)

This is due to the various different String Spacing dimensions used on different brands of guitars.

Below is a handy String Spacing reference guide to know which Magnetic hex bridge works best for your guitar type.


Guitar "E" to "e" String Spacing at Bridge (Narrow  to Wide)

Rickenbacker = 1.98 inches (50.29mm)

Gibson Tuno-O-Matic = 2.0625 inches (52.45mm)

Fender Import Strat  = 2.0625 inches (52.45mm)

Floyd Rose  =  2.070 inches (52.58mm)

Fender Jaguar / Jazzmaster / Mustang = 2.1875 inches (55.56mm)

Fender USA Strat  = 2.21875 inches (56.35625mm)


Observe there can be nearly a 1/4 inch difference between the center of High E string to the center of low E string at the bridge from guitar to guitar.

stevemp

OK I've made some progress.

After Elantric moved my follow-up to this thread I saw that someone disassembled their GK-3.  So I thought I would open it and see if I could do something about the excessive curve.  Previously I was unable to get all the pickups a similar distance from their respective string.

I opened it up and saw that the curved form under the circuit board did not go all the way to the end.  So I shimmed the high E string end of the pickup under the circuit board.  I used a piece of the thin black foam that is supplied with the GK-3

Now the high E string end of the pickup is in the same ballpark as the others and I can get the high E string as loud as the others.

Thanks!

admin

#135
QuoteI would be interested in a 13 pin Gibson radius and spacing pickup

FWIW  -you may order the Shadow  Gibson radius and spacing mag Hex pickup alone from Antares , and adapt it to a GK-3 with a simple connector change 
http://www.autotuneforguitar.com/support/contact.php
http://web.archive.org/web/20160324184708/http://www.autotuneforguitar.com/products/products.php?category=Custom_Installation_Kits_7


whippinpost91850

Thanks Elantric, I have an install Kit I have not used yet. I hope to start that project soon


admin



Unlimbo

Hi folks.
I have an Ibanez LP that I'm preparing to make GK ready. I got a new GK3 kit through today and after reading the installation guide discovered I have a small hurdle. I'm no newbie to installing these kits but this particular guitar is EMG loaded running at 24v. The GK documentation says a maximum of 12v for the active pups. I don't really want to drop the voltage on the EMG's as it's made such a difference dynamically. I usually run my guitars with 2 cables, the regular and the GK, so I don't need my regular output fed down the GK cable. Does the SY-1K require a tap from the regular pickups for the tracking or am I good to keep the two separate? Otherwise is it possible to add a resistor and capacitor inside the guitar to feed the GK board?
Any advice welcomed  :)
Six string synths.