Excessive curvature on GK pickup in the GC-1?

Started by DarthWombat, February 10, 2017, 12:53:13 PM

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DarthWombat

G'day all...

I recently acquired a second-hand Fender/Roland GC-1 guitar, having used a Graphtech-equipped Godin Freeway SA and a GK-3 for the better part of a decade. Despite the Strat being quite a reasonable axe, I am not entirely happy with the factory GK setup, so I was wondering if anyone out there might be able to offer some advice.

The radius of the top of the GK pickup is way smaller than that of the fretboard, so I can't get the outside strings close enough to the pickup without the middle ones being way too close. I can compensate for this to some extent using the sensitivity settings, but I was wondering if anyone else had a solution for  the same issue on the GC-1. I notice that my GK-3 has a much greater radius which better matches the fretboard on the FrankenStrat on which it's mounted.

I have already had the onboard GK-2 pickup apart while when I had to go under the scratchplate to fix a manufacturing issue where inadequate wood clearance prevented the GK from being lowered (Grrr!). From that inspection, it looks like I could try removing the white plastic cover to expose the mini-humbuckers (like on the GK-3) and get them closer to the strings. Also, the circuit board on which the pickups are mounted is flexible and mounted on a curved backing plate, so I could try fabricating a flatter backing plate. I reckon these modifications should be reversible - any comments or suggestions?

Thanks in anticipation,

Alex.
Synth guitars: Godin Freeway SA, Roland GC-1 Strat, Ibanez BL-100 FrankenStrat with GK-3
Roland/Boss Synth & COSM gear: Boss GT-8, Roland GR-20, Roland GR-55

DarthWombat

Thanks, sec6 - I'll give that a go.

I normally try to get my action the way I like it (low), and then adjust the pickups, but I may have to revise my approach for the GK.

It's probably an optical illusion, but the pickup radius definitely looks tighter than the fretboard. I'll have to dig out my radius guages to double-check my eyes.  :)
Synth guitars: Godin Freeway SA, Roland GC-1 Strat, Ibanez BL-100 FrankenStrat with GK-3
Roland/Boss Synth & COSM gear: Boss GT-8, Roland GR-20, Roland GR-55

alexmcginness

I bought one of these to set my action. Its supposed to be for slotting nuts but it can be used for measuring action as well.

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Nuts_and_Saddles/Nut_Slotting_Gauge.html
VG-88V2, GR-50, GR-55, 4 X VG-99s,2 X FC-300,  2 X GP-10 AXON AX 100 MKII, FISHMAN TRIPLE PLAY,MIDX-10, MIDX-20, AVID 11 RACK, BEHRINGER FCB 1010, LIVID GUITAR WING, ROLAND US-20, 3 X GUYATONE TO-2. MARSHALL BLUESBREAKER, SERBIAN ELIMINATOR AMP. GR-33.